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London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

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jon0844

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This forum is indeed very well recorded by Google, so anything posted on here (bar via PM or a private forum within the site) is going to be visible to the world.

If East Coast wanted to see what was being said, they'd simply need to search for their name and initials, and it wouldn't take long to find this thread.
 

silentone

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That's correct, but having drawn attention to it, and having made a call about a specific train - that's not going to cause problems at all. *rolls eyes again!*

Clearly if it's been stated on here you cannot reserve.... just think about it and put yourself in the crews position now.
 

DaveNewcastle

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I hadn't meant to imply that there was a restaurant reservation system, official or otherwise! I certainly am not aware of anything other than the age-old and well proven procedure of making yourself known to onboard catering staff at the soonest opportunity. Anyway, I wouldn't be at all surprised if some of those travelling today will be company staff or had somehow been arranged by the company - I haven't a clue who else is travelling today, apart from myself and friend, of course, and we will be right at the front of the queue!, so I can't help any more than that.
 

Dine and Go

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Ok. Thanks for clearing up the misunderstanding. I still think East Coast should have organised something for the final day. It's a race at the best of times to get a seat on a Friday restaurant.

What do you suggest, take a different train? Which one is likely to be quietest?

Should I just take a train after the restaurants finish and enjoy the at seat menu?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I got the promised callback. Apparently there's a group booking for 19 people. I knew groups could book the restaurant because I've seen it before on special occasions (you can't expect 10 or more people to turn up and hope for the best after all).

So that explains it, nothing dodgy going on and so I shouldn't have got anyone in trouble (feeling of relief).

DaveNewcastle - enjoy your trip. With most of the restaurant full up already I'm definitely taking a different train to give myself a good chance of a meal.
 
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We're booked on the 09.30 Edinburgh, arriving Kings X 13.55. The shaded timetable indicates breakfast at Edinburgh and all day menu from Darlington onwards. Does anyone know if we have a choice of taking the breakfast early on or waiting until lunch for the all day offering or do we get both? Any help appreciated.

Yep, had it confirmed that you can have both and in fact nothing is stopping you from ordering food at every point that it is offered if you can fit it in. Also been told today, but not yet confirmed by management that they have had a rethink on the journeys under 70 mins and would appear alcohol will be offered
 

All Line Rover

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Yep, had it confirmed that you can have both and in fact nothing is stopping you from ordering food at every point that it is offered if you can fit it in. Also been told today, but not yet confirmed by management that they have had a rethink on the journeys under 70 mins and would appear alcohol will be offered

That's a good idea, but all the timetables they've been printing (which will arrive in stations on Sunday) will now be out of date! The offer is changing every week by the looks of things! :D

I guess they'll just need to try it out during the first few weeks to see what works and what doesn't.
 

amcluesent

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>hey have had a rethink on the journeys under 70 mins and would appear alcohol will be offered<

I said the 70min rule was a nonsense and wouldn't last.
 

The Sleeper

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TGVs (including cross-border services which use TGVs like Lyria, Artesia and Thalys) don't have restaurant cars either and I think they are doing just fine. I dont see the neccessity of carrying a restaurant car when we have overcrowding problems like we do on some services at present, Id rather convert the coach for standard class use to be fair and have at seat orders

I agree -recent trip on a bendylino 4 std coaches cramped and standing 3 first with 19 people in total - this is where for a small fee say 5,10,15 or 20 quid depending on length of journey, you could fill a few of those empty seats, let to on train senior captain conductor guard manager (or whateverthey are tomorrow) make the decision
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Not sure the average 1st class passenger will know the actress EC have selected for the PR about the complimentary (but not for you, PBO scum) meals...

Is Sam Faiers' Audrey Hepburn the world's worst lookalike?

article-1388850-0C27152B00000578-126_468x686.jpg

I thought that was Barbie for a minute:D
 

DaveNewcastle

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DaveNewcastle - enjoy your trip. With most of the restaurant full up already I'm definitely taking a different train to give myself a good chance of a meal.
Thank you, yes, it was an exceptionally enjoyable atmosphere in addition to the usual excellent food, service and the English countryside in late-spring rushing by.
There were actually a few places left, after a call for second sitting, though about 60 places had been laid.
A certain catering supplier seemed to have mis read their orders and understocked the train, so probs just as well!
Some senior staff and comms people on board too to help things along, and a number of old faces from BR days too. The end of an era marked in fitting style.

My thanks to all the catering crews who've been keeping the tradition alive over the years!
 

Squaddie

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I agree -recent trip on a bendylino 4 std coaches cramped and standing 3 first with 19 people in total - this is where for a small fee say 5,10,15 or 20 quid depending on length of journey, you could fill a few of those empty seats, let to on train senior captain conductor guard manager (or whateverthey are tomorrow) make the decision
Why would anyone buy a first class ticket if it were possible to upgrade from an overcrowded standard coach for a fiver? And why should those who have paid for the comfort and ambience of a first class carriage have their peace shattered by a horde of refugees from standard?
 

silentone

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Thank you, yes, it was an exceptionally enjoyable atmosphere in addition to the usual excellent food, service and the English countryside in late-spring rushing by.
There were actually a few places left, after a call for second sitting, though about 60 places had been laid.
A certain catering supplier seemed to have mis read their orders and understocked the train, so probs just as well!
Some senior staff and comms people on board too to help things along, and a number of old faces from BR days too. The end of an era marked in fitting style.

My thanks to all the catering crews who've been keeping the tradition alive over the years!

Yes that supplier has had a number of issues today. I've been hearing a number of services with dining went without! To be honest I think it was silly for anyone to expect a full uninterrupted service!

The newly branded 'Flying Scotsman' is probably done or getting done on Saturday but will not appear until Monday. I'm guessing it's a decal job at Craigentinny. There was an email out today showing a train with flames down the side, I don't think that's actually being done but will be in a number of ads.

The TV advert begins on Sunday mainly starting mainly during Vera on ITV1. There's a big press event planned along the route on Monday for the Flying Scotsman, EC are going to be filming the journey from start to end along the route. I'm guessing much like the NXEC run from Dundee way back.

I have to say the TV adverts are quite good!
 

WestCoast

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I agree -recent trip on a bendylino 4 std coaches cramped and standing 3 first with 19 people in total - this is where for a small fee say 5,10,15 or 20 quid depending on length of journey, you could fill a few of those empty seats, let to on train senior captain conductor guard manager (or whateverthey are tomorrow) make the decision

Pendolinos have 5 standard class carriages and 4 first class. When they become extendolinos they will have 7 standard, 4 first.

Sorry, I can't see the train's managers discretion working in regard to setting the upgrade fee - something like that needs to be established by passengers in advance.
 

All Line Rover

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Why would anyone buy a first class ticket if it were possible to upgrade from an overcrowded standard coach for a fiver? And why should those who have paid for the comfort and ambience of a first class carriage have their peace shattered by a horde of refugees from standard?

I agree! All of Virgin's First Class customer base would vanish overnight. :D
 

me123

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Why would anyone buy a first class ticket if it were possible to upgrade from an overcrowded standard coach for a fiver? And why should those who have paid for the comfort and ambience of a first class carriage have their peace shattered by a horde of refugees from standard?

Perhaps an idea would be to declassify one or two coaches (depending on the level of demand in First Class) and, before letting Standard Class passengers into the coach, ask FC passengers to move to one of the other seats? Of course, this is only feasible if there's plenty of capacity in FC. Anyone who wishes to pays a bit more to get a FC seat, and the genuine FC passengers still get the full service in a separate section of the train.

Of course, the best idea would be to have built them all with an appropriate number of carriages and a sensible ratio between FC and SC, but that would be an exercise in common sense.
 

All Line Rover

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Of course, the best idea would be to have built them all with an appropriate number of carriages and a sensible ratio between FC and SC, but that would be an exercise in common sense.

In my opinion 5 Standard, 4 First is not a good ratio. On 9 car Pendolino's it should be 6 Standard, 3 First. But I think that the ratio on 11 car Pendolino's - 7 Standard, 4 First, is fine.
 

jon0844

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In this day and age, you'd think that you could create a carriage with switchable electronic signs to say if a coach is first or standard - then you could operate one or the other on certain services, so at weekends you have more standard for example.

By making the train show it is set as standard, no first class ticket holders would go in there to be told to move (or be shocked when standard class people come in).

Clearly the first seating would remain, but not the trolley service etc (Free Wi-Fi could easily be toggled to now ask people to pay too). Standard class passengers would no doubt rush there to get the bigger seats/tables, but once they fill up would just move back to the ordinary standard class seats.
 

amcluesent

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>Why would anyone buy a first class ticket if it were possible to upgrade from an overcrowded standard coach for a fiver? <

Yep. The economics of 1st/2nd class (or 1st/club/standard) are interesting. To maintain the differential it's said you need to withhold the essential in standard and provide the superfluous in 1st.
 

Anon Mouse

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>Why would anyone buy a first class ticket if it were possible to upgrade from an overcrowded standard coach for a fiver? <

Yep. The economics of 1st/2nd class (or 1st/club/standard) are interesting. To maintain the differential it's said you need to withhold the essential in standard and provide the superfluous in 1st.

On the same token why would people pay 1st class fares on a weekend when they can upgrade to WEF?
 

telstarbox

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That's an interesting one - if you went to the ticket office and asked for a first class ticket on a Saturday/Sunday, would they be obliged to tell you that it would be cheaper to buy a standard ticket and upgrade on board?
 

Dine and Go

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Thank you, yes, it was an exceptionally enjoyable atmosphere in addition to the usual excellent food, service and the English countryside in late-spring rushing by.
There were actually a few places left, after a call for second sitting, though about 60 places had been laid.
A certain catering supplier seemed to have mis read their orders and understocked the train, so probs just as well!
Some senior staff and comms people on board too to help things along, and a number of old faces from BR days too. The end of an era marked in fitting style.

My thanks to all the catering crews who've been keeping the tradition alive over the years!

Sounds fun. If I knew they'd have put extra seating on I'd have stayed on the 19:00. Did they have an extra 1st class carriage or just use the whole of K?

I always enjoyed the service from the Geordie crews on this route. Did they have anything special on the menu or champagne to go round? What about celebratory chocolates like the thank you for travelling GNER that they gave out on their last train?

Any management about and did that affect the service? I always find the crews very friendly and cheerful, works better than the more formal approach.
 

DaveNewcastle

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Sounds fun. If I knew they'd have put extra seating on I'd have stayed on the 19:00. Did they have an extra 1st class carriage or just use the whole of K?.
40 covers/places laid in K. Due to the shortage of supplies, additional places next door were not going to work.
There was that pre-booked party of 20 from the National Railway Museum (NRM) in full evening wear, looking very elegant and making quite a celebration of being there - present for the last sitting!
Also a BBC reporter, equally appropriately dressed.
I had, er, 'forgotten' my own bow tie.

Several other passengers were making the journey specifically for the event though I had expected maybe a few more might have been there.
I always enjoyed the service from the Geordie crews on this route.
I'm pleased to hear it, yes, me too.

Did they have anything special on the menu or champagne to go round? What about celebratory chocolates like the thank you for travelling GNER that they gave out on their last train?
No, and as mentioned, the shortage of supplies removed a lot of the flexibility that the crew would have preferred to have been able to offer.
I did see more champagne (or a look-alike) being drunk than usual!
Chocolates were presented to the staff (and expressly for their consumption, not for the pax!). One little speech led to two very rousing rounds of applause, one in appreciation of the dining tradition and one for the excellence of the catering teams.
Someone explained that it had been 'Tweeted', and there were very many photos taken, mainly by the NRM party.

Any management about and did that affect the service? I always find the crews very friendly and cheerful, works better than the more formal approach.
Yes, several, from senior catering (Customer Services) management (very hands-on) and from press & marketing (Communications) offering conversation, hospitality, information and sound bites, emphasising the future offerings rather than past glories!). The latter left at York with the NRM party whom they were accompanying and when we commented today, expressed satisfaction with the send-off for the dining cars.

Perhaps there was an element of restraint on account of management's presence, and perhaps not. Its hard to tell.
I think staff might have appreciated a celebratory drink off-duty after the shift rather than any out-of-order behaviour on duty (!); I didn't ask but hope that they do take the opportunity (maybe one of us could have suggested it, but Newcastle City Centre pubs at 22:30pm on a Friday? Maybe not.). I sensed quite a bit of excitement and nervousness among the team at the start of the session, and a relief when we disembarked at Newcastle.

Interestingly, there were 415 pax on-board, but even after an announcement calling for a second sitting, there were still a couple of empty places.
There was one (maybe two?) pax who were unhappy with the lack of choice from the menus, due entirely to the contractor's failings in supplies but I can report that everyone else was delighted with the experience.

Shame you missed it. Hope you enjoyed your own meal and journey.
 
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silentone

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For those interested the new 'Flying Scotsman' train is actually going to be leaving Waverly tomorrow between 10-11am. It's doing a promotional journey down past Berwick, quite possibly as far as Newcastle.

A very large number of services started offering the new Complimentary service today with only very few services offering the original service. The weekend offer seems to be very well received.

Tomorrow (Sunday) looks like it's going to be interesting as a number of new issues seem to have cropped up today.
 

jon0844

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For those interested in viewing the fiery 91, it can be viewed here... http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/Welcome-landing/Faster-journey-times/

What a lame picture! There's no sense of speed created by that image.

Now it was merely a shot of a train they did up for another shoot, that would be fine, but it isn't!

How much would it have cost to have got a decent artist/designer to put that on a train actually moving through the country side to give the impression of speed?
 

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