Having checked just this morning, they've got a little busier. There is one single seat left in K. I'm hoping it doesn't get taken!
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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service
- Thread starter MidnightFlyer
- Start date
Having checked just this morning, they've got a little busier. There is one single seat left in K. I'm hoping it doesn't get taken!
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Butts
Veteran Member
When you get on it a lot of reserved seats will not be occupied for various reasons, just check the ticket to see where they are supposed to be reserved from and if applicable blag a seat
When you get on it a lot of reserved seats will not be occupied for various reasons, just check the ticket to see where they are supposed to be reserved from and if applicable blag a seat
I did that before on the Kings Cross-Newark but I felt a little guilty! :P
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I'm on the train now, so here's an update!
Onboard the 0634 Stevenage-Newcastle
The Good Points
+ I changed into K without any hassle, got a single seat, guard was very friendly and didn't mind at all.
+ Full English breakfast has been delivered as promised. I will upload my pictures of this later. Was also served a cup of tea.
+ Staff friendly, breakfast was served very promptly and the train crew also did a run with a light freshment trolley, serving pastries and lighter food options.
+ Five bar signal strength Wi-Fi. Which I need!
The Bad Points
- We've been out of hot drinks since Peterborough. At the time of writing we're at Retford and hot drinks haven't been served since Stevenage. So if you got on at Grantham, Newark or Peterborough you haven't had anything at all. Train crew say they've got a filtration problem which they are working hard to fix. But of course, they would say that!
- The cleanliness of the cabin isn't great. The seats are clean but the armrests are quite grimy. Could do with a polish and a wipe down.
Overall
I've had my breakfast and a cup of tea, but if I'd got on later I wouldn't be happy! I'm in K, the Quiet Coach, where there are a few others also sitting, but of course they've haven't had anything to drink. From my perspective, so far its been adequate, but probably not so from the perspective of the others.
Was recently on the 2100 from Edinburgh service was very good all in all. However, one item of amusement was that the fish pie (which by the by was quite nice) was advertised as being served with a side of salad. However what arrived was:
As you can see a plate with a couple of leaves of salad, half a bag of crips and bread bun! Now the bread bun was a reasonable substitute for a lack of salad, but I found the idea of replacing salad with crisps to be rather amusing. The thinking presumably being "we shall replace something healthy with something as unhealthy as possible!".
Anyway a minor nit pick and the service in all other regards was good.
As you can see a plate with a couple of leaves of salad, half a bag of crips and bread bun! Now the bread bun was a reasonable substitute for a lack of salad, but I found the idea of replacing salad with crisps to be rather amusing. The thinking presumably being "we shall replace something healthy with something as unhealthy as possible!".
Anyway a minor nit pick and the service in all other regards was good.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
ase so they did fed you then? Great meeting you last week
Butts
Veteran Member
Had to invoke the "East Coast Directors Forum" to procure an extra alcoholic drink on the 1909 ex Darlington to Edinburgh this evening.
All in all it was a very sloppy service in complete contrast to the outward 0800 from Edinburgh this morning which was exemplary.
It was the old "one drink per run" offered - when he later brought my Coronation Chicken Baked Potato I advised him of the ECDF ruling and a Scotch quickly arrived to accompany my Cider.
He claimed they had not been told about the ECDF ruling - I wonder
All in all it was a very sloppy service in complete contrast to the outward 0800 from Edinburgh this morning which was exemplary.
It was the old "one drink per run" offered - when he later brought my Coronation Chicken Baked Potato I advised him of the ECDF ruling and a Scotch quickly arrived to accompany my Cider.
He claimed they had not been told about the ECDF ruling - I wonder
calc7
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Was this all verbal or did you produce a printout of the ruling?
Butts
Veteran Member
Was this all verbal or did you produce a printout of the ruling?
I'm six foot three - I stood up and he scampered off for the spirit :roll: - no seriously I just politely and quietly pointed out what had been discussed and the response from the East Coast Director.
After all if I've paid £12.55 for a First Class Single from Middlesbrough to Falkirk ......
He probably misconstrued our converastion and assumed I was an East Coast Director - the staff were very attentive after the incident.
Nym
Established Member
Well, I emailed EC Customer services a few days back about special dietary requirements for someone on an Advance 1st and haven't heard anything back yet, would I be able to expect to hear anything back or is it a dead end to actually expect to hear anything from EC Customer Services?
Secondly, Advance 1st seems to have been worth it as a treat for my better half, only another 20 odd quid, but probably wouldn't get one again if I can't get dietary requirements sorted.
Secondly, Advance 1st seems to have been worth it as a treat for my better half, only another 20 odd quid, but probably wouldn't get one again if I can't get dietary requirements sorted.
YorkshireRider
Member
If you want to know what maybe on the menu then go to page 191 of this thread (post 2852). If you have asked EC to load something they would not normally have on the menu to prepare for your better half then i think the answer will be no tbh.
calc7
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May I ask exactly what the request was for?
As mentioned by YorkshireRider, given the ongoing difficulty the company seems to have in its stock management, operations management and service delivery - to the extent that I believe the drinks trollies' wheels may only be insured to make three runs every five hours :roll: - I imagine any request for anything off the menu will be met with a firm "no".
Butts
Veteran Member
In a couple of weeks time I am scheduled on a service from Newark North Gate to Edinburgh (1830 KX - Newark 1945).
This is one of the services the "evening meal" is served on.
According to the timetable customers boarding at Newark qualify for this, and it switches to the "all day" after Doncaster.
Can anyone who has travelled ex London on one of these services remember the Newark Patrons getting the "full works"
This is one of the services the "evening meal" is served on.
According to the timetable customers boarding at Newark qualify for this, and it switches to the "all day" after Doncaster.
Can anyone who has travelled ex London on one of these services remember the Newark Patrons getting the "full works"
calc7
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Yes, I have travelled on this service from KGX.
Passengers joining at PBO were advised that their dinner orders would be taken after NNG (ie. the second serving happens from there) - so I wouldn't worry.
DaveNewcastle
Established Member
I agree.
Any difficulty you encounter will not be due to 'policy' but simply that the remaining choices from the kitchem may have become limited.
I suggest, that wherever your reservation has placed you, you board in coach K so that the crew are immediately able to discuss what is still actually available with you and chef while you are considering the options as printed.
Any difficulty you encounter will not be due to 'policy' but simply that the remaining choices from the kitchem may have become limited.
I suggest, that wherever your reservation has placed you, you board in coach K so that the crew are immediately able to discuss what is still actually available with you and chef while you are considering the options as printed.
Butts
Veteran Member
DaveNewcastle
Established Member
I expect that you will receive a reply.
Each offering, thoughout all the changes and routine rotation, always includes a vegetarian option.
However, if the specific request you have in mind extends beyond that (e.g. vegan, halal, gluten-free) then it is extremely unlikely that there is the mechanism to arrange it or to implement it. But I would be interested to hear the terms in which the Company replies to your request.
Butts
Veteran Member
Yes thanks Dave - I'm in M but should be able to grab a single in K.
If you're near the Wi-Fi access point, I'd expect a good signal but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a good data connection! My experience on EC has been a bit hit and miss when it comes to data - with long periods of time where I am still connected but there's no connection to the outside world.
calc7
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This too is my experience and it significantly detracts from the value proposition to the business market imo.
Nym
Established Member
The request wasn't actually for anything at the moment, only asking if it would be possible to meet the special dietary requirements of someone with several severe medical conditions that affect his diet. I did also ask in the email if it would be possible to accompany him to his seat on the train at KX, lets see how that one works out... (I am technically one of his carers.)
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Isn't even anything as complicated as that, have checked the menu and it will be rotation four, most of this he can actually eat if certain things aren't 'added' to it.
(Don't really want to go into much detail, but I haven't yet found anywhere unable to accommodate his SDRs, just need to be choosy where we go and it usually means somewhere expensive.
I've actually found that very expensive posh restaurants are incapable of accommodating his requirements (where most things are pre-prepared), while a cheap café just off the A1 has no problems)
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calc7
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Accompanying to seat should be fine and I believe there are established mechanisms to deal with this. I had no problem getting past the manual barrier at London Euston to take my younger sister to her seat on the Manchester train.
Aye, it crashed after York and refused to come back on! :P
After all if I've paid £12.55 for a First Class Single from Middlesbrough to Falkirk ......
£12.55? Are you best friends with Karen Boswell or something?!
First advance for journies wholly within the northern end of the network with a railcard are very very good value. I was able to get a first advance from Darlington to Edinburgh on the 0805 for £20 and I bought it about a week before travel.
tsr
Established Member
I was going to say something similar... the cheapest fares are not much higher at all than that
, but even so... that sounds ludicrous :-? (or perhaps not, given the level of service! :P).I don't have a railcard, I must do something about that! :P
Almost forgot, this was my breakfast from Monday morning on the 0634 Stevenage to Newcastle. Thought it was excellent.
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Butts
Veteran Member
£20........
.....they must have seen you coming ....My £12.55 was Falkirk to Middlesbrough via Darlington
(Railcard)The best value is Alnmouth £10.30 and just time to Breakfast on the way down!!
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[QUOTE
£12.55? Are you best friends with Karen Boswell or something?![/QUOTE]
No, I source the cheapest 1st Class Advance Tickets utilising my Railcard
£25 will get you as far as York .....£8.45 to Berwick......and £12.55 to most Northern Towns....strangely Newcastle is an extortionate £13.40.
You will understand now why I expect the highest levels of service in respect of the fares I have paid
£20........
Hard to complain when I bought it about six days before travel!
It is quite good, just a shame it doesn't have black pudding (which you get on Virgin) or a hash brown (which I think Virgin do) or even beans. Just a few small changes and suddenly it really is excellent.
£25 will get you as far as York .....£8.45 to Berwick......and £12.55 to most Northern Towns....strangely Newcastle is an extortionate £13.40.
You will understand now why I expect the highest levels of service in respect of the fares I have paid
May I ask what railcard? Would I be eligible for one? I've got a load of journeys coming up between London and Stevenage which will, inevitably, be with East Coast.
calc7
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Though of course travelling London to Stevenage there is no Advances and you would not necessarily use East Coast.