Ticket Machines Out of Order

[dlj83]

Today I'm travelling on Thameslink from one station without barriers to one that has them. That I don't mind, but my question is that the station I'm starting my journey there's a notification that the ticket Machines are not working again.

Last time I made this journey with no ticket Machines I was told by an RPI at my final destination different things through the course of our conversation:

That I should have stopped at a station during my journey and bought a ticket from a station with working machines.

One other said that I was probably chancing not buying a ticket (despite me showing the first RPI the website saying that the machines weren't working) and that really I should be fined but I wasn't because I don't look like an offender.


I thought if the machines weren't working at my origin station that I could pay at my destination, or is it true that I'd need to pay a penalty fare then try to appeal?

 

[Chriso]

I always just take a pic of the out of order machine and never had any issues

 

[dlj83]

I always just take a pic of the out of order machine and never had any issues

I'll take it before I get on the train. Thankyou

 

[Hadders]

Today I'm travelling on Thameslink from one station without barriers to one that has them. That I don't mind, but my question is that the station I'm starting my journey there's a notification that the ticket Machines are not working again.

Where is the notification. Is it on their website or NRE? Or a note attached to the TVM?

That I should have stopped at a station during my journey and bought a ticket from a station with working machines.

Utter rubbish. You are not required to delay your journey to purchase a ticket en-route if you're unable to purchase it at your origin. You should, of course, purchase a ticket en-route if there is sufficient time to do so if you change trains.

One other said that I was probably chancing not buying a ticket (despite me showing the first RPI the website saying that the machines weren't working) and that really I should be fined but I wasn't because I don't look like an offender.

I would take the details of the RPI and make a formal complaint about being spoken to like that.

I thought if the machines weren't working at my origin station that I could pay at my destination, or is it true that I'd need to pay a penalty fare then try to appeal?

You are correct. There is no need to pay a Penalty Fare in these circumstances. It is a tricky position if the RPI is insistent on issuing a Penalty Fare because you can either:

1. Pay the PF and appeal it. You should win the appeal
2. Have your details taken and hope that common sense prevails at the Prosecutions Department of the train company

Both involve a degree of faff that you really shouldn't haver to put up with.

 

[Gonzoiku]

Last time I made this journey with no ticket Machines I was told by an RPI at my final destination ... [that] ... I should have stopped at a station during my journey and bought a ticket from a station with working machines...

Had you done so, it would presumably have been a ticket from the
station with a working TVM rather than the station at which you started your journey. An easy short faring offence for the RPI to deal with?

GZ

 

[Birmingham]

That I should have stopped at a station during my journey and bought a ticket from a station with working machines.

This is a ridiculous 'suggestion' (as others have said), not least because you could just be accused of the same thing at said intermediate station instead!

 

[NoOnesFool]

That is absurd advice from the RPO. You should pay at the first available opportunity, that does not mean you have to get off at the next stop and delay your journey to pay. RPOs should know the rules like the back of their hands. As for the comment about you chancing it, RPOs should have access to real time information that tells them if a machine is working or not, that is certainly what East Midlands Trains used to advertise on their website.