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Eats Coast Mainline

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    Eats Coast Mainline

    Im Headed up to "the toon" from "the smoke" for a stag next month. Looking to book the train (man its expensive - 134 quid weekend return in pleb class).

    Anyway, I remember someone once telling me that you can book a standard class ticket and then go sit in the dinning car as long as you have a meal. That would suit us just fine if its true.

    Anyone with any experince of this? Is it still a goer? I've looked on the nationalexpress website but I cant see an option for booking dinner when buying a ticket. Is it just a case of first come first served when you get on the train, or can I reserve a slot in the dinning car ahead of time?

    Cheers muchly!
    The Mods stole my post count!

    #2
    Originally posted by Pickle2 View Post
    Eats Coast Mainline
    I see what you did there

    Al

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      #3
      Originally posted by alser20 View Post
      I see what you did there
      Al
      Thanks - you can 'ave that one.
      The Mods stole my post count!

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        #4
        Serious question, have you checked what the cost would be from a London airport to Newcastle?

        Living in Yorkshire I tend to drive if I have meetings in London as the trains are so damn silly expensive, but Newcastle is a damn long way from London unless you're used to long haul drives and have a suitable car for cruising all the way up the A1.

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          #5
          I used to do that on the early morning Leeds to London train - second class ticket, then breakfast in the dining car. You got chucked out for the second sitting, but it wasn't a bad do.

          If travelling on a Saturday, at the beginning of the journey or even before you had set off, they used to come around second class offering an upgrade for a couple of quid or so.
          Behold the warranty -- the bold print giveth and the fine print taketh away.

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            #6
            I used to get the ferry from Ijmuiden to Newcastle when working there
            Brexit is having a wee in the middle of the room at a house party because nobody is talking to you, and then complaining about the smell.

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              #7
              They used to do "weekend first" where you upgrade to 1st for £10 (each way).

              I wouldn't get a plane to Newcastle - all that hanging around in airports - no thanks.

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                #8
                Originally posted by Platypus View Post
                They used to do "weekend first" where you upgrade to 1st for £10 (each way).

                I wouldn't get a plane to Newcastle - all that hanging around in airports - no thanks.
                Well there's no customs or immigration to deal with, when they're out of the picture there's very little hanging around if the flights are on time.

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                  #9
                  Thanks so far.

                  OK, I probably should of said im traveling 5pm friday (the weekend return is fri to sunday). There is 4 of us, so getting an earlier train wasnt an option because of work commitments (not mine I shoudl add ).

                  Flights are about the same price (I checked) and given we all work near to kings cross not really worth the hassle of getting to / from airports. The 2.5 to 3 hours journey time by train is just in the sweet spot. Any longer and flying would probably win.

                  At 5pm on friday there will be no cheap upgrade options (although we WILL do that comming back on sunday - so thanks).

                  So is the dinning car bookable up front, or do I just go and sit in there and hope there are spaces when the train leaves?
                  The Mods stole my post count!

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                    #10
                    Michael Caine as Jack Carter in Get Carter (1971) travelled up to Newcastle on the train. It was the start of the film and he was in the dining carriage and he ate some soup.

                    HTH
                    Cats are evil.

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