Current Hull Trains First Class catering offering

[The DJ]

Heading up north later this week from London to Doncaster on an early morning service and just wondered what i can expect in the way of food and drink in First Class.

 

[transportphoto]

Tea, coffee and snacks… nothing too exciting. From Hull Trains: “In First Class [you can] choose from a selection of freshly made sandwiches, served at your seat with tea or coffee and light refreshments, subject to availability. Ask your on board host for the selection details on the day.” (https://www.hulltrains.co.uk/your-experience/first-class-travel)

 

[GB71]

Been on HT a few times on the early southbound service; choice has been between a bacon roll or sausage roll with tea or coffee

 

[voyagerdude220]

I remember travelling with Hull Trains over a decade ago on a class 222 in First Class and being thoroughly impressed (despite the high ticket cost) of the brilliant very high quality hot food offer. Sadly it seems very disappointing these days.

 

[HullRailMan]

As a rule it’s hot sandwiches for breakfast (before 1030ish) and sandwiches the rest of the day. I’ve seen paninis too on the odd occasion in the daytime/evening.

 

[mike57]

Travelled to London for the day just over a week ago with Mrs Mike57, and we used advance tickets on Hull trains first class.

Breakfast is a hot sausage or bacon roll, and tea or coffee.

Return journey was a sandwich and crisps, and again tea or coffee, or a cold drink (non alchoholic), with small packets of biscuits

Bearing in mind we were on advance tickets, and taking into account fare paid, offering was adequate, but not stellar. We arrived in London breakfasted, (quick) lunch in London and the sandwich tea on the return journey meant we arrived back home not needing to eat.

One thing which they get full marks for is the tea. Decent quality (Yorkshire Gold) tea brewed in a pot, and with fresh milk. I dont drink coffee, and some 'tea' is disgusting, either so weak it looks like watered down milk, or at the other extreme could be used as paint stripper, or even worse instant tea.

Looking around the First class, I think most of the travellers were lesiure travellers on advance ticket, that possibly affects what Hull trains can offer.

 

[voyagerdude220]

That's interesting, thank you for your post Mike57.

 

[ainsworth74]

I remember travelling with Hull Trains over a decade ago on a class 222 in First Class and being thoroughly impressed (despite the high ticket cost) of the brilliant very high quality hot food offer. Sadly it seems very disappointing these days.

Looking around the First class, I think most of the travellers were lesiure travellers on advance ticket, that possibly affects what Hull trains can offer.

Actually I think it's a legacy of the 180s. They didn't really have a kitchen just a little space at one end of 1st class with a microwave or two (or similar) which rather limits what you can do especially for a full carriage of people. The 222s of course had a slightly more substantial catering provision with more of a proper galley type kitchen. I believe, though am open to correction, that the HT 802s are like the 222s much better endowed in the kitchen department (though obviously not to the extent of a GWR IET or LNER Azuma!) but Covid has gotten in the way of rolling out anything more substantial. I think HT only resumed first class catering a few months ago and still haven't resumed standard class catering.

That being said when I travelled on the 0948 from Kings Cross in first class a few weeks ago the sausage sandwich I had was good. Very filling!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Admittedly I've just had a very quick look online at the difference in cost between Advance Standard singles and Advance First singles without any railcards for travel towards the end of this month and the extra for First Class seems to vary reasonable in my opinion (between £10 and £30)between London Kings Cross and Hull with the exception of the 18:48 departure which was much more expensive than the earlier in the day trains.

I strongly suspect when I travelled back when Hull Trains ran 222s that the premium required to pay for a First Class ticket may well have been higher than it is today.

 

[mike57]

still haven't resumed standard class catering.

That was the case when we travelled last week

 

[mike57]

the sausage sandwich I had was good.

I agree, We chose to have one Bacon, one Sausage, and shared. The sausages exceeded expectations. Not sure where they get them but reminded me of Heck sausages.

 

[westv]

It is a pretty miserable offering from HTs but they did have to "let go" 25% of their staff.

 

[The DJ]

I got an excellent hot bacon sandwich which I really enjoyed

 

[Butts]

Travelled to London for the day just over a week ago with Mrs Mike57, and we used advance tickets on Hull trains first class.

Breakfast is a hot sausage or bacon roll, and tea or coffee.

Return journey was a sandwich and crisps, and again tea or coffee, or a cold drink (non alchoholic), with small packets of biscuits

Bearing in mind we were on advance tickets, and taking into account fare paid, offering was adequate, but not stellar. We arrived in London breakfasted, (quick) lunch in London and the sandwich tea on the return journey meant we arrived back home not needing to eat.

One thing which they get full marks for is the tea. Decent quality (Yorkshire Gold) tea brewed in a pot, and with fresh milk. I dont drink coffee, and some 'tea' is disgusting, either so weak it looks like watered down milk, or at the other extreme could be used as paint stripper, or even worse instant tea.

Looking around the First class, I think most of the travellers were lesiure travellers on advance ticket, that possibly affects what Hull trains can offer.

A can of which would have been welcome on your return journey

It's weird how only LNER and Avanti throw in free alcohol while none of the other long distance operators do.

 

[LowLevel]

A can of which would have been welcome on your return journey

It's weird how only LNER and Avanti throw in free alcohol while none of the other long distance operators do.

East Midlands have done wine in the past on peak time departures and are looking into some sort of complimentary alcohol offering again too.

 

[voyagerdude220]

It's weird how only LNER and Avanti throw in free alcohol while none of the other long distance operators do.

GWR used to do "Wine Wednesdays."
I remember my Wife and her friend travelling First Class on an IET a few years ago telling me their surprise to be offered the complimentary wine soon after departing London Paddington.