When Arriva took over CrossCountry from Virgin, managing director Andy Cooper promised me a “radical change” in the way the trains ran.

I travelled to Bournemouth and back…..and didn’t notice much of a change. The Voyagers are still cramped - no wi fi - and the catering, frankly, is poor.

On the way down, I had the weekend treatment which I remember complaining about to Virgin. First class passengers have to take their tickets to the buffet..sorry, shop…to be told , embarassingly, what free things you can have…in this case a cup of coffee and a biscuit!

On the way back on Monday, it was supposed to be an at seat service. A girl came round with a trolley as we pulled out of Reading and asked me if I wanted a drink. I asked for Earl Grey tea - which was on the menu - and she offered the gammon pie which was on the menu.

She returned with the pie, which was small but, I admit, delicious but no tea. She returned with her trolley an hour and a half later asking if I wanted another drink. I reminded her that I had had the first yet. If she was sorry for forgetting me, she didn’t show it but went off to get me a cup.

Meanwhile, the “shop” remained closed until Birmingham because nobody new were the catering staff were.