Website for First Class Perks

[rosscbrown]

Hey everyone,

I've decided to put together a wee website about First Class Travel detailing the hospitality etc you can expect on board from each operator.

My plan is to have a page for each of the operators with all the details of their first class offering, possibly with pictures too. I also want to include a part where you can rate each of the operators offerings.

I'm sure this would be a great resource to many people. Do you have any suggestions for things I should include?

I'm pretty up on the web side of things but I might need a little help with the words and pictures, if you will, so any such help would be very much appreciated.

 

[SuperVoyager]

You should include that XC's FC is rubbish, all you get is a 2 inch wider seat thats blue.

 

[Mojo]

That is a really good idea, it often comes up as an "FAQ" on various forums.

Details of at-seat service & variations between weekday and weekend would be good and obviously a list of complementary items available (following on from above, these can often differ weekdays & weekends). Some TOCs also publish their menus of what you can expect food wise.
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You should include that XC's FC is rubbish, all you get is a 2 inch wider seat thats blue.

And weekdays, at seat service, hot food, etc, etc.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Whether everything is free once you're on board, or whether certain things (alcohol, hot food etc) carry an extra charge

 

[SuperVoyager]

And weekdays, at seat service, hot food, etc, etc.

Why can't they do that for the Devon joiners... You have to wait until Birmingham Or something for that

 

[will1337]

A section on Weekend First, Lounges maybe with reviews, Intercity journeys and which are worth traveling in First on the basis of cost, Advance First tickets. You could also give a little background on the Standard class seating for each operator for comparison.

 

[devon_metro]

Why can't they do that for the Devon joiners... You have to wait until Birmingham Or something for that

Because it's nearly empty?!?

 

[Mojo]

Why can't they do that for the Devon joiners... You have to wait until Birmingham Or something for that

The map is on their website, but it's Bristol, assuming you're travelling "within hours."

 

[SuperVoyager]

Because it's nearly empty?!?

If i got an FC ticket id be paying the same price as they would in Bristol..
If they get food, we should.

 

[MCR247]

If i got an FC ticket id be paying the same price as they would in Bristol..
If they get food, we should.

oh right, that makes sense, just like if you bought a 1st class ticket on a late night service, and it was only you in 1st class, they should provide you with fresh hot food. :roll::roll:

 

[SuperVoyager]

oh right, that makes sense, just like if you bought a 1st class ticket on a late night service, and it was only you in 1st class, they should provide you with fresh hot food. :roll::roll:

I was talking about in the day...:roll:

 

[Max]

Please let's keep this on topic...:roll:

 

[MCR247]

I was talking about in the day...:roll:

thats not the point :roll:, but anyhow back on topic like Max said

 

[richa2002]

oh right, that makes sense, just like if you bought a 1st class ticket on a late night service, and it was only you in 1st class, they should provide you with fresh hot food. :roll::roll:

Um, yes they should because they've paid for it. Makes perfect sense to me. It's nothing to do with the passenger whether the train is well loaded or not.

 

[rosscbrown]

Thanks! I've decided that I'm going to include the following for each operator:

Accommodation:
Seating, tables, power outlets, dedicated carriage or compartment, etc

Catering:
Hot food, cold food, menus, areas available, times available, at seat/dining car, complimentary, etc

Additional Complementary Items:
Newspapers, wifi, etc

Weekend and Holiday Alterations:
Weekend food and service offerings if different from above

Lounge Access:
Copy of operators lounge access policy

Comparison to Standard Class:
Description of accommodation and catering

Not to sure where I'll find all the info as some of the websites are pretty poor at noting what they offer up front in first class. Still, I might just end up writing to a few of them for the Info. Anything else that I've missed?

 

[MCR247]

Um, yes they should because they've paid for it. Makes perfect sense to me. It's nothing to do with the passenger whether the train is well loaded or not.

but do TOC charge the same? Because its rather unfair for them to pay for staff to make fresh food for 1 passenger, because they're loosing money, which is what its about nowadays

 

[SuperVoyager]

but do TOC charge the same? Because its rather unfair for them to pay for staff to make fresh food for 1 passenger, because they're loosing money, which is what its about nowadays

Well you don't get any discount down here because there is no FC Catering

 

[MCR247]

Also, i would put for things like SWT 444 1st class, isnt worth it, as all you get is a slightly bigger(?) blue seat, curtains and a lamp (?), power sockets, that can be found in part of SC in the same position at the other end

 

[SuperVoyager]

LM 321 isn't that great either...

 

[richa2002]

Well if they can't meet the service they shouldn't charge for it.

 

[rosscbrown]

And here we have it, a first look at Travelling First Class Dot Com (now with two Ls in TRAVELLING!

http://www.travellingfirstclass.com/

So, this is just a first look. I've based it on wordpress and used a really neat script for the ratings - just got to sort out the words, pictures and design now, but I though if I actually give out the link now, there is a real chance that I might actually finish it!

What do you think? Words wise, the NXEC page is more or less done...

 

[merlodlliw]

I have put up my rating for W/S, I did not see the comments until too late so it looks like a two comment, I note that I can not change my original to give
my comments on page one, perhaps this can be done for me,excellent idea.

 

[37401]

When the best time to book FC tickets is and how much cheaper they are when you book as early as possible

 

[Pumbaa]

Very good!

 

[rosscbrown]

Thanks for all your help so far, especially those who have visited and rated things. I'm busy working on the details just now. Hopefully this will end it being really useful.

The top half of the TOC pages (written by me) should be a an objective description of what's on offer. Whereas the bottom half (reviews by you) will be the subjective comments on value etc.

I really like the idea of an Insider Secrets type page with info on the best ways to book firs class and so on - but that will have to be something that comes later.

I'll update you once I get more of the pages sorted

-Ross.

 

[John @ home]

My plan is to have a page for each of the operators with all the details of their first class offering

I am surprised that you have marked Yes to the provision of First Class accommodation by Northern Rail.

Northern Rail do not provide First Class accommodation and when they acquire coaches with First Class, this area is declassified, eg. Adelantes recently transfered from FGW.

Curiously, they do offer First Class fares on their Blackpool - York via Burnley route, which is operated by 3-coach Class 158 trains with Standard accommodation only.

Presumably, for the extra £1.40 in the Day Single fare between York and Blackpool, one could have a free tea and snack on a CrossCountry train to Leeds, then a complimentary coffee and biscuit on the single daily NXEC service from Leeds to Bradford Foster Square before a leisurely walk across that city then joining the Northern service to Blackpool at Bradford Interchange.

John

 

[devon_metro]

Well you don't get any discount down here because there is no FC Catering

You get free drinks and snacks from buffet/shop whatever. God knows about the XC trolleys, they are farce in their own right.

 

[stut]

Also, i would put for things like SWT 444 1st class, isnt worth it, as all you get is a slightly bigger(?) blue seat, curtains and a lamp (?), power sockets, that can be found in part of SC in the same position at the other end

That really depends on your perspective. On the 444s and 159s, the seating in 1st is pretty good - 2+1 instead of 2+2, with better legroom and window alignment (particularly an issue on the rather cramped 159s). I'd happily pay a weekend/GC upgrade for those seats on journeys like London-Weymouth or Woking-Exeter.

The power points are a real bonus too - you may be able to find them in standard (I've never really spotted them), but you'd want to be travelling at a time quiet enough to guarantee getting them - something I, sadly, never have the luxury of doing.

 

[bengolding]

The London Midland page mentions that complimentry tea, coffee and soft drinks and cake/flapjack are avalible on Crewe-London services. Are you sure about this? I travelled on this route last week in FC and wasn't told about this when the trolley passed. I also thought that the catering trolley provision was not provided for directly by the company but independently, so how would the complimentary provisions work?

 

[rosscbrown]

I'm pleased to report that I'm getting there. Since I last updated I've emailed all the TOCs asking for info and made a start on each TOC page.

No doubt there will be errors so please let me know if you spot any. Any other feedback is much appreciated.

Hit it, you know you want to: http://www.travellingfirstclass.com/