'Business Class' on Chiltern???

This week's Rail magazine fuels the rumours that Chiltern is going to introduce First Class in all but name when its revamped Birmingham to London Mainline timetable starts; it seems to be an open secret that Mk3 loco-hauled stock has been earmarked for certain trains (the draft timetable 168 headings relate only to the timings for train planning purposes).

Some would argue that Chiltern already offer a 'first-class' service on their Clubman trains when fares are used to assess the comparative value of the offering, but, of course, Chiltern actually do run first-class carriages (declassified) already: the 0546 Monday to Friday from Moor Street and the 1630 return working from Marylebone.

I have blogged twice - first in praise and subsequently in disappointment - about the 1630 service but only today have I had the opportunity to try out the 0546.

I arrived in reasonable time to find the Moor Street ticket office closed, the departure screen showing Platform 4 for the service, and the train idling in Platform 3... No platform staff around but plenty of activity on board the train: ex-W&S staff in their smart uniform, Chiltern on-board staff, and AMT staff!

The declassified First Class carriage was virtually empty so no problem getting a table seat. Wi-Fi seemed to be working ok, the tables were tidy, and the toilet clean - so a better first impression of the state of the train. Departure was on time, and it soon became clear about the activity: AMT were using the service to trial run their proposed take-over of the catering service on Chiltern trains...

So, passengers had the interesting experience of an at-seat service between Birmingham and Banbury courtesy of a very friendly Chiltern catering stewardess followed by an equally friendly AMT member of staff offering an at-seat service from Banbury to London! So the tea was AMT branded but the bacon roll was Chiltern...

Passenger numbers picked up as the train progressed south so that on leaving Bicester it was virtually full. Pity the timing is so slack: 2 hours 6 minutes needs improving if it is to compete properly with Virgin even if the walk-on single fare is only £39.40 (see my earlier blog post on Chiltern peak fares ...). Revenue protection was strangely absent until after Leamington which suggests that Chiltern are catching the Virgin disease in this respect - even stranger when one considers the number of staff actually on board the service!

Overall, a better value service than the speedier Virgin eqivalent in terms of comfort and fare (£74.50 is the walk-on fare for the 6.30 departure from New Street) but Virgin do give you an extra half-an-hour in bed!