Customer service - what customer service? UK!

[Dave2002]

At last …..!!! Well done East Coast trains!

Just looked at my bank statement -

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Date………….. Description……………... Type [?]……….. In (£)………. Out (£)……. Balance (£)
11 Mar 15….. EAST COAST MAIN LI…. BGC ………….. 30.00 …… ……………………. xxxxx

That's only taken five and a half months to get a satisfactory outcome. See first details relating to September 2014 issue - msg 17 - http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...194#post471194

Better than no outcome at all though, and we will be going back on EC soon, though now it's Virgin East Coast. Will be interested to see if the train service itself, and service on the trains will be better.

One less thing to "have" to chase up now.

[Is there any way to get tabular layout in this website? Or tabbed indents which work?]

[teamsaint]

much of how modern business works is covered in The Rainmaker, by John Grisham.
should be required reading for every 16 year old.

[Dave2002]

much of how modern business works is covered in The Rainmaker, by John Grisham.
should be required reading for every 16 year old.

Sorry, I read slowly these days. Still struggling with those Mapp and Lucia books by E.F. Benson, and I'm starting to see why some people liked them, and why some did/or did not, like various TV adaptations. I'd never heard or seen of these before Christmas, and in the recent TV production I thoroughly detested Miss Mapp. However, that is perhaps how we are meant to see her - from what I'm now reading she is portrayed as a really mean character, so perhaps the TV rendition was "accurate" after all - except that all the events and timing and places are muddled up

Re John Grisham I've read one or two - a good read. Others in my family read more, and seem to have got through more of JG's works. I did read the one about the tobacco companies and the trial. Wan't that one The Runaway Jury? Worth reading! Maybe I should read that again, though in the meantime I'll add the The Rainmaker to my list and put it at or near the top.

[mangerton]

Just looked at my bank statement -



That's only taken five and a half months to get a satisfactory outcome. See first details relating to September 2014 issue - msg 17 - http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...194#post471194

Better than no outcome at all though, and we will be going back on EC soon, though now it's Virgin East Coast. Will be interested to see if the train service itself, and service on the trains will be better.

One less thing to "have" to chase up now.

[Is there any way to get tabular layout in this website? Or tabbed indents which work?]

Oddly enough, I'm writing this on a Dundee bound VTEC train. Joined at York a few minutes ago, and they've already been round with coffee (yes please) drinks (g&t thanks very much, yes, ice and lemon) sandwiches (no thanks, but they looked fine). Journey down on Monday was good, so full marks from me so far.

[Dave2002]

Good to hear about VTEC - hope the service was/is maintained up to Dundee. Perhaps you are on the [gas turbine]* diesel trains that go to Aberdeen - saves changing in Edinburgh. At least you won't be on the weekend menu, which I presume is still sandwiches, cake, crips and biccies only, plus only non alcoholic drinks. Travelling from London we don't normally manage to get breakfast these days, and lunch didn't seem quite as good last time we did that on the way up northwards, though it was OK. The personal breakfast service on the way down from Inverness is good - or used to be.

The last time we went by train to Inverness was the time the train gave up because the tunnel caved in and wrecked the driver's window - and as noted just got all the money back at last.

We did go to Dundee on the Caledonian Sleeper in November, but I'm not sure that service is going to continue now - I hear there are changes afoot on that route - or at least with the fare structure.

* correction - I thought some of the trains might have gas turbines, but in fact they are diesel. I'm not actually quite sure whether they are pure diesel, or diesel electric.

[teamsaint]

Good to hear about VTEC - hope the service was/is maintained up to Dundee. Perhaps you are on the gas turbine trains that go to Aberdeen - saves changing in Edinburgh. At least you won't be on the weekend menu, which I presume is still sandwiches, cake, crips and biccies only, plus only non alcoholic drinks. Travelling from London we don't normally manage to get breakfast these days, and lunch didn't seem quite as good last time we did that on the way up northwards, though it was OK. The personal breakfast service on the way down from Inverness is good - or used to be.

The last time we went by train to Inverness was the time the train gave up because the tunnel caved in and wrecked the driver's window - and as noted just got all the money back at last.

We did go to Dundee on the Caledonian Sleeper in November, but I'm not sure that service is going to continue now - I hear there are changes afoot on that route - or at least with the fare structure.

I'd love to have a holiday in the Highlands using the sleeper, but booking a ticket a decent price would test the patience of a saint.

Worse than the Barbican website, which is really saying something.

[Flosshilde]

If you go to the Scotrail site it's fairly simple, or use Trainline.com & request trains leaving in the evening. It should come up with the sleeper - it does for me.

[teamsaint]

If you go to the Scotrail site it's fairly simple, or use Trainline.com & request trains leaving in the evening. It should come up with the sleeper - it does for me.

thanks for the advice...perhaps I am over complicating.

or trying to book in the school holidays...

[Flosshilde]

Probably

I find that if I try the 'cheap sleeper seats' offer I rarely get a cheap one for the day I want it, but if you can be flexible you could be lucky. Try the Trainline site first - that seems to be a bit better.

If it's just you going you have to go 1st class if you want a single berth, or be prepared to share (with a passenger of the same gender or depending on your inclinations ), although I think that happens fairly rarely.

[teamsaint]

Probably

I find that if I try the 'cheap sleeper seats' offer I rarely get a cheap one for the day I want it, but if you can be flexible you could be lucky. Try the Trainline site first - that seems to be a bit better.

If it's just you going you have to go 1st class if you want a single berth, or be prepared to share (with a passenger of the same gender or depending on your inclinations ), although I think that happens fairly rarely.

i'm not quite sure what it is that happens quite rarely, but I'll take your word for it.

Should be straightforward for me and TOH, as we would want to book a 2 berth together, ( very conventional I know !) I suspect my problems are down to wanting to book at popular times, although I am usually ok for midweek, which I imagine is cheaper.

I would guess that an option is to do the sleeper to Glasgow/Edinburgh, and then stop off, or just get a normal train north

I'll try the trainline sometime,although am currently all spent up after paying for a trip to the new Philharmonie in Paris in May

Back to the sleeper, I really must get round to doing it sometime.

[Dave2002]

I'd love to have a holiday in the Highlands using the sleeper, but booking a ticket a decent price would test the patience of a saint.

Worse than the Barbican website, which is really saying something.

Well, with your handle, what do you expect? Aren't there more than one of you?

I don't know what the arrangements are now, but in the past my booking agent (mrs d.) has managed to do quite well with sleeper bookings. Usually requires making a note of the date on which cheap bookings become available - around 12 weeks before travel, then getting on line asap immediately after the booking opens. However, sometimes it is possible to get places several days later - it may depend on the day of intended travel. The prices used to be just below £20, just below £30, just below £40 for a cabin for 2 - that's from Euston, and we didn't always expect to get the lowest prices, but even at £40 it's good value.

Mind you, you might not get much sleep. Whiskies seem like a good idea, but unfortunately will be more likely to have you waking up in the night and needing "relief". I'm almost getting used to this mode of travel now. However, the whiskies on the train are usually not too bad, and the food's quite good too.

[Dave2002]

i'm not quite sure what it is that happens quite rarely, but I'll take your word for it.

Should be straightforward for me and TOH, as we would want to book a 2 berth together, ( very conventional I know !) I suspect my problems are down to wanting to book at popular times, although I am usually ok for midweek, which I imagine is cheaper.

You need to work out who is going to clamber up to the top bunk. We've just about worked it all out now - there's not much room for luggage, but it can be managed. Neither of us is very mobile, but I can get to the top level - and down again with great care. Take a music player and a light of some sort to play music during the night if you can't get to sleep - maybe a book or a kindle or tablet as well- otherwise nights can be a very long affair!

I would guess that an option is to do the sleeper to Glasgow/Edinburgh, and then stop off, or just get a normal train north

Not necessarily a good option, as you'll probably get dumped in Glasgow or Edinburgh around 6am - though I think last time we went we did in fact do that, and then took an onwards train in time to get breakfast (just) at our final destination. The sleeper to Inverness isn't so bad, as it arrives in time to get breakfast in the Royal Highland Hotel next to the station.

I'll try the trainline sometime,although am currently all spent up after paying for a trip to the new Philharmonie in Paris in May

I'd really like to do that! I'm adding it to my list of things to do soon.

[teamsaint]

You need to work out who is going to clamber up to the top bunk. We've just about worked it all out now - there's not much room for luggage, but it can be managed. Neither of us is very mobile, but I can get to the top level - and down again with great care. Take a music player and a light of some sort to play music during the night if you can't get to sleep - maybe a book or a kindle or tablet as well- otherwise nights can be a very long affair!

Not necessarily a good option, as you'll probably get dumped in Glasgow or Edinburgh around 6am - though I think last time we went we did in fact do that, and then took an onwards train in time to get breakfast (just) at our final destination. The sleeper to Inverness isn't so bad, as it arrives in time to get breakfast in the Royal Highland Hotel next to the station.

I'd really like to do that! I'm adding it to my list of things to do soon.

Thanks for the advice both.
Looking forward to the paris trip, going on the eurostar because, basically I like trains, and seem to be able to get decent deals on their website !!

Booking tickets for the Phiharmonie was a doddle, although tickets are selling strongly at the moment for obvious reasons.Managed to get 4 together for Mahler 5 behind the orchestra, €50 euros total for the 4. Concert ticket prices seem very reasonable. Incidentally, to look at/ choose your seat, you have to choose the required number, in a price bracket, go through the booking process, and you can choose just before you pay.

Anyway, back to grumbles about bad service.......

[mangerton]

Good to hear about VTEC - hope the service was/is maintained up to Dundee. Perhaps you are on the gas turbine trains that go to Aberdeen - saves changing in Edinburgh. At least you won't be on the weekend menu, which I presume is still sandwiches, cake, crips and biccies only, plus only non alcoholic drinks. Travelling from London we don't normally manage to get breakfast these days, and lunch didn't seem quite as good last time we did that on the way up northwards, though it was OK. The personal breakfast service on the way down from Inverness is good - or used to be.

The last time we went by train to Inverness was the time the train gave up because the tunnel caved in and wrecked the driver's window - and as noted just got all the money back at last.

We did go to Dundee on the Caledonian Sleeper in November, but I'm not sure that service is going to continue now - I hear there are changes afoot on that route - or at least with the fare structure.

I'm now home and I'm happy to say that the high level of service was maintained to Dundee. I was on one of the three direct services from London to Aberdeen, so as you say, no changing. There are some very good deals to be had if you book in advance, and a railcard makes it even cheaper. Full breakfast is served on the first train of the day from Aberdeen, but passengers joining at Dundee are too late; on Monday I was offered croissants or toast.

Sleepers - A new company takes over in April. I don't know about the fares, but it has some Great Ideas for the service. It's many years (25?) since I travelled on a sleeper, and I'm sure things have changed quite a lot in that time - not necessarily for the better. Back then you could get quite a good breakfast on the train when heading to the SW of England, as I did on business now and again. One also used to get an excellent breakfast at the Central Hotel in Glasgow - just the thing, after an overnight from London, and before going to work. But without doubt best of all was to take the sleeper from London to Fort William, and get breakfast on the train on the West Highland Line. I'm sure I've posted this link before, but it's worth posting again, and do remember that colour has now reached that part of the world.

[Dave2002]

Sorry - made a mistake in the earlier message - msg 35. The multiple unit trains are some form of diesel - piston engines, not gas turbine. I thought there were some gas turbine based trains in the UK, but how I got that idea I'm not sure. I'm not actually sure whether they are pure diesel, or diesel-electric - there seems to have been some experimentation with engines on some train sets - not even necessarily the ones which have been used up to Scotland.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbine_train - which at least shows that gas turbines have been used in trains, but they are not used much nowadays, so I haven't actually totally made it all up.

I shall be interested to see how the new company running the sleepers manages things. I believe they are going to have new rolling stock, though I suspect the fares will rise quite a lot as a consequence. It'll be interesting to know if the customer experience. is much improved when it happens - probably, apart from the cost I'd guess.