Penzance to Aberdeen in one go?

WesternLancer · 15 May 2019

Mitchell Hurd said:
Best to wait for an updated XC HST diagrams on the 125 Group website and then check with XC - just telling you what I'm told . But note a Voyager you might just have to love instead if it substitutes for an HST!

Yes, thanks! Would want to know it was HST cert before I coughed up for a full trip of that length and ended up on a a voyager....

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yorkie · 15 May 2019

WesternLancer said:
Go towards mid summer for maximum daylight. Friday 221st June has a XC Adv fare of £124 on offer at the moment Penzance to Dundee.

£116.34 on a split ticket site; the £7.66 saved may be handy for the catering trolley

ForTheLoveOf · 15 May 2019

Is it expected that HST diagrams will be changing?

WesternLancer · 15 May 2019

yorkie said:
£116.34 on a split ticket site; the £7.66 saved may be handy for the catering trolley

Nice one.
At XC's catering prices? Well, of course stock up on a bag of pasties before leaving Penzance with the cash!!

ForTheLoveOf · 15 May 2019

WesternLancer said:
Nice one.
At XC's catering prices? Well, of course stock up on a bag of pasties before leaving Penzance with the cash!!

You might be able to get a tea if you're lucky

221129 · 15 May 2019

ForTheLoveOf said:
Is it expected that HST diagrams will be changing?

Yes they are.

WesternLancer · 15 May 2019

ForTheLoveOf said:
You might be able to get a tea if you're lucky

what, not just a cup of hot water and a tea bag from which to make it yourself...that's good!

Actually - I was booked 1st advance on XC last year to take a train diverted via Toton due to the Derby remodeling. It was one of the few XC services that offer a proper hot meal, so I opted to eat. Obv this was a microwave job, and I chose a curry. I have to say it was probably one of the worst quality train dining experiences I have ever had. I didn't complain, as my expectations were low and the food quality would not have been the fault of the friendly staff on board, but obv the staff on duty must know these are not up to much as the staff refused to let me pay for it....

ForTheLoveOf · 15 May 2019

WesternLancer said:
but obv the staff on duty must know these are not up to much as the staff refused to let me pay for it....

As far as I'm aware, if you're lucky enough to be on a service where the hot catering is available, it's complimentary. Still, with Turbostars excepted, XC First Class is probably one of the best upgrades over Standard out there - a legitimate and substantial increase in the amount of space, a half-decent seat, and catering that doesn't totally fall apart as soon as it's the weekend.

kingqueen · 15 May 2019

The upgrades are substantially less worth it if you're a wheelchair user. Particularly on a Voyager.

Same chair in the same design space, same inglorious isolation from anybody with whom you're traveling, the door still retracts into the wheelchair space so you can't lean back, diesel and toilet exhaust goes up behind your back so hot and smelly,

The XC 1st Class food offering doesn't excite me. And there's something that particularly irks me about the insubstantial metal-filmed plastic cutlery.

The XC HSTs on the other hand, are to my experience the only HSTs with a usable 1st Class wheelchair space and accessible loo

WesternLancer · 15 May 2019

ForTheLoveOf said:
As far as I'm aware, if you're lucky enough to be on a service where the hot catering is available, it's complimentary. Still, with Turbostars excepted, XC First Class is probably one of the best upgrades over Standard out there - a legitimate and substantial increase in the amount of space, a half-decent seat, and catering that doesn't totally fall apart as soon as it's the weekend.

No - 4 choices on menu. £7

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/media/2416/firstclass_catering_menu_handout_a5.pdf

from 'hot meals' here

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/on-board-with-crosscountry/first-class-food-and-drink

It's only a good upgrade as std class in a voyager is so poor IMHO!

221129 · 15 May 2019

WesternLancer said:
No - 4 choices on menu. £7

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/media/2416/firstclass_catering_menu_handout_a5.pdf

from 'hot meals' here

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/on-board-with-crosscountry/first-class-food-and-drink

It's only a good upgrade as std class in a voyager is so poor IMHO!

It's complimentary in 1st...

WesternLancer · 15 May 2019

221129 said:
It's complimentary in 1st...

Ah, I studied it more carefully - my apols it free in 1st if your journey is more than 90 mins
"On selected weekday services, we also offer a range of delicious hot meals which are available as a complimentary item to customers travelling for more than 90 minutes"
And mine wasn't IIRC (Sheffield to Burton on Trent) so I offered to pay and expected to do so (the steward apologised and said I'd have to pay) but in due course the train manager advised him that I could have it for free.

It was not worth £7, sadly, due to poor quality of the product IMHO.

It was strange tho, as EMT offer a reasonable paid for menu in 1st, at similar prices to this, and much better quality, served on china etc, and EMT Advance 1st fares are more pelntiful and cheaper than is my experience on XC

richw · 15 May 2019

kingqueen said:
Plus in my case, assistance with ramps off one, a dash across in my wheelchair, and assistance with ramps onto the other

St Erth isn’t the best place for a wheelchair user to change due to lack of accessibility on the historic station. There was a easement for wheelchair users to travel via Penzance due to the unsuitable facilities At St Erth.

Bletchleyite · 15 May 2019

WesternLancer said:
It was strange tho, as EMT offer a reasonable paid for menu in 1st, at similar prices to this, and much better quality, served on china etc, and EMT Advance 1st fares are more pelntiful and cheaper than is my experience on XC

This may be because EMT has more First Class seats to shift - 1.5 coaches in a 5-car set instead of 1.

WesternLancer · 16 May 2019

Bletchleyite said:
This may be because EMT has more First Class seats to shift - 1.5 coaches in a 5-car set instead of 1.

Yes, that will be the case I'm sure - tho plenty of time I see XC 1st class 'carrying around fresh air' which always suggests to me they have the yield pricing model not as good as it could be. EG a couple of Saturdays ago even 24 hours ahead no real cheap 1st advance fares Derby - Oxford but when I got on 80%+ of the 1 class voyager seats empty and I'm opting for w/e 1st. One would think better to sell that seat to me as 1st advance and get the ORCATS revenue. Mind you they still need to keep space for walk up 1st class ticket holders I guess.

ForTheLoveOf · 16 May 2019

WesternLancer said:
Yes, that will be the case I'm sure - tho plenty of time I see XC 1st class 'carrying around fresh air' which always suggests to me they have the yield pricing model not as good as it could be. EG a couple of Saturdays ago even 24 hours ahead no real cheap 1st advance fares Derby - Oxford but when I got on 80%+ of the 1 class voyager seats empty and I'm opting for w/e 1st. One would think better to sell that seat to me as 1st advance and get the ORCATS revenue. Mind you they still need to keep space for walk up 1st class ticket holders I guess.

For Derby to Oxford, the odds are that XC would get the absolute lion's share of the ORCATS revenue for through tickets - if not all - given there are hourly non-overtaken through services.

Kite159 · 16 May 2019

Bletchleyite said:
This may be because EMT has more First Class seats to shift - 1.5 coaches in a 5-car set instead of 1.

And 3 coaches of first class for a 7-car set.

kingqueen · 17 May 2019

richw said:
St Erth isn’t the best place for a wheelchair user to change due to lack of accessibility on the historic station. There was a easement for wheelchair users to travel via Penzance due to the unsuitable facilities At St Erth.

Thank you! I'll bail at Camborne instead, if necessary.

richw · 17 May 2019

kingqueen said:
Thank you! I'll bail at Camborne instead, if necessary.

Camborne, redruth, Truro and St Austell all have accessible crossings, the first 3 have road access between platforms, by level crossing or road bridge. St austell new footbridge has lifts.

Penzance to Aberdeen in one go?

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