voyagerdude220
Established Member
- Joined
- 13 Oct 2005
- Messages
- 3,277
Hi all,
Today (21/12/07), Voyagerdude220 [eventually] travelled to Holyhead
I started the morning off on ex-Wessex Trains 158872, for the short 15 minute hop from Blackburn to Preston, which I rather enjoyed, as the sun glistened over the pleasant scenery of Pleasington, and the early morning frost refused to clear.
A blue 87 & 3 royal mail 325's were seen running over the bridge just south of Preston, at 09:35.
I then changed to 390020, departing Preston at 09:49, for Euston. I really like using this train, as it wasn't very busy at all, and features the full breakfast menu. Even though I was only going as far as Crewe, I was offered and served a fresh bacon toastie which I ate straight after Warrington.
Do FC hosts on VWC stick to specific points to serve food on trains, to/from Preston, as I'd like to know how where/when I'd be served food on Pendos? (I thought it was only served south of Crewe and Rugby from Preston to Euston)
390046- 10:02 Wigan North Western to Lancaster.
At Crewe, I was in a very good mood after my trip so far, but it was to change very shortly after leaving the station, on 390047, being hauled by 57309, to Holyhead....
I said to The TM [Karen], that i'd like to upgrade to FC [i had a SVR], and I said that it will only be £15. She immediately said that I'd have to pay at least £100 [return], at which point I was flabbergasted. I stated that I was reffering to the Virgin Christmas FC upgrade, to which she responded is only available from tomorrow, and perhaps Monday next week.
She tried to charge me the FOS of £40-50, which I refused to pay. She then rang the Holyhead ticket office, which said that I was making the upgrade up.
At this point, I contemplated alighting at Chester, and returning to Blackburn, from which I would return all the way home. I walked to the shop, to get a complaint form, and as the RSM went to the TM's office for a form, Karen announced over the PA for me to go back to FC.
She said that she had phoned the VT control (Why hadn't she done that first, or at least before she kicked me out of FC?!?!?), and they told her that the promo had been removed from the VT site, and that she should honour it in this case. (I should think so too!!!)
She then tried to look on her avantix for the VWU, which she couldn't bloody find! She instead gave me a "VT2 GRPTVL BR", which is also priced at £15, and scribbled over it "FC upgrade, Tmanager".
390047 was in a rather bad state, with coach H's heating broken, and so it was empty, and similar to the inside of an empty freezer.
I had a Brie & Cranberry wrap on the way to Holyhead, but was told by a fellow traveller who had paid £300+ FOR Euston to Bangor, that the set had no eggs, and so he had Salmon & Bacon.. Low on[or no] water, so stodgy coffee.
They also had no Turkey and Bacon jacket potatoes, which I was very annoyed at, as I wanted something hot on the way back.
The FC hosts were very good, but the return TM [Lesley] was very rude to me at Chester, as I helped a customer with his reservation, and rudely interupted my conversation, with the words "Do you work here?" "I'm in charge of the train."
At Crewe, my 16:32 Pendo 390040, pulled in 5 late, and I luckily got on in coach K, where the TM was, and he honoured my upgrade back to Preston, even though the previous TM had messed it up, and it was from Crewe.
The FC hosts on the 09:49 ex Preston were one of the best teams I've seen, and they were the same people who were on the 16:32 ex Crewe. (I assume they arrived Euston at 12:26, and left 14:46)
We were delayed around Acton Bridge/Hartford, by sigi problems, and arrived Preston 17:29, taking only 10 minutes from Preston.
So it was a very pleasurable journey Blackburn-Preston-Crewe/Crewe-Preston, but Virgin Trains is getting a VERY big complaint from one disgruntled Voyager Dude 220, about the service I recieved from 2 of it's TM's.
Edit: Oh yeah, and Virgin, where were the Christmas mince pies??
Today (21/12/07), Voyagerdude220 [eventually] travelled to Holyhead
I started the morning off on ex-Wessex Trains 158872, for the short 15 minute hop from Blackburn to Preston, which I rather enjoyed, as the sun glistened over the pleasant scenery of Pleasington, and the early morning frost refused to clear.
A blue 87 & 3 royal mail 325's were seen running over the bridge just south of Preston, at 09:35.
I then changed to 390020, departing Preston at 09:49, for Euston. I really like using this train, as it wasn't very busy at all, and features the full breakfast menu. Even though I was only going as far as Crewe, I was offered and served a fresh bacon toastie which I ate straight after Warrington.
Do FC hosts on VWC stick to specific points to serve food on trains, to/from Preston, as I'd like to know how where/when I'd be served food on Pendos? (I thought it was only served south of Crewe and Rugby from Preston to Euston)
390046- 10:02 Wigan North Western to Lancaster.
At Crewe, I was in a very good mood after my trip so far, but it was to change very shortly after leaving the station, on 390047, being hauled by 57309, to Holyhead....
I said to The TM [Karen], that i'd like to upgrade to FC [i had a SVR], and I said that it will only be £15. She immediately said that I'd have to pay at least £100 [return], at which point I was flabbergasted. I stated that I was reffering to the Virgin Christmas FC upgrade, to which she responded is only available from tomorrow, and perhaps Monday next week.
She tried to charge me the FOS of £40-50, which I refused to pay. She then rang the Holyhead ticket office, which said that I was making the upgrade up.
At this point, I contemplated alighting at Chester, and returning to Blackburn, from which I would return all the way home. I walked to the shop, to get a complaint form, and as the RSM went to the TM's office for a form, Karen announced over the PA for me to go back to FC.
She said that she had phoned the VT control (Why hadn't she done that first, or at least before she kicked me out of FC?!?!?), and they told her that the promo had been removed from the VT site, and that she should honour it in this case. (I should think so too!!!)
She then tried to look on her avantix for the VWU, which she couldn't bloody find! She instead gave me a "VT2 GRPTVL BR", which is also priced at £15, and scribbled over it "FC upgrade, Tmanager".
390047 was in a rather bad state, with coach H's heating broken, and so it was empty, and similar to the inside of an empty freezer.
I had a Brie & Cranberry wrap on the way to Holyhead, but was told by a fellow traveller who had paid £300+ FOR Euston to Bangor, that the set had no eggs, and so he had Salmon & Bacon.. Low on[or no] water, so stodgy coffee.
They also had no Turkey and Bacon jacket potatoes, which I was very annoyed at, as I wanted something hot on the way back.
The FC hosts were very good, but the return TM [Lesley] was very rude to me at Chester, as I helped a customer with his reservation, and rudely interupted my conversation, with the words "Do you work here?" "I'm in charge of the train."
At Crewe, my 16:32 Pendo 390040, pulled in 5 late, and I luckily got on in coach K, where the TM was, and he honoured my upgrade back to Preston, even though the previous TM had messed it up, and it was from Crewe.
The FC hosts on the 09:49 ex Preston were one of the best teams I've seen, and they were the same people who were on the 16:32 ex Crewe. (I assume they arrived Euston at 12:26, and left 14:46)
We were delayed around Acton Bridge/Hartford, by sigi problems, and arrived Preston 17:29, taking only 10 minutes from Preston.
So it was a very pleasurable journey Blackburn-Preston-Crewe/Crewe-Preston, but Virgin Trains is getting a VERY big complaint from one disgruntled Voyager Dude 220, about the service I recieved from 2 of it's TM's.
Edit: Oh yeah, and Virgin, where were the Christmas mince pies??
hock: