Random anecdata about things you wouldn't expect to have happened

[Egg Centric]

(image shows a text convo of a normal inadvertently using a LNWR ticket on Avanti)

Common perception on this forum is that Euston gateline (like the Paddington gateline) are some sort of gestapo, continually rejecting valid tickets. But here's an example of an obviously invalid ticket being accepted without question by said gateline - and it *was* examined - to the potential peril of those using it (they "got away with it" by changing at Coventry onto a service it would have been valid on, but were certainly at risk of having to pull the "dumb American" card or if that failed the "UFN but good luck suing us in Coloado" card).

What other ticketing or customer service related incidents have you been in recently that aren't what you would have expected? Civil treatment at Blackpool North? Normal folk praising the Fainsa Sophia? A penalty fare appeal upheld at stage 1?

 

[Farang]

We were doing a weekend 1st upgrade. The train manager was having problems with his machine, the final straw being when his printer jammed. He fixed it but the prospect of restarting the transaction from scratch was too much for him. "I can't be bothered" he said, and walked off. Result!

 

[trainophile]

My last few visits to Blackpool North have been perfectly fine. Gate staff always pleasant and smiling, chatty even. This week there seems to be some problem with the automated barriers, necessitating only one being in use in each direction and tickets being manually checked, although glanced at would be more apt.

I don’t know if something has been said, or there are new staff, or I’ve just been lucky, but I’ve certainly not experienced any aggressive behaviour there at all this year.

 

[Sealink]

When I lived in Caithness parents lived near Georgemas Junction, I used to get the late train back to Wick. The staff had already reconciled their ticket sales for the day, and I was never charged.
Which troubled me a bit as would never have been counted as a passenger. I was young and never thought to buy a ticket to cover the journey the next day.

 

[frankmoh]

When I lived in Caithness parents lived near Georgemas Junction, I used to get the late train back to Wick. The staff had already reconciled their ticket sales for the day, and I was never charged.
Which troubled me a bit as would never have been counted as a passenger. I was young and never thought to buy a ticket to cover the journey the next day.

I do wonder about how unstaffed stations worked back in the days before TVMs or permits to travel.

 

[kevconnor]

A few years ago, now, I was on a service from Manchester Victoria going up to Middlesbrough.

The original ticket was an advanced MCV - York, but after a change of plans, I needed to go to Middleborough instead.

As I held advanced ticket options for York and Middlesbrough were limited, I ended up getting an anytime single York to Middlesbrough.

Also, the ticket was paid for by work, so they didn't care too much about the best value.

But on the train the conductor took a real interest and after checking tickets sat back down to look over and see if there would have been a cheaper way to get the ticket, admittedly after hearing how it was booked accepted there wasn't really an alternative, but I was really grateful that he tried to help to see if I could save money in future.

 

[fandroid]

A while back, I used to use the GWR website for online purchase as it gave Nectar points.

I was travelling from Manchester Airport to Leeds NHS blood transplant site on the York Road.

I had a ticket to Leeds. I saw that the train I was on also stopped at Cross Gates (one stop on from Leeds) which is nearer to the NHS BT site.

So I bought a Single from Leeds to Cross Gates on the GWR site.

As it happened, the conductor did a very swift ticket check after Leeds, looked at mine and said "this is for tomorrow!" I don't remember if I said "bl**dy GWR" or not, but immediately realised I had fallen into their stupid trap where the journey planner automatically defaulted to the following day. (It doesn't now, you'll be pleased to know).

Anyway the conductor had no time to do anything about it as we were drawing into Cross Gates and I got off. There were no ticket gates there.

*NHS Blood and Transplant

 

[pokemonsuper9]

I do wonder about how unstaffed stations worked back in the days before TVMs or permits to travel.

You get on the train, and but your ticket from the guard when they check, or at a later station you change at or end your journey at.

 

[sot]

We were doing a weekend 1st upgrade. The train manager was having problems with his machine, the final straw being when his printer jammed. He fixed it but the prospect of restarting the transaction from scratch was too much for him. "I can't be bothered" he said, and walked off. Result!

Attempting to buy an extension to journey whilst still some way out from the end of the first ticket.

Guard has no blank tickets in the middle of the train, goes to back cab, nothing there either. Sorry can't sell you a ticket as I have no blanks.

 

[plugwash]

I do wonder about how unstaffed stations worked back in the days before TVMs or permits to travel.

I don't know about elsewhere in the country but heres how I recall things in the north before the penalty fare/TVM/ticket barrier rollout.

"permits to travel" were never a thing here, BR did experiment with quickfare machines but I'm pretty sure they only offered a very limited range of tickets and I don't remember anyone ever using them. Most of our local stations did have ticket offices, but most of them were part time.

The answer to how it worked is that most of the time you got ticket checked on the train. If you didn't have a ticket the guard would sell you one. Sometimes ticket checkers/sellers with portable machines were also posted at stations. For a journey from the suburbs into machester you would almost certainly get ticket checked. I suspect they lost a fair bit of revenue on short journeys though.

 

[zero]

A tourist couple about to touch in with contactless at Tottenham Hale actually noticed the signs saying no contactless to Stansted, put their cards away and went to buy proper tickets.

A Thameslink RPI let someone off for using a Network Railcard ticket discounted to less than £13 at 0930 on a weekday.

 

[Sonic1234]

Advance ticket accepted by Eastbourne gateline.

Could GTR be softening their stance on advances - particularly as they seem to be promoting them more?

Annoying "Error 105" at the other end of the journey. Was hopeful.

 

[Jamiescott1]

Elderly couple got on the train at Paddington platform 8 (ungated) to maidenhead without a ticket.
RPI asked for their tickets, they said they didnt have one he sold them tickets on the train and even gave them a senior rail card discount.

 

[Sealink]

I do wonder about how unstaffed stations worked back in the days before TVMs or permits to travel.

Will most stations on Far North Line still don't have TVMs or permits to travel. I could be wrong but I thought I saw one at Dingwall. (ScotRail website says only a ticket office there.)
All stations do have smartcard validators though.

 

[trainophile]

Youngish bloke got on my Avanti at Lancaster the other day, first stop Penrith. Ticket checker (female) came round and he asked her for a single to Penrith, which she sold him without commenting that he should have bought one at the station. Anyway that's her prerogative I guess.

However as we pulled into Penrith he was sat there with his earphones in, eyes closed, oblivious, when she walked back through the coach and said to him "aren't you getting off here?" - cue fake startled look and sheepish shuffle to the door. I'd bet my last quid that he was hoping to get to Carlisle without being noticed, where there's no barriers. Nice move by the lady guard though, kudos to her.

 

[zero]

Youngish bloke got on my Avanti at Lancaster the other day, first stop Penrith. Ticket checker (female) came round and he asked her for a single to Penrith, which she sold him without commenting that he should have bought one at the station. Anyway that's her prerogative I guess.

But this is what I'd expect to happen - Avanti doesn't do penalty fares, so if you're willing to pay the full walk-up price with no railcards etc, effectively you can just buy on board. Since it only happens rarerly, anyone doing this must be quite memorable.

In fact, I once saw someone get on at Penrith but the TM only came by after Oxenholme, so he asked to buy a ticket from there to Lancaster, but she stated quite loudly that she saw him board at Penrith. Maybe it was the same bloke...

 

[philthetube]

I do wonder about how unstaffed stations worked back in the days before TVMs or permits to travel.

In the South East, if you were travelling in the compartment stock you never paid if travelling between unstaffed stations.