London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[Butts]

So is the 'scone express' any particular service or just any non-stopper running from KGX to York?

Originally it was any service departing KGX between 1500 and 1600 but as your 1400 "suffered" it's now any service where that's all they've got on board seemingly

Look out for the "short straw" symbol on the menu !!!!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Butts!
The only thing on the afternoon tea menu was the same selection of 'all day' sandwiches, without the hot options and with the additional option of a scone. I don't want to sound greedy but I don't feel 4 small sandwiches and a scone to be enough. Isn't that why VT introduced their Euston to Glasgow 'light bites enhanced' menu?
I'm glad I didn't pay on EC.

 

[calc7]

Four sandwiches and a scone would be fine for a London - Yorkshire journey, where it realistically is afternoon tea. But a passenger travelling on either the 1400, 1500 or 1600 KGX-EDB will have at least one meal time spanned by the journey (accounting for other travel at either end), so the afternoon tea offering is rather insulting in this case - particularly when there was no obvious shortage of sandwiches on board.

 

[Butts]

Four sandwiches and a scone would be fine for a London - Yorkshire journey, where it realistically is afternoon tea. But a passenger travelling on either the 1400, 1500 or 1600 KGX-EDB will have at least one meal time spanned by the journey (accounting for other travel at either end), so the afternoon tea offering is rather insulting in this case - particularly when there was no obvious shortage of sandwiches on board.

Is it just the "hourly service departures" rather than those on the half -hour )1530 etc) that are afflicted with this "scarcity of scran".

My "butts scroungeomoter" has noted the connection times up this end (York,Newcastle etc) and will not book any of these fallow fiasco's

 

[calc7]

Is it just the "hourly service departures" rather than those on the half -hour )1530 etc) that are afflicted with this "scarcity of scran".

My "butts scroungeomoter" has noted the connection times up this end (York,Newcastle etc) and will not book any of these fallow fiasco's

I think it might be all departures in that period (including those from EDB, LDS, NCL, YRK and NNG too) - but there is no way of telling them apart other than people reporting them here, and we don't know whether some of them change to All Day after crew changes and stock loading en route. I'm pretty sure the 1430 ex-EDB is a Scone Express, wouldn't be suprised to hear the 1530 is too (despite it not getting into London until 8pm!)

Butts Scroungeometer - fantastic!

 

[telstarbox]

The complimentary FC catering seems to have got more people travelling in First - from the DOR Annual Report:

To coincide with the release of the new timetable on 22 May 2011, the Company introduced a new at-seat complimentary food and drink offer in First Class. Customer research carried out in 2010 suggested that more customers were likely to ‘trade-up’ from Standard to First Class if there was improved value and a better offer. As a result the Company has gone from serving typically 100,000 meals per year to more than a million.

 

[Butts]

The complimentary FC catering seems to have got more people travelling in First - from the DOR Annual Report:

Unfortunately most of them are freeloaders like me

Not paying top dollar and demanding the earth !!!

 

[ainsworth74]

The complimentary FC catering seems to have got more people travelling in First - from the DOR

Three thoughts. 1) They have run so many special offers (for example £25 flat first class fares anywhere has happened three or four times) that I'm not surprised more people are using first and 2) Perhaps a bit cynical but are they actually counting the number of meals served or the number of meals loaded? Also I'm always suspicious of nicely rounded numbers 3) Those 100,000 meals will have all been paid for those million+ have all been provided gratis. I would be more interested in finding out exactly how many more people are travelling in first.

 

[calc7]

Surely the main fact here is that meals were not complimentary before May 2011 and are now. Therefore there is no statistical link at all between the meals served and number of passengers?

 

[ainsworth74]

I got a stealth edit in making that point before I saw your post, honest

 

[Butts]

To be serious two things have propelled me onto East Coast...

As a mature student I have a Railcard which entitles me to a third off Advanced 1st Class Fares - there are a lot of Northern English Cities I have not spent much time in or explored, and these fares enable me to do that. I would rather drive than sit in "cattle class"

The complimentary catering is an added bonus - ie Breakfasting on the way to my destination and dining (to a degree) on the way back. This means I only need a coffee and sandwich at lunchtime.

However for someone paying "proper fares" the catering is not up to what I would expect if I'd gone into over £50 for a single ticket. The fact that amount is more than my average two singles (there and back) illustrates adequately why for me it is a good package.

Ludicrously I have got used to being pampered in a "4" to myself in an empty carriage. If I ever have to share it seems like an imposition. Clearly I am not the target market for this promotion but am able to benefit from it.

 

[SF-02]

I was on a scone express from Edinburgh to London that left at 15:30. I hadn't booked the 14:30 as that was widely known as scone express but seems it can linger throughout more of the afternoon.

 

[YorkshireRider]

I was on a scone express from Edinburgh to London that left at 15:30. I hadn't booked the 14:30 as that was widely known as scone express but seems it can linger throughout more of the afternoon.

That doesnt seem to fit with voygerdudes post a couple of pages back, who said they had 2 hot dishes on the 1530 ex Edin.

 

[calc7]

I might give EC a call tomorrow and see if they will divulge a list of all Scone Expresses. Virgin have been more than happy in the past to confirm whether a certain train is "Light Bites", "Light Bites Enhanced" or the evening meal.

 

[YorkshireRider]

I wish i could help you on that but ive no idea myself, does seem odd they dont just put it on the timetable.

 

[voyagerdude220]

That doesnt seem to fit with voygerdudes post a couple of pages back, who said they had 2 hot dishes on the 1530 ex Edin.

Yep I can confirm I was offered the all day menu on last Friday's 1530 ex Edb. Very good FC service. Yet 1400 Kgx Abd offered me the 4 dry sandwiches and scone after Kgx, with no other food- not even biscuits or cake.

 

[Blindtraveler]

can confirm 14:30 EDB is a train where dish of the day is Scones and on one recent trip even they were off
#RG Fail

 

[philjo]

The 1st class menu for service over the Christmas period is shown on the EC website.
It is a reduced weekday menu for 24 December to Friday 4 January.
Normal weekend menu for Saturdays & Sundays.

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/on-board-our-trains/food1/complimentary-food-and-drink/christmas-menu-offer/

 

[HST Power]

The Christmas menu doesn't look too bad. I've always enjoyed their crisps, biscuits and sandwhiches, both in quantity and quality!

I haven't booked my tickets for Chirstmas yet. I always travel northward early morning. Although the full English, my normal option, will not be available I certainly wouldn't mind trying the porridge or toast.

 

[philjo]

East coast is now booking until Friday 28 December

 

[Butts]

The 1st class menu for service over the Christmas period is shown on the EC website.
It is a reduced weekday menu for 24 December to Friday 4 January.
Normal weekend menu for Saturdays & Sundays.

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/on-board-our-trains/food1/complimentary-food-and-drink/christmas-menu-offer/

Only anomaly I have noticed is the seeming lack of pop (coke) on the Weekend Menu of drinks ...seems strange

 

[Yew]

Only anomaly I have noticed is the seeming lack of pop (coke) on the Weekend Menu of drinks ...seems strange

Cost. coffee and tea are quite cheap, and if they use cheap OJ and give out glasses its still inexpensive, however coke in cans is relatively expensive

 

[Butts]

Cost. coffee and tea are quite cheap, and if they use cheap OJ and give out glasses its still inexpensive, however coke in cans is relatively expensive

It's unlike East Coast to put financial considerations first in relation to 1st Class Complimentary Catering :roll:

Directors forum must be due, last one was July and it said 8 weeks till the next one - perhaps they've bottled it
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

East coast is now booking until Friday 28 December

Has anyone been on the Highland Chieftan Northbound from Edinburgh - I take it they do the grub run out of Edinburgh - do they do further runs after Stirling or Perth or both.

Just thinking if I get on at FKG I may only get "one run" as oppose to two if I get on at EDB........hee hee

 

[johnnychips]

Cost. coffee and tea are quite cheap, and if they use cheap OJ and give out glasses its still inexpensive, however coke in cans is relatively expensive

Can of Coke about 25-30p from Makro (or even my local pound shop, though it's in Turkish), and I'm sure EC can get a better deal. Or if they're bothering to serve OJ in glasses, get the 3l bottles of Coke in at a ridiculously cheap price and serve that in glasses - or does it look 'common' pouring from a large plastic bottle? Airlines have no qualms about it.

 

[Bungle73]

Can of Coke about 25-30p from Makro (or even my local pound shop, though it's in Turkish), and I'm sure EC can get a better deal. Or if they're bothering to serve OJ in glasses, get the 3l bottles of Coke in at a ridiculously cheap price and serve that in glasses - or does it look 'common' pouring from a large plastic bottle? Airlines have no qualms about it.

The trouble with large bottles of coke is if you don't use it fairly quickly it goes flat. I don't think we want flat coke being served; nor do I think we want them serving some no name cheapo coke. It is supposed to be First Class after all.

 

[calc7]

Aside from any abuse that may occur, is there anything to be said of serving the alcoholic drinks from larger bottles? As much as I like miniature spirits, if it stops them being stingy due to a lower unit price I wouldn't mind being served from a litre bottle plus optic.

 

[Butts]

Aside from any abuse that may occur, is there anything to be said of serving the alcoholic drinks from larger bottles? As much as I like miniature spirits, if it stops them being stingy due to a lower unit price I wouldn't mind being served from a litre bottle plus optic.

Why not just put the optic in the carriage and have self service - with a few packets of nibbles

Have you been on the Chieftan from EDB to Inverness - catering info rqd

 

[johnnychips]

The trouble with large bottles of coke is if you don't use it fairly quickly it goes flat. I don't think we want flat coke being served; nor do I think we want them serving some no name cheapo coke. It is supposed to be First Class after all.

I completely agree but I thought the point the poster made that there was no Coke!

 

[calc7]

Why not just put the optic in the carriage and have self service - with a few packets of nibbles

Have you been on the Chieftan from EDB to Inverness - catering info rqd

I don't think there'd be any left for other passengers if we were on!

I've not been on it, but it is on my list of things to do. I have a pair of FC return tickets from the rewards scheme that I will likely use on that trip. The first run will undoubtedly be after Haymarket. Studying the online timetable and the colouring - it looks like there ought to be two subsequent food and drink runs: one after Stirling/Gleneagles and one after Perth/Pitlochry.

 

[Butts]

I don't think there'd be any left for other passengers if we were on!

I've not been on it, but it is on my list of things to do. I have a pair of FC return tickets from the rewards scheme that I will likely use on that trip. The first run will undoubtedly be after Haymarket. Studying the online timetable and the colouring - it looks like there ought to be two subsequent food and drink runs: one after Stirling/Gleneagles and one after Perth/Pitlochry.

Well I'm not taking any chances, as I will be in Edinburgh anyway I have booked from there (only £1.30 extra) £17.80 1st Advanced with R/C.

Return leg the following day I've just booked to FKG (£16.50) as it's a breakfast run.

Managed to get a Travelodge for £19 for the "overnight" - Premier Inn in Inverness were all £73+ so i'm pleased about that !!

Going to contact EC to see if they can load some Malt Whisky or Cognac for me as it's a special trip

Also secured a "single" in K - handy for the bar !!!