Manchester to Cardiff - no first class? Wifi??

[ValleyLines142]

Catering is specified by the Welsh Assembly - AIUI they require all trains between certain hours to have catering facilities. Personally I do agree with you about some of the evening services - the fact that the 1830 from Manchester and 1855 from Cardiff have no catering is something I would love to see fixed in the new franchise, although I think the morning service is pretty good. Southbound, only the first two services of the day (0449 Crewe - Milford Haven and 0610 Shrewsbury - Maesteg) have no catering on the Marches section (and both of those are very lightly loaded until the Cardiff commuters get on at Abergavenny) - after that, every service is booked to have catering south of Shrewsbury at the very least.

Indeed. I don't consider the 0610 Shrewsbury to Maesteg to be an issue, as I think the Starbucks at Shrewsbury station is open from 0600 anyway, so as long as you get there for as it opens and get on the train by 0605 at the latest, you should be okay. However the 0449 is pretty poor, unless the Pumpkin outlet on platforms 6 and 11 at Crewe is open early enough for the first train.

The 1830 from Manchester I personally don't consider to be a problem as many places are open, the same with the 1855 from Cardiff.

 

[Bungle965]

Indeed. I don't consider the 0610 Shrewsbury to Maesteg to be an issue, as I think the Starbucks at Shrewsbury station is open from 0600 anyway, so as long as you get there for as it opens and get on the train by 0605 at the latest, you should be okay. However the 0449 is pretty poor, unless the Pumpkin outlet on platforms 6 and 11 at Crewe is open early enough for the first train.

The 1830 from Manchester I personally don't consider to be a problem as many places are open, the same with the 1855 from Cardiff.

Is catering from Crewe really that big of an issue?
I might be drastically wrong here but I can't imagine there being hoards of people using the train from Crewe wanting the trolley.
Sam

 

[craigybagel]

Indeed. I don't consider the 0610 Shrewsbury to Maesteg to be an issue, as I think the Starbucks at Shrewsbury station is open from 0600 anyway, so as long as you get there for as it opens and get on the train by 0605 at the latest, you should be okay. However the 0449 is pretty poor, unless the Pumpkin outlet on platforms 6 and 11 at Crewe is open early enough for the first train.

The 1830 from Manchester I personally don't consider to be a problem as many places are open, the same with the 1855 from Cardiff.

Is catering from Crewe really that big of an issue?
I might be drastically wrong here but I can't imagine there being hoards of people using the train from Crewe wanting the trolley.
Sam

There's really no point in providing catering on the 0449, it's an extremely quiet train until Abergavenny and from there on it's all commuters. In any case there is no depot for catering staff at Crewe, or indeed anywhere north of Shrewsbury on the Manchester route, hence the trolleys boarding there on the morning services.

 

[frodshamfella]

What times are you travelling? This route suffers from severe overcrowding at certain times (especially when major events are taking place).

I have used this route several times, and its generally packed. I normally get a train from Runcorn and change at Crewe to catch it, never understand why there isn't a tandom direct service originating in Liverpool, maybe it's a future plan with the Halton Curve. Have also gone from Chester to Cardiff ....also v busy. Staff struggle with trolley service.