Transpennine Weekend First

[DeeGee]

Running Greater Manchester Marathon next weekend. I might have some work to do on the train so it would make sense for me to nab a table with a socket. Quite fancy a first upgrade so I can spread work out a bit.

Thing is, I've got a pair of Advances from Grimsby, split at Sheffield. I'm guessing that I could only upgrade one of those for my fee, right? So if I upgrade from GMB I'll have to return to standard for the Hope Valley, which in my experience, is the busy bit! That said, I do have a reservation in Standard for that...

Or can I even upgrade an STD Advance to Weekend First?

Apart from universal availability of power and a compartment that if I'm unlucky I'll have to share with one other person, is there any other advantage to upgrading on that route?

 

[Max]

You should be sold a through upgrade for £6, regardless of the combination of tickets you are on you are ultimately making one journey.

Holders of Standard Class tickets may upgrade to First Class on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays on payment of a £6.00 single journey supplement to the Conductor between any two train stations on the First TransPennine route network.

If a trolley appears you may get a free cup of tea/coffee and some biscuits (IF being the operative word as it can be a bit unreliable on TPE).

 

[185143]

You should be sold a through upgrade for £6, regardless of the combination of tickets you are on you are ultimately making one journey.

Holders of Standard Class tickets may upgrade to First Class on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays on payment of a £6.00 single journey supplement to the Conductor between any two train stations on the First TransPennine route network.

If a trolley appears you may get a free cup of tea/coffee and some biscuits (IF being the operative word as it can be a bit unreliable on TPE).

I was under the impression only the Scotland routes were booked a trolley at weekend

 

[Max]

I was under the impression only the Scotland routes were booked a trolley at weekend

That may well be the case now, I don't travel on TPE so often thesedays. I note that they don't even make commitments in the timetable anymore about services on weekdays with trolleys!

 

[Starmill]

Take your own refershments if you want them - you won't get anything on the train! But you should definitelybe able to get the £6 upgrade to cover your entire single journey with Transpennine that day

 

[Tetchytyke]

If a trolley appears you may get a free cup of tea/coffee and some biscuits (IF being the operative word as it can be a bit unreliable on TPE).

No trolleys on Sundays except on the Scottish trains, as they're a franchise commitment.

The only advantage is the bigger seat and the bigger table. Bear in mind that power sockets are available in standard class on 185s, but only at table seats.

 

[DeeGee]

No trolleys on Sundays except on the Scottish trains, as they're a franchise commitment.

The only advantage is the bigger seat and the bigger table. Bear in mind that power sockets are available in standard class on 185s, but only at table seats.

It'll be for the Outbound on Saturday, and I'll probably have a look for a table in standard before attempting the upgrade, anyway.

Do they still trolley between Donny and Piccadilly on Saturdays?

 

[Starmill]

It'll be for the Outbound on Saturday, and I'll probably have a look for a table in standard before attempting the upgrade, anyway.

Do they still trolley between Donny and Piccadilly on Saturdays?

I don't think so, and if they do, I've never seen one!

 

[Solent&Wessex]

No trolleys on Sundays except on the Scottish trains, as they're a franchise commitment.

.

But even those are a bit hit and miss. Often trains are uncovered, there is only one trolley for 8 coaches and 2 first class compartments, with insufficient water or stock for one set let alone two. There is no way of heating water on 350s, unlike 185s, so once the water is cold or run out, that is it - and if heading towards Scotland that often means there is nothing at all coming back. TPE are well aware of the problems although reportedly most of them are their own making to save money.

Do they still trolley between Donny and Piccadilly on Saturdays?

No.

No trolleys anywhere at any time on Saturdays or Sundays except on Scottish trains. (see above).

 

[Bletchleyite]

No trolleys anywhere at any time on Saturdays or Sundays except on Scottish trains. (see above).

And TPE call themselves InterCity.

Only InterCity on the Dutch model, as in "stops less than a Stoptrein". And not even always that.

 

[DeeGee]

I'm still tempted, even without the free tea and biscuits. Would it make any difference that my tickets are Print@Home?

 

[Solent&Wessex]

And TPE call themselves InterCity.

Only InterCity on the Dutch model, as in "stops less than a Stoptrein". And not even always that.

"It's not a franchise requirement" is the standard response from looking at various online messages etc.

 

[DaiGog]

TPE's customer service director is on record as saying that there is no demand for refreshments at weekends. Which is a great customer-focused attitude if ever I saw one

 

[Failed Unit]

TPE's customer service director is on record as saying that there is no demand for refreshments at weekends. Which is a great customer-focused attitude if ever I saw one

I always love that. "There is no demand for a train after 2100 (or weekends, Boxing Day)- although we have never ran one so don't actually know. That all TOCs use.

Does the cleethorpes route have a trolley east of Doncaster? I haven't seen one since the 158s

 

[DeeGee]

I was once on a train where they brought the trolley on at Barnetby. I think it might have been Christmas Market weekend in Lincoln. I tweeted TPE to thank them, made sure to patronise it.

Never saw one again. Don't think I've ever seen one on a 185 before or since.

 

[Tetchytyke]

TPE's customer service director is on record as saying that there is no demand for refreshments at weekends.

Well he's right. Nobody travels at a weekend, the trains are empty, so there'd be nobody to sell refreshments to. No families, no couples on leisure tickets, nobody.

Meanwhile, back on planet earth, I'd say leisure travellers are far more likely to buy something on the train. Regular commuters probably won't.

I figure they'd get rid of it entirely if they were able to.

 

[yorkie]

I'm still tempted, even without the free tea and biscuits. Would it make any difference that my tickets are Print@Home?

No. Your tea and biscuits are still make@home if you want any

The only difference with Print@Home is you're saving TPE money and you may be forfeiting any rights to change your travel plans (depending on the company you book with; I have no idea what TPE's policy is)

 

[DaiGog]

Well he's right. Nobody travels at a weekend, the trains are empty, so there'd be nobody to sell refreshments to. No families, no couples on leisure tickets, nobody.

Ah, that will be why TPE trains are all two or three car and none of them are ever wedged to full capacity at all on a weekend then......!

 

[DeeGee]

Spot on. Six quid for the whole journey back. I needed it - started to suffer a migraine at Piccadilly and needed quiet and space to spread out.

 

[DeeGee]

I've got another question on this, if anyone knows.

Once a year I make a trip to the Lakes. Sometimes it's all on TPE, sometimes there's a Virgin leg in there as well.

I'm guessing that I could excess a ticket to Weekend First on departure from Grimsby or Windermere and it would be valid for the whole journey on TPE.

If there was a Virgin leg in the journey, though, what would happen. Here I'm guessing that I could excess on board from Grimsby Town, it would be valid until Piccadilly, then the same excess would also be valid from Oxenholme to Windermere. And I'd be conveyed in standard on the Virgin.

Have I understood correctly?

 

[Merseysider]

I've got another question on this, if anyone knows.

Once a year I make a trip to the Lakes. Sometimes it's all on TPE, sometimes there's a Virgin leg in there as well.

I'm guessing that I could excess a ticket to Weekend First on departure from Grimsby or Windermere and it would be valid for the whole journey on TPE.

If there was a Virgin leg in the journey, though, what would happen. Here I'm guessing that I could excess on board from Grimsby Town, it would be valid until Piccadilly, then the same excess would also be valid from Oxenholme to Windermere. And I'd be conveyed in standard on the Virgin.

Have I understood correctly?

Mostly yes. Weekend First tickets aren't an excess as such; it's probably more accurate to view them as a supplement.

TPE's WF upgrades will be valid on TPE only, as TPE get all the revenue from each upgrade. Similarly, VT's WF upgrades will only be valid on VT.

 

[Sleepy]

I can remember when you could buy Weekend First for the whole of your journey e.g. Norwich to Penzance until the TOC' s decided to quietly put this in "too difficult" box, so much for privatisation innovation !