Do ticket barriers accept ALR tickets?

[Drsatan]

I'm going on a 7 day All Line Rover at the end of this month and I was wondering whether most ticket barriers accepted All Line Rovers. The reason I'm asking this is because I'm aware most gateline staff won't be familiar with All Line Rovers (I'm already mentally rehearsing what to say if a gateline attendant doesn't recognise the ticket!)

 

[oldtrvller]

I use ALR's reguarly and I have never had a barrier accept the ticket - I always have to show it to the barrier staff.
Staff at most large stations do know about these tickets.

 

[David Goddard]

We did an ALR last summer and had no intention of even trying them in the barriers in case of malfunction, given they were the 14 day first class ones worth £1040 each!
At each gated station we showed them to the staff who let us through with no problems.

 

[Hadders]

I did an ALR last summer and they didn't open the barriers anywhere. Gave up trying after the first day and simply asked the barrier staff to let me through.

I didn't encounter any issues with staff not knowing what the ticket was.

 

[Temple Meads]

I might be wrong, but I'd imagine most barrier staff know about ALR's, being the "ultimate ticket".

 

[manxqueenies]

I did an ALR last autumn and like a previous poster was reluctant to use the ticket in barriers due to cost and malfunction possibilities. I tried in a couple and ticket never worked - but no issue as all stations waved me through with the exception of Leeds - went through Leeds 3 times and very time attendant insisted I proved ticket did not work in barrier - painful as always busy and he tried to suggest I was trying it on. Every other station in 2 weeks no issue - just showed to attendant and swiped through.

 

[IanXC]

I might be wrong, but I'd imagine most barrier staff know about ALR's, being the "ultimate ticket".

That was my experience when I did an ALR. I had absolutely no intention of putting such a ticket in a barrier! At most barriers I was almost treated like royalty!

 

[jon0844]

That was my experience when I did an ALR. I had absolutely no intention of putting such a ticket in a barrier! At most barriers I was almost treated like royalty!

Given the other thread on the new ATOC ticket design, I've discovered that the new ALR tickets will eventually look like this;

 

[bb21]

I must echo the sentiment expressed by some members regarding gateline malfunction or even just incorrect programming. Having experienced first-hand how some staff plainly refuse to fetch swallowed tickets back out using a range of excuses, and the snail-like speed of others who were reluctant to do so, I would not personally take the risk of the ticket being retained by the gates or even worse, dropped into the internal bin.

 

[Flying Snail]

I must echo the sentiment expressed by some members regarding gateline malfunction or even just incorrect programming. Having experienced first-hand how some staff plainly refuse to fetch swallowed tickets back out using a range of excuses, and the snail-like speed of others who were reluctant to do so, I would not personally take the risk of the ticket being retained by the gates or even worse, dropped into the internal bin.

Quite. The time I had a standard stock Britrail pass I was the same, did not like the idea of it being swallowed at all and only put it through a couple of times due to insistent gateline staff. Same as the ALRs it was rejected anyway.

Seems crazy for tickets that are essentially universally valid to be programmed to reject rather than open all gates.

 

[jon0844]

I expect they are programmed to make the gate say 'seek assistance' and have an appropriate error code?

Yes it's an inconvenience, but given their value, I can see why they might be blocked deliberately (as against the gates not being programmed properly). I would see no problem having to show my ticket every time (in fact, I guess most users would be quite proud to show them given their value!).

I'd be mildly annoyed if told to put a ticket that won't work in a gate though by staff!

 

[furlong]

Seems crazy for tickets that are essentially universally valid to be programmed to reject rather than open all gates.

But imagine the potential for fraud if there existed a magnetic stripe that was guaranteed to open every ticket gate everywhere.

 

[Crossover]

I would also be rather surprised if staff didn't know what an ALR was...there again, that isn't accounting for G4S

I have also heard tales of various passengers who refuse to put them through the barriers in case they get swallowed

 

[Drsatan]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I'm traveling on a standard class 7 day ALR with 16-25 discount, so hopefully I won't be treated like a second-class citizen :P

I expect they are programmed to make the gate say 'seek assistance' and have an appropriate error code?

I think quite a few tickets are programmed to force barriers at LUL stations state 'seek assistance' for some reason. A couple of years ago this appeared to be the case with 16-25 travelcards issued from NR stations. Very irritating since it means you have to join the scrum at the manual gate.

 

[barrykas]

The "Holy Grail" of tickets has to be the Annual All Line Pass (see attachment). Valid anywhere in the country with no restrictions, and can only be purchased via ATOC. Not sure whether they'll work the barriers though, but I'd guess not.

 

[Techniquest]

Given the other thread on the new ATOC ticket design, I've discovered that the new ALR tickets will eventually look like this;

View attachment 14266

Oh my days that made me laugh, best thing I've seen all week

During my two ALR trips, I had some issues with barriers but most staff realised what they were. Only a small handful of times did I have to explain it, one was at Shoeburyness where I'd only a couple of minutes before my train was due to leave so was glad he didn't take long conferring with his colleague about it!

Besides, it's not just the barriers you need to watch, it's the guards/conductors/Train Managers/whatever they're called this week. Perfect example was in June 2012's 14 day ALR trip, guard on the leap from Manningtree to Wrabness was shown the ticket and he said something about it not being valid south of Ipswich. He'd mistaken thought I had an Anglia Plus ticket, took a couple of minutes to get him to look again and actually be taught on the difference between an Anglia Plus and an All Line Rover!

As for the annual ALR, I wouldn't want to even imagine the cost of that!

 

[ainsworth74]

The "Holy Grail" of tickets has to be the Annual All Line Pass (see attachment). Valid anywhere in the country with no restrictions, and can only be purchased via ATOC. Not sure whether they'll work the barriers though, but I'd guess not.

I saw and indeed held one of these recently in my own hands. I want one and want it really badly...

 

[barrykas]

I saw and indeed held one of these recently in my own hands. I want one and want it really badly...

Yours for around £15000 for the Standard version, £25000 for the 1st Class, I believe. Possibly a bit more given a 14 Day ALR is just over £700 in STD and just over £1000 in 1ST.

 

[ainsworth74]

Yours for around £15000 for the Standard version, £25000 for the 1st Class

Right. Well if I re-mortgage my mums house...

 

[D841 Roebuck]

When I did an ALR in 2010, Shoeburyness was the only place where someone got the hump about opening the gates - twice in 15 minutes (went out for a smoke).

 

[radamfi]

The "Holy Grail" of tickets has to be the Annual All Line Pass (see attachment). Valid anywhere in the country with no restrictions, and can only be purchased via ATOC. Not sure whether they'll work the barriers though, but I'd guess not.

How long has this been in existence? Why not sell it to the general public? Actually at £15,000 that is cheaper than an Annual from Berwick-upon-Tweed to London at around £20K, so a public version would probably need to be at least £21K. Obviously very poor value compared to the German equivalent at around €4,000.

 

[ModernRailways]

The "Holy Grail" of tickets has to be the Annual All Line Pass (see attachment). Valid anywhere in the country with no restrictions, and can only be purchased via ATOC. Not sure whether they'll work the barriers though, but I'd guess not.

I thought they had been stopped being produced? Feel free to correct me, but as far as I was aware you could no longer get them?

 

[ainsworth74]

I thought they had been stopped being produced? Feel free to correct me, but as far as I was aware you could no longer get them?

I held one in my hands a month ago so it must have been pretty recent if they have!

 

[ModernRailways]

I held one in my hands a month ago so it must have been pretty recent if they have!

Don't remember where I heard it but I was looking into them and can remember seeing that they would be discontinued!

I think the 14 day ALR works out cheaper too, especially if you can apply a discount!

 

[RochdalePioneers]

A one year pass? Pah! I was sat across a table from two retired gentlemen who had been senior managers for a former TOC and BR for years. They had a for life gold card, so the same as your 1st annual ticket only for ever.

Didn't have a value stated on the one they showed me....

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Crossover]

A one year pass? Pah! I was sat across a table from two retired gentlemen who had been senior managers for a former TOC and BR for years. They had a for life gold card, so the same as your 1st annual ticket only for ever.

Didn't have a value stated on the one they showed me....

Guarded with their life, no doubt!

 

[barrykas]

I thought they had been stopped being produced? Feel free to correct me, but as far as I was aware you could no longer get them?

Still in existence and requires an application direct to Rail Settlement Plan. Railway Mission Chaplains have them, amongst others.

 

[trc666]

I've only seen three ALRs so far in just under two years at Waterloo, and each time after checking it is valid I have let the person through the barrier rather than asking them to put it in.

RochdalePioneers - what you saw was most likely a Rail Staff Gold Status Pass, which is a solid plastic photocard allowing free first class travel throughout the network for senior active or retired ex BR staff (ie directors, chief executives etc) and their partners / dependants - this cannot be used in a barrier, it must be shown to staff.

 

[sarahj]

PAH!!!!! What you need is one of those metal badges, given to the very senior staff, ie Sir Peter Parker would have had one. One of my managers had one (sadly left the railway after another re-org). Very rare.