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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service
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trainophile
Established Member
I took the 0932 from Berwick to Kirkcaldy today, and returned on the 1646. Journey time about 90 minutes, so well in excess of the 70 minutes that qualifies for a meal.
However, outbound I was not offered any food until we were a couple of minutes from Kirkcaldy, so I had to refuse as I wouldn't have had time to eat it.
On return I had sandwiches not long after Edinburgh, but didn't get a hot drink at all. One cold drink.
I've kept my tickets, and wondering whether to make a mild complaint!
However, outbound I was not offered any food until we were a couple of minutes from Kirkcaldy, so I had to refuse as I wouldn't have had time to eat it.
On return I had sandwiches not long after Edinburgh, but didn't get a hot drink at all. One cold drink.
I've kept my tickets, and wondering whether to make a mild complaint!
Go for it but I would not expect anything beyond maybe, and I stress maybe, a mild apology. I would not be surprised if they didn't even offer that.
dave87016
Established Member
Since they became Virgin Trains East Coast they have gone downhill in my opinion, used to get friendly customer service ( email ) and I frequently praised them but recently I have found the 1st class service average and the customer service ( email ) very poor so much so that I avoid travelling VTEC where possible
The catering crews always (I think) change over at Edinburgh. So, unfortunately, whilst you are theoretically entitled to the full offering, in practical terms you've boarded when the first crew are winding down service in preparation for changing over, and at the other end won't be staying on long enough to get the full service from the next crew. That will be of little consolation of course, as you have rightly stated that you are entitled to a full service. Unfortunately, in practice, for quite a bit of your journey the crew will have been winding down and setting up.
If I'm wrong about the changeover, then they had absolutely no excuse!
Regardless, go for it. You won't lose anything except maybe a bit of your own time (even then, it can be quite therapeutic moaning!). I doubt you'll get anything other than an apology, but there's no harm. Maybe you'll get a rail travel voucher if they don't reply quickly enough. Maybe they'll even take the feedback on board(!). Even if this doesn't happen, as I've said you can fill the form in in two or three minutes and you've really got nothing to lose.
PS - I'm currently in the First Class lounge at KGX. The "bouncer" had a long look at my ticket and didn't charge me
If I'm wrong about the changeover, then they had absolutely no excuse!
Regardless, go for it. You won't lose anything except maybe a bit of your own time (even then, it can be quite therapeutic moaning!). I doubt you'll get anything other than an apology, but there's no harm. Maybe you'll get a rail travel voucher if they don't reply quickly enough. Maybe they'll even take the feedback on board(!). Even if this doesn't happen, as I've said you can fill the form in in two or three minutes and you've really got nothing to lose.
PS - I'm currently in the First Class lounge at KGX. The "bouncer" had a long look at my ticket and didn't charge me
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trainophile
Established Member
Pity they don't have the same philosophy as VTWC, who according to some posts on here often send out £50 of RTVs in response to the slightest complaint.
I have a suspicion that if I enclosed a photo of my tickets their initial reaction would be along the lines of "so what do you expect for £9.90?" (Advance with railcard).
Tbh I was more put out at the lack of a cup of tea on the return than the food absence on my way out, as I had had a light breakfast in my hotel, and could have looked for a Greggs on arrival
. On my return journey I was craving a cuppa, and kept expecting hot drinks to appear every time staff walked past. Suppose I should count myself lucky to get a glass of juice! If I had known a hot drink wouldn't be forthcoming, I would have bought one before boarding.
Been travelling again today (back home from Berwick - refreshments provision okay), so I'm a bit tired tonight, but I might give it a go tomorrow and inform them of my journey without enclosing tickets. On a £75 full price walk-up return it would be considered a poor show. They shouldn't categorically publish their refreshments policy if they are not able to adhere to it, for whatever reason.
I have a suspicion that if I enclosed a photo of my tickets their initial reaction would be along the lines of "so what do you expect for £9.90?" (Advance with railcard).
Tbh I was more put out at the lack of a cup of tea on the return than the food absence on my way out, as I had had a light breakfast in my hotel, and could have looked for a Greggs on arrival
. On my return journey I was craving a cuppa, and kept expecting hot drinks to appear every time staff walked past. Suppose I should count myself lucky to get a glass of juice! If I had known a hot drink wouldn't be forthcoming, I would have bought one before boarding.Been travelling again today (back home from Berwick - refreshments provision okay), so I'm a bit tired tonight, but I might give it a go tomorrow and inform them of my journey without enclosing tickets. On a £75 full price walk-up return it would be considered a poor show. They shouldn't categorically publish their refreshments policy if they are not able to adhere to it, for whatever reason.
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DaveNewcastle
Established Member
You're not the only one. Staff and passengers are generally despondent at the company's inability to deliver real service while squandering money on self-promotion.
Passenger numbers continue to rise but the Company is spreading anxiety about losses.
Still, we can be pleased that there are ever increasing opportunities for employment in Managerial roles, even if there have to be regretable cuts on the ground and on-board trains.
Some staff feel the same way.
I've heard more talk of leaving during the past few weeks than even in the dark days of management by National Express.
Nad going back on topic, has anyone pointed out yet that the 'new' menus are in just two 'rotations', instead of cycling through the full variety of a four week rotation? That too has replaced quality and quantity with 'branding'.
Just the same as they are doing to the toilets.
All so very depressing.
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Blindtraveler
Established Member
Does this imply a branded toilet seat and fetching red bogroll?
Seriously Iv not had a refreshed set yet, what are the promised improvements to toilets?
Hadnt spotted the 2 rotations thing
Seriously Iv not had a refreshed set yet, what are the promised improvements to toilets?
Hadnt spotted the 2 rotations thing
SteveP29
Member
And when they sell you the most expensive 1st class walk up fare without even trying to find cheaper fares (as we were able to do within 5 minutes), they wouldn't then have to compensate as a 'good will' gesture over £500
I do not think I could have put this better myself.
Totally agree.
Excellent. The long slide into oblivion continues. Won't be too long before it's like VTWC where there is one menu and its the same for week after week after week and the portion size is what one might generously call 'small'.
dave87016
Established Member
Has anyone got a link to the 2 week rotation please?
I had no problem visiting KGX lounge without charge with fairly cheap (~£50) advances this week without further charge. However someone else was invited to come back within 2 hours of the departure of their train.
Am I just unlucky but the past 3 times I have travelled back from KGX to God's own county the evening dinner service on East Coast has been unavailable - twice (including tonight) because of electrical problems and once because of plumbing.
On none of the 3 occasions was this flagged up beforehand on the catering updates section of the EC/VTEC website.
Why does the kitchen/galley equipment seem so unreliable? Was there any refurbishment of these areas when the cosmetic/branding aspects were attended to?
I'm not a regular commuter and even delayed travel home tonight to catch a train where dinner should have been available.
I did wonder whether it was the overcrowding tonight which was really to blame after the delays at Grantham earlier.
Also what's with the really odd cheesy thing at breakfast? Bring back eggs!
On none of the 3 occasions was this flagged up beforehand on the catering updates section of the EC/VTEC website.
Why does the kitchen/galley equipment seem so unreliable? Was there any refurbishment of these areas when the cosmetic/branding aspects were attended to?
I'm not a regular commuter and even delayed travel home tonight to catch a train where dinner should have been available.
I did wonder whether it was the overcrowding tonight which was really to blame after the delays at Grantham earlier.
Also what's with the really odd cheesy thing at breakfast? Bring back eggs!
trainophile
Established Member
That's unforgivable that people were not informed, so that they could buy something before boarding
. Or maybe they expected to be serving dinner, but a problem occurred after departure 
.Right. Haven't been on one since last September, since when people have been reporting that the order that things are served has changed. I'm travelling next Monday week. What can I expect when? I gather from previous posts that I will no longer be able to enjoy a mug of coffee upon leaving KGX?
I believe that only applies to evening meal trains. All other services in my experience operate as they always have.
The coffee coming after the food is also practised on 'All Day' menu trains. Of course if you board the train later than its origin you won't notice that.
On departure from Leeds you get cold drinks immediately (usually before Wakefield) then food orders, then food arrives, then coffee. Sometimes the cake and crisps come with the food order, sometimes the cake comes with the coffee. You almost always get biscuits with the coffee.
On departure from Leeds you get cold drinks immediately (usually before Wakefield) then food orders, then food arrives, then coffee. Sometimes the cake and crisps come with the food order, sometimes the cake comes with the coffee. You almost always get biscuits with the coffee.
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The last few journeys I've made that have been all day have followed the same format as Starmill says above.
The norm for me now seems to be for hot drinks to be served about fifteen minutes outside Peterborough heading north and somewhere around Grantshouse heading south from Edinburgh although there has been a few occasions where the hot drinks still haven't been served before the train is leaving Berwick.
I notice that the next three weeks menus have disappeared from the website either yesterday or today presumably in preparation for the new menu being launched next week.
Has anyone seen them yet?
The norm for me now seems to be for hot drinks to be served about fifteen minutes outside Peterborough heading north and somewhere around Grantshouse heading south from Edinburgh although there has been a few occasions where the hot drinks still haven't been served before the train is leaving Berwick.
I notice that the next three weeks menus have disappeared from the website either yesterday or today presumably in preparation for the new menu being launched next week.
Has anyone seen them yet?
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Ah my apologies to Bungle 
Butts
Veteran Member
I agree that it makes sense if it's a GWR restaurant style service, and all those partaking of it are doing so at broadly the same time on broadly the same journey.
However, I travel mostly for work, and when I travel by train, I work when I travel. The catering is not a key part of the journey, mostly because (and I appreciate that this is very subjective) I find the vast majority of the First Class catering to be pretty poor.
The oohs and aahs for the freebies seem always to be from hen parties and holidaymakers. Breakfast is the most reliable service, I find.
Hitherto, I would often decline the food, which apart from anything else, gets in the way of working, but at least I could have a coffee pretty much as-and-when, with fairly regular passes up the train - and maybe a cake or a biscuit. That's become more difficult on many services now, unless I can charm the crew to put a pot on (or more likely to bring the crew pot along).
If I get on an 11am service and start working, however, I don't want the first service offer to be wines, beers and spirits, nor to eat 'lunch' at 11:15, nor to have to wait until 11:30 for a cup of coffee.
For me, it just doesn't work.
Quite correct, of course - but also quite irrelevant
. I don't want a cold drink; I don't sit at my desk at work with one, and until the recent changes I didn't have to wait for half or three quarters of an hour for one on an East Coast train.
No other TOC with any kind of First Class service, so far as I can recall, mucks about with anything else before it gets the kettle on.
Moreover, cold drinks are also quite incapable of complimenting any kind of baked goods satisfactorily.
Although, as I type this, I surprise even myself that I am lamenting so acutely the newly-delayed arrival of a warm brown liquid that is, by any reasonable measure, only two notches up in taste and tone from what's being flushed from HST carriage-ends up and down the line daily.
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dave87016
Established Member
I think VTEC first class is going the same way as VTWC, I frequently travel on the 18:40pm Glasgow - Euston as far as Preston and this service is evening meal, the first offering is alcohol, fruit juice or water, your meal order, then dessert/cheese board is offered and then they offer tea/coffee, it is usually near Carlisle when the first hot drink is offered.
Personally I have always been a big fan of VTEC offerings but that was prior to Virgin taking over to become VTEC , since it became VTEC I feel that the first class service has had its day, as its gone downhill big time
Personally I have always been a big fan of VTEC offerings but that was prior to Virgin taking over to become VTEC , since it became VTEC I feel that the first class service has had its day, as its gone downhill big time