Normally do a full service after Newcastle so I'd hope you'd get at least tea/coffee if not sandwiches/snacks.
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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service
- Thread starter MidnightFlyer
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Either don't sit in your allocated seat or get rid of the res label and when they come round if they ask where you are going say you are going all the way to the cross.
They ask fairly frequently where you are going but I've never seen anyone asked for their ticket, the food trolley though probably won't appear until you have departed Darlo so make sure you are at the top of K if you want a sandwich.
In my experience the food trolley has been and gone by the time the train departs Darlington and the next food service isn't until after York. So I would expect the full service to have been delivered by around Durham (though obviously not all the food will have been served by then!).
That being said sitting in Coach K (or L on HSTs) is still a good idea. Just bear in mind that K is the quiet coach so if you're going to need to use the phone probably best not to sit in it
trainophile
Established Member
Thanks guys 
. My seat res is in M, around the middle. To be fair I'd feel a bit of a fraud expecting anything more than (warm, i.e. not alcoholic) liquid refreshment, as I only paid £10.35 with my railcard!
At York I'm getting on a TPE, so should be okay for a biscuit or two on my way back to Liverpool
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. My seat res is in M, around the middle. To be fair I'd feel a bit of a fraud expecting anything more than (warm, i.e. not alcoholic) liquid refreshment, as I only paid £10.35 with my railcard!At York I'm getting on a TPE, so should be okay for a biscuit or two on my way back to Liverpool
.Yes, forgive me. I'm thinking of Durham not Darlo!
And nonsense for £10.35 make sure you get your monies worth.
If I were you I'd go for Tea, macaroni, cake, crisps and a scotch & ginger plus transport from A2B.
Now that's value
And nonsense for £10.35 make sure you get your monies worth.
If I were you I'd go for Tea, macaroni, cake, crisps and a scotch & ginger plus transport from A2B.
Now that's value
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trainophile
Established Member
I'll pass on the Scotch (or save it for Butts ) but the rest would be good. I'd have to go some to consume it all before York though!
) but the rest would be good. I'd have to go some to consume it all before York though! 
Butts
Veteran Member
I'll pass on the Scotch (or save it for Butts
Thanks
Furgus got a good result with £50 - worth complaining !!
Talking of Scotch I had asked if there would be a service on the last Virgin Service from Birmingham International (2320) to Euston.I can happily report there was. With only four passengers in the whole of 1st Class it was like having a "Butler" on call.
Copious quantities of Scotch, Sandwiches, Crisps, Biscuits etc were forthcoming on a regular basis. I had to stop after five doubles or I would have been k-lined on arrival
DaveNewcastle
Established Member
From December, there will be a Chef (again) on the 19:00 departure Kings Cross - Edinburgh.
Oh good. I always thought it a bit odd that there was one on the 2000 but not the 1900.
trainophile
Established Member
Update - in my hour between Newcastle and York I got a cup of tea (could have had a second one), two ham and 'spot the egg' sandwiches (they didn't get to coach M for the orders until well after Durham so I thought it unlikely I'd get a hot meal in time to eat it, although apparently I could have ordered one), cake, crisps and a drink from the trolley. Not bad for £10.35 Railcard price, only booked last week!
That's the way to do it!
I'm glad it's not just me that thinks that with the ham and egg sandwiches.
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Yes Virgin are not shy with the drinks trolley, I remember once going from Edinburgh to Preston last year and we ground to a halt just outside Penrith for over an hour due to issues ahead. Two visits with the trolley whilst sitting, both doubled up and they were straight round again as soon as we were moving.
With the exception of the delay it was and Absolut(ly) fantastic journey going by the sore head the following morning.
I'm glad it's not just me that thinks that with the ham and egg sandwiches.
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Thanks
Furgus got a good result with £50 - worth complaining !!
Talking of Scotch I had asked if there would be a service on the last Virgin Service from Birmingham International (2320) to Euston.I can happily report there was. With only four passengers in the whole of 1st Class it was like having a "Butler" on call.
Copious quantities of Scotch, Sandwiches, Crisps, Biscuits etc were forthcoming on a regular basis. I had to stop after five doubles or I would have been k-lined on arrival
Yes Virgin are not shy with the drinks trolley, I remember once going from Edinburgh to Preston last year and we ground to a halt just outside Penrith for over an hour due to issues ahead. Two visits with the trolley whilst sitting, both doubled up and they were straight round again as soon as we were moving.
With the exception of the delay it was and Absolut(ly) fantastic journey going by the sore head the following morning.
The last trip a group of us were in 1st between Newcastle & York, there was one cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate on offer only. So you did well!Update - in my hour between Newcastle and York I got a cup of tea (could have had a second one), two ham and 'spot the egg' sandwiches (they didn't get to coach M for the orders until well after Durham so I thought it unlikely I'd get a hot meal in time to eat it, although apparently I could have ordered one), cake, crisps and a drink from the trolley. Not bad for £10.35 Railcard price, only booked last week!
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That's not to replace the meal service on the 20:00 I hope?
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Glad someone else has mentioned the return of evening meal to the 19:00, I've been sitting on this for a while as I know one of the Edinburgh Sheffs personally and was asked to keep quiet! I cant see the dinner service on the 20:00 going as I understand its popular.↲
It's not before time as it is a busy service, particularly with it being the last Scottish one of the day. Why it was stopped to start with is anyone's guess.
I would have struggled to even call it an offer, it was more of a "You are OK for hot drinks aren't you yes goodbye."
I'm on the same Newcastle - Doncaster train soon so we'll see what happens then.
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An unallocated seat or the accidental removal of your seat ticket is the way to go and if anyone (bar the guard) asks you make sure you say you are going all the way to the cross/Newcastle/Edinburgh - or a destination over the 70 minute mark.
Unfortunately the train in question terminates at Doncaster, hence the poor service probably!
There's a southbound donny terminator?
YorkshireRider
Member
Saturday evenings there is a Edinburgh-Doncaster service which then
runs ECS to Neville Hill
runs ECS to Neville Hill
trainophile
Established Member
For clarification, my train started at Newcastle, which probably meant the crew were fresh, and ready to go with the refreshments.
Also to add that I was very honest and told the steward I was only going to York so was I entitled? He looked surprised at the question and said yes of course.
Luck of the draw I suppose.
Also to add that I was very honest and told the steward I was only going to York so was I entitled? He looked surprised at the question and said yes of course.
Luck of the draw I suppose.
Cheers, I remember there used to be a 2100 from Edinburgh to Doncaster a few years back which started at Glasgow IIRC, now of course it's the Aberdeen to Leeds run instead. It's amazing how much busier that one is from Aberdeen compared to the one it replaced. Some nights first is nearly full leaving Aberdeen, when it only used to go to Edinburgh and missed the Doncaster it was almost empty.
usually a decent crew on it as far as Edinburgh also. I've seen the wheels on the drinks trolley rolling before the wheels on the train.
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Yes. The crew boarded at Newcastle. However they were anything but "fresh and ready to go" (!) The journey to Doncaster is over 70 minutes, so in theory food should be provided. No chance of that whatsoever, and a solitary hot drink offering was grudgingly made.
Of course, they know there's little chance of being 'mystery shopped' on that train, so they feel they can get away with it. I'd invite any EC managers reading this to give it a try and see that you're paying your staff to sit around basically, as they feel they've been overworked. Yet the departure screens all say "complementary offer available" - yeah, right!
By the way, if the crew really shouldn't be on duty by that time, just say so. Change the screens, and update the website, and amend the fares to reflect this, and that'd be fair enough. But it appears people are being paid to sit around and do nothing.
Butts
Veteran Member
Mutant Lemming
Established Member
I'd say I have found some disappointing elements to EC first recently but would still rate ECs worse above Virgins best. Just goes to show that people fall for the media and hype.
Butts
Veteran Member
With all due respect I think that statement is nonsense.
Effectively you are saying someone could just get a cup of tea on East Coast and that would be better than receiving a full Evening Meal service on Virgin.
First post on this thread, first test of evening meal: excellent service on two recent trips on 1803 KGX-LDS.
Good food (salmon last week, veggie this week), prompt service on a well loaded train.
Only criticism that one of the crews was too hasty with the clearing up, and the second round of coffee came before the cheese.
Good food (salmon last week, veggie this week), prompt service on a well loaded train.
Only criticism that one of the crews was too hasty with the clearing up, and the second round of coffee came before the cheese.
YorkshireRider
Member
Yeah going back a few years in GNER days on that 1950 service off Glasgow, a Newcastle crew took over at Newcastle, they slept on it at Doncaster for a few hours and worked the 0615 Glasgow service back in the morning as far as Newcastle. In those days it just stabled in plat 8 overnight and didn't go to Neville Hill. Good to hear loading are good on that last Aberdeen service, suppose it gives an option for a decent amount of time, for a day out from stations between Leeds and Edinburgh if you take the 0710 service up in the morning.
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That it is lazy, will be a Leeds crew too
. It's the last leg of a long shift but still no excuse for that. Plenty of time to clear up when the train is going ECS don-lds
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This cropped up at the forum meal in Brough, several people have reported bad experience by this person. I won't post a description here - he's very recognisable/distinctive though!That it is lazy, will be a Leeds crew too
I usually get Newcastle crews, and they're very good. My experience of Leeds crews is good apart from him.
However the dreaded London crews can be very bad and downright rude (clearly some of them really do not want to be in that job) not by any means all, as some are excellent, but the behaviour of some does give them a bad rep. I very rarely get a London crew (and I do try to avoid them!), the last time I did I actually did the Aberdeen-London run throughout, and we were having to decline food & drink after York.
Mutant Lemming
Established Member
Maybe just my personal experience - a cup of tea in a proper cup as opposed to a wrap or 'meal' in a cardboad box or an insipid beer which drives me to go and buy the branded ale from the shop..
Maybe the comment is a bit over the top but overall I have found Virgin's first class to be second rate when compared to other operators over similar distances .. even East Coast.... Grand Central and Hull Trains spring to mind and are probably the only proper comparisons for the the distance and service
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I'll be on it again on Wednesday so will report back. Going up from Edinburgh on what is the 0710 from Leeds.
I've been on the last one from Aberdeen about a dozen times this year and have never seen first less than 65% full. It always normally goes into P2 at Waverley so you have to walk the full length of the train to get onto the main station and from looking in the windows standard is always usually around 50% full. During the festival it was rammed leaving Edinburgh so yeah definitely a good one for a day tripper.
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