What is first class for?

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The thread title poses the question..."What is first class for"

ANSWER....It's for me...

 

[JohnB57]

Irregular travellers thinking railway revolves around them.

The thread title poses the question..."What is first class for"

ANSWER....It's for me...

Was that just an accident of otherwise unrelated trains of thought Paul, or has your local Waitrose run out of prunes?

 

[Tetchytyke]

The thread title poses the question..."What is first class for"

ANSWER....It's for me...

No, it's for the G&T

 

[Starmill]

Every time that we have travelled in first class on the Class 185 units, especially on the Manchester Airport to Durham part of the Newcastle service, before they decided to play silly beggars with this service and shunted it off to Liverpool instead, the first class compartment was occupied by "stereotypical business types" (as I once was myself before retirement).

Are you aware that there will very likely be a direct service again several times a day from the December timetable?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are you aware that there will very likely be a direct service again several times a day from the December timetable?

Well, that's hearting news. However it is summer now with many warm and sunny days in which to make many visits to Durham, but I am finding it a tad difficult to explain to my good lady wife the logic of what you say as she keeps insisting that this coming December does not help matters now...:roll:

Remember that I still hold my dedicated consultancy parking space at Manchester Airport so all Patricia needs to do is to drive there, whereas Manchester Victoria is a totally different kettle of fish, when viewed logically, bearing this point in mind.

 

[antharro]

Southern's first class is rapidly becoming a free for all these days with conductors rarely leaving their chosen door or cab to check tickets and TTIs having mysteriously disappeared again after a few months of relatively intensive activity a few months back.

Having been in first class (legitimately) on a GatEx train from Brighton to Victoria, I cannot understand at all why anyone would pay extra for that service. Same uncomfortable seats, just with an antimacassar, same uncomfortably harsh lighting, and no sign of a guard to turf out the inconsiderate oiks who got on at Brighton with one of them saying to the other "let's just sit in first, mate, no-one ever checks on these", followed by loud rap music being played through a mobile phone. After 10 minutes of this I went to sit in standard, which was exactly the same but without the music.

At least the 442s had a decent first class. (Better in NSE/SWT days but still pretty decent, and here's the obligatory 442 reference for this thread. )

I will use first when I am able to - generally speaking I find it more comfortable, and I like reclining seats (obviously only on some trains!) and the nibbles/drinks when available (not that you get that on SWT). But some first class carriages / areas are an insult to the term and not worth the money.

 

[Frontera2]

What annoys me about Intercity First Class is the difference I saw when I did my First Class ALR.

GWR's offerings were snacks and soft drinks, Greater Anglia's was the same but very restricted. Compare this to VTEC and VTWC, and even ATW's Gerald train.

Going ah off topic, but this sums up exactly why I believe privatisation doesn't work. The product offering for long distance journeys is just so inconsistent.

Under InterCity, regardless of where you travelled, the product offering was exactly the same eh if you were going from London to Norwich or London to Bristol you knew exactly what you were getting in terms of inboard service.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

First Class exists for ex BR staff holding All Stations and by Ships Passes!

Well, not really but it does come in handy some times. My local services have no First Class so it doesn't apply to me getting to London but for longer, private, journeys I use it.

Back in BR days there were some rather silly restrictions applied to who could use what kind of pass when in which class. I remember being allowed to travel on the 17:00 Liverpool St - Norwich in First with my pass, my wife and two children who were using First cards where you filled in the date couldn't because it was restricted. This resulted in me being in First with my dog and the wife and children being in Standard. That went down well!

Those restrictions still apply to some degree. There are some trains that I can travel 1st with my status pass, yet my wife who just has 1st boxes, cannot.

06:19 from Portsmouth to Waterloo is on example..

 

[Iskra]

Well, that's hearting news. However it is summer now with many warm and sunny days in which to make many visits to Durham, but I am finding it a tad difficult to explain to my good lady wife the logic of what you say as she keeps insisting that this coming December does not help matters now...:roll:

Remember that I still hold my dedicated consultancy parking space at Manchester Airport so all Patricia needs to do is to drive there, whereas Manchester Victoria is a totally different kettle of fish, when viewed logically, bearing this point in mind.

Durham is an excellent winter destination too, let us not forget.

 

[Mordac]

Having been in first class (legitimately) on a GatEx train from Brighton to Victoria, I cannot understand at all why anyone would pay extra for that service. Same uncomfortable seats, just with an antimacassar, same uncomfortably harsh lighting, and no sign of a guard to turf out the inconsiderate oiks who got on at Brighton with one of them saying to the other "let's just sit in first, mate, no-one ever checks on these", followed by loud rap music being played through a mobile phone. After 10 minutes of this I went to sit in standard, which was exactly the same but without the music.

At least the 442s had a decent first class. (Better in NSE/SWT days but still pretty decent, and here's the obligatory 442 reference for this thread. )

I will use first when I am able to - generally speaking I find it more comfortable, and I like reclining seats (obviously only on some trains!) and the nibbles/drinks when available (not that you get that on SWT). But some first class carriages / areas are an insult to the term and not worth the money.