Trivia: Platforms you cannot freely 'roam'

[styles]

Nottingham is a weird one - you cab roam the platforms fine, but a member of staff will always ask you as to why you are at the station, creating a slightly unpleasant feeling. And if you switch platforms then you will be asked again.

Do you reckon that has changed any since the footbridge changes were introduced?

 

[E B]

Do you reckon that has changed any since the footbridge changes were introduced?

I’m not sure, I am just going off my last visit from December 2024

 

[Travelmonkey]

Nottingham is a weird one - you cab roam the platforms fine, but a member of staff will always ask you as to why you are at the station, creating a slightly unpleasant feeling. And if you switch platforms then you will be asked again.

Was this during the bridge lock down experiment,

 

[Straus]

Glasgow central restrict access to some platform 1 & 2 at least.

Manchester Piccadilly 13&14 are largely restricted by their busy nature.

Blackpool north is a horrible place to pass the time, but I'm not sure I can fully blame staff considering some of the people who pass through.

 

[John Luxton]

I don't have first hand experience of any issues at Chester, or anywhere else for that matter, just second hand, so perhaps a pinch of salt in order. I also suspect that CCTV operators generally recognise other signs like not having a bag or crying or looking a bit spaced out etc etc to determine whether somebody may be at risk (of suicide, or even a drugs or medical episode).

Tesco, Sainsbury's, Lidl, Aldi, Morrisons all have this at some location. It's not very widespread, but is becoming more common in certain parts of London.

Wholesalers like Costco have had it for a while.

I've even heard that some non-grocery retailers like IKEA and Primark have it in places, but I've never seen that myself.

I just choose not to shop at these places. Maybe it'll become the norm at some point and I'll have to succumb to it, but I'm don't really like the experience so I stopped using those Tesco Express shops near my old work in London.

There was someone on a FB Group a week or two ago complaining about Silurian Security at Chester - though to be fair I go through Chester quite a bit, have taken quite a few photos there and had no problems.

Two years ago I was asked by one of the security chaps politely asked if I could slide along the bench I was on a bit so he could touch in.

There was a little round tag on the back of the bench he had to put a fob on. So even the security guards are being monitored by someone!

Costco have not just brought it has been in place for over 20 years - not a new thing at all. I tend to visit Liverpool weekly, but also Chester, Avonmouth and occasionally Haydock and they all check.

I don't know if it is still done at Trago Mills - as I have not been in recent years but they were doing probably late 1990s.

I don't think receipt checking is something to take exception to prevents shrinkage, keeps prices down for the law abiding and protects the store owners.

 

[Highlander1]

Similar happens at Aberdeen - usually tensabarriers are in use to stop passengers going much beyond the concourse onto the platforms, until the trains are 'ready'.

That's only used at Aberdeen for the 1725 to Inverness as there's only 10 minutes for everyone leaving the train at Aberdeen to alight and to couple up another set for capacity.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Oct 2025 ==

The staff at Inverness are particularly keen to not allow anyone onto platforms 3-6 until they are "ready".

To the extent of setting all the ticket gates leading to these platforms to "exit only" mode and occasionally placing tensabarriers in the way too.

Inverness are really strict on this. They have massive peaks in passenger numbers when multiple connecting trains arrive and depart within a few minutes of each other.

 

[styles]

There was someone on a FB Group a week or two ago complaining about Silurian Security at Chester - though to be fair I go through Chester quite a bit, have taken quite a few photos there and had no problems.

Yeah I've also had no bad experiences but I could see it happening.

Two years ago I was asked by one of the security chaps politely asked if I could slide along the bench I was on a bit so he could touch in.

There was a little round tag on the back of the bench he had to put a fob on. So even the security guards are being monitored by someone!

Yes this is very common. NFC style tags which have to be tapped to show that the security officer is 'doing their rounds' so to speak. Pretty silly to put one behind a bench I'd think though!

Costco have not just brought it has been in place for over 20 years - not a new thing at all. I tend to visit Liverpool weekly, but also Chester, Avonmouth and occasionally Haydock and they all check.

I don't know if it is still done at Trago Mills - as I have not been in recent years but they were doing probably late 1990s.

I don't think receipt checking is something to take exception to prevents shrinkage, keeps prices down for the law abiding and protects the store owners.

I think there is also a risk management to this. Wholesalers sell things in bulk and if you walk out with a flatbed loaded with gin, that's not quite the same as somebody nicking a meal deal from Tesco. But I would also refer to my earlier point that a mere scan of a receipt on supermarkets is pretty useless, because if I weigh a block of Stilton and select carrots on the checkout, the receipt barriers won't pick up on it so it's pretty pointless. At best it might pick up somebody brazenly picking up goods and not paying for anything, but I hardly think those individuals will be deterred by an automated barrier.

Context matters though and location is part of that. If this happened at a manned barrier at a shop in Kingussie, it would probably be challenged. In a shop in Holborn, probably not. The former would likely be restrained while the latter is an everyday occurrence and they'd probably just leave, flimsy barrier or not. I suspect that a large reason such systems haven't been rolled out across the UK is because they're ineffective. To run such an ineffective system is costly and damages reputation so it just doesn't work. Interesting to note that Amazon have removed all of their AI monitored checkoutless shops in the UK.

 

[duffield]

Nottingham is a weird one - you cab roam the platforms fine, but a member of staff will always ask you as to why you are at the station, creating a slightly unpleasant feeling. And if you switch platforms then you will be asked again.

Nottingham is my local station, I wander around freely while waiting, switch platforms, sit on platforms with no train due and pace up and down, and I have never, ever been approached by any staff member.

I can only think that your experience was something to do with the footbridge changes or some other revenue enforcement blitz.

 

[cool110]

I've never heard of this happening in the UK (in the US, yes) but I don't see how that could possibly work with receipts being optional pretty much everywhere; I rarely bother with them.

Tesco, Sainsbury's, Lidl, Aldi, Morrisons all have this at some location. It's not very widespread, but is becoming more common in certain parts of London.
...
I've even heard that some non-grocery retailers like IKEA and Primark have it in places, but I've never seen that myself.

The Lidl ones print a summary receipt showing just the number of items and total price if you select the digital receipt option.
The IKEA at Warrington has them fitted to all tills but a lot of time only has them active on the scan-as-you-shop section, so you have a QR code in the app to both enter and exit.

 

[E B]

Was this during the bridge lock down experiment,

I'm not sure

Nottingham is my local station, I wander around freely while waiting, switch platforms, sit on platforms with no train due and pace up and down, and I have never, ever been approached by any staff member.

I can only think that your experience was something to do with the footbridge changes or some other revenue enforcement blitz.

Possibly

 

[Falcon1200]

I don't see why anyone has a problem with a simple means of reducing theft

Because it seems to treat every customer as a shoplifter!
(It also doesn't help when one's elderly Mum puts her receipt in the bottom of the bag and the shopping on top, only to have to empty the bag again when the receipt is required to escape the shop....)

 

[Bletchleyite]

Because it seems to treat every customer as a shoplifter!

Do gatelines treat ever passenger as a fare evader?

The purpose of both is to differentiate between those who are honest and those who are dishonest.

 

[Falcon1200]

Do gatelines treat ever passenger as a fare evader?

That is an entirely different situation; Train tickets have been checked since railways began, whereas requiring a receipt to exit a supermarket is very new, and inconsistent; Some Sainsburys I use have it and some do not, and their presence is not always immediately obvious.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Because it seems to treat every customer as a shoplifter!
(It also doesn't help when one's elderly Mum puts her receipt in the bottom of the bag and the shopping on top, only to have to empty the bag again when the receipt is required to escape the shop....)

Have you suggested to your elderly Mum that she packs the shopping in her bag(s) as she goes along (or even asks a staffed checkout operator to assist)? Then, when everything else is done, pay get a receipt and leave.

Surely that’s the sort of ‘mistake’ that people only make once?

It simply holds everybody (including your dear Mum) up if she waits to pay and only then thinks that she needs to bag her shopping.

Meanwhile, I was in my local supermarket the other day as a ‘shopper’ completed a big pile of scanning into their bags, went to Pay, card declined, but scooped up their bags and marched out anyway. (No receipt-scanning barrier or security staff in that branch.) And prices continue to rise…

 

[joncombe]

That is an entirely different situation; Train tickets have been checked since railways began, whereas requiring a receipt to exit a supermarket is very new, and inconsistent; Some Sainsburys I use have it and some do not, and their presence is not always immediately obvious.

It's also an issue if you don't buy anything and then have to be asked to be let out. For example maybe they don't have what you wanted. Or you were picking up a parcel, for example. This is different from station barriers where there is usually no need to get behind the barriers if you aren't travelling.

 

[plugwash]

Manchester Piccadilly 13&14 are largely restricted by their busy nature.

Nowadays, almost all ticket checking at picadilly happens at the concourse end with the concourse entrances essentially split into 4 sections. TPE managed ticket gates for platforms 1-3, Avanti managed ticket gates for platforms 4-7, manual checks by northern for platforms 8-11 and no checks at all on platform 12.

At the overbridge end OTOH you can normally move between the platforms without any ticket checks. I've occasionally had a ticket check on the lift that links the link bridge lounge to platform 12 and fairfield street, but it's very much the exception not the rule.

Years ago, there used to commonly be ticket checkers at the top of the stairs for 13/14, who would send travellers who didn't have tickets for an upcoming train back to the lounge but I don't think I've seen that since the large scale northern ticket checking operation at the concourse end started.

 

[mangad]

Nowadays, almost all ticket checking at picadilly happens at the concourse end with the concourse entrances essentially split into 4 sections. TPE managed ticket gates for platforms 1-3, Avanti managed ticket gates for platforms 4-7, manual checks by northern for platforms 8-11 and no checks at all on platform 12.

The entrance for platform 12 is regularly checked by Northern staff from what I have seen and I have certainly had my ticket checked there.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

NFC style tags which have to be tapped to show that the security officer is 'doing their rounds' so to speak. Pretty silly to put one behind a bench I'd think though!

Probably a way of making sure the security bod actually looks at the hidden space behind the bench?

 

[M60lad]

I think the lift on Fairfield Street is a known fare evading hotspot as from that lift you can access any of the platforms at Piccadilly Station without a ticket, the thing is while I think they do know about it I don't think that there's anything that they can actually do to stop any fare evasion in that location.

 

[Mattplans]

Romford Down Fast line platform is controlled similarly to Wembley Central (though perhaps not quite as strictly).

(Edit: to clarify, the Up Fast line isn't controlled in this manner)

Haven't been to this station yet and was actually curious. Since GA services do stop here does the station have the gates like on the other XR stations? And will staff just empty the platforms during peak hrs (when GA don't stop at Romford)

 

[Falcon1200]

Have you suggested to your elderly Mum that she packs the shopping in her bag(s) as she goes along (or even asks a staffed checkout operator to assist)? Then, when everything else is done, pay get a receipt and leave.

I was with her that day, in a shop which neither of us uses often, and the Sainsburys which I do use most does not imprison its customers!

 

[Dr Hoo]

I think the lift on Fairfield Street is a known fare evading hotspot as from that lift you can access any of the platforms at Piccadilly Station without a ticket, the thing is while I think they do know about it I don't think that there's anything that they can actually do to stop any fare evasion in that location.

I’ve often seen manual checks at the upper landing of the lift. Similarly at the Merseyrail Loop lift at Liverpool Lime Street.

 

[Elecman]

I think the lift on Fairfield Street is a known fare evading hotspot as from that lift you can access any of the platforms at Piccadilly Station without a ticket, the thing is while I think they do know about it I don't think that there's anything that they can actually do to stop any fare evasion in that location.

Ygritte often have revenue at the Top and bottom of the lift

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Ygritte often have revenue at the Top and bottom of the lift

Why have revenue at both the top and bottom, they could stay in the lift

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Haven't been to this station yet and was actually curious. Since GA services do stop here does the station have the gates like on the other XR stations? And will staff just empty the platforms during peak hrs (when GA don't stop at Romford)

Yes, it's a fully fenced off platform with sliding gates which are only opened after the preceeding fast train has passed through when a stoping train is due; the gates are locked again as soon as everyone is off the platform after the train has departed.

 

[duffield]

I was with her that day, in a shop which neither of us uses often, and the Sainsburys which I do use most does not imprison its customers!

And this whole discussion has now got me paranoid! I was in Boots today and bought some small easily concealed high-value items with no security tags, and as I finished at the self service till I clearly (thought) I heard behind me a customer being asked to show their receipt, so I made sure I printed one and clutched it in my hand - but when I turned round there were no staff or security personnel anywhere in sight!

Anyhow I guess the whole shop receipt discussion has veered well off-topic.

 

[GraphitProjekt]

In most of the London termini, it seems pretty frowned upon to be wandering around the platforms especially north of the river- I noticed this a lot at kings cross. In terms of not having full access - I think at Liverpool street you can't fully access all the platforms inside the gateline.

Somewhere like Sheffield might be the most roaming friendly station considering its size and throughput

 

[bramling]

In most of the London termini, it seems pretty frowned upon to be wandering around the platforms especially north of the river- I noticed this a lot at kings cross. In terms of not having full access - I think at Liverpool street you can't fully access all the platforms inside the gateline.

Somewhere like Sheffield might be the most roaming friendly station considering its size and throughput

King’s Cross I’ve always found is more soppy sort of challenging. They will start hassling for sure, but if you assertively make it clear this where you are going to be waiting for your train, they will just walk off cursing under their breath. Not sure how this extends to enthusiasts, but I’ve never had any issues there.

 

[nanstallon]

Newquay station on a summer Saturday has restricted access, in that you have to queue while an arriving train is unloaded before anyone is allowed on. I wonder where this leaves someone who is just 'doing the branch' and just wants to return on the same train he came in on.

As for shops requiring to see your receipt before letting you lave the premises, this could be seen as false imprisonment. And what if I don't have a receipt because I didn't buy anything, because the shop didn't have what I wanted?

Britain is certainly becoming a hostile and unpleasant place, even if on a low level.

 

[tfw756rider]

Ygritte often have revenue at the Top and bottom of the lift

What do you mean?