[Anonymous]

[Speedbird_ABZ]

I’m doing what I haven’t done before and planning a trip by First Class rail from Aberdeen to Manchester in a few weeks.
The options I keep getting are on Transpennine via Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Has anyone got any experience of their First service?
Is there any service? The fares are very cheap so I would imagine the seat is the only difference from Standard.

[ImissConcorde]

From the First Transpennine website …..

Holders of First Class tickets are entitled to complimentary tea/coffee/water and a biscuit on services where catering is provided.

Doesn’t sound very promising!!

[Luxembourger]

I’ve used them a few times. The best that can be said for them is that they’re OK, though to be fair the staff are always pleasant. The biggest problem is that the trains they run are essentially designed for suburban/outer suburban journies and are really not up to long distance travel.
I’ve always been offered a free (not very good) sandwich over and above the tea/coffee, though maybe they’ve cut costs since.
If you want more comfort, you’d be better off using a combination of East Coast and Virgin, but maybe the times will be less suitable for what you have in mind.
If you go via Glasgow, you’ll have to change stations (10 minutes’ walk).

[BigDog.]

With all due respect to BT, Speedbird if I need Rail information the first place I go is “The Man in Seat Sixty-One” – a veritable smorgasbord of rail info across the world.

http://www.seat61.com/

The fact that I can find very little on the Transpennine is bemusing

http://www.seat61.com/searchresults.htm?cx=partner-pub-8738112550531352%3A5262275264&cof=FORID%3A10&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=TRANSPENNINE&btnG=Go#.UaOEzMJwazc

or maybe worrisome, though seat plans are available. Good luck.

[NTarrant]

FTP are not too bad and would echo Luxembourger.

I would suggest that you aim for either something with ScotRail to either Edinburgh or Glasgow, then either East Coast/Cross Country to York or Virgin/Cross Country to Preston. From either York or Preston you will travel on FTP but the journey length will be shorter. If via Preston avoid the Northern journeys as there is no first class. There are some East Coast journeys that start from ABZ.

The man in Seat61 is very good for all things railway, except the UK.

Hope that helps

Edited to mention, avoid Cross Country if you can, colleagues say that it is not that good in first compared to EC or Virgin

[Shearer]

TPE are fine, the first class seats are quite comfy but you’ll get more on East Coast and Virgin. (Alcohol and meals included midweek, snacks and soft drinks included weekend).

[Bath_VIP]

Speedbird,

I had the same choice a couple of months ago travelling from Edinburgh to Liverpool. I chose Virgin in the end but you are right about the fares being a lot cheaper on TPE. I would say for that fare, if the seat is comfortable (as NIRScot says) and you can get a tea or coffee then it is worth giving it a go. It is the same choice for me from Bath to London, FGW into Paddington or a slower but cheaper Southwest into Waterloo. Both have their plus and minus points.

NTarrant, I have used XCountry extensively and for me there is little difference between them and East Coast / Virgin except that their fares are becoming ridiculously expensive. You can see a trip report for a XCountry trip on this thread.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/discussion/topic/Train-Review-Bath-to-Newcastle-(Return)#postn_87472

Speedbird, do add a trip review if you use TPE. BT have created a section for rail reviews in the forum.

[NTarrant]

Bath_VIP – I have a colleague who travels between Edinburgh and Newcastle every other week, he says that he avoids the XC because the service is not to the same standard as EC. I wonder if the full service on XC starts at Newcastle.

Speedbird – I agree with Bath_VIP do a trip review if you do use TPE.

[Shearer]

I did have a pic of First Class seats on TPE, however iPhoto is currently deleting my pics (for some reason)

So here’s one from Wikipedia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:185137_Scarborough_DMCO_First_Class.JPG

[Bath_VIP]

NTarrant,

You could be right. I remember when Virgin had the XCountry franchise that the service level was correlated with distance from Birmingham. XCountry might be doing the same. I’ve used them all the way from Newcastle to Plymouth and service levels appear to be similar throughout i.e. free teas & coffees, snacks and light meals.

[Speedbird_ABZ]

Thank you all.
I did have a look at The Man In Seat 61, but found it more useful for Continental rail Bigdog.
Cheapest journey is definitely East Coast Aberdeen to Edinburgh (I really like East Coast First), then TPE.
Because this is a leisure trip I really am being a Scrooge and £106 compared to £252 return on East Coast via York etc, is too much of a difference.
I did wonder about the TPE rolling stock as well having travelled from Manchester airport into town on their trains many times – they are not built for long-distance travel.
Oh well, seems like a comfier seat and a cup of tea will be my lot – I’ll get fed and watered on the East Coast sector and fill my bag with their goodies!

[Bath_VIP]

At £106 rtn, did you look into whether BMI Regional or FlyBE were competitive?

[Speedbird_ABZ]

I fly ABZ to MAN/BHX all the time so wanted this to be a bit different – Flybe were £180 return.
However, I’ve booked.
I didn’t think of this, but I’ve booked BA via LHR with 4500 Avios and return on TPE/Scotrail. Gives me a whole day in the office on the Friday as well.
Last time I used Avios ABZ/LHR/MAN I transferred T1 to T5 and got stuck at Immigration with no passport – well, it was a domestic to domestic!
Long story, but I discovered a problem at LHR where it isn’t possible to transfer domestic to domestic T1 to T5 and vv, without going through immigration!
Even LHR Ltd were baffled. I probably should have gone landside I suppose, but I did the right thing by following Flight Connections!
I’ll post a review on my TPE/Scotrail journey home in a few weeks.

[DontTurnRight]

First service is adequate at best, though it is a comparatively short journey. Trains tend to get very full over rush hour periods, so well worth booking a seat if you can.

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