They are indeed, and as per sarahj's post the new printers are considerably smaller than the old ones and sadly take less tickets.
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Avantix replacement (previously: Arriva ditch Avantix)
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They are indeed, and as per sarahj's post the new printers are considerably smaller than the old ones and sadly take less tickets.
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tsr
Established Member
The ticket loading (in general) is a bit worse, but the printers feel no more or less flimsy than the Avantix ones, in my opinion. As for the volume of tickets, how many you get through is very variable dependent on depots. On some conductor or OBS duties in Southern's "Metro" area, you could fill the hopper of an Avantix with 20 tickets and not use them up in 9 hours of checking.
I do think the error indications on the new credit card stock printers are much better than the worse-than-useless charade of guesswork you've had to do for years on an Avantix machine.
Why they are made of blue plastic, with no ergonomic features to fit them in your hand if need be, is anyone's guess...
CentralTrainer
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Was on an XC service at the weekend - where I observed a passenger attempt to use three separate cards (on both Chip & Pin and Contactless) to try to purchase a ticket.
Took 5 attempts to finally issue a ticket to the passenger thanks to signal issues. The look on the passenger's face when they were handed 3 foot of till roll instead of two credit card sized tickets was a picture.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Took 5 attempts to finally issue a ticket to the passenger thanks to signal issues. The look on the passenger's face when they were handed 3 foot of till roll instead of two credit card sized tickets was a picture.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
GWR are still using Avantix in my neck of the woods.
plymothian
Member
GWR Cardiff and Swansea depots are fully STARMobile, the Westcountry begin their training this week, with a view to introducing equipment in Devon within 5 weeks.
plymothian
Member
GWR's decision was for HSS staff to use CCST and unit staff to use receipt stock, whether that has actually happened in Wales I have no idea.
One thing to bear in mind that STARMobile ticket sellers CANNOT sell TfL inclusive tickets.
One thing to bear in mind that STARMobile ticket sellers CANNOT sell TfL inclusive tickets.
WelshBluebird
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Any idea what that means for station based staff that currently use Avantix? (thinking the excess fares desks at places like Bath Spa and Temple Meads, or the temporary peak only "ticket offices" at Oldfield Park and Keynsham).
theironroad
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I purchased a return ticket from an ATW guard on the train at Fishguard last week. I paid by card.
To say i was unimpressed is an understatement. The guard wasn't too impressed either and says that there have been issues when the tickets are used for cross London tube travel as some people are being refused by tube staff.
Rather than 2 neat credit card size tickets that fit well in the wallet i was presented with a long and wide paper trail. It reminded me of how the airlines used to issue paper tickets before airline eticketing came along.
A step backwards imo.
To say i was unimpressed is an understatement. The guard wasn't too impressed either and says that there have been issues when the tickets are used for cross London tube travel as some people are being refused by tube staff.
Rather than 2 neat credit card size tickets that fit well in the wallet i was presented with a long and wide paper trail. It reminded me of how the airlines used to issue paper tickets before airline eticketing came along.
A step backwards imo.
hairyhandedfool
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More specifically, any ticket with the cross London marker, which includes some destinations where you would not use the underground.
Blindtraveler
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And they call this progress?
It is unacceptable really, that someone may be inconvenienced and possibly would have to pay more to do the same journey from a station without any facilities, than someone boarding at a station with ticket issuing facilities.
How would it work if someone boarded at Pontypool and New Inn and wanted travel to a LU station? Would they be sold one to Paddington and then have to use a separate method for the underground, potentially costing more? Or could they go to the office at Newport or Paddington and ask for their ticket to be excessed to the relevant destination (on card stock with the magnetic strip?) It's a lot of faff for something that really shouldn't be that difficult.
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Also not a fan of having tickets needed for more than one journey issued on receipt paper. Has anyone had a weekly season ticket or a Rover on one of these? Must get awfully tatty.
How would it work if someone boarded at Pontypool and New Inn and wanted travel to a LU station? Would they be sold one to Paddington and then have to use a separate method for the underground, potentially costing more? Or could they go to the office at Newport or Paddington and ask for their ticket to be excessed to the relevant destination (on card stock with the magnetic strip?) It's a lot of faff for something that really shouldn't be that difficult.
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Also not a fan of having tickets needed for more than one journey issued on receipt paper. Has anyone had a weekly season ticket or a Rover on one of these? Must get awfully tatty.
theironroad
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Well the guard i spoke to seemed to imply they had been advised not to sell cross London tickets because of tube staff refusing access.
You're right it's totally unacceptable. Imagine arriving at pad and having positioned yourself close to the overbridge that gives easier access to the circle/Hammersmith lines, you then have to walk all the way back to the main ticket office to get excessed onto ticket stock that's actually usuable. I'd be very annoyed.
The rail delivery group need to get a grip on this issue and ensure that through ticketing on usable and compatible tickets are issued by all TOCs.
As an added point, when i changed trains at Cardiff central I arrived on platform 0 which seems to be outwith the barrier system. However the barrier gate i tried to use to access the platforms for the London train had a scanner attached to it and this very long ticket i had, had a qr barcode on it. I tried scanning it but it didn't work! I presented it manually to the gate staff who nodded me through after checking it.
Next they'll be introducing NCR ticketing........
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A bit odd as that's one ticket that will never go through a gate!
The paper seasons in particular are a huge pain. They don't fit in the photo card wallet and they consequently take forever to produce and check correctly. I object to being slowed down during my revenue checks by other TOCs picking the cheap 'n' nasty option - we are sticking to CCST and don't see why others can't.
Agree
plymothian
Member
Stupidly, it would seem to depend on which depot the TE is based at or which TSSO they are assigned to.
For example, some TEs are assigned the west [unit] TSSO at Exeter St David's (so would have receipt stock), and some the HSS (so would have CCST). Then there are the Exeter RPIs, for whom no one has yet made a decision!
PermitToTravel
Established Member
Changing now. Bus staff are being briefed and mobile TISes will presumably have the Plusbus button enabled imminently
CentralTrainer
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Was on a London Midland service between Worcester and Birmingham today and the conductor had a tablet and small blue separate printer with him - that did the new style tickets onto regular card stock.
Stourbridge Junction Conductors are the only ones with the Envoy machine at present.
The rest of us are all currently going for the training.
tsr
Established Member
Sounds like the same system Southern conductors and OBSs use (when it works...) - a Samsung Tablet, tiny little Miura card reader (inc. contactless), and Steatite blue printer. Collectively these form the Envoy system. Presumably the LM staff also get the accompanying shoulder strap, which is a bit big and bulky for operational staff and not compulsory.
Blindtraveler
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Whats nicer for staff, the more portable smaller screan or the bulkier bigger one?
I am even more disapointed with Arriva tocs now others are using it without major issue.
Out of interest, say for example ATW was won by Stagecoach and they wanted to change the printers to work with the existing smartphones, how doable is this and would the only real cost be that of the printers?
I am even more disapointed with Arriva tocs now others are using it without major issue.
Out of interest, say for example ATW was won by Stagecoach and they wanted to change the printers to work with the existing smartphones, how doable is this and would the only real cost be that of the printers?
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