The end of ECML restaurants

[Richard E]

I believe that it is now the case that the Restaurant is only available to First Class due to a minority of second class passengers abusing it by taking 2 or 3 hours over a cup of tea and a bun and thus riding in First Class standards for the whole of their journey.

 

Overall the trains are seriously overcrowded on Fridays travelling south and would benefit from additional capacity at Standard Class if there is a way of doing it.

 

As this is a regular commute for me I see very few Standard Class passengers taking advantage of the on board catering although it does have to be said that, last time I looked, it appeared to be reasonable value.

[40052]

I think a quick look through the timetable will show very few ECML trains offering a full restaurant service these days - probably no more than 10%, if that. This started during NXEC days and has been continued by East Coast. In effect, withdrawing these remaining services wont be as big a change as might be imagined. Most services now offer an at seat service in 1st class of either' light bites' or something a bit more substantial which means there are effectively three levels of service across the day with varying levels of staff. East Coast must have come to the conclusion that standardising the catering provision will save staff and reduce food stock costs whilst still providing a food provision attractive enoughl to persuade people to still travel first class in these times of belt tightening in the private sector and cost cutting in the public sector.

 

As for having specialised sets at peak times - ICEC used to run MkIV 'Pullman' sets with 3 firsts with the remainder of the sets as two firsts. There was also the seating area in the catering vehicle which faced the first class area. GNER standardised the sets on three firsts with the restaurant transferred into an open first and the catering vehicle being turned to provide extra standard class seating. The HSTs still have the catering vehicle seats as first class but these sets only have two firsts with less seats than the MKIVs, so it's unlikely that any de-classifying will occur as a result of the catering changes given the much more profitable yield from a first class fare as apposed to a standard class one.

[Gwiwer]

The point about journey times applies equally to W&S. They have identified and cater to something of a niche market but do it rather well. However the journey time from Marylebone to any of their served destinations permits ample time for a decent meal to be enjoyed. And the same in the up direction of course.

 

Most of us can manage to live without a full meal for the four-plus hours it takes the ECML to get from Kings Cross to Edinburgh. While it might be a pleasant luxury to dine on board rather than eat before or after the journey at a less popular time there is also a more frequent service of trains over a slightly greater span of hours than has previously been the case giving more options for "on shore" dining before travel.

 

The only significant uptake of meals seems to be breakfast which could still be provided using a catering crew working a single shift through the morning. That does not alter the need to get more seats into the trains but it is possible to offer a hot meal service from a trolley in airline style given appropriate modifications to the catering vehicle. It may not be silver service but the meals offered by airlines such as Emirates are generally considered to be both generous and of good quality. If they can do it .....

 

And for trains which run through to Aberdeen and Inverness where some passengers might be aboard for much longer than four hours a meal service of some sort should remain available.