East Coast

[52A]

I have just picked up the latest timetable and there are no catering facilities listed, just a note asking you to go on line to discover what is available. I have also heard that most trains are having resautrant cars withdrawn and that staff are being offered redundancy, anyone know any more about this latest improvement to east coast services?

[52D]

I first heard that catering was to be done via trolley about a year ago. People have a short memory it only seems 5 mins since GNER were being congratulated on serving real food at the table such as Craster Kippers for breakfast on the ECML services. This is a definite retrograde step.

[hq1hitchin]

Their website still shows most trains offering a full restaurant service.

http://www.nationalexpresseastcoast.com ... estaurant/

Long may it continue, given that Beardie's boys out of Euston only offer complimentary meals in first class (and they are no great shakes - who really wants macaroni cheese and fruit cake for lunch?) and that the diners out of Liverpool St finished with the introduction of this timetable, FGW more or less pulled out of silver service catering a few years back, the East Coast looks like the last to offer it. Often wonder what the meals are like on the Caledonian sleepers but, alas, the equipment was always u/s whenever I travelled.

[52A]

Yes that is true, but why is this not shown in the printed version?

I have the feeling that the catering services shown may suddenly reduce, or am I being over suspicious?

If they are paying off staff (which they have done in various departments since taking over) something has to give.

Perhaps their web address should be nationalexpress.con

[hq1hitchin]

Been with some geezers this afternoon who know what's supposed to be going on - seems TOCs are doing ok and generally holding up well, considering the state of things. However some TOCs had rosy forecasts of 10% growth but are finding 2% nearer the mark. Couple that with the fact that some of your commuters won't be renewing their annual season tickets and going for quarterlies or monthlies instead because they don't know if their jobs will last and stir in the fact that some of your first class trade is now going steerage and not participating in big eats. This will lead you to the conclusion that full catering facilities on NXEC may be a casualty of the slump.

On the bright side, the catering on the Arriva Wales Holyhead - Cardiff and return is said to be an absolute stunner (full breakfast going south and dinner coming back). Now, where's my Welsh dictionary?...