One of the most rude experiences I’ve had with onboard staff was on Crosscountry in First Class. While travelling to the airport with some pretty heavy luggage, I needed a bit of time to place the luggage in the racks at the end of the train. The onboard staff were the rudest I’ve encountered; snarky, unhelpful and argumentative - telling me I’m storing the luggage “wrong” and badgering me to “hurry up”. The epitome of it was when one of them came to my seat later in an attempt to fleece me off, trying to claim I was carrying “more luggage than allowed”. When I countered by proving my rights from the crosscountry website, she adopted a defensive tone and just left. To pay full price on first class tickets and receive such treatment, I’ll just stick to TPE next time (whom I chose on the return journey and were absolutely wonderful).
@@SouthernRex you’re right, TPE definitely much better. I don’t know whether it’s just that I’ve always been lucky with them or not, but whenever I’ve travelled on TPE with luggage they’ve always been very accommodating despite the fact that the Nova 1s have absolutely no luggage racks in First. Crew have even often offered to help store the luggage under the seats etc (which of course I never expect them to do, I’m carrying it so my job to store it) but some of the most upbeat and happy staff members I’ve met were on TPE, so XC definitely ought to learn a thing or two.
@@vduridalternatives lmao you can say that again - don’t know what reason they have for being like that, considering the “refreshments” are abysmal at best. 😂😂
As someone who works for another operator in the ticket office i can honestly say i can count on my fingers the number of times per month XC arrive on time, and as the network gets rapidly busier with the leisure traveller things arent going to improve, btw thanks for highlighting the ticket office, something that will be no more if the government have their way, excellent as always Dylan keep up the good work
Poor punctuality is not always XC's fault (although I'm not saying they are _never_ to blame! But when you look at how many major stations a XC train goes through and how many train services it crosses over, it's easy to see how a delay _anywhere_ on the network has a high chance of impacting a XC train as it travels maybe 500 miles and interfaces with a dozen other TOCs along the way.
@@stevieinselby I used XC trains for 6 months every weekend and barring one major issue where a train was cancelled and another broke down they were always on time. I'm not sure what's changed.
Always find it disappointing that whilst so many train companies charge a major amount more for a first class seat, the offering is just about a slightly better seat. A cup of tea and biscuit doesn’t cut it and you would expect bit more if you flew business class
This lack of 'extras' for a first class seat is a modern dumbing-down of the service that used to be provided. Up until roughly a decade ago a first class seat for example in a Midland Main Line HST would have seen a first class ticket include a full choice of hot meals, unlimited alcohol, a newspaper, and unlimited tea and coffee, all readily available, coupled with frequent ticket inspections to prevent what has now become an epidemic of people without first class tickets 'chancing it'. Ironically it is for this last reason that I no longer travel first class as there seems no point whatsoever to pay the extra for the previously generally accepted peace and quiet when the accommodation is filled with noisy, undesirable, low lives who swear, play their ghetto blasters loudly, and generally ruin the ambience....
@@BibtheBoulder Even 5 years ago I'd say it was still OK..ish. I used to go first whenever I could on Virgin as long as I could get it at a good price. You got a decent meal, the atmosphere as you state it and regular ticket checks. Drinks, etc. I just checked Avanti's menu and while you will get a decent meal if you're on an early train, any other time is more along the lines of a snack and at weekends you have to go the shop and get it yourself. Even on First TPE (class 185 I think) there was bottomless drinks and plenty of snacks when I did it about 6 years ago. Haven't done first on the train for a while as hear it is simply no longer worth it but I suspect the decline in on-train ticket checks will soon render first class carriages impossible to "police" and therefore obsolete within 5 years. Even in mainland Europe I think first class is well nearing extinction. Almost no difference on the German DB trains I went on (you even still pay for your food, cabin is very marginally better), and while the Danish DSB ICE 3 train is a nice old thing, the first class cabin is again only very slightly better than standard. You get no food service, just coffee and snacks after you've crossed the border! Honestly, these days if I do go first the most compelling reason is a more roomy seat. I'm not a big person but I just appreciate the space. The one exception to it all is standard premier (not even business) on the eurostar is wonderfully plush and you get a free light breakfast, tea and coffee. I imagine business premier is very nice indeed, but then this service is more like a competitor to the plane than a commuter so the market is there.
Tbh it’s more about how bad standard is than how good first class is. At least you don’t have to worry about being able to fit on the train for first class
Sheffield in Derbyshire, not likely. As a bloke from Sheffield I know where it is, thanks for ensuring the wider audience realises that. I used to catch a Sunday diagram of this service from Plymouth, sometimes Penzance to Darlington, service to Newcastle or Edinburgh. It was never on time. I miss the HSTs, the seats were comfortable. I had a couple of journeys 80x this summer (2022) on GWR, was like sitting on garden bench.
I agree with another subscriber: CrossCountry trains are frequently late and overcrowded. The journey from Cam & Dursley to Edinburgh was a nightmare with the all too often running out of water (so not hot drinks available) and running out of food by Birmingham. I always took a goody bag and a long book to read!
Hi Dylan! Thanks for enduring the delay for us so we could see the journey. The seats did look comfy! Definitely a bit expensive for what you received, though. I would think a meal or at minimum a substantial snack would be provided. I have been disappointed more than once here in the US with Business/First class reduction in meal service. I've started carrying my own back up meal to avoid that hangry feeling!
Tbf there catering offers are rubbish and they're normally late but when your on them they're good and if you have a good tm or host you can normally get more
It is rather expensive as I managed to once get a Chiltern Railways ticket from Birmingham to London for 4 people for £52.50 whereas for only 1 person they are charging a whole £5.70 more for a much shorter journey :/
I was a regular user of cross country trains between where I lived (Cheltenham), where I worked (Bristol and Birmingham) and where my parents lived (between York and Leeds). There was an improvement when Virgin took over from BR, but I felt significant cost cutting when Virgin lost the franchise to another company. I always preferred the HSTs to the Voyagers even when they were brand new, and agree with you about how the HSTs appear to squeak more, however in the way that an A320neo appears to rattle and squeak more than the older A320ceos, I think it is more a case of the reduced engine noise failing to mask out the other noises. After all, most (all?) Voyager carriages have an engine with its associated noise and vibration below, whereas with the HST, the admittedly louder engines are isolated at either end. I must say that I am impressed with the latest refurbishments with automatic doors etc and hope that we have them around for a few more years.
Travelled today from Totnes to Taunton first class on XCountry. Took just over an hour. No refreshments at all and no first class host. The trolley person was doubling up and was just starting to serve first class when I got off. LNER shows how to do it!
@@PianoKwanMan HI James. Hit the nail on the head! How many of those praising LNER are commenting on their experience between Kings Cross & Leeds/York, never using the northern half of the route on, for example, midweek winter evenings?
Because they have the monopoly on a lot of routes - remember the government promise that privatisation would open up competition and drive down prices?
It didn't work, which is why _if__ you Brits and Scots can get yourselves together politically, you all need to elect a progressive government that will nationalize the railways again and also provide a ton of subsidy money so that ticket prices are low enough for all to be able to travel.
Nice looking train. It's a shame the amenities weren't up to first class standards. That "snack" looked like a standard class airline's fare. At least you got a nice, quiet car. The platform was absolutely mobbed with people heading for the standard class cars which were already crowded.
My daughter had the misfortune to travel with them and after a hard 12 hour day working on the wards she had to stand for the full journey she took because they cancelled the previous train and then her train was packed, when I sent them an email complaining about it their excuse was lamentable, this company needs disbanded and run by a professional outfit
Some trains I have been on had no catering of late due to staff issues with is seen across many TOCS at present. They do offer sandwiches/ crisps/ cake and other options but is due to availability. Enjoy the HST while you can as I believe they are here for 1 more year before they are retired.
Not ideal that the tain was late and the level of extra service offered (for first class) was poor - and the ticket was too expensive IMO - but hey, at least you found a HST! CrossCountry are one of the last operators to still be running HSTs. I really liked the HSTs when they were in use on the Midland Mainline, sadly they're all gone now, and their replacements (Class 222 "Meridian") really aren't up to scratch. In fact, I'd say that any Class 22x train is woefully inadequate for modern day services.
Try travelling to the north west on a transport Wales service from Cardiff often just 2 cars and sometimes a class 150/153 appears just a awful service avoid it if you can
We have travelled on the East and West Coast lines in first class and we got a free meal and tea or coffee as park of the service so a measly biscuit and drink is certainly below par on the service / catering front. I hope you got your train to Huddersfield. When my mother lived in Huddersfield we found that going to Manchester meant less changes when she was visiting my sister in Southampton.
Its good you are now highlighting the abyssmal state of rail travel in Britain particularly post-pandemic. CC have often been criticised for lack of capacity on their trains, and catering is a joke these days.
Totally agree with you - if as it seems the UK is incapable of running trains without continental partners, then I suggest we partner with the Swiss.....as they certainly know how to run a railway!
@@robertp.wainman4094 Or just have XC refurbish some of the former LNER HSTs awaiting scrap. they only need one or 2. They already have the same seating as the XC ones, so just a new paint job, seat covers, doors, and toilets.
Am old enough to remember the introduction of the HST in 76 - between Donny and London for Uni (I'll leave anyone to guess which was the Uni end :-) ). And to a timetable that had journey times somewhat shorter than they are today. Anyway, crosscountry always feels like a BR style underfunded intercity service that isn't good but tbh not terrible. And New St is a really nice station. Again lightyears improved on the early 80s version in the meandering bull ring complex.
You should have travelled in the morning, I was quite surprised to get a bacon butty in XC First Class and I think on an HST set too! I do like their interior decor of First Class on the HST sets, the white and claret looks very smart and clean. Now… Birmingham second city… depending on which stats you look at it could also be either Leeds or Manchester - it’s a touchy subject and one often avoided to keep the peace!!
I'm glad you tell it as it is. I find some of the rail RU-vidrs much too complimentary toward rail companies who offer a poor service, such as Avanti. I had to travel around the North of England recently on Cross Country and Avanti and did not have one uneventful journey with 80% being delayed by 10 mins or more. Yet when I express this one RU-vidr basically said I was at best exaggerating.
Compared to the first class experience I had on LNER the other day, this is abysmal for a first class product that's around 2 hours journey time. Cross Country needs to improve that for sure
Crosscountry don't care, they're rubbish. Look at the Voyagers they've had nothing really done to them since 2007 other than a new bit of plastic at the front.
@@devon896 GWR, Overpriced services for rich people travelling from the Cotswolds to London, that’s there only passengers who can enjoy and afford their services, between Cornwall and Bristol they have an “express service” It only stops at a few stops down to Plymouth then stops at nearly every single stop in Cornwall to either Penzance or Newquay, out of order stopping at a hamlet like “St Germans” never even heard of the place, doesn’t even have a beach or any sites at all, who’s getting on there?
@@AdistuffRBX I've used GWR before it's not overpriced at all. I've bought a first class return ticket for £90 before. I don't understand the snobbery to GWR they are usually very good.
Enjoyed as much as always Dylan, especially when arriving in Leeds and home at Elland Road!! Such iconic transport, shame the catering facilities were dismal for a first class offering, look after yourself, until next time, ATB Dave
Cross Country trans have always had expensive fares, if using thought ticketing or even advance tickets, the only way ive found of cutting cost of travel on cross country,when used them, is splitting with Cheap Day Returns, between the Principal stations, The HST’s will always be one of my favourite trains, can remember riding them soon after introduction on Western Region, when original yellow Flying Banana colour, was maybe 7-8 etc, im off on a Pathfinder Tours Railtour from Cardiff to Pwllheli, with Premier Dining, an expensive day out but great day out, done it before, throughly recommend them.
Nice vid - Generally takes about a month for delay-repay to come through from Cross Country so hopefully yours will turn up soon! Cross Country way too expensive now in 1st Class for the offering provided, going to go via London next time I go to visit the family rather than via Bristol to avoid Cross Country!
I travel between Cornwall and Leeds a few times each year for work and I used to get the XC direct. But they keep using half trains so I can't remember a XC service where there weren't people standing from end to end. Now I go GWR + LNER and look for cheap 1st class upgrades. CrossCountry stink (literally in the case of the Voyagers) - hardly a surprise, given it's Arriva running the show.
Price-wise AXC always seem more expensive per-mile (std + 1st) than other Intercity operators but the combination of demand (high) and availability (low) means despite the price standard is frequently heaving, meaning that if you can afford it, 1st is the place to go. I do agree that the refreshment offering was poor for a 2 hour journey - maybe it is better in the day time? If so, there should be an off-peak 1st fare that reflects that.
Yes, the 'Cross Country Axis' from North / North East to South West is very heavily loaded (NCL-YRK-LDS-SHF-BHM-BRS), and unlike with the London-bound main lines (really ECML vs MML, and ECML itself), there is no viable competition. Definitely a route which deserves full 9-car sets, but I guess it is not electrified
1E63 is an offpeak service. most of XC services are offpeak after 9:30am. catering is likely to be poor after 7pm as they don't tend to stock up catering from Birmingham after 7pm (as their catering are in Birmingham closes at 7pm), so basically whatever's onboard is offered to 1st, and sometimes there is usually nothing on board. catering in general with all operators is quite poor post-covid, most railway staff say this is down to the government pulling the strings as they run the railway so government have been tried to cut costs anyway possible.
Always good to see a video of a HST Have you ever tried one of EMR's regional trains. Their regional trains are class 156s, 158s and 170s If you do try one may I suggest the Leicester-Lincoln route, because Lincoln's my hometown
Same, and they are one of the few operators who say you only get a refund after a 30min delay instead of a 15min delay, I mean even Northern has 15 minutes instead of 30mins
Ok XC HST story time. So, after 2 very long years of waiting and failed attempts to get on the LNER/EMR hst finales, I FINALLY get to the UK to ride on an intercity 125! I get to York station, see the train, and what a lovely surprise, it has the IC executive livery!------We miss the train 😐We LITERALLY miss the train! And this is also after a cancelled 225 service from Kings X to York the previous day! And LNER screwing us over to pay for first class, when there were plenty of standard class seats! Long story short, I was able to catch this train at Birmingham later that day for it's return service to Edinburgh. Great to be back on the train that sparked my love for them at age 6!
Platform changes and short terminations of trains are a fact of life downunder as well as in the UK. Customer advice of these is somewhat sketchy or non-existent also. Unfortunately some rail operators are better at desk-driving rather than looking after the customer. You wouldn't want to be in Sydney at present as industrial action has made commuting anywhere there a nightmare (partially a political issue, partially a wage level issue, partly a safety issue). I enjoyed Cross Country first class from Edinburgh to York on a Class 220 four years ago this month and the service was excellent. What a difference a pandemic has caused to all parts of our lives! Enjoy the remainder of your summer.
I grew up with the InterCity executive livery, and this is why for a lot of folks my age who care about trains, the HST is our favourite! It looks fast even when it isn't moving! I know there are people who missed the Deltics on the ECML but the HSTs were a vast improvement. The fact that even today, over 45 years after introduction, HSTs are still plying important routes up and down the country says something to their reliability and versatility (yes, I know they are no longer the standard bearer they used to be but I think they are still fantastic trains!) Obv the delay was not good however.
Great vid thanks for sharing less about the footy more about your loyal & breathtaking travel buddy. My wife is not as enthusiastic as me with my love of Trains but she’s all aboard with the travels and I keep smiling in her interests. And when she funds some of the trips i must keep happy wife to have the happy life. Last trip she surprised me on was the Valley Rattler in Gympie. Take a googs when you get a moment. The highlight isn’t the actual train it’s the fire caddy that rides behind and has a list a mile long with people wanting to Ride it. Lol. Also check out the coffee pot in Quorn SA you will be impressed. First class on the tilt train in QLD I will admit is a little more WOWSERS than this one but it’s the loco you are on that brought me here she is a BEAUT! so far my Hornby 125 is as close as I get to what you experienced.
I have a story about XC, I was at Southampton central and I missed my connection to Weymouth. So I went to platform 4 to get an XC 220/221 to Bournemouth but not on an XC valid ticket. So I took the chance and I made it, after explaining my situation to the guard. I got to Bournemouth and caught up with my missed train
I needed to know why don’t dig a tunnel and do an extension for the main line Train so that they could extend the unused abandoned underground stations. Why couldn’t they use the part D78 Stock train doors on the sides and also restructure the front face of the A60 and A62 stock and that includes the class 313, class 314 and class 315 remix and make them all together and also redesign them an overhead line and also make them into Five cars per units and also having three Disabled Toilets on those Five cars per units A60 and A62 stock trains and also convert the A60 and A62 stock trains into a Scania N112, Volvo TD102KF, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXB, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Engines and also put the Loud 7-Speed Voith Gearboxes even Loud 8-Speed Leyland Hydra cyclic Gearboxes in the A60 and A62 stock, class 313, class 314, and class 315 and also modernise the A60 and A62 stock and make it into an 11 car per unit so it could have fewer doors, more tables, computers and mobile phone chargers. A Stock Train and 8 Disabled Toilets on those A stock trains. why couldn’t we refurbish and modernise the waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel and make it bigger and extend it to the bank station, making it into a Triple-Track Railway Line so those 4 European countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden to convert the waterloo and city line Triple-Track Train tunnel into a High-Speed train? The Third Euro tunnel Triple-Track Train line to make it 11 times better for passengers so they could go from A to B. then put the modernised 11 car per unit A Stock and put them on a bigger modernised waterloo and city line Triple-Track train tunnel so it could go to bank station to those 4 European countries such as Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. The modernised refurbished 11 cars per unit A stock could be a High Speed The Third Triple-Track Euro Tunnel Train So it is promising and 37 times a lot more possible to do this kind of project that is OK for London Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden. oh by the way, could they also tunnel the Triple-Track Railway Line so it will stop from Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex so that the Passengers will go to Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden and also extend the Triple-Track Railway Line from Bank to Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex Stations so that more people from there could go to Germany, Italy, Poland And Sweden Easily. Why couldn't they extend the Piccadilly line and also build brand-new underground train stations so it could go even further right up to Clapton, Wood Street and also make another brand new tunnel train stations in Chingford could they extend the DLR? All of the classes 150, 155, 154, 117, 114, 105, and 106, will be replaced by all of the Scania N112, Volvo TD102KF, Volvo B10M, Gardner 6LXB, Gardner 6LXC and Gardner 8LXB Diesel Five carriages three disabled toilets are air conditioning trains including Highams Park for extended roots which is the Piccadilly line and the DLR trains. Could you also convert all of the 1973 stock trains into an air-conditioned maximum speed 78 km/hours (48 MPH) re-refurbished and make it into a 8 cars per unit if that will be alright, and also extend all of the Piccadilly train stations to make more space for all of the extended 8 car per unit 1973 stock air condition trains and can you also build another Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive Companies and they can order Every 17 Octagon and Hexagon shape LNER diagram unique small no.13 and unique small no.11 Boilers from those Countries such as Greece, Italy, Poland, and Sweden, can they make Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive speeds by up to 117MPH so you can try and test it on the Original Mainline so it will be much more safer for the Passengers to enjoy the 117MPH speed Limit only for HS2 and Channel Tunnel mainline services, if they needed 16 Carriages Per units can they use those class 55’s, class 44’s, class 40’s and class 43HST Diesel Locomotive’s right at the Back of those 18 Carriages Per Units so they can take over at the Back to let those Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s have a rest for those interesting Journeys Please!!!!, oh can you make all of those Coal Boxes’s 16 Tonnes for all of the 117MPH Mayflower and Tornado Steam Locomotive’s so the Companies will Understand us PASSENGER’S!!! so please make sure that the Builders can do as they are Told!! And please do something about these critical Professional ideas Please Prime Minister of England, the Prime Minister of Sweden, the Prime Minister of Germany, the Prime Minister of Italy, the Prime Minister of Poland and that Includes the Mayor of London.
Not very impressive. The trouble with Cross Country is that they suffer from lack of competition. To get from Aberdeen to Penzance is not easy and Cross Country provide exactly that service. The poor refreshment offered in first class is pathetic as is the exorbitant price - after the railcard.But if you want to go any other way it might cost you less but you have to make 2 changes.
Hi Dylan, you may have not realised but where you stood looking down onto the Grand Central concourse, is exactly the spot Tom Cruise waved to onlookers when taking a break from making a film, about two years ago.
Couldn’t agree more about the catering and fares on Cross Country, catering is very poor and first class fares are an arm and a leg. Also very few stop at Chesterfield these days as well.
I had a not so great service last year in august with crosscountry - on time when i got on at brockenhurst, absolutely fine. The rails were loose I think due to the really bad heat so it got delayed by two hours. Obviously no fault of theirs, just happens but it took nearly 5 hours to get to bham n street. The refunds were also all over the place and only got some money back. Boiling on the train too, conductor was pleasant enough. Still ran all the way to manchester piccadilly which sort of shocked me though
That was a great review, thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for the tour of New Street Station! I have to agree with you, this was not very good value for what you paid.
When travelling home from York to Berwick in the evening always try to use the 1832 XC HST. Gave up using Virgin, then LNER some years ago due to poor service. LNER service from King's Cross may be ok but north of York in the evening is abysmal/non existent. Too many crews think 'finish at Newcastle means pack up at York' spending the rest of the journey doing nothing!
Anything has to be better than Manchester Piccadilly, that I hate with a passion, especially platforms 13 & 14 - I’ve very rarely got a nearer platform to depart to Chester on either Northern Rail or TfW services - and this is even more important when connecting from Manchester Metrolink Trams - frankly, I try to go from Manchester Victoria to Chester as far as possible, as the connections are so much easier, plus if travelling onto Holyhead on SailRail for the ferries to Dublin, one has a bit more comfort when changing trains, in terms of longer transfer time at Chester
They were certainly whisper quiet and smooth in their heyday. Bogies getting old. Power cars would be a better description, as they are not really locomotives. At least it looked a bit more civilised in First.
I work at a station XC call at and the number of times I have had customers I am helping onto First Class say, I only bought First Class cus of how busy these trains are is astonishing. XC are getting people into First Class cus of how busy their services are and they are only "busy" because they run in general very short 4/5 car Voyagers half the time where I am. So to me they really need to improve their service in general, not just in First Class. But glad you agree it wasn't really worth it.
I always use paper tickets and never have to panic about my phone being charged, nor waste electricity to do so! They slip into my shirt pocket very easily!
Hi Dylan! Honest review but try the run from Man Piccadilly to Southampton. Seats comfy and a tad better than Standard. On board catering abysmal - Orange drink, biscuits, crisps and a couple of the most revolting sandwiches ever (ate only one) on a 4 hour journey and all for a discounted £156! Came back standard for less than half with decent choice of butties and wine for just over £10 although these were not top quality. Next time will travel standard and buy my food at M&S at Piccadilly. One learns by experience! I do feel however that as so many First Class passengers travel free on their firm their expectation is low compared with we who pay. For the extra I paid (about £80) I expect the better seat (say £30) and the other £50 for top class catering - say a high quality main with a choice of starter or sweet with beer or wine. Perhaps Cross country need to see what is offered by the competition (West Coast Manchester - Euston) and considerably up their game?
Had the train been on time I would think £58 is not an unreasonable price for first class, considering a walk up, off-peak standard fare from BHM to LDS is £70. I do think first is highly over-priced and over-rated, particularly on short journeys of less than an hour or so. I would only consider it if I could get a good advance deal on one of the longer route operators, who offered a sit down meal and lounge use in with the price.
First Class travel with Cross-Country has never been cheap on its central core routes between major cities which are used by business people whose firms have paid for their tickets! When Virgin Trains took over the CrossCountry franchise in 1997 they at least made an effort to provide a reasonable complimentary food and drink offer, but - like the other long distance operators (GNER and MML) which excelled in customer service - they lost the franchise ten years later. Since Arriva took over the catering offer has been reduced to a cup of tea or coffee and a packet of biscuits. Apparently the number of CrossCountry diagrams operated by 2+7 HST's will soon be increased. It just goes to show how good British Rail's iconic IC125, first introduced to squadron service in 1976, actually was and is. Long may they continue to operate on our national railway network!
I love when train stations like Birmingham New Street are located smack dab in the middle of town with plenty of shops and pedestrian traffic. That convenience is a rare exception in anti-passenger rail USA.
Tbh, it’s a rare exception in many British cities, some are fairly central but quite a few were kept out by landowners. The worst I’ve visited is, Chester, which as I recall requires a further bus journey to get from the station into the city. Derby, on this route, is a few minutes brisk walk to get into the town.
@@johnd6487 Amtrak stops at Maricopa, Arizona (pop: 50,000) but not Phoenix (pop: 1.658 million) which is 35 miles (56 km) away but does not even offer a bus connection.
The last few weekends, all XC trains to/from birmingham were diverting via lichfield but this is unlikely the case as on the boards there was trains to nottingham, which during the diversions were terminating at Coleshills parkway. pre-covid google maps used to show the trains going via lichfield if they were nonstop from derby to birmingham.
I used Cross-country from Bodmin to Alnmouth and back, first class. Never, ever again. Late, slow, sloppy service, indifferent staff. Reassuringly expensive, though.
A month on! I’m on it after a week - GWR generally takes 10 days. As trains find it hard to arrive on time tempted to go first cos I know will get a delay reduction refund
Enjoyed the report and the special liveried locomotive. Slight geekery in that your route map showed you passing through Lichfield, rather than the usual route of Tamworth. Was the service diverted on that occasion?
its not like the old days now ! best you take grub with you in a holdall,trains are overcrowded because the country is now too full.if you want a decent train ride go on the East Lancs railway.
Scandalous prices for a single ticket booked two months in advance, very poor catering too - I thought first class would have offered a decent amount if food and drink, unlimited within reason
Shocking. No wonder first class was nearly empty. LNER offer a far superior first class package, what are CC playing at? We recently traveled from Edinburgh to Penzance, deliberately avoiding CC by taking LNER to KX and Great Western to Penzance. Amazingly via London was cheaper than direct with CC.
Having taken the bournemouth to Manchester route many times, and in first class a few times, I'm disappointed that its catering is still as bad, if not worse
Considering that you often say a few words about places that the trains pass through, and that you included a shot showing Chesterfield's famous crooked spire, I'm surpised you didn't mention it.
