Andy Pacer
Established Member
Was surprised this morning on trying to use the 'National Rail' ticket office at St Pancras (which seems to be staffed by Thameslink' that they "don't sell rovers".
Seemed odd...?
Seemed odd...?
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St Pancras 'National Rail' Ticket Office
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Well I've bought an Anglia Plus Day Ranger from the TL office at St Albans (which like St P is well outside it's area of validity) so I can't see any reason why TL staff can't do the same at St P, particularly as TL are one of the TOCs that accept the Anglia Plus scheme.
Just made up, I suspect. I see no reason why their TIS would have it disabled.
Fortunately there's also an EMR ticket office tucked away upstairs near the EMR platforms (not sure if it's open yet as it's been moved from its previous downstairs position). And of course the LNER Travel Centre over at Kings Cross.
Fortunately there's also an EMR ticket office tucked away upstairs near the EMR platforms (not sure if it's open yet as it's been moved from its previous downstairs position). And of course the LNER Travel Centre over at Kings Cross.
Andy Pacer
Established Member
Yes, unfortunately I'd walked down from the EMR platforms so didn't fancy heading back up there. The Thameslink guy told me I needed to go to King's Cross.
Sadly I can't say I was surprised.
I'll try again when I get to Gravesend.
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I know it will feel like it won’t get anywhere, or achieve anything, but please do pop a complaint in.
Wallsendmag
Established Member
I'm pretty sure that isn't possible
Haywain
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They probably don’t know how, or know anything like enough about rovers.
Andy Pacer
Established Member
That was my thought, but doesn't make it acceptable.
Sadly I doubt anything will happen about that!
Andy Pacer
Established Member
Sadly the Gravesend ticket office was closed, so still rover-less!
Merle Haggard
Established Member
Being slightly controversial here but isn't this another example of how
a) 'they want to do away with us!' (insert ticket office staff, conductor guards etc) 'And we're so useful you couldn't manage without us, you'll be sorry if we're gone!'
is not reinforced by
b) 'can't be bothered to do that' - a task that is in their job description (in this case ticket office staff refusing to sell a particular ticket)
Don't help their own argument, do they?
a) 'they want to do away with us!' (insert ticket office staff, conductor guards etc) 'And we're so useful you couldn't manage without us, you'll be sorry if we're gone!'
is not reinforced by
b) 'can't be bothered to do that' - a task that is in their job description (in this case ticket office staff refusing to sell a particular ticket)
Don't help their own argument, do they?
Andy Pacer
Established Member
Definitely agree on both counts.
GTR really need to get their ticket offices in order. Twice now my local station has been unable to sell me a ticket because the TIS was apparently ‘broken’, which I thought was fair enough if annoying. However as i was stood buying a ticket that was possible to buy from the TVM the second time, they happily sold someone a PRIV ticket! Clearly just couldn’t be bothered to do their job.
Wallsendmag
Established Member
I'd love to hear that and then show them how to fix it
I’ve gotta be honest I’m pretty sure the only thing broken was their attitude. They had no problem issuing the PRIV, and as they claimed to me it was the printer that was broken I see no reason they would’ve been prevented from issuing me a ticket.
redreni
Established Member
Indeed. GTR ticket offices have, in the last few months, refused to accept cash at least three times (on one occasion *after* making me sign and date a National Rail Travel Voucher that I had intended to put towards the cost of the ticket, when I had no other form of payment available), and refused to cash a cashable GTR-issued National Rail Travel Voucher.
Some of them (and it's not as small a minority as you might expect) really don't help themselves.
I can't remember which way round it was but in the dim and distant past that one of the St Pancras ticket offices was the main office and the other considered a subsidiary and only sold a limited range of tickets. I think it was to do with the agreement reached when Thameslink moved in from Kings X Thameslink.
If you saw the train manager on hs1 (s)he would almost certainly done it for you. They do TOD for me all the time recently as the spider family have moved back in to the touchscreen at Appledore TVM.
It amuses me that the task of vandalizing the TVM that requires full time human hooligans on Northern, is efficiently carried out by baby spiders on Romney Marsh!
If you saw the train manager on hs1 (s)he would almost certainly done it for you. They do TOD for me all the time recently as the spider family have moved back in to the touchscreen at Appledore TVM.
It amuses me that the task of vandalizing the TVM that requires full time human hooligans on Northern, is efficiently carried out by baby spiders on Romney Marsh!
I suspect the GTR staff are just being awkward as they simply can't be bothered to work out how to do it. I found a similar attude at Luton Airport Parkway about a year ago when they refused to sell me a CIV ticket to St.Pancras. I was able to buy one at St.Pancras (after showing my Eurostar ticket of course) and later made a complaint to GTR. They apologised and said that they were providing further "education" to their staff at Parkway station. This attitude does surprise me as not long back there were plans to close most staffed ticket offices, and that must still be something of a threat for the future. I'd have expected that ticket office staff would currently be trying to be as helpful as possible to the ticket-buying public, but I've had several experiences recently which suggest otherwise.
Please submit a complaint to customerservices@thameslinkrailway.com
Please submit a complaint to customerservices@thameslinkrailway.com
Kite159
Veteran Member
Some ticket office staff don't help themselves when refusing to sell tickets because they can't be bothered to look up something a bit more unusual than a simple day return.
Sheffield & some Merseyrail ticket offices spring to mind. No doubt the GTR staff are annoyed that EMR relocated upstairs so they are getting more customers visiting them (although in my eyes St Pancras should just have the one ticket office for domestic sales)
Sheffield & some Merseyrail ticket offices spring to mind. No doubt the GTR staff are annoyed that EMR relocated upstairs so they are getting more customers visiting them (although in my eyes St Pancras should just have the one ticket office for domestic sales)
I've had my fair share of issues with my local GTR ticket office over the years (unlike the much missed LNER Travel Centre where the staff always seemed to enjoy dealing with my ticketing queries!) A couple of years ago I was refused sale of a ticket to London International as I was told 'I've not been trained to sell them'. I phoned GTR customer services who were sympathetic and even phoned the ticket office to explain but the answer was still 'no'.
To be fair, I made a proper complaint and a couple of weeks I was passing through the station and the ticket clerk sought me out, apologised saying a brief had since been issued. Much respect to them for doing that. For me the issue isn't so much with the staff, it's the leadership.
To be fair, I made a proper complaint and a couple of weeks I was passing through the station and the ticket clerk sought me out, apologised saying a brief had since been issued. Much respect to them for doing that. For me the issue isn't so much with the staff, it's the leadership.
Wallsendmag
Established Member
It was really strange watching Nigel work as he was on first name terms with most customers.
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Haywain
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Probably even more strange watching me work there because I wasn't!
Nigel was absolutely great. I don't think I ever failed to get the ticket I wanted from him, and there were times I went with some complex requests! When it was open, I always tried to buy as many tickets as I could from that Travel Centre just to try and give it a little bit more revenue.
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