London North Eastern Railway (LNER) First Class service

[Butts]

Two trips today.

On the 0827 Darlington to London had the full breakfast which was very nice. Bacon was nice, as was the sausage. Some on here will be pleased to note that the toast came round after the breakfast had been served. Butts will be pleased to hear that two pieces of toast were given upon request by your roving correspondent.

Then the 1819 London to Darlington. Full evening meal service with sea trout, cheesy potatoes, broccoli, couple of salad leaves and celeriac remolade (whatever the hell that is!). Very tasty and filling and the fish was both flavourful and really moist and flakey. Cheese board a little lacklustre but tasty nonetheless (though the celery being diced was an odd choice I thought). The other option was vanilla panna cotta with berry compote and I am informed it was very nice.

All in all both journeys were really good and continuing to demonstrate that when East Coast deliver their first class service is top notch it's just that the service can still be prone to inconsistency (though this seems to have improved over the last twelve months in my opinion).

Well done Ainsworth - do I get the impression from your comment that the initiative was on your part to secure the "mythical 2nd slice" - ie it was not proffered ?

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes I had to ask but there was no suggestion from the staff that I was being 'cheeky' or 'greedy'. I asked and he said 'would you like the second piece white or brown?'.

 

[calc7]

Good news on the "toast famine" - how are the "double up" booze runs going these days?

 

[Midlandman]

Trip last week on the 1833 Kings Cross - Leeds, chicken in sherry and orange sauce, broccoli and potatoes, very nicely presented, chocolate and cardomom (I think) tart to follow, accompanied by plenty of red wine (because the stewardess said that this made everyone 'chillaxed' and therefore quiet and undemanding!)

 

[Blindtraveler]

I think that answers Calc7's question. If not, I can report that a Newcastle>Edinburgh run the other day saw me upgrading at the last minute as STD was rammed as the XC Voyager in front had gone bang and been Caped. They had a limmitted amount of Sarnies, no hot food but plenty of drink! If I'd had the price of that upgrade in whisky and white wine in a pub I'd have been merry. As it was, I was mildly sloshed to the point of nodding off on the bus home from Waverley, thankfully not missing my stop this time!↲
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On reflection maybe Calc7 and I had the same (Newcastle) crew?

 

[Kite159]

Did I read that East Coast has relaxed the rules on entry to their 1st class lounges to allow passengers holding 1st Advance tickets to make use of them without paying extra (barring Kings Cross)?

 

[ainsworth74]

Yes First Advance ticket holders for East Coast services can use East Coast lounges (excluding Kings Cross where a £5 fee applies) for no extra charge. Which is most certainly an outbreak of common sense if ever there was one as I've never seen any East Coast lounge, other than Kings Cross, busy at any time of day or night! I actually suspect that even Kings Cross might well move to being free apart from the weekday evening peak at some point in the near future as well.

 

[Kite159]

At least I shall make use of the lounge in a couple weeks time when in Edinburgh

 

[Butts]

At least I shall make use of the lounge in a couple weeks time when in Edinburgh

I wouldn't get to excited - last time I was in there it was "tea and biscuits".

Very poor compared to Virgin Lounges

 

[postye]

At least I shall make use of the lounge in a couple weeks time when in Edinburgh

The east coast lounge at Edinburgh seemed to be closed for building works when I was there earlier in the week.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Yes unless finished now the East Coast lounge and office at EDB s under major refurb

 

[ainsworth74]

Isn't the Scotrail lounge available instead however whilst the works are ongoing?

 

[Kite159]

I'm guessing the reward tickets give a price of 10p printed on the ticket as they can't be printed without a value?

Is seat M1 good on a 17:00 service to Edinburgh?

 

[Marton]

M1 is, in my view, awful. I always go for mid carriage as it's not over the bogies and a "smoother" ride.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kite159]

I didn't really have the time to pick in case I picked too late and all the free seats were gone.

Is it awful in the way of having a lovely view of a plastic pillar (like a virgin?)

 

[dcsprior]

I didn't really have the time to pick in case I picked too late and all the free seats were gone.

Is it awful in the way of having a lovely view of a plastic pillar (like a virgin?)

You have a decent view from your own window. Your view out the other (east-facing, i.e. mostly prettier) side is obscured by a luggage rack.

I often take M01 southbound, but try to avoid it northbound in the evening peak, as that seat doesn't exist in an HST, and a couple of times this has left me looking for an unreserved/unused seat after a train substitution.

 

[Kite159]

I might try and search for an unreserved seat when I board (if any exist on a peak northbound)

Although at 5pm on a December evening, it will be dark so by the time the ECML reaches the interesting bit north of Newcastle it will be looking into blackness. It will be dark before leaving Kings Cross!

 

[ModernRailways]

I might try and search for an unreserved seat when I board (if any exist on a peak northbound)

Although at 5pm on a December evening, it will be dark so by the time the ECML reaches the interesting bit north of Newcastle it will be looking into blackness.

You could always give East Coast a call and ask to move to a different seat. Take a look at the current seat reservations for that service and then tell the person on the phone that seat and they may be able to move you.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

It's very very rare to find a weekday service that is so busy you can't find a seat that suits you, particularly if you have got to Kings Cross by the time the platform is announced.
The only time that I've found this to be difficult in recent times was on this Wednesday's 19:00, when the Guard declassified coach K to compensate for failed air-con in standard coach D. That meant we all had to fit into 2 coaches, and it was unusually busy for a Wednesday. There were still seats available, but only 3 or 4 of those were window seats.

In times of disruption and cancellations, then of course all seating can be taken, but in normal service, there are generally plenty options available to anyone who arrives in good time.

 

[Kite159]

The mushroom puff pastry is rather excellent, very filling as well.

 

[trainophile]

The mushroom puff pastry is rather excellent, very filling as well.

Agreed. Finally managed to try it on Monday and was not disappointed. Good to see vegetarians (my husband not me) catered for properly for a change.

The lady opposite had the chicken and said it was not nice. She didn't eat it after the first bite.

When are they due to renew the menus? Seems to have been the same for quite a while, and the sandwiches are not very inspiring.

 

[Blindtraveler]

The new one usually kicks in round end November

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Found it rather variable when myself and the missus headed up to the North East. Outward from Kings Cross to Berwick was fine (had the mushroom thing). Quiet carraige was quiet, service attentive. The return journey from Newcastle was very poor. It was the 14:00 ( a HST which originates from Aberdeen). Newcastle passengers were offered some leftover sandwiches. The quiet carriage was next to the 'staff quarters' - the staff being rather loud and raucous and eventually occupying the seats opposite us discussing rotas, televison etc. When I did actually want to avail myself of some of the offerings i was told that the service had finished (this was around the Huntingdon mark). Two very different offerings from the same company.

 

[Mark62]

I have found that the 10.10 from Donacaster has by far the worst levels of service. i am on that one again tomorrow. The Northbound crews always seem to provide a much lower levels of service than the southbound crews.
Update to yesterday's comment. And I am on the 10.10 to newcastle. Sorry to say it's the same crew as the last time I caught this train and just as arrogant and rude. I asked the steward a simple question if breakfast was still being served and he simply could not give me a straight answer. In the end he finally told me that it wasn't served after Doncaster. He then said that hot rolls would be coming round after York. I pointed out to him that the steward told me that last week and we never saw any of them anymore. It took the steward all of him time to give me a bottle of mineral water. I shall be putting a complaint in this time.
Generally I have found the service on EC to be excellent apart from this one crew. They really don't want to put any work in. The first class is very quiet today as well.

 

[furgus2]

Update regarding my posts #4749 and #4791 from July and August:

Following the time when I was refused a ham and egg sandwich in 1st Class plus the rather poor response from my complaint to East Coast Customer Relations, I received a private message on here suggesting I contact the CEO of Directly Operated Railways. I duly sent him a copy of my original complaint, the reply from Customer Relations together with a covering letter outlining why I was unhappy with the way I had been treated both on the train and by the content of the Customer Relations reply.

I heard nothing for several weeks and, so, decided to phone the CEO's office on the number given to me in the pm. His PA was very helpful and said that a reply had been sent to me but she would arrange for a copy to be emailed to me and that if I was unhappy with its content, to get back to her.

She kept her promise and I duly received the email version of the letter the next day. This was a much more helpful, positive and understanding letter and included the offer of £50 as a goodwill gesture which I was happy to accept and has arrived in my bank account today.

One sentence I feel worth quoting here is:
"A number of changes are also being made to the First Class service routines on board, which offer our passengers a less restricted service and allows our crews to have more flexibility around their service styles."

So, at the end of the day, I feel pleased with the final outcome for me.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I'd be interested in these changes. Anyone got any info?

 

[trainophile]

I'd be interested in these changes. Anyone got any info?

Perhaps they've been told that they won't be sacked if they let someone have an extra slice of toast!

 

[Chrism20]

Glad you managed to get it sorted out. I can never seem to work out the EC service standards and at times it appears to be on a time of the month cycle where you either get "No problem" and walk off the train sloshed and stuffed or get barked at and told to "Bu@@er off" then walk off the train ravenous and gasping for water.

As for toast there wasn't even any of that on the 07:10 LDS-ABD yesterday morning, in fact by the time it got to NCL it was porridge.

 

[Mark62]

Glad you managed to get it sorted out. I can never seem to work out the EC service standards and at times it appears to be on a time of the month cycle where you either get "No problem" and walk off the train sloshed and stuffed or get barked at and told to "Bu@@er off" then walk off the train ravenous and gasping for water.

As for toast there wasn't even any of that on the 07:10 LDS-ABD yesterday morning, in fact by the time it got to NCL it was porridge.

This is so true. But I have to say that it is the southern crews who seem to be the most workshy. The Scottish and NE crews are generally brilliant.

 

[trainophile]

What's the chances of getting anything at all on the 12.25 from Newcastle to York on Tuesday? It's only an hour so not too optimistic, but a cup of tea would be nice.