Every music hall comedian worth his salt used to have a bundle of gags about the old British Rail catering, and the scorn in the old days was often richly deserved. It's amazing that the efforts put in by our main line operator GNER have changed the image so completely.

A trip to London these days is a great eating experience, whether it's a simple snack or the full works in the restaurant. One of my favourite ways to spend Friday afternoon is to get on the train at Durham or Darlington and have a long, leisurely lunch while someone else does the driving. By the time I reach King's Cross, including compulsory post prandial snooze, all is well with the world.

For several years, of course, GNER have used the brains of local guys Tom and Eugene McCoy to plan their menus, and these two really are at the top of the tree. More recently, they've added some expertise of the chefs at Harvey Nichols. What impresses me most is the clear desire to use the best of regional British produce, including proper beers. There's a fair bit of wit there, too, such as award-winning chef Peter Jordan's wonderful stottie bruschetta.

The new "Go Eat" programme has deservedly been shortlisted for a major award. The Mercury Award attracts fierce competition from big travel operators all over the world. It's usually first class cabins on airlines who receive the honours, and it's great to see that our own train operator is up there with the very best. GNER's Phil Bustard tells me that he's working hard with his team to present the case to a panel of 12 international judges in Frankfurt on January 8th. Then it's a tense wait until winners are announced on February 21st in Portugal. If there's any justice, there'll be prizes coming their way. Go to www.goeat.com to have a look at current menus.

By the way, if you book an off-peak return ticket on line at the moment, you can receive free wine - very much in the Christmas spirit. Prices are very competitive, including an off-peak First Class return to London at £59. Have a look at www.gner.co.uk

The question now, of course, is why can't motorway services provide something similar instead of the stewed overpriced rubbish which is too often the norm? I'll leave that for another day.

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Talking of festive treats, you can do your Christmas shopping in style this year courtesy of DFDS Seaways who have special offers on its City CruiseBreaks to Gothenburg in Sweden and Kristiansand in Norway.

Sailing direct from DFDS Seaways' dock at North Tyneside, passengers can make the most of a pre-Christmas break from just £89 per person. The City CruiseBreaks include two nights en-suite accommodation on board the ms Princess of Scandinavia, transfers and one night's bed and breakfast in a central hotel in Kristiansand or two nights in Gothenburg ideal for anyone wanting to hit the shops for unusual Christmas gifts.

For customers visiting Gothenburg there's the chance to sample even more of Scandinavia's festive delights with a free transfer to Liseberg, Scandinavia's biggest amusement park. Have a look at the article on my summer trip to Sweden for more information, or go direct to www.dfdsseaways.co.uk

While you're there, do take a look at a great new idea. Next summer you'll be able to travel to Amsterdam and link directly to a Royal Olympic Cruise taking you around the Baltic or the Norwegian fjords. I've always been a fan of setting off on holiday from the North East instead of trekking the length of the country first. This new scheme gives you direct transfers within the same terminal and cuts out all the hassle. By the way, if you book before the end of this month, you'll get a 15% discount on an already competitive price.

Published: 04/12/2002