Locations of Permit To Travel Machines?

[stadler]

How many are confirmed working now? Will we see them going?

None of the original Almex Autoslot AS88/AS89 are working. The very few remaining ones are all broken. I believe that Salfords was the very final working machine and that is now gone. There are still five working new style Metric Aura machines (Beaulieu Road, Holton Heath, Longcross, Millbrook, Redbridge) at five SWR stations. These are the only working ones left.

 

[Michaeltarquin]

Holmwood's machine is still in situ as of this lunchtime.

I believe from watching a YouTube video frame by fame last night that East Worthing's machine has also been removed, but I will try and get this confirmed on Saturday

 

[MrColours]

I’d assume that London doesn’t have any left now?

Thanks for confirming! Yes, that does mean London is PERTIS free, assuming all of the information from users is correct. Longcross is the closest (working-ish) machine to London (well, from Charing Cross, but also probably accessibility-wise as it gets 2tph from Waterloo). If I can confirm the Cambridge Line and Watton-At Stone machines, I think we are looking at just over 10 machines. 9 are confirmed (rest of Anglia, SWR, Didcot & Holmwood). I'm surprised that Holmwood was not removed in the midst of the mass culling of GTR-ran PERTIS machines.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Mar 2025 ==

If we went back to July 2023 how many would your map show?

From then I counted 37 - some Almex ones working, mostly on Chiltern, but Chiltern culled in 2024, then GTR in 2025.

 

[Recessio]

You could probably submit Freedom of Information requests to TOCs/Network Rail (I'm not sure who is responsible for the stations) if you want a concrete answer to know how many are left, and when the others were removed.

 

[MrColours]

You could probably submit Freedom of Information requests to TOCs/Network Rail (I'm not sure who is responsible for the stations) if you want a concrete answer to know how many are left, and when the others were removed.

I'm not sure if TOCs are subject to FOI requests because they aren't government owned yet. Southeastern probably, as they are under DfT control, but not GTR, Chiltern, etc. I'm not sure if this information would be on hand.

I did do a search and found these related requests:
SE Trains Limited: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/permit_to_travel_pertis_machines#incoming-2032820
TfL (Previously GWR Owned): https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/information_regarding_your_permi

I believe the operator themselves are responsible for the stations given Southeastern's change proposal.

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Fingers Crossed Holmwood stay for a while!!

 

[MrColours]

Watton At Stone has been removed - haven’t had time to check Cambridge line apart from Ashwell & Morden (it wasn’t there)

 

[Jan Mayen]

Holmwood still in place but out of use.

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Holmwood still in place but out of use.

That’s good to see! Thanks for uploading a picture, nice to see it’s still got urs original NSE name on it.

Has anyone seen East Worthing?

 

[Michaeltarquin]

That’s good to see! Thanks for uploading a picture, nice to see it’s still got urs original NSE name on it.

Has anyone seen East Worthing?

Sorry my son wanted to go to Winchester today, so didn't end up seeing it! But I'm 95% certain it's been removed from the YouTube video I saw.

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Sorry my son wanted to go to Winchester today, so didn't end up seeing it! But I'm 95% certain it's been removed from the YouTube video I saw.

Ah no worries @Michaeltarquin. If I’m honest I reckon you are right that’s it’s gone!

 

[MrColours]

Foxton’s PERTIS is there!

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Foxton’s PERTIS is there!

That’s great to see it still there. I reckon there’s more out there.

 

[stadler]

Foxton’s PERTIS is there!

Excellent to see that another one still exists. I had expected that one to be removed. Were you able to see if there was any power? It is difficult to tell from the photo if anything is displayed on the screen but i presume it was dead?

 

[MrColours]

It is difficult to tell from the photo if anything is displayed on the screen but i presume it was dead?

From the two passes of Foxton I could see the red light for “Not In Use”, which seems to be in the same state as it was in 2023 when I visited. 2023 is the image posted.

I have also went up and down the Cambridge line and Foxton is the only surviving one. It is the only remaining GTR PERTIS north of London.

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Would anyone know of Holton Heath permit machine is a reliable and working one?

 

[island]

I'm not sure if TOCs are subject to FOI requests because they aren't government owned yet. Southeastern probably, as they are under DfT control, but not GTR, Chiltern, etc. I'm not sure if this information would be on hand.

Indeed. SWR will become FOIable next month I believe. But it should be noted that FOI only requires the body to disclose records; it isn't required to go and research things that aren't recorded.

 

[MrColours]

Stopped at East Worthing today to confirm that the PERTIS machine has been removed. Machines which stretched as far North as Merseyside are now down to a population of 10.

 

[ClintonHatt]

Indeed. SWR will become FOIable next month I believe. But it should be noted that FOI only requires the body to disclose records; it isn't required to go and research things that aren't recorded.

I noticed that on National Rail for Longcross they mention the PERTIS machine (https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/longcross/) are they FOI-able? (or maybe just a nice email asking)

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Hi All, Would anyone know if Holmwood’s machine is still in situ as of today?

 

[Michaeltarquin]

Hi All, Would anyone know if Holmwood’s machine is still in situ as of today?

It's still there (I've just passed it now!)

 

[Rail_Sussex]

It's still there (I've just passed it now!)

That’s great thanks for confirming it.

 

[Michaeltarquin]

No worries!

Just been past Holmwood station now for the first time this week and the machine has now been removed (meaning the end of Pertis machines on Southern)

 

[Rail_Sussex]

That’s sad, thanks for confirming @Michaeltarquin
I did manage to get some pictures last week before it was got rid of it! If anyone would like some pictures I’m happy to upload some.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Apr 2025 ==

Does that mean that Foxton, Didcot Parkway and the two Greater Anglia ones could now be the only remaining last ones that don’t work?

 

[Jan Mayen]

I also took a photo of the Holmwood PERTIS machine. See post 278.
Surprised I got it, as it was a spur of the moment decision to go.

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Would anyone know where you can get a ‘promise to pay train ticket’? And could they be bit like a modern day version of a permit to travel ticket? Would it be only certain train companies that would issue these?

 

[CyrusWuff]

Would anyone know where you can get a ‘promise to pay train ticket’? And could they be bit like a modern day version of a permit to travel ticket? Would it be only certain train companies that would issue these?

Only Northern Rail TVMs issue them. I believe you have to go most of the way through the purchase flow before it will give you the option to request one, following misuse when they were readily available from the home screen. (People requesting multiple vouchers, resulting in ticket rolls being used up at a ridiculously fast rate.)

Chiltern and LNER machines can also issue them, but they don't have the functionality enabled.

 

[Tazi Hupefi]

Only Northern Rail TVMs issue them. I believe you have to go most of the way through the purchase flow before it will give you the option to request one, following misuse when they were readily available from the home screen. (People requesting multiple vouchers, resulting in ticket rolls being used up at a ridiculously fast rate.)

Chiltern and LNER machines can also issue them, but they don't have the functionality enabled.

Transport for Wales S+B TVMs can also issue them, if enabled at that location, but are a different style.

I believe they've been enabled since Penalty Fares were expanded along the Manchester - Shrewsbury corridor.

 

[MrColours]

I wonder if Foxton has been removed now?

 

[Rail_Sussex]

Thanks @Tazi Hupefi & @CyrusWuff that’s great to know and make more sense now.

It would be really interesting to know if Foxtons Machine is also still there!!