TfGM Wayfarer purchase outside area of validity

[jammiedodger80]

I'm after a bit of advice about the above.

I've tried to buy the TfGM wayfarer from a Northern Rail station outside the validity area, combined with a return ticket to a station that's in the Wayfarer area.

The chap in the ticket office was unable to sell the wayfarer, as he was under the impression you can only buy it in the wayfarer area.

He showed me the screen from his ticket machine
, which when typing "Manchester W" in, it didn't come up with any matches.

Is there something else that can be typed into the computer to bring up ticket? A ticket code?

Thanks in advance

 

[Merseysider]

I'm after a bit of advice about the above.

I've tried to buy the TfGM wayfarer from a Northern Rail station outside the validity area, combined with a return ticket to a station that's in the Wayfarer area.

The chap in the ticket office was unable to sell the wayfarer, as he was under the impression you can only buy it in the wayfarer area.

He showed me the screen from his ticket machine
, which when typing "Manchester W" in, it didn't come up with any matches.

Is there something else that can be typed into the computer to bring up ticket? A ticket code?

Thanks in advance

Entering either K815 when prompted, or searching for "GM WAYFARER" will yield the ticket you want.
Edit: out of interest, which station did you try and buy at?

 

[jammiedodger80]

Entering either K815 when prompted, or searching for "GM WAYFARER" will yield the ticket you want.

That's great, thanks. I ended up having to change to a later train this time around, but will ask for that next time.

Do you know if it's policy to disallow these sales outside the area, or is it more of a training issue?

 

[Merseysider]

That's great, thanks. I ended up having to change to a later train this time around, but will ask for that next time.

Do you know if it's policy to disallow these sales outside the area, or is it more of a training issue?

In 95% of cases, I'd say it's a training issue - staff haven't been taught how to issue the product in question and some may never have sold it before. The other 5% of cases, well let's not go there.

 

[northwichcat]

Wayfarers are also available at PayPal points but again outside their validity area I wouldn't expect staff to be sure what to enter in to the machines. (I even doubt the staff at my local BP garage within the area would be able to handle it.)

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Entering either K815 when prompted, or searching for "GM WAYFARER" will yield the ticket you want....

On Northern's STAR machines the TfGM Wayfarer is in the 'Rovers and Rangers' section under "GM Wayfarer", "GM Concessionary Wayfarer" or "GM Group Wayfarer" as appropriate.

That's great, thanks. I ended up having to change to a later train this time around, but will ask for that next time.

Do you know if it's policy to disallow these sales outside the area, or is it more of a training issue?

Before July last year they were only available at GM area stations because they were of the 'scratchcard' style. A brief was sent out explaining that from that date it would be available in station ticket machines and Advantix (for on-train sale).

I would not be at all surprised if stations that do not usually sell them are not aware that they can, and probably just because they haven't sold them, rather than with any malicious intent.

 

[bb21]

I don't think it has anything to do with staff training. Some tickets are hard to find and this one will go into that category, if one is not familiar with it.

 

[30907]

Wayfarers are also available at PayPal points but again outside their validity area I wouldn't expect staff to be sure what to enter in to the machines. (I even doubt the staff at my local BP garage within the area would be able to handle it.)

My local convenience store (well outside GM) were able to find it on their system when I told them what to look for from a previous thread (about a year ago). I didn't subsequently buy one as I discovered a cheaper option.

 

[syorksdeano]

So out of curiosity (and the fact I'm travelling to Manchester next week) ....can these tickets be purchased from Sheffield?

 

[bb21]

Yes. Take a note on the code or wording on the ticket as mentioned above.

 

[razor89]

I don't think it has anything to do with staff training. Some tickets are hard to find and this one will go into that category, if one is not familiar with it.

Better software would pretty much eliminate this problem. All it would take is each ticket having "tags" associated with them, for example had the above ticket had "Manchester" as a search tag then the clerk would have found it straight away.

 

[Rail Ranger]

I'm fairly sure that at Paypoints you have to ask for a "TfGM Wayfarer".

 

[northwichcat]

My local convenience store (well outside GM) were able to find it on their system when I told them what to look for from a previous thread (about a year ago). I didn't subsequently buy one as I discovered a cheaper option.

The petrol station I was talking about is outside Greater Manchester but within the Wayfarer zone (which includes parts of Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, East Lancashire and a bit of West Yorks) but the staff are a bit clueless.

 

[bb21]

Better software would pretty much eliminate this problem. All it would take is each ticket having "tags" associated with them, for example had the above ticket had "Manchester" as a search tag then the clerk would have found it straight away.

Yes, that would certainly be a solution.

Alternatively have more consistent ticket names rather than the random mess we have at the moment in some cases.

 

[Starmill]

Try asking for a Coast and Peaks Rover! If they'd never done one before, the clerk would presumably be required to be psychic and now that the abbreviation is 'CST PKS'!

Another awful one is 'HOWCIRC DAY RGR'