What was so good about GNER?

[Mr Spock]

GNER was not my favourite TOC but I have no real complaints about them and would class them above average.

Never used the restaurant car so can't comment except to say that it caused me problems a couple of times, joined train at Doncaster and found 1st seats only for someone to turn up about 20 mins later claiming they were their seats and that they had been having a meal.

Staff like most TOC's varied between very good to awful although there were a lot more good than awful.

They did make a lot of promises e.g. parkway stations that never materialised. They also did a lot of talking about getting a couple of tilting trains before Virgin got any which was just an attention seeking ploy.

The eurostars worked ok but I think Virgin tried for them first but were told that there was to much interference with signalling equipment at the south end of the WCML.

 

[Marton]

Or you could counter that with the staff who worked at KGX who seemed to vanish when disruption happened and leave it all to us NR staff and a smattering of WAGN staff.

Not my experience in the post Hatfield mess when Garnett was on the concourse himself.

As to what was good abut GNER:

• GNER had a customer focus; staff seemed proud to work for it
• Even though they did get the best of the old BR stock they improved it
• Also seeing senior staff helping catering crew
• The restaurant - a hot meal, not snack, is good at the end of a busy working day; NatEx was never as good
• Sweating the assets - using the sets more to improve frequency
• Delay repay @ 30 minutes
• More car parking

But not all was good:

• Fares rose hugely
• Car park fees
• Stopping the savoury after dinner

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The suggestion of having a decent, wholesome meal somewhere in the 5 hours between 6 and 11 is not to be met with "why the hell would you want a restaurant?". Its to be met with "surely this is the precise time and place to provide a restaurant to a willing, hungry, affluent, regular and appreciative market", and to do it well.
Its irrational not to offer the service.

Here Here

At least there is something hot northbound 4pm to 7pm

Those of us travelling south in the evening might get a baked potato - if there are any left.

Eating in a hotel at 10pm is not reasonable when you leave home at 7am, work all day, then travel south for early meetings the next day.:mad:

 

[jon0844]

I wonder if there's more call for food in the evening than the day, where more options are available and people more likely to use them than buy on the train?

 

[tbtc]

I wonder if there's more call for food in the evening than the day, where more options are available and people more likely to use them than buy on the train?

Breakfast and evening meal are going to be much bigger markets, but the train would need to retain the facilities even if its only serving two meals a day per restaurant seat, which makes the economics difficult.

 

[Liam]

The East and West Coast are the easiest franchises to run. Especially the East Coast. They had the fastest and probably the flagship line (at the time), unlike the West Coast, the ECML wasn't being taken to bits at the time and they were proided wth right rolling stock and that stock was already well proven.

How would Sea Containers (or Virgin for that matter) do with the Northern or Welsh franchises?

Don't get me wrong, the staff were great, but it's easier to look good when everything else in going in your favour.

 

[tbtc]

[*]GNER had a customer focus; staff seemed proud to work for it

One reason for this may have been the fact that they seemed to increase staff salaries pretty significantly which meant poaching staff from Northern Spirit which caused the driver shortages/ cancellations/ problems that Arriva inherited - which is one problem I have with "competition" between TOCs.

 

[Butts]

I imagine some passengers would have liked the retention of the smoking carriage

Suprisingly enough I totally endorse the above comments

I actually travelled down to Nothallerton today on a 225 Mallard that was in GNER Livery with East Coast Decals slapped on the sides.

Not having experienced the Restaurant Car I am unable to comment on it's operation ...however I know a lot of the GNER "sweats" like Dave Newcastle seem to endorse it.

From my own personal perspective the EC deal is wonderful - dirt cheap advances in 1st and free grub...however if it was not free I would not be so enthusiastic about the fayre on offer