Avanti West Coast First Class Meals (Glasgow - London)

[doc7austin]

Last January I took the liberty to ride on Avanti West Coast train no. 1M18 from Glasgow Central to London Euston.
The departure time was 17:30 on a Friday late afternoon. The train felt virtually empty.
In total I've paid GBP 116 for the First Class ticket (Advance Single).



Glasgow Central Station, Scotland:






Avanti West Coast Trains First Class Lounge in Glasgow:







The Class 390 131 "Pendolino" was assigned to our ride. The train consists of 11 cars. I have chosen seat 29 in car J.





Standard Class cabin:





Standard Premium cabin (same seat as in First Class, but without complementary meals & drinks):





First Class cabin:





to be continued !

 

[doc7austin]

Again, it was hard for me to spot any other passenger on train no. 1M18.







Let's check out the menu card. First Class passenger can order anything they want for free. The meals are included in the ticket fare.





First round -> apple cider, green tea, and hot chocolate:





Second round -> cheese croque (warm):





Third round -> beef ragu with pasta (warm):







Fourth round -> double choc pot:





Fifth round -> soda and soda:

 

[doc7austin]

Having arrived in London Euston at 22:33 (+6 minutes delay):

 

[doc7austin]

I have compiled a detailed trip report about my journey from Fort William to London Euston:

Enjoy !

 

[doc7austin]

Glasgow Central railway station:

It appears that the Avanti trains to London always depart from the two tracks of the same platform.
So one doesn't have to wait until the platform is announced.
Even way before the announcement the London-bound have been queuing on that Avanti platform.

 

[doc7austin]

The marketing turtle of Avanti West Coast Trains:

 

[doc7austin]

One question came up.
Two Advance tickets were bought for the journey from Fort William to London.
1) Fort William - Glasgow Queen Street (Advance Single)
Two hour connection time
2) Glasgow Central - London Euston (Advance Single)

What happens if I miss the second train, because of some great delay/cancellation of the first train - for split Advance tickets ?

 

[Blinkbonny]

You are entitled to take the next available service by the same train company.

 

[railfan99]

It was winter, but what reason could there be for the train being poorly patronised?

Too late an arrival time in London during cold and perhaps rainy weather?

 

[doc7austin]

You are entitled to take the next available service by the same train company.

Ticket 1: ScotRail Advance Single
Ticket 2: Avanti Advance Single

If Scotrail screws up (delay/cancellation) then I could use the next Avanti train? Really ?

 

[Blinkbonny]

Yes. Although you have separate tickets it counts as one journey, for Delay Repay or any other ticketing matter.

It would never do any harm to call in at the ticketing office, if you have time, to get definite authorisation. But the rules are clear enough.

Unfortunately not all railway employees know them!

 

[jfollows]

Ticket 1: ScotRail Advance Single
Ticket 2: Avanti Advance Single

If Scotrail screws up (delay/cancellation) then I could use the next Avanti train? Really ?

Yes.
You can also claim Delay Repay from Scotrail if they delay you based on your actual arrival time into London versus booked.

 

[Iskra]

It was winter, but what reason could there be for the train being poorly patronised?

Too late an arrival time in London during cold and perhaps rainy weather?

I wouldn’t take one journey as representative, I did Glasgow-Preston in First in February and it was well filled.

 

[class17]

I wouldn’t take one journey as representative, I did Glasgow-Preston in First in February and it was well filled.

Evening trains from Glasgow are often lightly loaded, even is summer they are rarely very busy, is it takes 2-3 hrs before you are near any main population areas. So add on traveling to home or base for the evening, and most people want to have finished travelling before then, especially in January.
There are cheap standard advance fares to encourage use of these services, and it is a big price difference between standard and 1st.

 

[doc7austin]

Yes.
You can also claim Delay Repay from Scotrail if they delay you based on your actual arrival time into London versus booked.

thank you, good to know for next time.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Thank you to the OP for a very helpful report.

I can't help but feel that whilst the food and drink on offer by Avanti is nice, I don't feel it's up to a high enough level to justify the price difference between Standard Premium and First Class.

Also only one item which is of a more substantial size- Beef Ragu- Sounds pleasant enough, but probably only costs a pound or two to make.

I don't understand why Avanti don't at least have say 3 or 4 menu rotations like Virgin used to, so it's not just the same every week.

 

[doc7austin]

Also only one item which is of a more substantial size- Beef Ragu- Sounds pleasant enough, but probably only costs a pound or two to make.

Well, I think we agree: the croque and beef ragu are nothing more than convenience food. It is pre-cooked somewhere else + a lot of preservatives are added. On the train the food is just reheated in a small convection oven (like on a plane).

 

[Trackman]

Well, I think we agree: the croque and beef ragu are nothing more than convenience food. It is pre-cooked somewhere else + a lot of preservatives are added. On the train the food is just reheated in a small convection oven (like on a plane).

I've been in a class 390 galley, it had 2 microwaves and one small convection oven.
Shame some dishes were 'warm' I wouldn't have eaten it and politely asked to have it piping hot. Maybe they should have one of those 1500W microwave beasts that BR used on the West Coast before VT. That's another story.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I've been in a class 390 galley, it had 2 microwaves and one small convection oven.
Shame some dishes were 'warm' I wouldn't have eaten it and politely asked to have it piping hot. Maybe they should have one of those 1500W microwave beasts that BR used on the West Coast before VT. That's another story.

You should see the galley on Avanti's 221s- One tiny oven. I doubt they can fit many meals in it at once.

 

[Trackman]

You should see the galley on Avanti's 221s- One tiny oven. I doubt they can fit many meals in it at once.

So no grill or anything? apart from washing basin.

 

[voyagerdude220]

So no grill or anything? apart from washing basin.

That's right- the oven is right next to the entrance to the galley, with a small worktop area and a sink to the left of it. I've a feeling that when Virgin first introduced 220/221s, they used to have a microwave where Avanti now have the small ovens.

 

[doc7austin]

I'd doubt that a grill (if available) would ever be used by Avanti to prepare food in the Pendolino trains - the meal comes from a pre-cooked package that is just reheated and put on the plate.

 

[Trackman]

I'd doubt that a grill (if available) would ever be used by Avanti to prepare food in the Pendolino trains - the meal comes from a pre-cooked package that is just reheated and put on the plate.

Yes, rest of the day meals are, but with VTWC anyway 'The Great British breakfast' was apparently cooked from scratch (see below). Avanti must do some cooking for breakfasts, for example fried eggs. As mentioned by @voyagerdude220 there's not much in the class 221 galley, hence the different breakfast menu.

Anyway, here's the quote (from VTWC days)

Secrets of the Liverpool to London train - what's it like to work at 125mph?

The ECHO hopped on board a Virgin Pendolino at Lime Street to find out what it's like to work on board

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

What’s it like to cook breakfast at 125mph?​

John Boynton, from Walton, has worked for Virgin Trains for the last 20 years and has been a chef on the Liverpool-London route for the last decade.


He’s the man who cooks your bacon and eggs if you’re lucky enough to be in first class on one of the breakfast trains - and he says people are surprised to learn the food is cooked from scratch.


He said: “Some of my mates used to say ‘Behave! You’re not doing any cooking!’. People still think it’s all pre-packed and you just warm it up.”


John says he’s learned to cope with the challenges of cooking on a moving train.


He said: “When you’re going across some junctions, it can throw you - we’ve only got half windows in the kitchen, so you don’t always know when you’re about to pass them.


“I like that it’s always changing – this morning we had 70-odd breakfasts. Every day it’s a different scenario.”

 

[voyagerdude220]

I'd doubt that a grill (if available) would ever be used by Avanti to prepare food in the Pendolino trains - the meal comes from a pre-cooked package that is just reheated and put on the plate.

As Trackman says, breakfasts on Pendolinos are cooked from scratch. Super Voyager breakfasts (and the rest of the day hot options are probably just heated up in the tiny oven.

I'm guessing the rest of the day menu is simply pre packed food which requires minimal re heating, such as the Beef Ragu or the various toasties they offer.

It seems like Avanti no longer offer at seat service in First Class on Super Voyagers at weekends. (it states you need to go to the Shop for food/drink and they'll give you a "meal deal.")