Will Be Sad To Say Goodbye To East Coast In 2013

[fhs man 2]

Lets face no TOC I think will be able to live up to the quality set now unless someone new comes on the market which is sad. Maybe it should remain in public hands. I see the new operator scrapping the first class free meals and buffet service.

It seems like long way off but it will go quick.

 

[Nym]

Well, the online and phone customer service leaves a lot to be desired, as does on board catering, so I'd hope the next holder sorts it...

 

[ainsworth74]

They're a solid operation on the whole but I'm not going to shed a tear when they go (famous last words ).

 

[David Dunning]

Well, the online and phone customer service leaves a lot to be desired, as does on board catering, so I'd hope the next holder sorts it...

I do think the way they interact with customers on Twitter is pretty good.

 

[Nym]

I do think the way they interact with customers on Twitter is pretty good.

I'll refer you to my latest farce in trying to deal with them while trying to book assistance / reasonable adjustment on a 1st class ticket for a disabled passenger.

This is jumping in part way through but you can get the jist of what's happening and why I have a beef with their customer service department (they don't do the twitter feed).

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1174076#post1174076

 

[Eastcoast43208]

We've all had our good and bad experiences with East Coast, I will be a shame when they go, I have rather come like them in the past year.

its a shame Because East Coast has shown to us what a Nationalised Mainline can do ... EC Have made allot of money and done a reasonably good job.

GNER Is still my Favourite TOC deep down I do miss them, but we cant be stuck in the past ...

but whatever happens to the ECML in the future I only think it will get worse, but it does depend on who gets the Franchise in 2013.

 

[Rick1984]

There customer service were very rude in peterborough when I complained about dirty handrails on the ramp between platforms. wrote email which they replied to but got no compensation.

 

[dave55uk]

Rick1984. Can you explain why you wanted compensation for a dirty handrail? No offence to you personally, but I'm sick of hearing of people finding fault (or trying to) with anything just to get compensation. If you get dirty hands, wash them. If your clothes get dirty (off a handrail?) either change or be more careful. I think a lot of this 'blame culture' is only to stop people thinking and looking out for themselves. Tripped over a paving slab? Don't sue the council - open your bl**dy eyes!

 

[Aictos]

Rick1984. Can you explain why you wanted compensation for a dirty handrail? No offence to you personally, but I'm sick of hearing of people finding fault (or trying to) with anything just to get compensation. If you get dirty hands, wash them. If your clothes get dirty (off a handrail?) either change or be more careful. I think a lot of this 'blame culture' is only to stop people thinking and looking out for themselves. Tripped over a paving slab? Don't sue the council - open your bl**dy eyes!

I agree, it does sound daft to insist on compensation for a dirty handrail especially when there are NO handrails on the former parcel ramp bridge only wooden supports so I like to know how the station cleaners are suppose to clean wood?

Having used Peterborough from InterCity then GNER followed by National Express East Coast and now East Coast, I can honestly say that I've found the service to be just as good under InterCity as it is now under East Coast.

I've observed the staff many times on my journeys though the station and not once have they shown any disappointing lack of customer service, indeed they go out of their way to provide top quality service which is similar to the kind of service you expect from everyone's favourite TOC which is Virgin

Yes it's not always been perfect as I've had trouble being sold a perfectly valid ticket but that was resolved very quickly thanks to East Coast's Head of Ticketing ensuring a full brief was put in place for all staff not just Peterborough staff.

Other then that, it's always been a pleasure travelling with them and I will miss them.

 

[route:oxford]

Same stock*, same staff, same routes.

Different vinyls.



*GNER had the Eurostar sets as well as the refurbished Class89 for haulage.

 

[londonbridge]

I think a lot of this 'blame culture' is only to stop people thinking and looking out for themselves. Tripped over a paving slab? Don't sue the council - open your bl**dy eyes!

So if the pavement has fallen into disrepair through the neglect of the council and they have been made aware of it and have done nothing, someone then has an accident, it's not the council's fault then??

 

[Lampshade]

I do think the way they interact with customers on Twitter is pretty good.

London Midland are second to none

 

[EM2]

Tripped over a paving slab? Don't sue the council - open your bl**dy eyes!

So we all walk around looking at the pavement, then walk into a lamp post (or each other) :roll:

 

[tbtc]

A good TOC that has done little wrong (though hasn't done anything radical), I'm just bemused by this ECML obsession with First Class food - GNER were good because they had restaurants, NXEC were bad because they downgraded the free crisps, East Coast are good because they have "free" food... there's more to running a TOC than grub as far as I'm concerned, but I seem to be in the minority!

 

[WatcherZero]

I wont be sorry to see them go, they cut back the franchise payments heavily and at the same time they cancelled the investment in additional services and upgrades that were planned. The saved money went straight into the pockets of consultants, all in all not a good advertisement for state control.

 

[IanXC]

why I have a beef with their customer service department

If only we all got beef!

Sorry, couldn't resist!

 

[jp347]

There customer service were very rude in Peterborough when I complained about dirty handrails on the ramp between platforms. wrote email which they replied to but got no compensation.

I agree that their customer service leaves a lot to be desired at times; their staff at London told me it was tough that I could not get home that day (at 7pm) as I had missed the last train connecting to my destination (even when I repeatedly explained that I was late as my previous train was late, so it was not my fault I was late), whereas their staff at Peterborough were very helpful and sent me home by taxi.
I have also had problems getting a valid ticket at Grantham as they refused to allow me to travel from Grantham to Spalding via Sleaford, but they dealt with my complaint well and compensated me for my delay (as it had extended my journey by over an hour).

 

[p123]

Same stock*, same staff, same routes.

Different vinyls.



*GNER had the Eurostar sets as well as the refurbished Class89 for haulage.

I want the Eurostars back

 

[jnjkerbin]

I've only been on East Coast from London to York but from what I saw of it it was clean, fast and enjoyable, but maybe I'm just comparing that to the TPE service on to Scarborough :-?

Joe

 

[YorkshireRider]

I wont be sorry to see them go, they cut back the franchise payments heavily and at the same time they cancelled the investment in additional services and upgrades that were planned. The saved money went straight into the pockets of consultants, all in all not a good advertisement for state control.

Cut back what franchise payments? The unrealistic ones NX couldnt afford? They had to clean up a complete mess that NX left behind, the trains were falling apart. They did decide not to go ahead with the Lincoln services which is probably a wise financial decision. Cant comment on upgrades and consultants but would be intrested to hear about it if you have details. Maybe not everyone will agree with what they have done but they have run it as a pretty solid business which has paid back good money to the dft.

 

[nedchester]

I don't see anything wrong with continuing to run East Coast as a nationalised operation. A private operator will almost certainly see a cut in the quality of service, fare rises etc.

Personally I would like to see every franchise go back to public ownership as it gets to the end of its tenure. The 'privatised' railway is far too expensive compared to a nationalised operation.

 

[stevefreestone]

I was assaulted by an East Coast official a few years ago. No interest whatsoever, despite it being caught on CCTV.

 

[fhs man 2]

I was assaulted by an East Coast official a few years ago. No interest whatsoever, despite it being caught on CCTV.

Why did you not get the police on them.

 

[Aictos]

London Midland are second to none

Mmm, in joint place with South West Trains me thinks

 

[Mr Spock]

I was assaulted by an East Coast official a few years ago. No interest whatsoever, despite it being caught on CCTV.

When you say a few years ago how many do you actually mean as my understanding is that a "few" is around 6.

As East Coast has only been operating for 3 years then this assault might well have been under one of its predecessors.

Still I agree that you should have gone to the police whoever was in charge.

 

[shinkansen1966]

When East Coast trains is gone, I'll miss their rewards scheme, too.

 

[Searle]

When East Coast trains is gone, I'll miss their rewards scheme, too.

that's true, need to spend my points!

 

[dave59]

Considering the private sector involvement in railways was meant to harness marketing flair with a sharper focus on cost control, I wrote to Karen Boswell to suggest that her management team had done a good job of these. in her own words staff morale is now at a high and even the fleet has (nearly) achieved a common livery. Yet all could be lost through mindless government policy of blindly following railways act legislation because anything else is on the too difficult list.

Lord Adonis mentioned changes but then retreated to: "it would create too much upheaval". Maria Eagle has suddenly spoken during the Virgin fiasco "it would be a good idea" to keep the ECML as a public sector camparator without suggesting how it can be done in the current framework. Hopefully Richard Branson's actions will cause enough embarrassment and public condemnation to invoke some changes, and do everyone a big favour by exposing how stupid the franchising system is.

It would be sad to say goodbye to EC, let's hope we don't need to.

 

[Yew]

Its a shame they couldnt have put the mallard interiors through a deep clean though, some sets are starting to look a bit grubby inside.

 

[fhs man 2]

Can the free first class lounge pass from rewards be used by another person who was not the person who spent the point.

Summery - Can you use your points to get a 1st class lounge pass and give it to someone else or does it have to be you.