Faded ticket

[Watershed]

Not the “local station” but the “Train Company or Licensed Retailer that sold it”. However, I would be surprised if any ticket office had any idea how this should actually be done as there is no process that I know of for doing it other than for a season ticket or railcard (and in over 20 years I’ve never done across such a situation).

Awfully convenient how clauses of the NRCoT are cited whenever it suits the railway - yet when the boot is on the other foot, excuses like "we don't have a way of doing that" start piling up...

 

[Fawkes Cat]

However, I would be surprised if any ticket office had any idea how this should actually be done as there is no process that I know of for doing it other than for a season ticket or railcard (and in over 20 years I’ve never done across such a situation).

I've no idea how it should be done, and no real knowledge of ticket issuing processes, but in the absence of guidance, I'd suggest
- phoning up someone who might know (head office?) for further guidance but if that doesn't work
- following the instructions for reissuing a season ticket or railcard and see if they work, or (assuming that doesn't)
- issue a new first class all lines ticket with the same end date as the original but with (a) no amount charged (I'm assuming that like the standard till that you'd find in your corner shop there is some arrangement for zero price sales) and (b) a very detailed note for the auditors explaining why something so expensive has apparently been given away rather than sold.

 

[m4tt]

I've no idea how it should be done, and no real knowledge of ticket issuing processes, but in the absence of guidance, I'd suggest
- phoning up someone who might know (head office?) for further guidance but if that doesn't work
- following the instructions for reissuing a season ticket or railcard and see if they work, or (assuming that doesn't)
- issue a new first class all lines ticket with the same end date as the original but with (a) no amount charged (I'm assuming that like the standard till that you'd find in your corner shop there is some arrangement for zero price sales) and (b) a very detailed note for the auditors explaining why something so expensive has apparently been given away rather than sold.

Thanks for your advice, I went back to the ticket office again this morning and they said they had all being talking about it but could not find a solution. They said the issue was they couldn't print one with the date finishing on the same day as the original as they can only issue 7 and 14 day tickets. Whether they could issue another 7 free of charge would be up for debate I would imagine

 

[Haywain]

excuses like "we don't have a way of doing that"

It's a statement of my knowledge of what we can do through our ticket issuing systems and is based on sitting with the TIS in front of me looking for such a means. However, having never had the need to do this in 20 years, it is clearly a niche situation.

- phoning up someone who might know (head office?) for further guidance but if that doesn't work

That's usually me!

- following the instructions for reissuing a season ticket or railcard and see if they work, or (assuming that doesn't)

They don't. I've checked. Rover ticket issuing is separate and has no facility for issuing a replacement.

- issue a new first class all lines ticket with the same end date as the original but with (a) no amount charged (I'm assuming that like the standard till that you'd find in your corner shop there is some arrangement for zero price sales) and (b) a very detailed note for the auditors explaining why something so expensive has apparently been given away rather than sold.

The start date cannot be backdated, so that wouldn't work.

If such a case were to come to me, what I would do would be to give the holder a note (written or typed) to confirm the authenticity of the ticket as that would seem to be the only possible option available. Now, if someone does believe there is a means of issuing a replacement ticket I would be interested to learn how to do so.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The repacement only applies to season tickets and Railcards.

Isn't a 14 day All Lines Rover effectively also a Season Ticket?

According to NRCoT...

“Season Ticket” means a Ticket sold as such which allows you to travel for a period of 7 consecutive days or longer;

 

[Wallsendmag]

Isn't a 14 day All Lines Rover effectively also a Season Ticket?

According to NRCoT...

No it's a Rover

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Isn't a 14 day All Lines Rover effectively also a Season Ticket?

According to NRCoT...

“Season Ticket” means a Ticket sold as such which allows you to travel for a period of 7 consecutive days or longer;

Please see the italics that I've added. It's a season ticket if it says that it's a season ticket.

 

[Watershed]

It's a statement of my knowledge of what we can do through our ticket issuing systems and is based on sitting with the TIS in front of me looking for such a means. However, having never had the need to do this in 20 years, it is clearly a niche situation.

I don't doubt that you are correct. However, as far as the passenger is concerned, "computer says no" is a pathetic excuse.

The start date cannot be backdated, so that wouldn't work.

How about crossing out and entering a new end date, with an endorsement and stamp on the back to explain?

There's many possibilities. Even if "computer says no" there are always options.

 

[Haywain]

How about crossing out and entering a new end date,

Having already explained how I would deal with the matter, I have to assume that this is just a joke. I cannot imagine anything more unprofessional and more likely to give a ticket holder untold amounts of difficulty as they travel - regardless of any stamp of endorsement.

 

[Adam Williams]

Ultimately the people that this would escalating to for any hope of a solution are the TIS supplier's engineers, I suppose - rather than anyone working at a TOC.

If the Aztec is readable at one point or a photo is available of how it used to look, then I would be surprised if the type06 barcode payload doesn't give you enough information to be able to print the rest of the details shown directly on the ticket. I don't think this would be a huge amount of work.

I suspect getting changes made and deployed to the software to enable this sort of "scan and re-print" functionality would be difficult in any sort of timeframe useful to the customer, however.