Got issued a handwritten ticket today

[davelew99]

The ticket machine was down at my local station (again) and normally they just ask us to pay at the destination (which is what they said to most people this morning).

They do normally have a pile of pre-printed tickets to the main destinations though and seemed to have a pile of pre-written ones today!

Just wondered how often this sort of thing happens, i've certainly never seen it before. What would the situation be for a long distance traveller on that day? Buy at some intermediate station?

 

[bb21]

Are they just issued on normal orange stock? Do you have a picture?

 

[First class]

It is a white/ blue RSP4407/4408 ticket.

A ticket can be hand written to any destination and for nearly every ticket type.

Merseyrail use these tickets most.

 

[bb21]

I see.

I have an excess ticket issued on RSP4407 stock in my possession somewhere.

 

[davelew99]

Yup RSP4407 and yes it is Merseyrail.

 

[First class]

Yup RSP4407 and yes it is Merseyrail.

Well it will be Rock Ferry or Liverpool Central then

 

[dvboy]

Would love to see this interesting ticket

 

[wintonian]

Had one once in the days of SPORTIS but only the one.

 

[First class]

Here's one:

 

[wintonian]

Here's one:

Seen a couple of pads of those when out on my travels.

 

[First class]

Seen a couple of pads of those when out on my travels.

Not many younger guards/conductors/RPIs actually know what they are which can often cause trouble for some customer who have been given one.

TPE seem to be the biggest trouble causers for this on services leaving Liverpool, (when Merseyrail has issued one).

In the days of SPORTIS, everyone would have recognised one.

 

[davelew99]

My boss has apparently had quite a few and when the inspectors are on board the trains they've not been very happy at all - to the point of contacting the issuing station to find out why it was issued!

I didn't have a problem, at Hamilton Sq i was just waved through with a flash of the ticket.

 

[Flamingo]

Never heard of this! (or if I did, it was long enough ago that I've forgotten!)

 

[northwichcat]

My boss has apparently had quite a few and when the inspectors are on board the trains they've not been very happy at all - to the point of contacting the issuing station to find out why it was issued!

I didn't have a problem, at Hamilton Sq i was just waved through with a flash of the ticket.

Perhaps the inspectors want the ticket office to not sell any tickets if the machines are broke so they can PF non-fare evaders.

 

[First class]

Perhaps the inspectors want the ticket office to not sell any tickets if the machines are broke so they can PF non-fare evaders.

On Merseyrail it is only the Inspectors that sell those tickets...

They would rather have paper tickets than no tickets...

I suspect the paper ticket was badly written out.

 

[davelew99]

The ticket machines seem to break down quite often, does anyone know the nature of the fault? (software/hardware/remote link?) (i'm a software engineer hence my curiosity...)

Who supplies/makes them?

 

[First class]

The machines for Merseyrail are only 1 month old. There does seem to be some sort of critical problem with the new machines where they randomly require re-imaging.

They are the TeamPOS 3000 (upgraded from the 2000) and are manufactured by Fujitsu with the STAR software installed on top of Windows 7 at sites with more than 1 machine (slaves working from a server) or Windows Server 2008 R2 at single TIS stations (master server).

 

[andrew bell]

This could be why the machines wasn't working today

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15154020

 

[First class]

This could be why the machines wasn't working today

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15154020

Fortunately that wasn't the reason.

The railway generally has their own telecommunications network operated by Global Crossing.

The fares data is held locally (so available offline) on the machine anyway and updated each night at 3am.

 

[Flamingo]

Anybody able to PM me any details about these tickets, and the issuing of them?

Thanks

 

[First class]

Anybody able to PM me any details about these tickets, and the issuing of them?

Thanks

What do you want to know?

 

[Flamingo]

What do you want to know?

Everything, really!

 

[yorkie]

Perhaps the inspectors want the ticket office to not sell any tickets if the machines are broke so they can PF non-fare evaders.

The only people who should be PFd are non-fare evaders, under the PF rules. Your posts suggests you believe otherwise? If you are aware of a TOC misusing the legislation feel free to send me a PM.

"...A penalty fare is simply a charge that [a TOC] is allowed to make under the Penalty Fare Regulations and Rules. It is not a fine and anyone who is charged one is not being accused of avoiding, or attempting to avoid, paying his or her fare. ‘Fare dodging’ is a completely different matter..." - NXEA
​

 

[transportphoto]

Fortunately that wasn't the reason.

The railway generally has their own telecommunications network operated by Global Crossing.

The fares data is held locally (so available offline) on the machine anyway and updated each night at 3am.

You have a PM