VT 1st evening meal

[Leisurefirst]

Hello,
Thinking about treating myself to 1st class for an upcoming return trip from London to Glasgow.
I'm confused by the VT timetable as to whether I would get an evening meal served on the return leg (on a weekday) on the 15.40 or 16.40 departures from GLC?
The timetable indicates evening meal available when in darker colour but these departures only show this at Preston/Wigan/Warrington - or does this mean when boarding at Glasgow I would receive the meal but not until we reached Preston?
The 17.30 departure is dark coloured from Glasgow Central but I would prefer to leave earlier.
Your advice much appreciated.
Plus...are the many single seats in the front carriage reservable or just the odd one in the 2nd/3rd carriages?
Thanks!

 

[Mollman]

I believe that you will be able to get a full evening meal later in the journey and will be offered snakes for the first part. It is always worth asking one of the on board team.

 

[voyagerdude220]

will be offered snakes for the first part.

Is this a popular menu option in First Class?

 

[Leo1961]

I believe that you will be able to get a full evening meal later in the journey and will be offered snakes for the first part. It is always worth asking one of the on board team.

But what if he is a vegetarian or doesn't like snakes?

 

[boxy321]

We got the sandwich option twice on the 4:50 from Edinburgh, once straight away and again after Preston. My companion who seldom uses trains was not amused. Staff suggested he put a complaint in. We got off at 21:45 at night.

 

[Mollman]

We got the sandwich option twice on the 4:50 from Edinburgh, once straight away and again after Preston. My companion who seldom uses trains was not amused. Staff suggested he put a complaint in. We got off at 21:45 at night.

The trains via the West Midlands only have the light menu rather than the full menu on the direct services. I think this is due to Voyagers being used alongside Pendolinos.

And yes I mean to say snacks rather than snakes.

 

[boxy321]

The trains via the West Midlands only have the light menu rather than the full menu on the direct services. I think this is due to Voyagers being used alongside Pendolinos.

And yes I mean to say snacks rather than snakes.

They should ditch the menus then. I remember a hot food smell from New St south in coach K but that was about a year ago.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Super Voyagers on the Euston to Chester/Holyhead/Wrexham route offer evening meals, with the main courses being very similar to the Pendolino equivalent evening meal, despite the big contrast between the very limited cooking facilities on a 221 and the full kitchen on a 390. (I do wonder how small the evening meals on a 221 are though, compared with the equivalent on a 390)

 

[aylesbury]

Always get a hot meal on the 16.40 from Glasgow to MK not sure if its only light meal on the service before. I'd recommend a later service as it gives plenty of time in the city.

 

[gord]

I'm booked on the 14:40 travelling from Glasgow Central to Euston (1st advance ticket) in October. According to the timetable, it's a hot meal from Preston onwards. I think this is the same for the 15:40 with the 16:40 being the first train with a hot meal served before Preston. I've been on the 17:30 out of Glasgow before and the hot meal was served almost straight away. Very tasty but very small. At the end of the day, when we go in October if we're still hungry when we get to London, there's no shortage of places to find some decent dinner on arrival. We're on the sleeper to Penzance that same night so in all honesty, it's the seafood in Cornwall that excites me rather than the train food on the way.

 

[boxy321]

This was in coach G between BHM and Coventry before I had a pint of water on me thanks to the aircon!

 

[route101]

How big are the meals on VTWC?

 

[vlad]

How big are the meals on VTWC?

In my opinion if you order the sandwich you'll get more than if you order the hot meal. Not that there's anything wrong with the sandwiches.

If you go for the dessert make sure you've kept a clean teaspoon as the dessert spoon they provide may not fit in the pot.

 

[Chrism20]

Super Voyagers on the Euston to Chester/Holyhead/Wrexham route offer evening meals, with the main courses being very similar to the Pendolino equivalent evening meal, despite the big contrast between the very limited cooking facilities on a 221 and the full kitchen on a 390. (I do wonder how small the evening meals on a 221 are though, compared with the equivalent on a 390)

Can't speak for the Wales services, however the last Edinburgh to Birmingham of the day has (or used to have) the evening meal service. It's plated up when served, however the bin bag is visible in the vestibule and its airline meal containers so that will give you an idea of the size. Going by the packaging its the same company that do the ones for Jet2.

I posted a picture of the voyager breakfast in the LNER first class thread last year (Post 6251) which will also give you an idea. It didn't look pretty but to be fair it was decent enough.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...rst-class-service.44279/page-209#post-2937571

 

[voyagerdude220]

Can't speak for the Wales services, however the last Edinburgh to Birmingham of the day has (or used to have) the evening meal service. It's plated up when served, however the bin bag is visible in the vestibule and its airline meal containers so that will give you an idea of the size. Going by the packaging its the same company that do the ones for Jet2.

I posted a picture of the voyager breakfast in the LNER first class thread last year (Post 6251) which will also give you an idea. It didn't look pretty but to be fair it was decent enough.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...rst-class-service.44279/page-209#post-2937571

Many thanks

 

[Leisurefirst]

Thank you everybody for your replies.

For my planned journey (leaving on the 05.31 arriving 10.38 on a Tuesday and returning on late Weds afternoon) I'm looking at
£102.40 for 1st (I have a discount code from Virgin Red) or £60 for standard advances so I was trying to decide whether the extra cost was worth it.
Don't quite understand why they only have one "single" seat in two of the first class carriages but a whole side of them in the rear/leading carriage which you can't reserve!
One of my justifications for buying 1st is being able to sit alone!
Just to muddy the waters I checked out LNER to Glasgow Queen Street via Edinburgh and although of course having to change and a longer journey I can get there and back for £61 advances in Standard...tempting as I can get a 07.00 departure whereas with VT it's 05.31 or not until 09.30 without considerably more expensive advances. (I love the East Coast too from Durham northwards...and I'm not keen on Pendolinos in standard anyway.)

Also, can anybody recommend a good B&B or hotel in Glasgow for the night please based on previous experience. Preferably an independent place but chains would be OK!
Thanks in advance.
...

 

[route101]

Thank you everybody for your replies.

For my planned journey (leaving on the 05.31 arriving 10.38 on a Tuesday and returning on late Weds afternoon) I'm looking at
£102.40 for 1st (I have a discount code from Virgin Red) or £60 for standard advances so I was trying to decide whether the extra cost was worth it.
Don't quite understand why they only have one "single" seat in two of the first class carriages but a whole side of them in the rear/leading carriage which you can't reserve!
One of my justifications for buying 1st is being able to sit alone!
Just to muddy the waters I checked out LNER to Glasgow Queen Street via Edinburgh and although of course having to change and a longer journey I can get there and back for £61 advances in Standard...tempting as I can get a 07.00 departure whereas with VT it's 05.31 or not until 09.30 without considerably more expensive advances. (I love the East Coast too from Durham northwards...and I'm not keen on Pendolinos in standard anyway.)

Also, can anybody recommend a good B&B or hotel in Glasgow for the night please based on previous experience. Preferably an independent place but chains would be OK!
Thanks in advance.
...

Yep , the pendos dont have many airline seating in 1st Class , i lucked out last time and got the single seat in one of the coaches , must be awkward if your dining and facing someone , the bays of 4s less awkward . LNER 91s have more airline singles .

 

[dave87016]

Thank you everybody for your replies.

For my planned journey (leaving on the 05.31 arriving 10.38 on a Tuesday and returning on late Weds afternoon) I'm looking at
£102.40 for 1st (I have a discount code from Virgin Red) or £60 for standard advances so I was trying to decide whether the extra cost was worth it.
Don't quite understand why they only have one "single" seat in two of the first class carriages but a whole side of them in the rear/leading carriage which you can't reserve!
One of my justifications for buying 1st is being able to sit alone!
Just to muddy the waters I checked out LNER to Glasgow Queen Street via Edinburgh and although of course having to change and a longer journey I can get there and back for £61 advances in Standard...tempting as I can get a 07.00 departure whereas with VT it's 05.31 or not until 09.30 without considerably more expensive advances. (I love the East Coast too from Durham northwards...and I'm not keen on Pendolinos in standard anyway.)

Also, can anybody recommend a good B&B or hotel in Glasgow for the night please based on previous experience. Preferably an independent place but chains would be OK!
Thanks in advance.
...

Alexander Thomson hotel is a 5 min maximum walk from Glasgow Central station looks very outdated from the outside but quite a different story once inside the building and they serve a very nice breakfast

 

[Leisurefirst]

Yep , the pendos dont have many airline seating in 1st Class , i lucked out last time and got the single seat in one of the coaches , must be awkward if your dining and facing someone , the bays of 4s less awkward . LNER 91s have more airline singles .

Oh, indeed, even more so I just can't handle not being able to move my legs around freely.
I recently did the Sleeper to Fort William in the seats and the last four plus (?) hours from Glasgow in the day coach was excruciating when it filled up there on Saturday morning and we were trapped next to the window opposite each other next to people who got on there!

 

[Leisurefirst]

Alexander Thomson hotel is a 5 min maximum walk from Glasgow Central station looks very outdated from the outside but quite a different story once inside the building and they serve a very nice breakfast

Cheers, going to check that out now!

 

[47434]

I have always found the evening meal option served from London to Preston to be very good. Washed down with some half decent bottled ale.

 

[dave87016]

1640 and 1840pm from Glasgow are evening meal services and have orders taken upon departure from Glasgow

 

[boxy321]

Thank you everybody for your replies.

For my planned journey (leaving on the 05.31 arriving 10.38 on a Tuesday and returning on late Weds afternoon) I'm looking at
£102.40 for 1st (I have a discount code from Virgin Red) or £60 for standard advances so I was trying to decide whether the extra cost was worth it.
Don't quite understand why they only have one "single" seat in two of the first class carriages but a whole side of them in the rear/leading carriage which you can't reserve!
One of my justifications for buying 1st is being able to sit alone!
Just to muddy the waters I checked out LNER to Glasgow Queen Street via Edinburgh and although of course having to change and a longer journey I can get there and back for £61 advances in Standard...tempting as I can get a 07.00 departure whereas with VT it's 05.31 or not until 09.30 without considerably more expensive advances. (I love the East Coast too from Durham northwards...and I'm not keen on Pendolinos in standard anyway.)

Also, can anybody recommend a good B&B or hotel in Glasgow for the night please based on previous experience. Preferably an independent place but chains would be OK!
Thanks in advance.
...

A Pendolino in standard is a high speed cattle truck.

 

[boxy321]

In my opinion if you order the sandwich you'll get more than if you order the hot meal. Not that there's anything wrong with the sandwiches.

If you go for the dessert make sure you've kept a clean teaspoon as the dessert spoon they provide may not fit in the pot.

Sandwiches are fine but the other guy wanted hot scran. I knew to expect what we got. This was his 3rd time on a Pendo (my 2,000th).

 

[Leisurefirst]

A Pendolino in standard is a high speed cattle truck.

Indeed! I'm pretty sure I'll either treat myself to 1st on VT or else go via the East Coast in standard but definitely not VT in standard.
Last time travelled just from Oxenholme to Euston on Pendolino in STD ended up getting up and standing in vestibule from Rugby or somewhere a bit further south as I felt hemmed in and just had to get up!