No we are on the train not photographing it from a level crossing. Thankyou Brufsup. Today we hope to experience the full range of NE's extensive reportoire. Today is a Railtrack dig up the lines week end so we are bussing from Newcastle to Berwick. And as it is a weekend for NE as well as RT the buffet car is any inconvenience regretted. We (cheapie) First Class passengers-strangely few given how cheap it is to get an 'at seat service' But I suspect it is identical to the cold fare being ladled out to the Plebs in Coaches J to A minus (Please Sir I want no more)
In First Class it is served with style and Airline banned metal cutelry
A Geordie lass with a nice smile and a pleasant manner.

Makes up for the food,

A bit

In the meanwhile we are stopping at every possible station.

LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO THE EARLY EVENING


(Eugenie O'Neil has gone by plane)

Labels: First Class, Geordie, National Express

  ¶ 12:49 PM (0) comments

 
NOT FIRST CLASS ENOUGH

Or as the Berwickshire put it in Tomorrow's Paper:

First Class Ticket Second Class Service

is about a couple going to York on a discounted First Class ticket and then being turned away from the First Class lounge on Berwick Station-wrong type of ticket in hand. National Express had the answer:


The supervisor explained this was standard procedure although Lynda, her sister and the other two ticket holders hadn't been told of this rule at any time prior to that day.
"We went assuming we'd get into the lounge and had absolutely no problems getting into the first class carriage on the train or at any other point on our journey."
Commenting on the issue, National Express East Coast spokesman John Gelson said: "Our First Class lounges are a popular facility and to ensure space is available, especially at busy locations such as London King's Cross, our policy is that access is available to holders of full open First Class tickets.
"Our advance purchase discount tickets are an increasingly popular way for customers to try out our First Class service on the trains, but unfortunately we don't have space to accommodate everyone and so we offer the lounge service only to full fare ticket holders and not to those holding discounted advance tickets.
"We publicise this both at the point of booking, which for most advance ticket customers is via our website, and at the lounges."

I was once told by a Station Person (Deputy Assistant Acting Platform Team Manager)that the Berwick First Class lounge is rarely used-months with a K in them- so this seems rather mean. And the only way you can read the notice saying you can't use the lounge, is in the lounge, which you can't go into.

The plans for the soon to be reopened Reston Station includes a First Class lounge, open to all and a standard one, not open to First Class Ticket holders, but will be to those holding discounted First Class tickets. Except on week days.Or Bank holidays.

Social justice at last

The image is a mock up of Reston's proposed First Class Lounge

Labels: Berwick Station, First Class, National Express, Reston Station

  ¶ 9:26 PM (0) comments