VTEC - new onboard crewing system

[anti-pacer]

And when they had some left over you could ask for more... Think I had about 10 sandwiches between Edinburgh and London!

I had 2 cheeseboards on VTEC last year between London and Wakefield.

 

[SamYeager]

There is defiantly a reduction in teas/coffees between Edinburgh & Newcastle even if the train is busy especially heading North.

Completely OT and not aimed at poster as such but I see far more people using "defiantly" rather than "definitely" nowadays. Is it just people's phone word prediction or something else?

 

[SteveP29]

Completely OT and not aimed at poster as such but I see far more people using "defiantly" rather than "definitely" nowadays. Is it just people's phone word prediction or something else?

A lot of the time, most people don't even realise.
Do they not read the post after they've pressed send or post?
Do they not read it BEFORE they press send or post to make sure it makes sense

 

[Lincoln]

A lot of the time, most people don't even realise.
Do they not read the post after they've pressed send or post?
Do they not read it BEFORE they press send or post to make sure it makes sense

Or perhaps people 'defiantly' post it knowing that it upsets others

Indeed it always grates on me too. Saftey/safetey instead of safety; Pacific instead of specific amongst others.

On my phone and computer I actually have to force it to spell these basic words wrong, so I'm not sure how people do it, without turning autocorrect off in the first place.

I don't 'loose' any sleep over any of it though

 

[SamYeager]

I don't 'loose' any sleep over any of it though

Argh! Let's not go there! Sorry for the OT.

 

[96tommy]

About 7 of the last 10 times I've travelled with VTEC in the last month there have been no trolley service due to staff shortage. Take it is to do with this new way of working? If so I'm not impressed so far

 

[47271]

About 7 of the last 10 times I've travelled with VTEC in the last month there have been no trolley service due to staff shortage. Take it is to do with this new way of working? If so I'm not impressed so far

Standard Class trolley was always the first thing to go if they were short even before this change. My work patterns mean that I'm not on VTEC as much as I used to be, but about 50/50 was my experience. 7/10 does seem quite high, and surely achieving nothing more than a loss of revenue?

 

[takno]

Standard Class trolley was always the first thing to go if they were short even before this change. My work patterns mean that I'm not on VTEC as much as I used to be, but about 50/50 was my experience. 7/10 does seem quite high, and surely achieving nothing more than a loss of revenue?

I'd say the standard class trolley has always been about 50-50 under all operators. I used to notice it more in the past though when I could still afford the tea.

 

[gavin]

3 evening services have no catering available throughout between Newcastle and Edinburgh on 2 services and Newcastle to Leeds on the service from Aberdeen

The twitter feed shows they are low on staff numbers today

Affected services

17:30 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh
18:18 Aberdeen to Leeds due 00:45
19:00 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh due 23:28

 

[47271]

I travelled in First on a nameless evening northbound service one evening recently. The crew were doing their best but it was pretty ropey to be honest.

The drinks trolley was brought along initially by the Train Manager after she'd checked First Class tickets. She was extremely pleasant but didn't have a clue about any of their stock. She then vanished for an extended period to look at Standard tickets, so no more booze for an hour or so, although someone else appeared with the trolley later. The glasses have got quite a bit smaller, it's almost like they're sending out a message to say that generosity has been cancelled.

The meal service seemed to be very hurried to the extent that the man across the aisle had his dinner completely forgotten about. He had to remind them after everyone else had been served. He wasn't that bothered and it was all resolved with good humour, but it wasn't great. He seemed to be regular in the know about the changes because he then went on to have a conversation with a couple about how hit and miss service had become recently.

It all felt like they're interested in screwing down on the costs and little else. Let's hope that they don't continue to search for more economies or it really will become quite poor.

 

[gavin]

I travelled in First on a nameless evening northbound service one evening recently. The crew were doing their best but it was pretty ropey to be honest.

The drinks trolley was brought along initially by the Train Manager after she'd checked First Class tickets. She was extremely pleasant but didn't have a clue about any of their stock. She then vanished for an extended period to look at Standard tickets, so no more booze for an hour or so, although someone else appeared with the trolley later. The glasses have got quite a bit smaller, it's almost like they're sending out a message to say that generosity has been cancelled.

Some of the drinks have got a lot smaller too last September they had 330ml coke cans now they are either 150ml or 250ml looking at them

 

[All Line Rover]

I prefer the 150ml cans. CrossCountry have offered them for years. 330ml is too much. A sensible economy, IMO.

 

[philthetube]

anybody drinking just coke is normally given 2, I would not expect the cost between the two sizes is enough to create any economy.

 

[Butts]

I prefer the 150ml cans. CrossCountry have offered them for years. 330ml is too much. A sensible economy, IMO.

Just as well you are not responsible for liquor procurement, or we would be having a single instead of a double

 

[96tommy]

It seems VTEC have given up when it comes to trolley services. Not seen one in my last 6 standard class journeys
. Would never have happened under GNER or East Coast

 

[Chrism20]

It happened on a regular basis with East Coast as well it's just VTEC appear to have made its absence an almost permanent feature.

 

[Taunton]

In the last few weeks I have done Paddington to Swansea and back with GW, Kings Cross to Doncaster on East Coast, and Carlisle to Euston with West Coast. All at mainstream business travel hours.

Not a single trolley service to be seen. Walking about six cars on a full Pendolino to the buffet and then six cars back holding the stuff is not straightforward.

 

[westv]

It happened on a regular basis with East Coast as well it's just VTEC appear to have made its absence an almost permanent feature.

So it's not just the service I use then.

 

[skyhigh]

Conversely, my last experience on VTEC was that the trolley passed through several times...

...it was just unfortunate that it was unable to take card payments and had run out of change!

 

[Taunton]

I suspect that somewhere along the line it suddenly became seen as no longer a priority, and has possibly even become regarded as a nuisance. For those operators who outsource it rather than self-supply, the only management concern is probably how much they can skim from their concessionaire. Along the lines of station car parking.

 

[jayah]

anybody drinking just coke is normally given 2, I would not expect the cost between the two sizes is enough to create any economy.

I should hope so too!

Tomorrow at 0930 Plymouth - Bristol is £28 Std and £58 First I wouldn't expect to be fobbed off with stingy rations paying that money. A 330ml can is all of about 55p retail the rest is mainly overheads.

 

[krus_aragon]

Completely OT and not aimed at poster as such but I see far more people using "defiantly" rather than "definitely" nowadays. Is it just people's phone word prediction or something else?

I reckon it's a mixture of mis-spelling and miscorrection.

Someone might think the word 'definitely' is spelt 'definatly' (which is closer to how many pronounce it). Then over to the spell checker, which assumes you got the 'a' and 'n' the wrong way around ('defiantly'). It'll think that this single mistake is more likely than two separate mistakes in the same word (missing 'e' and swap 'a' for 'i').

 

[westv]

No announcements, ticket checks, trolley or sight of staff in standard on this evening's service from Kings X.

 

[Blindtraveler]

The Executive I assume?

That does sound a poor train from what various people have said

 

[MrCub]

Had five or six 1st class VTEC trips in the last month. It's poor. The hot food has become really bad and is clearly being cut back. It's rushed too; on the most recent trip orders were being taken before we left Kings Cross and the meals were and cleared away by Stevenage.

 

[Chrism20]

The Executive I assume?

That does sound a poor train from what various people have said

It's the peak one that seems to take the hit every time something goes wrong or they are short.

 

[humbersidejim]

The conspiracy theorist in me wonders whether the product strategy is to deliberately run down the service on board mk3 and mk4 stock before a glorious relaunch aboard the IEP.

Of course it's most likely about saving money.

 

[Tetchytyke]

It's definitely getting worse. I think them running out of food- all food, including sandwiches- at Darlington on a recent fast Edinburgh-London teatime train sums it up perfectly. They also ran out of beer, vodka and tonic water.

It just seems so short-sighted; if there's one group you don't want to upset, it's the businessmen on York-London late afternoon trains.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The conspiracy theorist in me wonders whether the product strategy is to deliberately run down the service on board mk3 and mk4 stock before a glorious relaunch aboard the IEP.

Of course it's most likely about saving money.

If anything, I think its about preparing people for how rubbish the catering is going to be on the IEP.

 

[Chrism20]

If anything, I think its about preparing people for how rubbish the catering is going to be on the IEP.

You could be on the money with that one. I have a feeling the five car sets are going to resemble voyagers.

Kitchen and crowding!