Pendo Primo

[CosherB]

I don't do busses. All the disadvantages of road travel (stop/start, and big jams) without the comfort and convenience of your own car.

I'm in London now having travelled down from Wilmslow by 1st class Pendelino (for £28 - booked last week on line). Lovely lunch, a couple of gin & tonics, several cups of tea, newspaper, all included - and very comfy and fast. I love that bit at Watford Gap where the railway paralells the M1 - the cars look like they're going backwards when viewed from a speeding Pendo.

Now that's cool!:thumblef:

 

[voyagerdude220]

I'm in London now having travelled down from Wilmslow by 1st class Pendelino (for £28 - booked last week on line). Lovely lunch, a couple of gin & tonics, several cups of tea, newspaper, all included - and very comfy and fast. I love that bit at Watford Gap where the railway paralells the M1 - the cars look like they're going backwards when viewed from a speeding Pendo.

Now that's cool!:thumblef:

Join the club- I always travel FC on intercity services, on Value Firsts, and haven't travelled SC on a 390 before.

I just don't understand why people decide to drive on the motorway, when it's a very stressful , annoying experience.

Motorists could be sat on a modern train, doing 125 mph along the WCML, arrive at their destination alot quicker, relaxed, and also get a bargain if they can book in advance.

As for coach journies- I've only had experiences of rail replacement coaches, which were ok (longest journey on one is between Birmingham Int & Cheltenham- The M5 was a change of scenery shall we say!) , so i can't really comment on them for a long journey etc.

Edit: Have you ever done a Pendolino Primo train wth a value first ticket before? I have..

 

[CosherB]

Edit: Have you ever done a Pendolino Primo train wth a value first ticket before? I have..

What's a primo?

Interesting thing is, I'm heading home tomorrow on another value first Euston to Wilmslow on the 19:35. On the Vigin site - no cheap tickets for that train. On the Trainline site, cheap 1st single. Why's that?

CS

 

[class 313]

What's a primo?

I think it could be Promo...

 

[Tom]

Pendolino Primo services have an onboard chef, IIRC.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Pendolino Primo services have an onboard chef, IIRC.

Yep thats what i meant- The enhanced Pendolino Primo complimentary restaurant service, available to FC pax on a small number of trains to/from Euston at peak times. (more details available on the VT website)

 

[First ScotRail]

Pendolino Primo services have an onboard chef.

The same as every weekday pendolino 1st class service

 

[voyagerdude220]

The same as every weekday pendolino 1st class service

But Primo does offer an enhanced, superior menu?

 

[First ScotRail]

But Primo does offer an enhanced, superior menu?

yes

 

[CosherB]

Had a look through the menu booklet on the Pendo back to Wilmslow on Tuesday night (19:35). We were in first class, but were served just a 'hot snack' along with tea / coffee and free drinks from the trolly.

The 'Primo' service is a full meal, breakfast in the morning (which is good - had it lots of times) and evening meal for trains leaving early evening.

CS

 

[voyagerdude220]

Had a look through the menu booklet on the Pendo back to Wilmslow on Tuesday night (19:35). We were in first class, but were served just a 'hot snack' along with tea / coffee and free drinks from the trolly.

The 'Primo' service is a full meal, breakfast in the morning (which is good - had it lots of times) and evening meal for trains leaving early evening.

CS

Yes, and I've only done FC on Pendos before, so i should know, which is why i mentioned about the very good Primo service before.

Just out of interest, what was the snack you were served, and was it good?

 

[CosherB]

before.

Just out of interest, what was the snack you were served, and was it good?

Same as going south mid-day Monday - a very nice French Onion soup with crusty bread. Other choices were fish cakes, or sandwiches. With flapjack and fruit to follow.

Week before was a sort of goulash - the soups they serve are very good - tasty and 'home made' rather than tinned. A meal in themselves!

CS

 

[voyagerdude220]

Same as going south mid-day Monday - a very nice French Onion soup with crusty bread. Other choices were fish cakes, or sandwiches. With flapjack and fruit to follow.

Week before was a sort of goulash - the soups they serve are very good - tasty and 'home made' rather than tinned. A meal in themselves!

CS

I must say that this is why I'm a fan of Pendo FC- The catering's just great! I especially like the bagels- Do they still do them?

 

[First ScotRail]

I must say that this is why I'm a fan of Pendo FC- The catering's just great! I especially like the bagels- Do they still do them?

Could'nt agree with you more, that why im doing it to euston a week on wednesday. It really annoys me when barry doe continuously slags vwc's catering off, ow and their staff!

 

[Kris]

Click on 'Train Jam' with the HST in the commercials. One of the best adverts ever made.

Unfortunately I can't post its URL as it goes straight back to the main page.

http://www.srpublicity.co.uk/brs/brs22.htm

 

[Mushroom]

Click on 'Train Jam' with the HST in the commercials. One of the best adverts ever made.

Unfortunately I can't post its URL as it goes straight back to the main page.

http://www.srpublicity.co.uk/brs/brs22.htm

Brilliant

 

[Max]

I will give it to Virgin, the first class service during the week is excellent. Even on Voyagers you get a nice selection of snacks for nothing, which compares well to GNER, who only offer biscuits and drinks.

Mind you, the service is pretty none-existent on weekends, and GNER certainly have the upper hand in that respect!

 

[voyagerdude220]

I will give it to Virgin, the first class service during the week is excellent. Even on Voyagers you get a nice selection of snacks for nothing, which compares well to GNER, who only offer biscuits and drinks.

Mind you, the service is pretty none-existent on weekends, and GNER certainly have the upper hand in that respect!

I'll give you that about the weekend, but don't show/tell Yorkie what you've said about GNER's weekday service

I do like snack boxes on Voyagers, but think that the crew are very bad at only allowing you one box per journey. Pendolino catering on weekdays is just right really, the only grumble being that there's no longer the evening meal service on all trains- Just Primo services.

 

[westcoaster]

when i was route learning the only way to route learn the old line between hanslope and rugby was to go by virgin, the tm would always say go in first class if you want, then the host's would come through and offer you food and drink , but not alcohol( ps im not a drunk), so the food did taste good, even better seeing as it was free.

 

[Darandio]

Click on 'Train Jam' with the HST in the commercials. One of the best adverts ever made.

Unfortunately I can't post its URL as it goes straight back to the main page.

http://www.srpublicity.co.uk/brs/brs22.htm

Some excellent adverts there, a lot of them I cannot remember though.

 

[ntanswell]

I'll give you that about the weekend, but don't show/tell Yorkie what you've said about GNER's weekday service

I do like snack boxes on Voyagers, but think that the crew are very bad at only allowing you one box per journey. Pendolino catering on weekdays is just right really, the only grumble being that there's no longer the evening meal service on all trains- Just Primo services.

On long journeys, it is easy to con them by getting a snackbox every time there is a crew change, or, if you are travelling in a group, get a different person to go up every time.

 

[voyagerdude220]

On long journeys, it is easy to con them by getting a snackbox every time there is a crew change, or, if you are travelling in a group, get a different person to go up every time.

I worked that one out immediately, on the trip after i had first been refused one. The first time i was refused, the woman was a *insert nasty word here* towards me anyway, and I'm surprised i didn't make a complaint to VT about it afterwards.

(Un) surprisingly the next time i saw the same person, a while afterwards, she was fine- Perhaps she had been told off, or was having a bad day?

Never the less, she was a very bad image to the Preston FC Hosts, especially seeing i've made friends with a few of them, and one or two TMs.

 

[CosherB]

Does anyone know why I was able to pick up a value first single on The Trainline site for a 19:35 Euston departure last week, but it wasn't avaialable on the Virgin site - full price single only for that train on there?

CS

 

[voyagerdude220]

Does anyone know why I was able to pick up a value first single on The Trainline site for a 19:35 Euston departure last week, but it wasn't avaialable on the Virgin site - full price single only for that train on there?

CS

Don't have a clue!

I thought that they were both the same system, but one is under VT's name and red, and doesn't charge £2 for your credit card, whilst the other one is green, and charges £2?

 

[Tom C]

I have just come back from Birmingham having used 1st class on the Pendo going up and 90020 and Mk3's on the return and all in all Primo is a very good service but I do have some reservations about it.

Going up: Obviously you have to suffer 1st class which sounds good but I personally don't think the quality of the train reflects the difference in price for turn up tickets. If you are lucky enough to plan your journey way in advance (bearing in mind the up train was in the morning peak) then thats fine but otherwise the price difference is enormous. Secondly, I cannot understand why Virgin havn't started offering this service through the shop for standard class passengers at a cost, the breakfast was actually rather nice and I am sure they would make a killing if standard punters had the option which is what i think Barry Doe was saying.


Going back: Well First Class on a Mk3 is a rather different animal, the seats are huge and wonderfully comfortable offering loads of leg room and its definately worth the extra. That said the evening menu was rather slim and because the train had virtually no 1st class passengers the staff were sitting in 1st class doing an awful lot of nothing and you got nothing past Milton Keynes as the shop closed. Surely Virgin can see that they should either offer its service to standard class passengers at a cost or offer weekday upgrades for people to sample its service because all in all it is a pretty good service.

 

[The Snap]

I've travelled many a time by First Class on the Pendolinos, and a few times by Voyager. The Pendo First Class is lovely, and well work the money!

 

[adambro]

Never travelled first class on Pendolino, only been on one once! Done it a few times on Voyagers though. Been impressed by the contents of the snackbox. Nice service, especially on value advance tickets.

FC on Pendolino did look good when I walked through to the kitchen to get some ice for my whiskey I'd just bought from the shop.

 

[CosherB]

Just got back from Milton Keynes. Went there for a meeting, so had a scout around the Virgin site last week for cheap 1st class tickets from Wilmslow. Managed to get a 07:45 from Wilmslow connecting with Virgin 08:34 at Crewe, arriving MK 09:15. It was a Primo service, so I got the full english breakfast! About £80, and about £25 to get back this afternoon (standard class - saver half return).

So, Pendo Primo out, standard class back, for just over £100. Beats the only other ticket I could have used - a standard open return at £132.

Result! Cut price Pendo Primo - with that lovely breakfast!

CS

 

[class 313]

Just got back from Milton Keynes. Went there for a meeting, so had a scout around the Virgin site last week for cheap 1st class tickets from Wilmslow. Managed to get a 07:45 from Wilmslow connecting with Virgin 08:34 at Crewe, arriving MK 09:15. It was a Primo service, so I got the full english breakfast! About £80, and about £25 to get back this afternoon (standard class - saver half return).

So, Pendo Primo out, standard class back, for just over £100. Beats the only other ticket I could have used - a standard open return at £132.

Result! Cut price Pendo Primo - with that lovely breakfast!

CS

Wouldn't two standard Singles be cheaper than a SOR?

 

[CosherB]

Wouldn't two standard Singles be cheaper than a SOR?

Yes, £66 each - hadn't noticed that option. As you say, cheaper than the SOR, ......but still dearer than my deal - and no Primo Pendo breakfast in a nice reclining 1st class seat away from the crowds!

CS