On a double Voyager can anyone recall which first class carriage is prioritised for having a host? I sure it used to be the case that if you wanted the first class offer you had to travel one of the carriages as in the other there might not a dedicated host and would be relying on the trolley person to come through.
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Cross Country (XC) First Class service
- Thread starter Deerfold
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Coach A, in my experience. I've had to move out of the other set mid-journey to make the switch a few times now.
Peterthegreat
Established Member
Usually the front unit.
That logic doesn't always work, given the reversals at New Street / Reading etc. Could be at either end.
Well I have a reservation in A so I'll just take my seat and see what happens! Thanks all 
Peterthegreat
Established Member
Trains that reverse are not usually formed of more than one unit.
Anything on the Manchester <> Bournemouth corridor has to reverse at Reading, and some of these services operate as double sets (there's an eight car service that departed Reading not five minutes ago, for example).
I'm currently on the Aberzance service and they very kindly declassified the coach from Birmingham but didn't tell anyone until Bristol. The catering was fine I suppose but nothing has been offered since Leeds and we definitely won't be offered anything now!
duffield
Established Member
At least you should get some sort of refund of the 1st class premium (that's your entitlement I believe, but whether they'll give you the whole lot back or just a fraction I have no idea).
trainophile
Established Member
No trolley at all when we were in 1st from Basingstoke to New Street two Fridays ago. Hardly surprising as there's no way a trolley could have got through the crush loading, so they wouldn't have sold anything to make up for what they gave away in 1st. Apparently there was a trolley joining at New Street, which wasn't much good to us. Quite disappointing, lucky we had time to visit Spoons in New Street before our connection as we were quite hungry by then.
cityboyben
New Member
On the 9am from Bristol to Manchester today and catering was proactively offered both from Bristol (drinks only but I feel if you had asked for food would have served) and then again from Birmingham where we got a dedicated 1st class host. Hot/Cold Drinks, Snacks, Sandwiches & hot food, I had the bacon sandwich which was better than expected. 1st class may have been refurbished as well so looked smart and power worked. Wifi even seemed to hold a decent connection for most of the route. Having read some XC reviews this was definitely above average and made all the better due to staff being great.
(This ended up being the reason that I finally registered and posted on this forum rather than just read!)
(This ended up being the reason that I finally registered and posted on this forum rather than just read!)
The service on cross country generally tends to be very staff dependent. I've had some fantastic hosts which in my opinion gave LNER a run for their money on occasion, but also had some very inattentive ones too.
cityboyben
New Member
Oh yes agreed, on an Avanti train now and have coach K to myself but made all the better by the 1st class hosts
sabanda
New Member
Travelling BMH-SOU and back in First tomorrow - I typically use SWR and am therefore accustomed to no service offering in First, but wondered whether I can expect anything on what is obviously a fairly short leg? I assume it's likely staff-dependent of course!
Mainline421
Member
If there's staff around you can ask and should get drinks and a couple snacks. I wouldn't see it as guaranteed on such a sort hop, but you'll probably have a better chance on the return leg if you're quick.
trainophile
Established Member
Am I misunderstanding something or is 2 hours and 40 minutes now “a short hop”?
All things are relative I suppose, but I would certainly expect at least a hot drink and some cake or crisps.
All things are relative I suppose, but I would certainly expect at least a hot drink and some cake or crisps.
Sealink
Member
- Joined
- 16 Aug 2006
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- 394
It depends on the train - most in the timetable show shading which indicates catering provided, but others don't. From Bournemouth, no catering on the 0630 or after 1745.
From Southampton, nothing on 0756, 1644 and nothing after 2144.
Not sure what you can expect mind!
trainophile
Established Member
Oops . My apologies!BMH is Bournemouth, not Birmingham.
I was on an Edinburgh to Derby service and the man with the trolley wheeled it through 1st to the galley/TM area then started serving people in 1st from a tray. I asked about sandwiches as I'd seen some on the trolley when he first went past. He said he didn't have any left (so I assumed someone else in 1st had just had them), so we only got crisps and a cake. After he served everyone, he wheeled the trolley back through to standard with the sandwiches still visible! I asked after him but he ignored me and continued on! He didn't come through again so that was all we had from Edinburgh to Derby!
voyagerdude220
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2005
- Messages
- 3,550
Strange!
Although don't they have different sandwiches which are intended to be sold to Standard Class passengers to what is offered on a complimentary basis in First Class?
It certainly doesn't excuse their seemingly rude behaviour towards you.
I'm guessing as you state the same staff member was working on both First and Standard Class that you didn't have a First Class Host. I question why you only got catering offered once during such a long journey, unless they left the train at Newcastle and noone relieved them.
IIRC he was later stuck in coach F because the train became full and standing in standard from Newcastle and he then left at York and wasn't relieved as it was the 1708 from EDB on a Sunday. I could understand having separate sandwich stocks, but if he'd just explained that to me instead of lying, I would have happily paid for a "standard class" one.
For balance, I've also had some very good 1st class trips on XC.
sabanda
New Member
In answer to my own question, in case anybody else finds it to be of interest:
Hot & cold drinks served immediately after leaving Bournemouth, each accompanied by a packet of Border biscuits - the train manager came around and asked pax one-by-one for their choice of drink, and was probably one of the friendliest and most proactive railway staff I've ever encountered. On approach to Southampton a tray carrying the same biscuits as well as Seabrook crisps was offered.
On the return from Southampton there was limited staff presence in the aisles, given it was the very end of a long trip down from Manchester, but on request drinks were available as well as more substantial snacks. The only sandwich available was double egg and cress but this was more than suitable!
Overall very positive and a lot better than I would have expected from XC on such a short journey.
Hot & cold drinks served immediately after leaving Bournemouth, each accompanied by a packet of Border biscuits - the train manager came around and asked pax one-by-one for their choice of drink, and was probably one of the friendliest and most proactive railway staff I've ever encountered. On approach to Southampton a tray carrying the same biscuits as well as Seabrook crisps was offered.
On the return from Southampton there was limited staff presence in the aisles, given it was the very end of a long trip down from Manchester, but on request drinks were available as well as more substantial snacks. The only sandwich available was double egg and cress but this was more than suitable!
Overall very positive and a lot better than I would have expected from XC on such a short journey.
Perhaps they cant give you the sandwiches which are for sale. I have seen that on TPE with crisps, the full size bags are for sale and the ones for first class are the small bags.
Though I appreciate it may be policy, it would be a good change for customer satisfaction. Ultimately not the customers fault if XC ran out of sandwiches
Blinkbonny
Member
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Yes nothing screams First Class like that!
Mainline421
Member
I'm pretty sure CrossCountry are giving out the exact same sandwiches, only the Pizza Twists are exclusive to First.
To be fair I think every TOC does this, I guess they need to differentiate then somehow and probably so that it feels more generous to give out two small Cokes than one standard size.
I travelled in 1st on the 1336 from York as far as Birmingham recently; the host was great and explained all the options available (many previous hosts have not mentioned sandwiches as being an option), and I was able to have a tuna sandwich and flapjack, as well as a hot drink. I was also offered crisps, but politely declined as I felt that was enough.
The only downside was there was only one offering (of food + drinks) for the entire journey; in the past I've had a couple of drinks offerings. I am sure that if I'd approached the host and asked, I could have had another if I really wanted, but I didn't bother. In hindsight, I should have asked for a bottle of water at the outset (seeing the water fountain at New Street when I changed to my onward train made me think of that; I often bring a bottle with me but failed to do so, on this occasion)
Standard class was full and standing on my train (as you'd expect on the 'core' XC network, at a popular but "off peak" time of day), however 1st wasn't quite full, and in any case I had managed to reserve an individual seat, so was able to get some work done on the laptop unimpeded.
1st class on Voyagers is much nicer than Standard class, and the seats are much more comfortable than the seats on 80x units used by various other operators, in my opinion.
I would also ask if it was possible for the receipt to be marked as "first class sandwich unavailable" as evidence, but I strongly suspect that such a request would be denied!
The only downside was there was only one offering (of food + drinks) for the entire journey; in the past I've had a couple of drinks offerings. I am sure that if I'd approached the host and asked, I could have had another if I really wanted, but I didn't bother. In hindsight, I should have asked for a bottle of water at the outset (seeing the water fountain at New Street when I changed to my onward train made me think of that; I often bring a bottle with me but failed to do so, on this occasion)
Standard class was full and standing on my train (as you'd expect on the 'core' XC network, at a popular but "off peak" time of day), however 1st wasn't quite full, and in any case I had managed to reserve an individual seat, so was able to get some work done on the laptop unimpeded.
1st class on Voyagers is much nicer than Standard class, and the seats are much more comfortable than the seats on 80x units used by various other operators, in my opinion.
In this case, my suggestion would be to purchase the sandwich and submit the receipt for reimbursement.
I would also ask if it was possible for the receipt to be marked as "first class sandwich unavailable" as evidence, but I strongly suspect that such a request would be denied!
Yes - they are the same sandwiches and wraps. Same sausage roll too - if that’s still available in first. However I’m guessing policy dictates a certain number allocated to first, and a certain number to standard. Common sense would say this should be overturned in case of stock shortages, but this probably doesn’t prevail in such a policy.