FGW to "refresh" First Class

[whole diary]

[EBrown]

Very short on details, but ABTN

First Great Western is to revamp its first class train service from this summer.

The train operator, which runs services to the west country and Wales, said it wanted to ^refresh^ its onboard service.

Managing director Mark Hopwood told ABTN that the company was looking at improving the quality of first class as it tried to stress its value to both corporates and public sector clients.

^We want to try to provide a more consistent service,^ he said. ^We want a step up in terms of the quality of ingredients in food and drink as well as the quality of service.^

First Great Western was exhibiting at the Business Travel Show in London for the consecutive year as a supplier with its own stand.

Hopwood said details of the new first class service would be revealed later in the year with planned implementation in July.

^First class is something special ^ something that people aspire to use and offers value for money. It^s time to look at refreshing the offer.^

He added that the changes will not affect the first class carriages which were refurbished three years ago.

Hopwood admitted that business had been affected by the squeeze on the public sector particularly to cities such as Bristol and Cardiff which have high proportions of state sector workers.

^In the public sector there is now this ^hair shirt^ mentality ^ it^s much more of an issue in the public sector for us, although a lot of large corporations have also tightened up their travel policies. This has hurt us as much as anybody else.^

Jo on twitter added:

It's true

[JayMac]

Anyone would think there was a franchise renewal in the offing..... 

[Btline]

They definately need to. InterCity TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) like Virgin and East Coast have stormed ahead in their level of service.

Hopefully this will mean a complementary at seat service on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) a la Virgin/East Coast, and freebies from the trolley on Thames Turbos.

[ChrisB]

Hopefully this will mean a complementary at seat service on HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) a la Virgin/East Coast, and freebies from the trolley on Thames Turbos.

This already is the case - what I think you meant to say was that "an improved level of"

[broadgage]

The most recent changes to the drinks offering have been a downgrade, not an improvement !
As disscussed elswhere on these forums, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have ceased stocking* miniature bottles of spirits and now only offer a very limited range of ready mixed tins.
Not exactly an improvement.

I would not expect alcoholic drink to be complementary, but would expect a reasonable selection served at the seat in First Class (and available from the buffet in steerage)

*the miniatures are still available on the four daily Pullmans, but not on other services.

EDIT the above was true when I wrote it, but miniatures of gin, at least have been reintroduced, details in the thread on catering

[bobm]

I hope they keep the best of what they already have and add to it, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.  Travelling Chef, where available, is excellent and served at seat in First Class.  The other offerings on the trolley are good and don't appear to be rationed as seems to be the case on other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company).  Although not refurbishing the actual coaches it might be time to move the quiet coach from G to H.  Would make more sense as it would cut down the number of people who wander through G looking for the buffet when there isn' a trolley service or they'd rather not wait for it.

[ChrisB]

The most recent changes to the drinks offering have been a downgrade, not an improvement !

Very short on details, but ABTN

First Great Western is to revamp its first class train service from this summer.

So - to come, not yet happened....

[ChrisB]

Although not refurbishing the actual coaches it might be time to move the quiet coach from G to H. 

Hmmm - not sure about that. Means queuing plebs waiting to alight at PAD^» (Paddington (London) - next trains) from roughly Slough on the up trains....

[broadgage]

Perhaps the end coach, H could be designated the silent one, AND "queueing plebs" be prohibited from entering First.

How about a free glass of wine in First on Fridays ?

[ChrisB]

That used to happen - has it been stopped?

[Btline]

I think the Friday Wine club was axed.

Don't EC hire someone to stand at the dividers, and stop people queuing in 1st?

[thetrout]

About time too!

Friday Night Wine Club has long since gone.

Virgin West Coast do offer complimentary Wine onboard trains any evening of the week except Weekends I believe. Any other alcoholic beverage is paid for however.

I think FGW^▸ (First Great Western) should follow what VWC and EC do in terms of complimentaries. I think a meal would be nice onboard if they're going to charge ^100 for an Off-Peak First Class Return from Bath Spa/Westbury Corridor! (Includes Railcard Discount).

I think if you're paying that sort of money, I would expect a little bit more than a coffee served to me in a paper cup and a small pack of biscuits. WiFi should be added too! The other 2 main InterCity operators did this ages ago. Greater Anglia and NXEA^▸ (National Express East Anglia) before them have it. CrossCountry* and c2c** do too! The 3G signal on the Bristol Temple Meads to Paddington line for 3G Coverage is useless; particularly between Bristol and Chippenham because of the amount of tunnels! If FGW were prepared to put their hand in their pocket. You could sort this by having line side beacons the onboard equipment can connect to. Sounds ludicrous but is possible!

East Coast/West Coast will serve drinks in real Glasses/China Cups, Serve really good quality food and have WiFi. One other thing which is a BIG winner for me. They use REAL milk in their hot drinks!

To be honest, I would come back to FGW when travelling to London if these improved offerings in First Class were something worth paying for, and they transformed into similar or better than VWC / EC.

At the moment this is one (But not the main) reason why I use SWT^▸ (South West Trains) into Waterloo. The main reason is Waterloo is much easier to change onto the c2c or Greater Anglia lines (Both accessible from the Jubilee line at West Ham & Stratford). If I go to Paddington I have to take the Circle Line right the way down to Tower Hill and it takes much longer and then I have to walk to Fenchurch Street (3 to 4 mins away if the back entrance is open). Jubilee from WAT takes me 12 - 15 minutes on a good day. Once you get to Basingstoke the 3G coverage to Waterloo is Excellent, get 4 - 5 out of 5 bars for more or less the whole journey. Works O.K. between Basingstoke and Salisbury but there are 2 or 3 places it can drop out.

Also with SWT First Class you don't get any freebie's, but a cup of Starbucks Instant Coffee is ^2.20 which is pricey, but i'd rather pay that than have the complimentary FGW stuff which tastes like dishwater sometimes! Plus I am very partial to a Starbucks... *Wonders if relex109 still has his ^3 voucher........... *

Also traveling to London Off-Peak with SWT to WAT costs me around ^40 First Class (Walk Up Price) and about half that for a day return! So even if I spend ^5 on the trolley in each direction, I've paid ^50, had a comfortable seat, been fed and watered and got to London 95% of the time; On Time or Early! Whereas if I pay ^100 to FGW, I get 1 journey (I can make 2 on SWT for that or bring Miss Trout Along) and more or less get the same as if I went on SWT, I just get a free small cup of coffee and the delights of being the wrong side of London!

But as I said, If it were worth paying for, and these improvements didn't majorly hike the prices, I would come back to FGW

* = Small number of trains only
** = Only one train, but it's free and is very very fast; Speed test of 8Mb Down/4Mb Up

I think the Friday Wine club was axed.

Correct

Don't EC hire someone to stand at the dividers, and stop people queuing in 1st?

Possibly, But my recent travelings with East Coast I would say no. But then I always sit closest the Buffet Car so it doesn't bother me. (Mods feel free to remove this extra bit if you think it's wise to do so). When I've been on East Coast, You'll get your ticket checked before Stevenage in First Class, however on the return journey... I have NEVER seen the TM^‡(resolve) after Stevenage and more often than not Peterborough!

[JayMac]

Virgin West Coast do offer complimentary Wine onboard trains any evening of the week except Weekends I believe. Any other alcoholic beverage is paid for however.

Complimentary alcohol is served in First Class on all Virgin weekday services except breakfast trains. Fairly generous with it as well in my experience. I've had two beers between Manchester and Stoke, and 4 G+Ts between London and Scotland.

East Coast also now offer complimentary alcohol in First Class. Haven't experience an East Coast First Class trip recently so can't comment on variety. Reports elsewhere are that they ca be a bit stingy. This is apparently true of the entire EC First Class comps.

[thetrout]

Depends who the staff member is on that one. Sometimes they'll let you have a couple of sandwiches if you're alighting at Stevenage. Whilst others will only serve you a brew and that's it.

In the First Class Lounge at KGX it's a "Help yourself" Buffet, although the selection isn't quite as good as EUS First Class Lounge.

I have to say though, The First Class Lounge at KGX is a most depressing place. It has a few swivel padded chairs, 4 work benches, WiFi that constantly breaks down and is only accessible via a Lift.

Which incidentally I may have irritated a member of staff at the lounge reception desk when I asked to use the stairs instead of the lift, and was told there were no stairs, my reply: "Well there must be, by law, as you cannot use lifts if there's a fire?!" The guy just looked at me... *Whistles innocently*

[Btline]

This already is the case - what I think you meant to say was that "an improved level of"

FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s level of service is shocking compared to VT^▸ (Virgin Trains - former franchises) or EC! FGW should introduce a proper at seat service. Why else would you pay the extortionate prices for 1st class? Are the leather seats really worth it? NO.