Ah good that's useful. Chieftain has always had a chef (and I think it should serve the evening meal on departure from Edinburgh northbound) and at least we've got confirmation that the Aberdeen's don't.
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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service
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Blindtraveler
Established Member
In the GNER days when the chieften carried a restaurant it was always popular so I aggree
I think that the evening meal should be much more prevalent in general TBH. A few token services out of KGX isn't really enough - it really should also be offered on more departures between 4-7pm out of big cities (Edinburgh, Leeds, Newcastle). If you've got the chefs on board, I don't see why it wouldn't be possible. There seem to be plenty of chefs around (undoubtedly quite a few on the services I'd have in mind already) and the additional offerings can't be that costly, given that we are talking about the evening rush hour trains where fares will already be at a premium.
I quite agree! It's always struck me as incredibly penny pinching that they don't have a couple of peak time southbound departures from Edinburgh/Newcastle and Leeds.
I would suggest it wouldn't even need to be the full evening meal. You could just 'enhance' the All-Day offering by perhaps sticking chips or some sort of potatoes on the side of some of the mains for example. The marginal cost of adding a portion of chips will be tiny but the increase in the value of the offer/product of first class would be huge.
^ And don't forget the pudding!
In all seriousness, it's a choice of microwaved pudding with canned custard or sliced cheese and biscuits. Neither is particularly difficult, neither is particularly costly. But having a second course again really enhances the product.
In all seriousness, it's a choice of microwaved pudding with canned custard or sliced cheese and biscuits. Neither is particularly difficult, neither is particularly costly. But having a second course again really enhances the product.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
And despite what many here think of them, evening meals are served on the WCML North and South
Yeah they might call them 'meals' but they're about as substantial as the current VTEC All-Day offer and actually I'm pretty certain the curry I had recently was smaller than some VTEC All-Day offers.
Nothing to be crowing about in my opinion.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Granted, but at least theyr trying and I think it largely depends what you go for
I certainly hope it's not the same tomorrow!VTEC are doing a GTR on today's Chieftain. No hot food north of Edinburgh due to a crew shortage
Alan1310
Member
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- 187
Is it still worth doing the weekend upgrade I am on the 1500 out of edb to pbo on Sunday. I haven't done it since east coast days so what should I expect to pay and what will I get cheers in advanced
Just done London-Inverness both ways, out Tuesday and back Wednesday, out I had one serving hot all day just out of London, and sandwiches after Edinburgh due to staff shortage, and back was Breakfast around Aviemore and Hot food just after Edinburgh, I had the Curry going out, coming back had the Breakfast Grill and Risotto as the hot food offer, all were really nice and tasty, and copious amount of drinks served, the service was really good.
That would be an excellent value upgrade - if it's available. The 1500 on a Sunday is likely to be busy. You can expect tea and coffee, water, juice and pop, plus a choice of two packaged sandwiches, cake or biscuits and packet of crisps. Very pleasant really and well worth £15 for Edinburgh to Peterborough, subject to capacity. Drinks and snacks (cakes, fruit etc) will probably be available throughout your journey. As you're on the train for close on four hours you will also possibly be offered a second packet of sandwiches, depending on how the crew feel, how many they have and how busy it is.
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Alan1310
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Cheers I will give it ago then
So that's at least twice this week there's been no hit food north of Edinburgh on the Chieftain.
I'm in standard tonight between Edinburgh and Stevenage and there's no trolley service due to a crew shortage. Have VTEC got staffing issues or is it just bad luck?
I'm in standard tonight between Edinburgh and Stevenage and there's no trolley service due to a crew shortage. Have VTEC got staffing issues or is it just bad luck?
I travelled from Kings Cross to Inverness yesterday on the Chieftain. The 1st class service was pretty good. I went for the curry, which was served just after Stevenage (if I'm remembering correctly) and it was good quality and tasted excellent. I'd already had a huge breakfast so was glad that the portion size wasn't massive. Hot drinks weren't served until Grantham but after that there were several drinks rounds on both cold and hot drinks. It was the other rotation of the menu after Edinburgh and my moussaka was absolutely brilliant and was served at Stirling. The catering crew were nice enough; the crew after Edinburgh being the more friendly of the two crews that were on the train.
All in all, it was a good experience.
All in all, it was a good experience.
Same thing on the17:19 to Hull this evening.
Edit: Ignore that. It's just turned up at Newark.
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applepie2100
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- 16 Aug 2011
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- 167
I'm on the 12:53 from York to Edinburgh in 1st and it appears they're still rationing the glassware for us soft drinkers. It's starting to feel like the only way for us to get a proper glass is to be a boozer!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Meanwhile I got a super taisty fruit juice in a glass on West Coast tother week. Sarnies were a bit old though
applepie2100
Member
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The West Coast sandwich selections do seem to be a bit out there sometimes!
Iskra
Established Member
I tried the new breakfast last week. Although the individual ingredients seem to have improved, the portion size is poor and hardly constitutes a Full English. It also needs beans, as it's pretty dry as it is, especially since my egg wasn't runny at all. Positives are that it includes a proper egg and black pudding, I also like the croissant.
On the way back: the service was decent but the hot option on the all day menu wasn't available. Chicken and Bacon wrap is still nice, but I am thoroughly bored of it now. The orange and marmalade cake is very nice too.
On the way back: the service was decent but the hot option on the all day menu wasn't available. Chicken and Bacon wrap is still nice, but I am thoroughly bored of it now. The orange and marmalade cake is very nice too.
Butts
Veteran Member
On the 0655 out of Edinburgh to Northallerton this morning and sampled the new Breakfast.
It was "floating" a bit , but the addition of BP and a fried egg was a big imrovement. No toast famine and offered extras after Newcastle !!!
Came back on the 1754 ex York to Edinburgh (Aberdeen Service) strange set up new leather seats in J and M but traditional in the other two 1st Class Carriages. (I was in J)
Grub and Booze offered after York,Darlington and Newcastle . Unfortunately the hot curry had run out but had plenty of wraps, ploughmans sandwiches, crisps, biscuits and cake. I saw the sausage rolls as well - knowing the former parsimonious attention to portion sizes I half expected it to be cocktail dimensioned but it was if not quite of "jumbo" proportions at least half decent. Two would probably suffice.
All round not bad
It was "floating" a bit , but the addition of BP and a fried egg was a big imrovement. No toast famine and offered extras after Newcastle !!!
Came back on the 1754 ex York to Edinburgh (Aberdeen Service) strange set up new leather seats in J and M but traditional in the other two 1st Class Carriages. (I was in J)
Grub and Booze offered after York,Darlington and Newcastle . Unfortunately the hot curry had run out but had plenty of wraps, ploughmans sandwiches, crisps, biscuits and cake. I saw the sausage rolls as well - knowing the former parsimonious attention to portion sizes I half expected it to be cocktail dimensioned but it was if not quite of "jumbo" proportions at least half decent. Two would probably suffice.
All round not bad
Butts
Veteran Member
Touche....you smoked me out there
It must have been "piggy in the middle" in old style seating !!
Couple of trips over the last week.
1600 Edinburgh to London last Friday. Was originally booked on the 1630 which started from Newcastle instead of Edinburgh due to the disruption earlier in the day so the service was pretty much full. Curry had been loaded instead of moussaka and I was very impressed with it. Much better than I expected. Reminded me a bit of the Sharwoods frozen one that you get in the supermarkets. Credit to the crew on that service, I think they had a rough time on the journey up and the set was turned around and sent back out within fifteen minutes.
Coming back on the 1700 on Monday night I had the lamb which was also very nice. The crew leader on the service commented that of everything on the current menus the lamb had been the most consistent in terms of quality. The cherry roulade was also nice but would be better with pouring cream rather than clotted as it was a little dry.
Still seem to be some moaning about the hot drinks rotations though, particularly on the 1700 where quite a few refused alcohol and were enquiringly about tea/coffee.
1600 Edinburgh to London last Friday. Was originally booked on the 1630 which started from Newcastle instead of Edinburgh due to the disruption earlier in the day so the service was pretty much full. Curry had been loaded instead of moussaka and I was very impressed with it. Much better than I expected. Reminded me a bit of the Sharwoods frozen one that you get in the supermarkets. Credit to the crew on that service, I think they had a rough time on the journey up and the set was turned around and sent back out within fifteen minutes.
Coming back on the 1700 on Monday night I had the lamb which was also very nice. The crew leader on the service commented that of everything on the current menus the lamb had been the most consistent in terms of quality. The cherry roulade was also nice but would be better with pouring cream rather than clotted as it was a little dry.
Still seem to be some moaning about the hot drinks rotations though, particularly on the 1700 where quite a few refused alcohol and were enquiringly about tea/coffee.
Butts
Veteran Member
Cor blimey - was it "The Temperance Express" turning down free alcohol is against my religion
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Not everyone wants a drink, and particularly anyone going north of Edinburgh who may be having to drive owing to strike action on scotrail
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
One potential solution to this could be if a first customer wants tea when only soft or bar drinks are being offered then they could present their ticket at the buffet? Not ideal but workable
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
One potential solution to this could be if a first customer wants tea when only soft or bar drinks are being offered then they could present their ticket at the buffet? Not ideal but workable
I'm still confused on why this change has been made? The old system of a run of hot drinks followed by trolleys of food/cold drinks seemed to work perfectly well.