20.00 EC Kings Cross to Newcastle

[Johnny Lewis]

East Coast's pocket timetables currently show this train (Mondays to Fridays) as having a "full" evening meal service in First Class, and the new December issue also shows this to be the case.

Is this true? It is rather later than all the other trains that offer this facility - the 19.00 departure doesn't have an evening meal service - so I wondered if this was just a mis-print, or if anyone that has actually travelled on this train could confirm or deny it?

Thanks.

 

[Robsignals]

Possibly a Newcastle catering crew that worked into the Cross about 1900. Would hope that Timetables are thoroughly proof read, that symbol should stand out anyway.

 

[ainsworth74]

That's no reason for them to run an evening meal service at 2000 as catering crews are pretty flexible at this point. I suggest an email to East Coast asking them if this is mistake or if this is intentional.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

I daresay things will continue to change, as they have done over the last 18 months (since the Restaurant Cars were abandoned), but as a fairly regular passenger on the 20:00 departure, I can tell you this:

Sometimes there will be a full crew of 7 ( 4 First Class Assistants, 1 Chef, 1 in the cafe-bar and 1 on the trolley) and increasingly there will be only 5.

The meal offered depends on whether all the ovens are working, there is a Chef on-board, and the stock is loaded. These are unpredictable but likely.

Whatever the details on the day, the chances are that staff will do whatever they can to make up for any shortfall.

The 19:00 service is far more likely to have a Chef on board.

 

[transmanche]

Is this true? It is rather later than all the other trains that offer this facility - the 19.00 departure doesn't have an evening meal service - so I wondered if this was just a mis-print, or if anyone that has actually travelled on this train could confirm or deny it?

The "what catering do I get in First Class" timetable also shows the 20:00 has the full monty. And I note that the EC website says "On selected evening services leaving London King’s Cross, you can expect a real treat" (my bolding).