TPE Carlisle to Liverpool .. First Class .. would you get a meal ?

[Willie Bee]

I see there is now a new first-class meal option with TransPennine Express, but only on the West Coast main line

My wife and I hope to be travelling from Carlisle to Liverpool, one Sunday early in 2025, catching the direct train so I am wondering whether this meal would be serviced .. maybe it would only be served once the train leaves Glasgow.

Plan B, might involve taking the Manchester Airport train, then making a change at Preston .. same question.. would there be a meal

thanks !

 

[jfollows]

See https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/onboard-facilities/food-and-drink

Catering is provided, subject to availability, as below:

…

Anglo Scottish route
Manchester Piccadilly/Liverpool – Glasgow/Edinburgh (Note coverage is 0422 to 2330)

…

Hot food is available on Nova 1 and Nova 2 services between Manchester Airport/Liverpool and Edinburgh/Glasgow, Newcastle and Edinburgh, as well as Liverpool Lime Street and Newcastle.

 

[Porty]

See https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travelling-with-us/onboard-facilities/food-and-drink

Can't seem to find anything specific about when food is available. Sunday the same as a weekday? Anyone know.

 

[hexagon789]

Can't seem to find anything specific about when food is available. Sunday the same as a weekday? Anyone know.

You get a meal on the WCML services, but as with Saturdays there are fewer menu choices. If you open the West Coast Kitchen Menu PDF, you'll see there is a weekday and a weekend selection. The difference is primarily a cut in full hot meal options from 4 or 3 choices (usually one vegetarian and one vegan) to 2 choices (one vegan).

The breakfast offering is unchanged.

 

[hexagon789]

I see there is now a new first-class meal option with TransPennine Express, but only on the West Coast main line

My wife and I hope to be travelling from Carlisle to Liverpool, one Sunday early in 2025, catching the direct train so I am wondering whether this meal would be serviced .. maybe it would only be served once the train leaves Glasgow.

Plan B, might involve taking the Manchester Airport train, then making a change at Preston .. same question.. would there be a meal

thanks !

In my experience, hot food is only served departing Carlisle, heading south, as I believe Glasgow has no chilled food storage facilities at present, so only snacks and drinks are offered on departure from Glasgow. At least that is what has happened every time I've travelled and the reason was touched on in another thread here discussing TPE WCML First Class catering.

I don't think distance matters too much - a full meal was offered to a passenger joining at Lockerbie going to Glasgow on one of my journeys.

 

[A S Leib]

I don't think distance matters too much - a full meal was offered to a passenger joining at Lockerbie going to Glasgow on one of my journeys.

Although presumably Oxenholme to Lancaster or Penrith to Carlisle would be too short.

 

[Willie Bee]

Think I'm going to book ..

NCL (08:45) to Carlisle (10:24)
CAR (10:44) to Manchester Oxford Road (12:38) TPE
MCO (13:13) to Liverpool (14:01) TPE

I could catch the same TPE and change at Preston, but that would mean over an hour on the Northern Rail (14-stop) train

I'm sure we would get a meal between Carlisle and Manchester, not sure about Carlisle to Preston although that is 1 hr and 12 minutes

 

[hexagon789]

Although presumably Oxenholme to Lancaster or Penrith to Carlisle would be too short.

Probably, but unless I've missed something, I don't see official time limits on obtaining a full meal in First Class, unlike LNER for instance where I believe they stipulate 70 mins?

 

[hexagon789]

Think I'm going to book ..

NCL (08:45) to Carlisle (10:24)
CAR (10:44) to Manchester Oxford Road (12:38) TPE
MCO (13:13) to Liverpool (14:01) TPE

I could catch the same TPE and change at Preston, but that would mean over an hour on the Northern Rail (14-stop) train

I'm sure we would get a meal between Carlisle and Manchester, not sure about Carlisle to Preston although that is 1 hr and 12 minutes

I think Carlisle to Preston would be quite sufficient, as I had a full breakfast ordered about 5-10 mins out of Carlisle and had finished it, hot drinks and some snacks before the Lancaster call.

 

[A S Leib]

Probably, but unless I've missed something, I don't see official time limits on obtaining a full meal in First Class, unlike LNER for instance where I believe they stipulate 70 mins?

I've got a full meal from York to Newcastle before (~65 minutes), but (more clearly) not from Berwick to Edinburgh (~45 minutes).

Surely you wouldn't get two full meals with the £12.30 First return from Manchester Victoria to Piccadilly?

 

[hexagon789]

Surely you wouldn't get two full meals with the £12.30 First return from Manchester Victoria to Piccadilly?

Again, unless I've missed something, they don't specify entitlements.

I've never tried it myself though.

I have had:

1 full hot meal
1 alcoholic drink
2 rounds hot drinks
3 snacks

In one Manchester to Glasgow trip.

 

[Willie Bee]

Think I'm going to book ..

NCL (08:45) to Carlisle (10:24)
CAR (10:44) to Manchester Oxford Road (12:38) TPE
MCO (13:13) to Liverpool (14:01) TPE

I could catch the same TPE and change at Preston, but that would mean over an hour on the Northern Rail (14-stop) train

I'm sure we would get a meal between Carlisle and Manchester, not sure about Carlisle to Preston although that is 1 hr and 12 minutes

I've just booked, using the forum's site .. CAR - MCO, MCO - LIV

I tried to select seats, but an error message kept popping up, with comment .. please contact us .. who is us ??

For the first leg, I got seats E18/E19 but I would have preferred E14/E17 (2 single seats facing each other) .. can these be changed

For the second part, I have C9/C12 which looks to be two seats facing each other, in which case, these are perefect

 

[childwallblues]

I've just booked, using the forum's site .. CAR - MCO, MCO - LIV

I tried to select seats, but an error message kept popping up, with comment .. please contact us .. who is us ??

For the first leg, I got seats E18/E19 but I would have preferred E14/E17 (2 single seats facing each other) .. can these be changed

For the second part, I have C9/C12 which looks to be two seats facing each other, in which case, these are perefect

Seatwise if you want to change TPE do not give you a seat plaN.