London Terminals FCC City Thameslink

[doubleseat]

Sorry if this is a repeat of older threads but I have a question in regard to this.

I travel on FCC Great Northern using a Gold Card that says London Terminals.

When its raining or if I am running late I typically walk over to St Pancras and buy a single down to City Thameslink costing £2.20.

A couple of weeks ago my phone rang while approaching the ticket barrier at City Thameslink and as I was distracted I used my Gold Card instead of my single ticket - to my surprise it readily accepted me and I was able to get through the barrier.

The next day I asked the staff at St Pancras about this as to my surprise I was also able to pass through the St Pancras barrier using the same Gold Card.

The ticket staff at St Pancras were unsure whether this should or should not work, however as the barrier accepted the ticket they said I should carry on.

Its worrying me though that I am doing something wrong here and I am writing to FCC to get clarification, but does anyone know anything about this and why the barriers are allowing this?

Thanks

 

[Mike395]

For the same reason, presumably, that Bedford - London Terminals tickets work the gates at Farringdon i.e. they shouldnt. (AFAIK London Terminals tickets on the two FCC routes from the north are not valid travelling to, or through, Farringdon )

Edit: Just to clarify, techically the season should work the St Pancras barriers, as it is a London Terminal, albeit not for that route, however not the Farringdon/City Thameslink barriers. Also, if the season reads London Thameslink then it is permitted as far as Blackfriars from what I am aware of

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The barriers open because they are programmed to allow London Terminals tickets. This is because those stations are London Terminals for many other journeys.

However, London Terminals tickets are not valid to, from or via Farringdon on the 'Thameslink' route.

 

[Mike395]

That makes sense with St Pancras, but not sure why they're enabled for Farringdon, as AFAIK no London Terminals tickets, regardless of whether they're issued to somewhere on the Thameslink line, are valid there?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Do they still have Bedford-London Terminals tickets? I thought they were changed to London Thameslink many years ago. London Thameslink tickets are valid to, from or via Farringdon on the Thameslink route.

 

[Mike395]

Depends which machine you go to at Bedford :P

The FastTicket machines issue them to 'London Terminals'. The other two newer ones and the ticket office issue them to 'London Thameslink'.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

In that case I can only assume they don't want the 'hassle' of letting them through, there used to be an issue with London Thameslink tickets being accepted there even though they have always been valid.

 

[swt_passenger]

Regarding Farringdon, might it be set up temporarily to allow entry/exit with a London Terminals ticket as part of the 2 year LU deal following the Moorgate branch closure? (This ends on 22nd of next month I believe.)

Or have London Terminals tickets always worked at Farringdon?

 

[Mojo]

Depends which machine you go to at Bedford :P

The FastTicket machines issue them to 'London Terminals'. The other two newer ones and the ticket office issue them to 'London Thameslink'.

I bought a ticket from Shoreditch High Street for a journey I wanted to do St Pancakes to Elstree/Borehamwood. I was expecting the ticket to print out "London Thameslink" but it actually said "London Terminals."

 

[RJ]

Regarding Farringdon, might it be set up temporarily to allow entry/exit with a London Terminals ticket as part of the 2 year LU deal following the Moorgate branch closure? (This ends on 22nd of next month I believe.)

Or have London Terminals tickets always worked at Farringdon?

Yes. I believe it's to do with observing BoJ allowances for passengers going to Moorgate, which is a London Terminal and for which Farringdon is a valid route.

 

[barrykas]

I bought a ticket from Shoreditch High Street for a journey I wanted to do St Pancakes to Elstree/Borehamwood. I was expecting the ticket to print out "London Thameslink" but it actually said "London Terminals."

Tickets to "London Thameslink" are ONLY issued for journeys FROM stations between Kentish Town and Bedford (inclusive) TO London.

Cheers,

Barry