London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[Butts]

Booked on the 17:33pm KGX - LDS on Friday, the hot pork pie doesnt tickle my taste buds, neither does the options except for the egg and cress sarnie, a bit gutted at that really, in the past on the same service ive had Jacket potato with filling, Chicken & Mushroom Pie with chips and salad. both were lovely and filling

You'll have to wait for The Fillet Mignon to come back on the menu

 

[Bungle73]

Booked on the 17:33pm KGX - LDS on Friday, the hot pork pie doesnt tickle my taste buds, neither does the options except for the egg and cress sarnie, a bit gutted at that really, in the past on the same service ive had Jacket potato with filling, Chicken & Mushroom Pie with chips and salad. both were lovely and filling

Jacket potatoes are still on the menu. The pie and chips was removed at the last menu change, unfortunately. I agree, it was very nice.

 

[YorkshireRider]

Booked on the 17:33pm KGX - LDS on Friday, the hot pork pie doesnt tickle my taste buds, neither does the options except for the egg and cress sarnie, a bit gutted at that really, in the past on the same service ive had Jacket potato with filling, Chicken & Mushroom Pie with chips and salad. both were lovely and filling

This is a evening meal train so you will also have the option of trout with pots and veg plus a dessert or cheese and buscuits off the dessert trolley.

 

[Butts]

Got 1027 from Edinburgh to Aberdeen today - instead of the Mid Morning Menu as listed in the Timetable they went straight to the All Day - still I'm not complaining had one of those Pork Pies with Piccallili and was consuming cider and whisky by the time we reached Kirkcaldy(Doubled up as I was correct in my suspicion the DT would not reappear)

After Dundee it was a Coffee and Biscuits job even though the Timetable shows they should be doing the All Day Run for the final time and hence the DT should come around again.

Back on the 1816 Full Service - I had the Pork Pie again plus a few sandwiches and crisps washed down with Cider and Whisky and Coffee and a nice slice of cake.

This time after Dundee they came around again and offered the full service for the second time including Food and Drinks. I opted just for alcohol. This shows that the further away from the trains final destination you get on , the better the offering.

Also I tested the "stop me and buy one" mantra successfully procuring another whisky when the trolley was on its way back.

Had a "4" to myself and paid £13.80 each way

 

[headshot119]

I opted for the chicken and lemon mayonnaise sandwhiches. They are absoltely disgusting, the chicken is dry, and the mayonnaise is none existant.

And apparently they can't do me the Pork Pie before Newcastle.

 

[calc7]

I opted for the chicken and lemon mayonnaise sandwhiches. They are absoltely disgusting, the chicken is dry, and the mayonnaise is none existant.

And apparently they can't do me the Pork Pie before Newcastle.

I had those earlier in the week, they were extremely disappointing and I agree fully with your analysis of the sandwiches' contents.

The pork pie was reasonably tasty if not a little dry.

 

[headshot119]

Stark contrast to the toast, cereal and full English I was served by VT earlier on today.

 

[Butts]

Stark contrast to the toast, cereal and full English I was served by VT earlier on today.

Cereal ? - have they started doing that again, I was on the Glasgow Central to Carlisle on Monday and there was no sign of it - just the fry up

 

[headshot119]

Cereal ? - have they started doing that again, I was on the Glasgow Central to Carlisle on Monday and there was no sign of it - just the fry up

Train had just left Bank Quay, when Tea, Coffee and toast was offered. Second round offered just after Wigan, along wth cereal, orange juice, and more tea and coffee. Order taken for fry up and delivered just after Preston. My first experience of VT catering midweek and something I will certainly repeat in the future.

 

[Blindtraveler]

upping there game no doubt for multiple reasons. Had a pendo breaky the other day on the 06:52 from EDB. Was expecting a microwave jobby as this is a set used instead of a 221 for capacity issues.
Impressed? Definately!

 

[calc7]

Virgin's customer service is far more refreshing and they don't go to ridiculous lengths to conceal options from the trolley.

 

[Butts]

Virgin's customer service is far more refreshing and they don't go to ridiculous lengths to conceal options from the trolley.

Like EC hiding the spirits inbetween the cans :roll:

 

[calc7]

Like EC hiding the spirits inbetween the cans :roll:

Precisely. As previously mentioned - the way the miniature spirits are accounted for by management must fill the trolley wallies and dollies with fear.

And then there's also the don't mention the hot food so they'll ask for sandwiches tactic - which I can only assume happens because it means less work for the team. :roll:

 

[Bungle73]

Stark contrast to the toast, cereal and full English I was served by VT earlier on today.

You get a full English on EC in the mornings too. On Virgin during the day all you get is sandwiches, on EC you get a meal (of sorts).

 

[calc7]

You get a full English on EC in the mornings too. On Virgin during the day all you get is sandwiches, on EC you get a meal (of sorts).

Whether or not the meal is offered or even loaded onto the train seems to be randomly distributed with an expectation of approximately 0.7

For Virgin, lack of advertised hot food (usually due to oven failure, not poor operations management) is pacified with a very generous offer of food and drink, in my experience. On EC, it's "sorry".

 

[mirodo]

And then there's also the don't mention the hot food so they'll ask for sandwiches tactic - which I can only assume happens because it means less work for the team. :roll:

I have to say this wasn't my experience recently - there was a menu on the table showing what was available.

Had 2 passes of the drinks trolley on a c. 90 min journey, which i thought was reasonable enough.

 

[Bungle73]

I have to say this wasn't my experience recently - there was a menu on the table showing what was available.

Had 2 passes of the drinks trolley on a c. 90 min journey, which i thought was reasonable enough.

There's always a menu. The only time there wasn't when I've travelled was when a 225 had been replaced with an HST (I assume that had something to do with it).

I have noticed that recently they have been more proactive in mentioning the menu and its contents during the announcements, where as before they never mentioned it at all, and unless one looked at it one wouldn't know anything was available other than that which appeared on the trolley. Also they seem more eager to offer addtional items from the trolley when they serve you (asking if you would like cake or a biscuits etc as well when you order a meal). They didn't do that before. I even got given a packet of crisps on my last trip which I didn't even ask for!

 

[Butts]

There's always a menu. The only time there wasn't when I've travelled was when a 225 had been replaced with an HST (I assume that had something to do with it).

I have noticed that recently they have been more proactive in mentioning the menu and its contents during the announcements, where as before they never mentioned it at all, and unless one looked at it one wouldn't know anything was available other than that which appeared on the trolley. Also they seem more eager to offer addtional items from the trolley when they serve you (asking if you would like cake or a biscuits etc as well when you order a meal). They didn't do that before. I even got given a packet of crisps on my last trip which I didn't even ask for!

Yes I agree with that - all they need to do now is ask if you would like a "chaser" to go with your beer

 

[calc7]

Yes I agree with that - all they need to do now is ask if you would like a "chaser" to go with your beer

Yes, exactly, they're almost there with the offer except for the following points:

• the horrific stinginess with alcoholic drinks on express services
• certain crews concealing trolley options
• total lack of food on some services with terrible mitigating customer service
• clearing up too early (eg Newark on a southbound express)

Other than that, I do agree that the crews have become more polite and happy recently compared to 6 months ago.

 

[MCR247]

I'm travelling all the way through on the 0800 KGX - EDB in August and I was wondering what I should expect in first class? I know I get the breakfast menu but if that is served quite early I'm wondering whether I'll arrive into Edinburgh hungry or not?

 

[Failed Unit]

Breakfast once you leave London, then nothing unless the crew feel sorry for you. Saying that you should arrive hungry, the breakfast is big enough to keep you happy for the next 4 hours.

 

[MCR247]

Ok thanks. I wasn't sure if the breakfast would be really small as my previous EC first class experience wasn't very good. 1 piece of toast.

 

[Failed Unit]

Ok thanks. I wasn't sure if the breakfast would be really small as my previous EC first class experience wasn't very good. 1 piece of toast.

It isn't as big as before, but with pastry, toast and full breakfast it isn't as bad as some make out. They will offer more toast as well, without asking (southbound). On piece is fine for me personally.

 

[MCR247]

I've always just thought it was generally accepted that toast comes as pairs

 

[Failed Unit]

I've always just thought it was generally accepted that toast comes as pairs

They are not small and thin slices of bread however. One slice is probably as much as 2x "normal". From Edinburgh they normally offer more after Newcastle if you want it. Don't know if you will be offered more after York as i don't travel northbound that early. Got a shock and got the full works on the 0930 ex KX once, maybe they had leftovers from the incoming.

 

[calc7]

I'm travelling all the way through on the 0800 KGX - EDB in August and I was wondering what I should expect in first class? I know I get the breakfast menu but if that is served quite early I'm wondering whether I'll arrive into Edinburgh hungry or not?

Please see a few posts back for my report on the 0800 ex-KGX. I had a decent serving but still arrived into EDB hungry - the service becomes almost non-existant at the end of the route.

 

[Failed Unit]

Please see a few posts back for my report on the 0800 ex-KGX. I had a decent serving but still arrived into EDB hungry - the service becomes almost non-existant at the end of the route.

Yep, cleaning up by Doncaster southbound and Alnmouth Northbound. (on the expresses)

 

[DaveNewcastle]

WE haven't seen many pictures of the best that EC can do for a while, so I though I'd let you have a look at some of my recent offerings:

Lentil Pie:

Pork pie:

Courgette and bean pie:

Cheese platter:

 

[Bungle73]

WE haven't seen many pictures of the best that EC can do for a while, so I though I'd let you have a look at some of my recent offerings:

Lentil Pie:
View attachment 11971
Pork pie:
View attachment 11970
Courgette and bean pie:
View attachment 11969
Cheese platter:
View attachment 11972

The Lentil Pie looks and sounds a bit dodgy, and that "cheese platter" looks a bit pathetic tbh. Honestly, how much does a few pieces of cheese cost?

The rest looks ok though. Recently I've had the baked potato twice and it was nice.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Recently I've had the baked potato twice and it was nice.

Perhaps like one of these (the direct sunlight makes the second image starkly contrasted):

or

or


but all of which have to better than these offerings I've recently received:
main course:

dessert: