FGW 1st Class - ongoing discussion of the benefits and their apparent reduction

[whole diary]

[Mookiemoo]

Ok, I think we've long established that what you got from FGW^▸ (First Great Western) was paltry when compared with the other major inter city operators.  However, in my first day back after a five month hiatus I was shocked to discover:

1. They've removed all the cans from the free offerings on the trolley - for someone who does not really ike hot drinks, the removal of the coke, orangina and R Whites means I have - lets see, water - oh and orange juice.

2. They have stopped Friday wine (according to the host when I replied to discovering the above "next you'll be telling me they stopped the free wine on friday")

So just as the rices go up, they remove what little perks we got.  Nice move FGW.  Real nice.

[John R]

Yes, it's pretty pathetic now. 

[dog box]

what about the cranberry juice!!!

[Btline]

Bad move. Virgin seem to manage to serve free meals to First passengers.

[Mookiemoo]

Bad move. Virgin seem to manage to serve free meals to First passengers.

Exactly

in slough at the moment but I know next time Im in London, Virgin will be pretty attractive, even despite the crappy LM^▸ (London Midland - recent franchise) service from kiddie - better service but roughly ame price seasons!

[inspector_blakey]

It's a long time since I've seen the relevant statistics, but I believe that in terms of fare rises since privatization and price per mile, Virgin first class fares are rather more expensive than FGW^▸ (First Great Western) (the proverbial free lunch, as ever, doesn't really exist...)

[Mookiemoo]

It's a long time since I've seen the relevant statistics, but I believe that in terms of fare rises since privatization and price per mile, Virgin first class fares are rather more expensive than FGW^▸ (First Great Western) (the proverbial free lunch, as ever, doesn't really exist...)

Walk on are significantly more expensive however:

WOS^» (Worcester Shrub Hill - next trains)-PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) 1st class season = 1316.00 via Evesham or 1523.80 via Cheltenham

BHM - EUS 1st class season = 1215.40

[Btline]

And Virgin do First Advance.

Kidderminster to Euston 1st Advance single is only about ^20* with a railcard (even ^30 without is a damn good deal). Obviously not a peak times, but FGW^▸ (First Great Western) don't do any such fares!

I have decided to take advantage of the deal and will try my second first class trip on Virgin at some point in the future!

*Footnote, at ^5.50, the Standard Class Advance single is criminally cheap! (^3.70 with railcard!! )

[Mookiemoo]

It's been nearly a fortnight now, why has this thread taken so long to kick off... 

Because I think I'm the only muppet who does daily long commutes first class and I've been away for five months!

Generallym, you complain about first class, you often (not always but often) get told to lump it, every one else just wants to be able to sit down

Complaining about no diet coke on the trolley often requires a thick skin

[thetrout]

I still can't get over the fact that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) shut the First Class Lounge at Bristol

I must admit for someone who doesn't drink alcohol, the Friday Night Wine doesn't really bother me. Although the soft drinks removal is unfair. They have them with Orange Juice, Blackcurrent Juice and Cranberry Juice. But that is assuming everybody likes fruit juice.

I do like the new biscuits, shortbread that you can dunk in a cup of tea  So Good...

I'm starting to liken the offerings of XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) over FGW now. With XC you can get a breakfast bap or sandwich, biscuits, pretzels, yogurts and Tea, Coffee, OJ, (Diet) Coke, Lemonade and Water!

Even better is the rather fantasic Wrexham & Shropshire. Complimentary Meal served at seat, on proper crockery, metal knives and forks, and a china cup of hot drinks

London Midland don't offer any complimentary items, but I found the catering prices on my Liverpool - Birmingham N S trip were quite reasonable, ^1 for a cup of tea

[Mookiemoo]

I must admit for someone who doesn't drink alcohol, the Friday Night Wine doesn't really bother me. Although the soft drinks removal is unfair. They have them with Orange Juice, Blackcurrent Juice and Cranberry Juice. But that is assuming everybody likes fruit juice.

Off the record - the TM^‡(resolve) tonight alluded as to why - they are trying to stop people taking the trolley items away with them - fruit juice you cant take to drink later.

I spent ^15 in the buffet (as I do most nights) and took two sparkling waters for consumption later - in a friendly way it was pointed out that this was why the cans were stopped - which to my mind is pettry - just do what virgin do - open them as you hand them to the passenger and claim it is service

The friday night wine is not a major issue but it sums up that they dont really do first class

The problem with the juices, is that if one is on a diet, consumption of fruit juice for 5.0 hours a day is not a good idea which really does limit you to .......... water - yeugh - hot drinks

[super tm]

I still can't get over the fact that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) shut the First Class Lounge at Bristol

The lounge was very little used.  Less than 50 people a day.  Most FGW 1st class passengers going to London have a train waiting in platfroms 13 15 for most of the day.  You could say there is more of a need to have a lounge at Bath.

[Phil]

To be accurate, its OJ, Apple and Blackberry or Cranberry Juice ( although quite why there is an expectation for 1st class passengers to have cystitis I don't know!  ), or fizzy or flat water.

To be fair, there's no "or" about it - you are still allowed combinations, so for instance instead of Orangina you can "make your own" with Orange Juice and fizzy water (as indeed I did yesterday).

[thetrout]

The lounge was very little used.  Less than 50 people a day.  Most FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 1st class passengers going to London have a train waiting in platfroms 13 15 for most of the day.  You could say there is more of a need to have a lounge at Bath.

That was the problem with the Lounge, and not many passengers knew it was there, and even less so knew that SWT^▸ (South West Trains) & XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) passengers were permitted access into the Lounge. Provided it said 1ST on the ticket, you were welcome...!

Having the Lounge at Bath would make sense, but finding somewhere to put it would be the issue. I can think of a few places, but all of which would cause somebody to moan:

Converting the Pumpkin coffee shop on Platform 1 to a FC^‡(resolve) Lounge...? No - Pumpkin wouldn't like that!

What about the Customer Lounge on Platform 1? No - Passengers would complain about having to wait in the cold!

Customer Lounge on Platform 2? No - Same reasons as above, and you can only access the toilets through the Lounge!

Disabled Toilet on Platform 2? No - Station Staff use this, It would be too small and wouldn't be fair to Disabled Passengers to make them go all the way over to P1 Just to use the loo!

I'm beginning to wish they'd roll out WiFi on the trains, even if it was a BTOpenZone service or The Cloud, I wouldn't mind...! I have accounts with the former and latter

[broadgage]

Bad move. Virgin seem to manage to serve free meals to First passengers.

Indeed, and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) wont even serve PAID FOR meals on most trains to First class, now only two restaurants a day!
And no, IMHO^▸ (in my humble opinion),  a toasted sandwich from the travelling chef is not a proper meal.