London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[yorkie]

You have to guess. It's would have been far too complicated for LNER to just add an simple icon to the online pdf timetables.

I am happy to criticise LNER when criticism is due but to be fair they've only recently expanded the options and I would imagine high levels of abesense affecting most organisations at present may mean they are less confident at providing the 'booked' offering, so I think they can be forgiven for this, at least for the time being.

I've certainly not been disappointed on any of my recent journeys anyway. I must admit I do usually travel in 1st on LNER; the main reason being I am fortunate in not having to pay the full price.

It sounds like the new menus have also brought back some motivation into the hosts now. Perhaps they feel happy that it’s back to the way it was before.

Stark contrast to the reports of stinginess from earlier on in the thread.

The vast majority of the hosts are very good or excellent; I generally get the Yorkshire/North East/Scotland based crews, rather than London crews. Almost all poor experiences I've had (none lately) have been with London crews and have been the minority of my journeys.

 

[Scotrail314209]

The vast majority of the hosts are very good or excellent; I generally get the Yorkshire/North East/Scotland based crews, rather than London crews. Almost all poor experiences I've had (none lately) have been with London crews and have been the minority of my journeys.

I shared similar when I used to travel Avanti.

I found the Glasgow and Preston crews to be absolutely stellar, particularly Glasgow. The London and Birmingham hosts were surly as anything.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Good service on a northbound trip from York to Newcastle (via Durham Coast) this morning. An hour in and already had the avocado to eat and two drinks runs.

 

[williamn]

Had the Dish menu on the way back from Edinburgh this week. Certainly nice to have a hot plated option - had a teacake upon departure (16.30) and then the (rather small) mash and stew later on. For some reason the crew offered everyone but me the chocolate pot - maybe I wasn't allowed due to the earlier tea cake! Several rounds of drinks though the red wine is really not great.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I am on the 930 from Edinburgh next Saturday morning, only to York but that itself is just over 3 hours due to the Durham coast diversion. Anybody got any idea what I might or might not get?

 

[Andy Pacer]

I am on the 930 from Edinburgh next Saturday morning, only to York but that itself is just over 3 hours due to the Durham coast diversion. Anybody got any idea what I might or might not get?

I'd imagine you will get something off whichever breakfast menu they decide to operate after leaving Edinburgh and then I'd suspect at least two drinks runs.

 

[deep south]

Well, we weren't offered the full breakfast on the 10:27 from Newcastle, so only a bacon sandwich. The staff cleared the tables just after 12:15, and then disappeared. I thought they were going to offer the all day options, but no. Got off the train hungry for lunch so straight to M&S for a sandwich.
Maybe I was unlucky...

 

[davidgiles]

Does anyone ‘in the know’ happen to have the breakdown of which trains serve which menu? A LNER chat assistant has just advised that, northbound, *only* the weekday 0615 ex KGX serves the Full LNER breakfast. That can’t be right, surely?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Enjoyed my journey on the 930 from Edinburgh this morning and service was good with plenty of drinks. However for reasons better now into nobody it would seem they were offering the rest of day menu and had sold out a toasted teacakes meaning that most people's choice for something that vaguely resembles breakfast was unavailable until Newcastle.


I had the chicken sandwich which was nice but forgettable and was the only person to refuse an alcoholic drink when offered after Newcastle

 

[Butts]

Enjoyed my journey on the 930 from Edinburgh this morning and service was good with plenty of drinks. However for reasons better now into nobody it would seem they were offering the rest of day menu and had sold out a toasted teacakes meaning that most people's choice for something that vaguely resembles breakfast was unavailable until Newcastle.


I had the chicken sandwich which was nice but forgettable and was the only person to refuse an alcoholic drink when offered after Newcastle

Were you on your way to a Temperance Society Meeting ?

Nice to hear there is seemingly a much better offering at Weekends than was formerly the case.

 

[Blindtraveler]

The sun was simply Not over my yard arm for a Saturday yet, I was quite happy with coffee and orange juice and a can of lemonade

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Were you on your way to a Temperance Society Meeting ?

Nice to hear there is seemingly a much better offering at Weekends than was formerly the case.

Surprisingly, not everybody fancies a Scotch at 11am

 

[Deerfold]

Were you on your way to a Temperance Society Meeting ?

Nice to hear there is seemingly a much better offering at Weekends than was formerly the case.

I often don't take advantage of the alcohol on LNER. Much of it isn't great. When they didn't have vodka I didn't bother. I didn't fancy their whisky and am not a fan of most of the other alcohol they carry.

 

[Andy Pacer]

I often don't take advantage of the alcohol on LNER. Much of it isn't great. When they didn't have vodka I didn't bother. I didn't fancy their whisky and am not a fan of most of the other alcohol they carry.

I was quite happy with the gin and tonics last Saturday on my trip.

 

[Deerfold]

I was quite happy with the gin and tonics last Saturday on my trip.

It may be a great gin, but I don't like gin.

 

[Retorus]

Were you on your way to a Temperance Society Meeting ?

Nice to hear there is seemingly a much better offering at Weekends than was formerly the case.

Do you often enjoy a scotch with your breakfast?

 

[Big Tim]

A common query has tended to arise recently (one I mentioned myself on the 31/01 in this thread) re: which menu will be served on a given train.

While there still does not appear to be information on the timetables as yet, when I logged into my LNER account just now, I took a quick look at my upcoming trips. My next journey is Monday 21st on the 1156 departure from York up to Dundee, and underneath this booking it states that I will be served from the "Dish" menu. I have not seen this before - so assuming it’s a recent update. It only appeared in my account on the LNER website and not the App though for some reason.

I'm wondering if this is a sign that there will soon be full information regarding which menu will generally be offered on services.

 

[westv]

Do you often enjoy a scotch with your breakfast?

Scotch eggs?

 

[Butts]

Do you often enjoy a scotch with your breakfast?

Occasionally if I'm on a trip out somewhere, but this was after 11am and post-breakfast.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Not entirely sure I'm comfortable with being judged for not accepting an alcoholic beverage despite it being offered.

 

[ainsworth74]

Not entirely sure I'm comfortable with being judged for not accepting an alcoholic beverage despite it being offered.

I quite agree. The bizarre obsession some have with drinking as much as possible is not something I fully understand. I think you were quite right not to accept the alcohol if you didn't want to and indeed I wouldn't have accepted any at that time of day either.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Had it been 4 or 5 hours later then I might well have accepted and as a number of members of this forum well no, I do enjoy a few drinks but always in moderation, well usually anyway and certainly not at 11 on a Saturday morning when I had plans, which turned out not to come to fruition in any real sense but never mind, to go bus bashing in the afternoon,

 

[30907]

A common query has tended to arise recently (one I mentioned myself on the 31/01 in this thread) re: which menu will be served on a given train.

While there still does not appear to be information on the timetables as yet, when I logged into my LNER account just now, I took a quick look at my upcoming trips. My next journey is Monday 21st on the 1156 departure from York up to Dundee, and underneath this booking it states that I will be served from the "Dish" menu. I have not seen this before - so assuming it’s a recent update. It only appeared in my account on the LNER website and not the App though for some reason.

I'm wondering if this is a sign that there will soon be full information regarding which menu will generally be offered on services.

There are now PDFs on the relevant page of the website; the Dine menu is available SX only, with a strong focus on morning trains southbound, a range of evening northbounds similar to previous, and some slightly random ones including 0708 Leeds-Aberdeen and 1730 Edinburgh-KGX.

 

[westv]

There are now PDFs on the relevant page of the website; the Dine menu is available SX only, with a strong focus on morning trains southbound, a range of evening northbounds similar to previous, and some slightly random ones including 0708 Leeds-Aberdeen and 1730 Edinburgh-KGX.

I don't understand why the weekday morning service from Harrogate continues with the full English breakfast but those from Skipton and Hull don't anymore.
And it looks like the weekday full dinner menu is on a lot less services out of Kings X

 

[Scotrail314209]

A very random array of trains. I have noticed Deli is on the Lincoln and early morning services.

Presumably these are the lighter loaded trains

 

[Scotrail314209]

I have noticed some services at the weekend are marked as ‘N/A’ meaning they don’t operate, when they do run.

Does this mean they’ll have no first class service on?

 

[westv]

I have noticed some services at the weekend are marked as ‘N/A’ meaning they don’t operate, when they do run.

Does this mean they’ll have no first class service on?

N/a means the train service doesn't run at the weekend.

 

[Scotrail314209]

C

N/a means the train service doesn't run at the weekend.

Can't be said for some. The 0648 ex Glasgow to London does run on a Saturday, the 1300 ex London runs both Saturday and Sunday (I've done it on a Sunday!)

Seems slightly unfinished in that regard.

 

[OrangeJuice]

There are now PDFs on the relevant page of the website; the Dine menu is available SX only, with a strong focus on morning trains southbound, a range of evening northbounds similar to previous, and some slightly random ones including 0708 Leeds-Aberdeen and 1730 Edinburgh-KGX.

The 1730 Edinburgh to London starts Aberdeen at 1452 which is a dine train, so unless it switches at Edinburgh I don't know how accurate that will be

 

[30907]

The 1730 Edinburgh to London starts Aberdeen at 1452 which is a dine train, so unless it switches at Edinburgh I don't know how accurate that will be

Yes, I noticed the discrepancy - I assume it means Dish north of EDB in line with previous policy, and possibly some other juggling of crew involved.