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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

WesternLancer

WesternLancer

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ScotTrains said:
On a 9 car Azuma train I count 32 single seats compared to just two tables for two!! This ratio seems way off to me.
The leisure market, though not as lucrative as the business market, still provides extra income during off peak periods. The lack of tables for two is very off putting. Many solo travellers also prefer the tables for two as they have much more space.
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Yes, and the off peak period is more of the week than the peak hours, so it may well be that looked at overall the leisure market migth be the better one overall (tho not tested the sums!)
 
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leightonbd

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richardderby said:
a new first class menu has appeared....
https://www.lner.co.uk/the-east-coast-experience/first-class/menu/#Tab_25567
spicy Thai green curry, chicken and rice, or sausage and mash are the new mains..
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Not impressed with those sausages. Substantial but a bit too much gristle. Venison (which is what they are) is hard to get right. The mash was very good though.

Macaroni cheese was also offered but in a saucer-size portion.

As someone said upthread, you really need to BYO to be sure of having enough for the 4-5 hours from London to Edinburgh, especially at the end of the day.
 
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westv

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leightonbd said:
You mean with the breakfast? Yes. Beans and tomato but no mushroom. I like all three and am pleased to have the tomato back, but there is a a time and a place for beans and it’s not (IMO) on a FC breakfast plate ...
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Beans snob!
 
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takno

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leightonbd said:
LOL not at all. My go-to greasy spoon breakfast is sausage, beans and fried bread. It’s just that beans travelling at 125 mph are a bit high-risk in relation to what you have to wear for the rest of the day ...
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Given that you yourself are traveling at 125mph you probably have more to fear from a stationary bean. That would hurt
 
Butts

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leightonbd said:
LOL not at all. My go-to greasy spoon breakfast is sausage, beans and fried bread. It’s just that beans travelling at 125 mph are a bit high-risk in relation to what you have to wear for the rest of the day ...
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Even more reason to bring back BP ......
 
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route101

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leightonbd said:
LOL not at all. My go-to greasy spoon breakfast is sausage, beans and fried bread. It’s just that beans travelling at 125 mph are a bit high-risk in relation to what you have to wear for the rest of the day ...
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Not seen the fried bread for years .

I want the black pudding back. Can do without tomato , mushroom or beans ha
 
marks87

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I'm having my first experience of First Class on an Azuma.

First impressions are that the seats aren't as comfortable as an HST or Mk4. The headrest in particular is a bit awkward.

A host came round before departure offering breakfast now, or lunch after Newcastle. I'm on until London so chose lunch, although some kind of snacks would have been nice. No toast trolley for those having breakfast because of "late staff sickness".

The power socket also seems to keep dropping out, but in a way where I need to physically unplug and plug the cable to my laptop. Maybe it's a Mac thing.
 
marks87

marks87

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trebor79 said:
"Both please" would have been my answer :D
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I'm not so bold!

Food order taken just after Newcastle and delivered just south of Darlington; I ordered the chicken and mushroom fricassee which was very nice. The chocolate pot also went down well. Only one flavour of crisps available, though (by design, according to the menu, rather than accident). I was fine with them (cheese and chive) so no big deal, but it surely isn't difficult to at least offer at least ready salted as well?

Cold drinks also just outside Newcastle and again there at York. I always feel awkward asking for alcohol this early in the day, but less so if someone else had already done so...thank goodness for the lady a few rows in front who asked for wine :lol:

I've also discovered that my laptop does find power again of its own accord. My guess is that it drops when we go through a neutral section before coming back on again.
 
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an7li721

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Now that they're running 10 car trains, has anyone managed to get 2 meal services by switching between the two first class sections mid journey?
 
Butts

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an7li721 said:
Now that they're running 10 car trains, has anyone managed to get 2 meal services by switching between the two first class sections mid journey?
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That never used to be necessary on the old trains , you used to get both from my experience particulary as coming south there was often a crew change at Newcastle.

Is this a new policy for one or the other or just a stingy/lazy crew ?
 
marks87

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Butts said:
That never used to be necessary on the old trains , you used to get both from my experience particulary as coming south there was often a crew change at Newcastle.

Is this a new policy for one or the other or just a stingy/lazy crew ?
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I think it must be a policy change because they were noting down who had chosen breakfast, and the Newcastle crew had the bit of paper as they came through the train.

I did manage to get breakfast and lunch when I last travelled, but that was direct from Dundee. I’d have objected then if they’d tried to make me choose that early, and that far out from Newcastle!
 
30907

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marks87 said:
I think it must be a policy change because they were noting down who had chosen breakfast, and the Newcastle crew had the bit of paper as they came through the train.

I did manage to get breakfast and lunch when I last travelled, but that was direct from Dundee. I’d have objected then if they’d tried to make me choose that early, and that far out from Newcastle!
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The previous menu had a "north of Edinburgh" which was the alternate week's choice. That has disappeared, but I assume the principle still applies - two hot meals from North of Edinburgh (only).
 
Butts

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As an aside is the Scotch/ other Alcohol still on freeflow ?

Do they sometimes "double up" or "in and out" like they used to ?
 
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FQTV

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westv said:
Once again, no cooked breakfast nor this time any coffee. Only food available is porridge.
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Empirically, this seems to be happening more and more often. Twice in the last three weeks I’ve had no hot food, and on one of those occasions there was no food at all bar crisps.
 
30907

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Up on the Skipton last Thursday. Toast and Marmalade promptly, full English, second coffee. First time I've managed to get the full offer, and the (IMO) reverse order of courses works well if you are a bit peckish on boarding.
 
Butts

Butts

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Edinburgh to Newcastle on the 0656 this Morning...

Full Breakfast albeit with "egg souffle" replacing the fried egg. To be honest it wasn't presented that thoughtfully or appealingly but as I got two slices of toast (after asking for a second on ordering) I'll let it slide. Still missing the black pudding. Had 2 Bacon, Sausage, Manky half of tomato, hash brown and the egg substitute. Service followed the same pattern as 30907's above.

Coming back on the 1152 Newcastle to Edinburgh swerved the hot options which were available and had the ham and mustard roll - quite nice. Crisps and cake to go with it. My one gripe I only had one Scotch - tight barstewards !!. I asked for a second one after Berwick but was informed "service had finished" - first time that has ever happened to me. Could put in a complaint but can't be arsed. I was in K and they were all sitting around yapping!!

At least I had a 4 to myself in K each way on a "traditional" service - no ironing board Azuma thank the Lord !!
 
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FQTV

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Butts said:
Edinburgh to Newcastle on the 0656 this Morning...

Full Breakfast albeit with "egg souffle" replacing the fried egg. To be honest it wasn't presented that thoughtfully or appealingly but as I got two slices of toast (after asking for a second on ordering) I'll let it slide. Still missing the black pudding. Had 2 Bacon, Sausage, Manky half of tomato, hash brown and the egg substitute. Service followed the same pattern as 30907's above.

Coming back on the 1152 Newcastle to Edinburgh swerved the hot options which were available and had the ham and mustard roll - quite nice. Crisps and cake to go with it. My one gripe I only had one Scotch - tight barstewards !!. I asked for a second one after Berwick but was informed "service had finished" - first time that has ever happened to me. Could put in a complaint but can't be arsed. I was in K and they were all sitting around yapping!!

At least I had a 4 to myself in K each way on a "traditional" service - no ironing board Azuma thank the Lord !!
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Personally, I think that ham and mustard roll that they're offering at the moment is excellent - and actually far more substantial and tastier than any of the recent hot options (bar breakfast, of course). Each to their own, but I wouldn't be horribly disappointed if they came out with a range of sandwiches/wraps that good - at least we'd have some consistency then.
 
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Viperboy34

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The other week I returned first class from Edinburgh to Darlington, there was no hot food, the sandwiches were ok, but having applied for a chef's vacancy three times and I certainly have standard, having read previous comments,I would not have served inferior produce. There are photos of the new chef's ,they look to be a similar age to me, the thing that goes against me is the long service I have given to my employer and the stigma of that institution.
 
trainophile

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On the 1000 KGX-ABD (only to Haymarket for us), declined breakfast in favour of lunch, then told the ovens are broken and there may be only sandwiches for lunch.

Offered to change our order to breakfast but by that time the only veggie option left was porridge.

Azuma train having problems already :( .
 
Butts

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trainophile said:
On the 1000 KGX-ABD (only to Haymarket for us), declined breakfast in favour of lunch, then told the ovens are broken and there may be only sandwiches for lunch.

Offered to change our order to breakfast but by that time the only veggie option left was porridge.

Azuma train having problems already :( .
Click to expand...

Double whammy.....

****e seat and catering !!!!
 
voyagerdude220

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I wonder how many breakfasts they load onto each train, in relation to the number of people travelling? Obviously not enough, given trainophile couldn't order a cooked vegetarian breakfast.

I'm guessing the "Full LNER" would be the most popular breakfast ordered, so I'd be surprised if a large number ordered the vegetarian option.
 
trainophile

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The veggie option was poached eggs with avocado, which would probably have tempted non-veggies too. Obviously all those getting out at York would have had breakfast, and judging by the exodus there a couple of minutes ago there were quite a lot of them.
 
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