London First Class Trips Questions

[Huntergreed]

Hi folks

I'll be taking two practically identical trips from Carlisle to London in July and August (all journeys on weekdays), and I have a selection of questions regarding the VTWC first class weekday offering.

1) Both times I will be in Coach J seats 38 and 39 travelling to London and coach J seats 20 and 23 on the return. What are these seats like in terms of window alignment, privacy, noise and luggage storage?

2) I will be travelling on the 09:10 Carlisle to Euston via Birmingham (arrival at 13:33) service both times, how often can I expect food and drinks to be served?

3) Similarly, on one trip I will be on the 11:30 express service from Euston to Carlisle, and the other trip on the 12:30 express service, what will the food offerings and which menus will I be eating from on these services?

4) What is the VTWC Euston lounge like. What is inside the lounge, what food/drinks are on offer, and are departure boards and boarding announcements used inside the lounge?

Thanks in advance

 

[me123]

1) According to the Pendolino Seat Map, J20, J23 and J38-39 don't have a restricted view, looks like you'll be fine. (In fact, compared with Standard Class, very few seats in First have a restricted view).

2) You'll get food once. Drinks - probably three times (maybe four if you go via Birmingham).

3) The timetable gives you a clue here. Both the 11:30 and 12:30 departures have the red food icon, indicating that "hot snacks" will be served in First Class. Unfortunately, there is no menu correlating to "hot snacks" but it would appear to be the standard afternoon option, which can be found here.

4) Not been, so can't help you here.

 

[cambsy]

I have travelled on virgin Trains West coast First class quite a few times, and the service is good, regular runs of coffee and tea, soft drinks and alcohol, U will have breakfast on the 09.10 Carlisle, u will have several choices including cooked breakfast which is quite small but tasty,, and the others are hot snacks which is brunch on the menu, which include sausage roll, soup etc, later on u will have snacks served, like crisps, fruit, wraps, u will be well supplied with drinks and food.

The first class itself is nice, wider seats and recline but they are original seats, and not been refurbished, they are material covered and not leather, though comfortable, but not as nice in my opinion as the East Coast first class seats, there is help your self bottled water in a couple of fridges in each coach, which nice if hot day, overall it is a good experience to travel first class, pamper one self.

The lounge at Euston is large with a front desk, showers are available with towels from front desk,the seats are nice and comfortable, can get busy at certain times, and there is a time limit to stay, think an hour at peak times, there is help yourself hot drink machines and apple and orange juice, various snacks, the Glasgow lounge is small and in the Virgin ticket office, it has coffee and tea, juices etc, various snacks, its small and a partitioned off area, not a proper lounge as such, perfectly acceptable for short stay and at least somewhere to go as a first class passenger.

You should have an enjoyable experience going first class, nice way to travel.