With the Commonwealth Games on -lots of people, some not used to UK rail travel, games tickets acting as free local travel tickets - gateline staff probably a higher requirement for a couple of weeksIt's entirely unreliable at the moment. It has been open during the current period of nominal closure (sample of once), but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.
Interestingly I saw one of the regular lounge staff working a New Street gateline - she said that that was being prioritised at the moment.
Edit added:
If it happened to fit, Birmingham International lounge is much more reliable.
Yes it very much looks it. Some of the signage has also been altered from saying “We apologise that the First Class lounge is currently closed” to something along the lines of “This unit is not in use”.Not sure if the EMR lounges will reappear - all signage has been removed or covered over. No comms received either way though.
Edit added:
If it happened to fit, Birmingham International lounge is much more reliable.
That's a shame. The variety can vary, but nothing at all is definitely unusual.Thanks for the tip; I did this rather than bother with New Street, but although it was open I was slightly miffed to find all the snacks / food had been removed (there wasn't even any empty baskets / bowls on the table, so it wasn't like it was just awaiting a restock); at least there were plenty of cold drinks in the fridge and the coffee machine was working.
That's a shame. The variety can vary, but nothing at all is definitely unusual.
The new lounge at Aberdeen is now open.
Located directly above the new ticket office on the concourse.
Unstaffed - access is via intercom and showing ticket to a camera. Or in my case: nobody answered the intercom so I knocked on the door and asked one of the occupants to let me in.
Tea / coffee / water / crisps available.
Toilets also available inside the lounge.
Open today, bizarrely enough! Just passed it.
But obviously can't be relied upon.
Is it not a disgrace that the 1st Class Lounge at Birmingham New Street remains closed ?
For such a major rail hub it does not seem to be a priority.
Any word on when it may reopen ?
Unlikely!In the Lounge at BHI This Afternoon on the way back from the Classic Car Show at NEC.
Even though the station was really busy, Comic Con on at NEC as well, the Lounge was deserted.
Hot Drinks from Machine, Pepsi and other Cold Drinks in the Fridge.
Various Crisp type snacks, shortbread, cakes ....but no Uglies- are they consigned to the history books now ?
Derby when I wandered past the other day was branded as an "EMR lounge", a waiting room with a TV basically. Not exclusively for first class passengers and no complementary items etc.It looks as though EMR have refurbished their lounges at Derby and Leicester and reopened them! Not seen other locations just yet so unsure of the status of them
I’ve just been told this actually! Yeah Leicester is just branded as “EMR lounge” tooDerby when I wandered past the other day was branded as an "EMR lounge", a waiting room with a TV basically. Not exclusively for first class passengers and no complementary items etc.
Wonder if Leicester is the same, I've not had chance to look.
I look forward to resuming my railway peregrinations when things finally settle down.
Good memories of time spent in 1st class lounges.
I’ve just been told this actually! Yeah Leicester is just branded as “EMR lounge” too
London Euston –Sunday to Saturday for guests two hours prior to departure and two hours after arrival. The lounge is operated by Avanti West Coast. Tickets accepted: Caledonian Double/Club.
Sunday to Saturday is the whole week.The Caledonian Sleeper website seems to suggest that the Lounge in Euston is only available for customers on Saturdays and Sundays - can anyone tell me if that's the case and if this is a permanent arrangement now?
They arrive on a Saturday.Despite the lack of Saturday sleeper.