Ticket barriers at Wigan North Western

[NorthWestRover]

Just arrived at Wigan North Western and they appear to be putting in ticket barriers.

 

[childwallblues]

Interesting. They have never previously put them in due I presume to the second exit direct from the subway into the car park.

 

[NorthWestRover]

My thoughts exactly. Whether they are going to close that, I don't know. It was quite the surprise!

 

[Pinus contorta]

Is it due to persistent vandalism of the bogs?

 

[unclejoes]

I've said for years they are needed

 

[Bletchleyite]

I've said for years they are needed

I'm genuinely surprised it's taken so long. I don't think the car park exit is essential, it's hardly a long walk round, and aside from that the layout is really easy for gating.

The only busy WCML station that would be very hard to gate without a major rebuild is Preston, so I expect that will stay without for the foreseeable.

 

[unclejoes]

I'm genuinely surprised it's taken so long. I don't think the car park exit is essential, it's hardly a long walk round, and aside from that the layout is really easy for gating.

The only busy WCML station that would be very hard to gate without a major rebuild is Preston, so I expect that will stay without for the foreseeable.

Didn't they try at Preston a few years back ?

I'm also surprised as in my youth the amount of people who jumped the train between Wigan and Warrington shocked me. And I'm sure a great many where shocked when barriers went in at Warrington. I absolutely detest fayre evaders.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Didn't they try at Preston a few years back ?

No, Preston has never had a gateline (in BR days there were manual checks from little huts at various points, though). The station they installed them at then removed them again was Coventry, I forget why, but they are now back in place.

 

[unclejoes]

Oh Coventry is a bug bare station of mine. I must be missing remembering the fact they had ticket staff over to platform 1/2 on the bridge a few moons ago

 

[scragend]

The side exit isn't meant to be a passenger exit anyway, it's just a sliding door for railway use that very often gets left open and people just walk through it. All they need to do is keep it closed.

 

[NorthWestRover]

I'm sure a great many where shocked when barriers went in at Warrington

Were there barriers at Warrington Bank Quay? There aren't now.

 

[sluf]

I'm genuinely surprised it's taken so long. I don't think the car park exit is essential, it's hardly a long walk round, and aside from that the layout is really easy for gating.

The only busy WCML station that would be very hard to gate without a major rebuild is Preston, so I expect that will stay without for the foreseeable.

I seem to remember Virgin had ticket checks on the ramp down to 3 and 4 and also staff in the subway in the past along with Northern checking tickets on the stairs to platforms 1 and 2.

And yes, I was amazed there were no barriers when I visited Wigan recently

 

[Mcr Warrior]

And I'm sure a great many where shocked when barriers went in at Warrington.

Were there barriers at Warrington Bank Quay? There aren't now.

Might just be referring to Warrington Central station? @unclejoes?

 

[unclejoes]

Might just be referring to Warrington Central station? @unclejoes?

No bank quay did have barriers at one point, but it has been several years since I've been and they might have been removed since.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I seem to remember Virgin had ticket checks on the ramp down to 3 and 4 and also staff in the subway in the past along with Northern checking tickets on the stairs to platforms 1 and 2.

Manual checks are done on occasion particularly by Northern but not all the time.

 

[D6975]

No bank quay did have barriers at one point, but it has been several years since I've been and they might have been removed since.

Those barriers used to cause massive queues on a Friday night with all the people heading to the clubs.

 

[NorthWestRover]

They definitely didn't have them in the 1980s and they've definitely not had them since 2018. Maybe in the interim... (WBQ, I mean).

 

[Lampshade]

No, Preston has never had a gateline (in BR days there were manual checks from little huts at various points, though). The station they installed them at then removed them again was Coventry, I forget why, but they are now back in place.

Central Trains refused to contribute towards running costs, even though they benefited the most from them.

 

[800001]

Attached is a picture of barriers being I stalled at Wigan.

 

[chris_in_salop]

I absolutely detest fayre evaders.

Personally I couldn't care less.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Personally I couldn't care less.

I don't like fare evaders because they cost me money, either as fare payer or as taxpayer.

I also like gatelines because they prevent me accidentally fare dodging (e.g. forgetting to buy a ticket if I thought I already had one, or forgetting to take it with me). Better that I'm stopped there than that I'm later PFed or sent a settlement offer.

 

[Pinus contorta]

Thanks 800001 for posting the photo.

I hope they haven't quietly removed the water dispenser ( just out of view on the right) as part of this ticket barrier installation.

 

[D6975]

They definitely didn't have them in the 1980s and they've definitely not had them since 2018. Maybe in the interim... (WBQ, I mean).

They were there the last time I did the walk from Central to BQ. I looked it up and that was 2011 - where does the time go?

 

[DaventryRabbit]

Central Trains refused to contribute towards running costs, even though they benefited the most from them.

I believe that Grantham had them installed in the NXEC/VTEC days but they were removed fairly soon after.

 

[JonathanH]

I believe that Grantham had them installed in the NXEC/VTEC days but they were removed fairly soon after.

Likewise Durham, but generally removal of ticket gates is a rare phenomenon. That said, the process of installation of gates at further stations does seem to have slowed significantly.

 

[childwallblues]

The good people of Bryn are going to be a bit poorer when they start working.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The good people of Bryn are going to be a bit poorer when they start working.

More like ticket sales to/from Bryn and Ince will get markedly higher...

 

[Donny85]

More like ticket sales to/from Bryn and Ince will get markedly higher...

Are you thinking of Garswood instead of Ince?

Currently, there are only two early morning North Western departures to Ince (with no service in the opposite direction). The rest go to Wallgate, which has had barriers for years.

 

[Lampshade]

Are you thinking of Garswood instead of Ince?

Currently, there are only two early morning North Western departures to Ince (with no service in the opposite direction). The rest go to Wallgate, which has had barriers for years.

It'll still open the barriers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It'll still open the barriers.

Though I suppose if a person checks it it's not plausibly deniable.