Nottingham's certainly is. On a Sunday LNER first class is miles better than EMR but LNER does have a warning on its website about industrial action effecting catering until the 9th. I don't think this Sunday is the best day to sample 1st class.
It's often worth it purely for the experience, but you won't get a meal on EMR on a Sunday. I'm not sure about LNER but I would say there won't be either. First Class is really at its peak on weekdays.
Leicester's is closed too, I believe.
I suppose it depends how much it costs to upgrade, as some EMR tickets are sold out quickly in standard and then First becomes the cheaper option.
So Leeds services only?
If the OP only wants to go to Nottingham, then he shouldn’t need to go further than Grantham.
I think IC225's also work some of the stopping services south of York, but may be wrong!
They usually work the 0906 KGX-YRK & 1202 return on weekdays.
Derby's is open just as a lounge with no complimentary drinks anymore.
It’s worth knowing what you’ll be getting food wise. Breakfast is served cooked in the morning, but the rest of the day only has lighter food, e.g sandwiches. It used to be more extensive, and the tables all laid out with crockery looked lovely, as it is on LNER. As this is sadly no longer done (at least it wasn’t in August and I don’t believe it has been restarted), you’ll have to wait for staff to come round and prepare things, so don’t worry if there’s nothing as it will appear.
And if travelling back to Nottingham and you want cooked breakfast the last breakfast train is the 10:05 from St Pancras. You'll get hot drinks/soft drinks, crisps and biscuits as well as the cooked breakfast and staff are very attentive in my experience.
I usually find EMR staff very friendly and attentive and quite generous with the amount of refreshments they let you have. Plenty of hot drinks, fruit juices and bottled water available. Also biscuits, crisps, nuts and other snacks. The sandwiches are quite good quality but they are not always offered and you do sometimes have to ask for one. The last time I travelled on a Saturday morning from Nottingham to London orders were taken for bacon rolls very soon after leaving Nottingham. I was impressed that they were freshly made bacon rolls with nice bread and not something soggy in plastic that had been warmed up in the microwave.
You haven't been on an LNER train recently, have you?
A few months ago, though the last time in First Class was in 2021. Have things changed there too?
Well, you won't find the tables laid out with crockery when you board. And that's been the case for many years.
I could have sworn...
