11 Jul 2014, 7:37 am
15 Jan 2015, 8:09 pm
01 Jul 2015, 4:54 pm
01 Jul 2015, 4:55 pm
01 Jul 2015, 7:12 pm
18 Jul 2015, 9:38 am
Does anyone know if Cross Country are deploying all of their HSTs for the Summer diagrams as they used to? It was always fun seeing a GNER HST turn up in Devon. 
27 Aug 2015, 10:47 am
27 Aug 2015, 4:12 pm
27 Aug 2015, 4:21 pm
27 Aug 2015, 4:39 pm
27 Aug 2015, 4:42 pm
(27 Aug 2015, 4:39 pm)8222 wrote [ -> ]That's what you would think. Does anyone else offer such a service? It's going to trump a lot of operators! Smart move from Cross Country!
My only concern is how it will be carried out. A bit different, but BA started a similar choose your food before you fly service for World Traveller on a few routes. It was available on both flights I was on over the summer, and it just seemed a bit clumsy as the trays were carried out rather than put out on trollies. I hope they use a trolly or bag it, otherwise I can see food going everywhere...
It'll be interesting to see how it takes off. I just hope it's not to reduce the staff, as I find on board staff already seem to be at a bare minimum.
I think just about every TOC could do a lot more when it comes to catering. It's expensive and often poor quality. I generally pop into a station shop before I board, as most of them now do a meal deal of some sort, which tends to be a lot nicer! It's also a gripe of mine that they try and serve you warm 'chilled' drinks.
27 Aug 2015, 4:48 pm
(27 Aug 2015, 4:42 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]It'll be interesting to see how it takes off. I just hope it's not to reduce the staff, as I find on board staff already seem to be at a bare minimum.
I think just about every TOC could do a lot more when it comes to catering. It's expensive and often poor quality. I generally pop into a station shop before I board, as most of them now do a meal deal of some sort, which tends to be a lot nicer! It's also a gripe of mine that they try and serve you warm 'chilled' drinks.
I think it'll be quite the opposite - to make the people who operate the trolley at the moment work a bit more and increase their productivity by bringing in more money this way.
As for staff on board, it's always been, more or less, a team of three providing service when I used to do SHF-DHM/SUN. My issue was that on some services, you wouldn't actually see the train manager at all. If they work on commission, like other TOCs do, you think you would. On their sister company, Grand Central, who I use pretty much every other week, you constantly see them passing through the train after every stop to take fares and check tickets.
I honestly think the worst thing they did was get rid of the shop, though. I concur with the expensive and rubbish quality statement. Have you been on Eurostar of late? They're supplied by Waitrose. Yes, it's expensive but the food I had last year was top notch. Although, it's not a patch on the SNCF TGV food. Mmmmmmm.
27 Aug 2015, 5:07 pm
(27 Aug 2015, 4:12 pm)8222 wrote [ -> ]Is it for all classes, or just First?As aureolin mentioned, it looks like it is available in standard.
It seems a far more customer-orientated service and far better than the trolley. I wonder how they are going to deliver them and what the practicalities are for service on board, especially if it's a full service (as so often the EDI-PLY route is). I still think it's a shame they did away with the shop. It was always nice to go and wander for a stretch of the legs.
However, I am not sure I would want to be tucking into a salmon fillet whilst on a crowded XC, that smells a bit suss.
(27 Aug 2015, 4:21 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]Looks to be standard, because the food and drink is complimentary in first? It's only on the Edinburgh-Plymouth and Manchester-Bournemouth routes though.Last time I did first on XC, it was just a hot drink and biscuit. No hot meals or sandwiches - or salmon.
They do hot sandwiches like bacon rolls (nuked in a microwave jobbies).
(27 Aug 2015, 4:39 pm)8222 wrote [ -> ]That's what you would think. Does anyone else offer such a service? It's going to trump a lot of operators! Smart move from Cross Country!I have no idea how they will sort it.
My only concern is how it will be carried out. A bit different, but BA started a similar choose your food before you fly service for World Traveller on a few routes. It was available on both flights I was on over the summer, and it just seemed a bit clumsy as the trays were carried out rather than put out on trollies. I hope they use a trolly or bag it, otherwise I can see food going everywhere...
The bacon sandwich I mentioned above, was ordered via the trolly person (can't remember their official title) and brought through the train by the person working in first class.
Not sure how the trollies would work on a busy train, especially for one meal for a bloke sitting in the quiet coach.
(27 Aug 2015, 4:42 pm)aureolin wrote [ -> ]It'll be interesting to see how it takes off. I just hope it's not to reduce the staff, as I find on board staff already seem to be at a bare minimum.
I think just about every TOC could do a lot more when it comes to catering. It's expensive and often poor quality. I generally pop into a station shop before I board, as most of them now do a meal deal of some sort, which tends to be a lot nicer! It's also a gripe of mine that they try and serve you warm 'chilled' drinks.
Conductor, first class attendant and trolly person - even on the HST's. Not sure if it is double crew on a doubled up Voyager.
26 Sep 2015, 9:07 am
26 Sep 2015, 10:26 am
26 Sep 2015, 10:38 am
22 Nov 2015, 10:23 am
04 Dec 2015, 11:40 pm
08 Feb 2016, 10:29 am
08 Feb 2016, 10:37 am
(08 Feb 2016, 10:29 am)GX03 SVC wrote [ -> ]A CrossCountry Scotland-Penzance train has hit a tree near Bodmin Parkway. All lines blocked.
If it happened near Bodmin would it not be a Penzance to Scotland train....bloody good going to get to Bodmin from Scotland this early in a morning
