Clapham Junction Oyster issue

[Elshad]

Does anyone know the correct way to touch out/validate when changing from Overground (Oyster) to SWR at Clapham Junction, to avoid being charged a maximum fare?

I take the Overground from Olympia and then SWR to Southampton, and I’ve tried using the pink validators on the Overgound platforms, but I still get charged the “no touch-in/out” fare when I check later on the TfL website/app.

I’ve noticed that on platform 17 there is a regular yellow Oyster reader, and this does correctly start/finish my journey on the occasions when I get the hourly Southern train, but none of the other platforms have them. The only other solution I’ve found is to exit the station using Oyster and re-enter using the SWR app/ticket, but this is pretty long-winded and takes time.

Is there something I’m missing? Or is this just a loophole which has not been addressed?

 

[swt_passenger]

Does anyone know the correct way to touch out/validate when changing from Overground (Oyster) to SWR at Clapham Junction, to avoid being charged a maximum fare?

I’ve tried using the pink validators on the Overgound platforms, but I still get charged the “no touch-in/out” fare when I check later on the TfL website/app.

I’ve noticed that on platform 17 there is a regular yellow Oyster reader, and this does correctly start/finish my journey on the occasions when I get the hourly Southern train, but none of the other platforms have them. The only other solution I’ve found is to exit the station using Oyster and re-enter using the SWR app/ticket, but this is pretty long-winded and takes time.

Is there something I’m missing? Or is this just a loophole which has not been addressed?

You have to either use the P17 yellow reader, or exit and re-enter. AIUI from a discussion years ago SWT were not happy with the idea of yellow readers everywhere, assuming it would lead to loads of short faring.

 

[Watershed]

Does anyone know the correct way to touch out/validate when changing from Overground (Oyster) to SWR at Clapham Junction, to avoid being charged a maximum fare?

I take the Overground from Olympia and then SWR to Southampton, and I’ve tried using the pink validators on the Overgound platforms, but I still get charged the “no touch-in/out” fare when I check later on the TfL website/app.

I’ve noticed that on platform 17 there is a regular yellow Oyster reader, and this does correctly start/finish my journey on the occasions when I get the hourly Southern train, but none of the other platforms have them. The only other solution I’ve found is to exit the station using Oyster and re-enter using the SWR app/ticket, but this is pretty long-winded and takes time.

Is there something I’m missing? Or is this just a loophole which has not been addressed?

You need to both touch in and out to be charged correctly. A pink reader is solely there to indicate the route you've taken (usually to prove you've avoided Zone 1), it doesn't finish your journey.

You either need to use a standalone yellow reader (these can be used both for touching in and out) or to exit the gateline and re-enter with your other ticket.

 

[A Challenge]

Can pink readers still be used for touch in, I heard it was going to be removed but am unsure if that ever happened?

 

[MikeWh]

Yes they can.


Although I wish they couldn't as it would make the messaging clearer.

 

[infobleep]

You have to either use the P17 yellow reader, or exit and re-enter. AIUI from a discussion years ago SWT were not happy with the idea of yellow readers everywhere, assuming it would lead to loads of short faring.

I wonder if Southern experience much short faring?

I mostly use the platform 17 validators, although it always seems odd walking along the platfolr when no train is due for a while.

 

[swt_passenger]

I wonder if Southern experience much short faring?

I mostly use the platform 17 validators, although it always seems odd walking along the platfolr when no train is due for a while.

I can’t quite work out why it was put there in the first place. Also, if it was ever to do with transferring to/from West London Line through services or, (keeping it quiet), longer distance XC services, wouldn’t there need to be a similar reader on P16?

 

[etr221]

The suprising thing is perhaps the lack of validators on the LO platfoms 1 & 2

When I had to touch out, and carry on with a different ticket, I just went to the most convenient barrier line and did it there - without bothering to go through.

 

[infobleep]

I can’t quite work out why it was put there in the first place. Also, if it was ever to do with transferring to/from West London Line through services or, (keeping it quiet), longer distance XC services, wouldn’t there need to be a similar reader on P16?

I thought it was put in as part of a trail between TfL and Southern, as then was. Having nothing on platform 16 is odd.

As for the Overground platforms, they probably want to deny the existence of the National Railways.

 

[JonathanH]

I can’t quite work out why it was put there in the first place.

Oyster was valid from Clapham Junction northwards before it was valid more generally on services from Clapham Junction - ie Silverlink transfer to London Overground in 2007, general Oyster availability in 2010 (although Victoria to Balham went live in September 2009). The pink readers on platform 1 and 2 were originally yellow readers - the one on platform 17 never got changed - pink readers were necessary once the East London Line extension opened to Clapham Junction.

 

[swt_passenger]

Oyster was valid from Clapham Junction northwards before it was valid more generally on services from Clapham Junction - ie Silverlink transfer to London Overground in 2007, general Oyster availability in 2010 (although Victoria to Balham went live in September 2009). The pink readers on platform 1 and 2 were originally yellow readers - the one on platform 17 never got changed - pink readers were necessary once the East London Line extension opened to Clapham Junction.

Is it possible they only fitted one on P17 because LO services using it would have turned back directly from that platform? So as you suggest should it really be a pink reader?

 

[Kite159]

Is it possible they only fitted one on P17 because LO services using it would have turned back directly from that platform? So as you suggest should it really be a pink reader?

Having it as a pink reader, or removing them all together could make a difference in reducing the number of passengers who arrive at Clapham Junction on LO using oyster, touching out using the readers on P17 before boarding another train (either Southern or SWR) without having a ticket for it (assuming they are travelling to a station which lacks barriers). Might be passenger unfriendly for the genuine users who change from oyster to another ticket, but they will simply have to exit at a gateline before re-entering using the paper ticket.

Although won't stop those passengers from touching into the oyster system having travelled from unbarriered SWR/Southern station before continuing their journey as you can start a journey with a pink reader. Also making it pink will help when LO uses P17 [which I think is booked to happen a couple times of day].

[When I say Oyster, it includes Contactless as well]

 

[JonathanH]

Although won't stop those passengers from touching into the oyster system having travelled from unbarriered SWR/Southern station before continuing their journey as you can start a journey with a pink reader. Also making it pink will help when LO uses P17 [which I think is booked to happen a couple times of day].

As far as I know the only reason to use a pink reader at Clapham Junction is to change between the two London Overground routes so a potential passenger would have to go to platform 1 or 2 even if they arrived on platform 17.

(Actually forget that, Putney to Willesden Junction disproves that theory.)

 

[infobleep]

P

Having it as a pink reader, or removing them all together could make a difference in reducing the number of passengers who arrive at Clapham Junction on LO using oyster, touching out using the readers on P17 before boarding another train (either Southern or SWR) without having a ticket for it (assuming they are travelling to a station which lacks barriers). Might be passenger unfriendly for the genuine users who change from oyster to another ticket, but they will simply have to exit at a gateline before re-entering using the paper ticket.

Although won't stop those passengers from touching into the oyster system having travelled from unbarriered SWR/Southern station before continuing their journey as you can start a journey with a pink reader. Also making it pink will help when LO uses P17 [which I think is booked to happen a couple times of day].

[When I say Oyster, it includes Contactless as well]

If it is such a problem with people fareing short then perhaps they should move the pink readers and have a member of staff checking passengers using them to ensure they are genuine.

 

[boiledbeans2]

There are 2 more yellow readers in the subway, located between platform 17 and the shopping centre entrance ticket barriers.

But those 2 readers are only a couple of footsteps from the ticket barriers, that you might as well exit and re-enter.