Interchange at Kentish Town with PAYG Oyster

[Islineclear3_1]

Last week I had reason to travel from Cricklewood to Leicester Square. I touched in at Cricklewood and changed to the Northern line at Kentish Town where I touched out.

As I made my way towards the Underground, it suddenly occurred to me that there was no pink (interchange) card reader (like at Canada Water) and that there wasn't another card reader as you approach the escalator to the Northern line.

I doubled back and asked a member of staff because I didn't want to have trouble upon arrival at Leicester Square. The staff member said I would be fine but sceptical as I was, I continued my journey and touched out at Leicester Square without any problems.

Is this normal? Would I have been in trouble had there been RPI's at Leicester Square?

 

[MikeWh]

Last week I had reason to travel from Cricklewood to Leicester Square. I touched in at Cricklewood and changed to the Northern line at Kentish Town where I touched out.

As I made my way towards the Underground, it suddenly occurred to me that there was no pink (interchange) card reader (like at Canada Water) and that there wasn't another card reader as you approach the escalator to the Northern line.

I doubled back and asked a member of staff because I didn't want to have trouble upon arrival at Leicester Square. The staff member said I would be fine but sceptical as I was, I continued my journey and touched out at Leicester Square without any problems.

Is this normal? Would I have been in trouble had there been RPI's at Leicester Square?

I think what you missed were validators to touch out at Kentish Town from the Thameslink side. Your touch at Kentish Town was another touch in which is probably allowed even if you are in already. You certainly wouldn't have got in trouble with RPIs anywhere. All I'd do now is check the online journey history to make sure you have been charged correctly, though I'm sure you will have.

 

[EM2]

Why would you touch out at Kentish Town and then back in for the Underground? It's one journey, so touch in at Cricklewood and out at Leicester Square, surely?

 

[Islineclear3_1]

MikeWH: I was (perhaps) not paying attention as I only saw a yellow card reader upon exit from the Thameslink side at Kentish Town. Did I miss something else? I will check my Oyster history

EM2: I see your point but take this journey for example: Brockley to Stratford via Overground and Jubilee Line with interchange at Canada Water. It may be one journey but one is obliged to touch in on a pink validator at Canada Water before going down to the Underground. Surely this is no different from Cricklewood to Leicester Square?

 

[Clip]

MikeWH: I was (perhaps) not paying attention as I only saw a yellow card reader upon exit from the Thameslink side at Kentish Town. Did I miss something else? I will check my Oyster history

EM2: I see your point but take this journey for example: Brockley to Stratford via Overground and Jubilee Line with interchange at Canada Water. It may be one journey but one is obliged to touch in on a pink validator at Canada Water before going down to the Underground. Surely this is no different from Cricklewood to Leicester Square?

The pink reader there is to let the system know you are not travelling via zone 1 and are charged accordingly. That's not needed when you travel into zone 1 as you wwere that day

 

[OwlMan]

I think you are misunderstanding what Pink Readers are for.
They are only used when a cheaper (than the standard) route is used, they are only situated at 15 stations on an alternative route avoiding zone 1. see https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster/using-oyster/pink-card-readers

 

[MikeWh]

MikeWH: I was (perhaps) not paying attention as I only saw a yellow card reader upon exit from the Thameslink side at Kentish Town. Did I miss something else? I will check my Oyster history

You'll be fine then. Those readers are set to continuation exit so that the gates still work to exit the station. Your journey will just have been extended when you touched out at Leicester Square. I'd temporarily forgotten the layout of Kentish Town. For future reference, you don't need to touch those validators unless you are starting/ending an Oyster journey and using paper to travel to/from up north on Thameslink.

EM2: I see your point but take this journey for example: Brockley to Stratford via Overground and Jubilee Line with interchange at Canada Water. It may be one journey but one is obliged to touch in on a pink validator at Canada Water before going down to the Underground. Surely this is no different from Cricklewood to Leicester Square?

It is, as I said above. Pink readers are actually optional. Touching them may give you a benefit, as they would in this example as you have avoided zone 1.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Thanks guys. But I'll try and remember to locate the pink readers at Kentish Town and affiliate myself with their use. I'm glad I didn't need to use one for this particularly journey

 

[MikeWh]

I think you are misunderstanding what Pink Readers are for.
They are only used when a cheaper (than the standard) route is used, they are only situated at 15 stations on an alternative route avoiding zone 1. see https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/oyster/using-oyster/pink-card-readers

They really need to update that page to include Hackney Central/Downs.
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Thanks guys. But I'll try and remember to locate the pink readers at Kentish Town and affiliate myself with their use. I'm glad I didn't need to use one for this particularly journey

There aren't any pink readers at Kentish Town. You don't need to touch anything there when interchanging on an Oyster journey.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

There aren't any pink readers at Kentish Town. You don't need to touch anything there when interchanging on an Oyster journey.

Thanks MikeWH, I'll remember not to when I have to make the journey again
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Just checked my history and I was charged £2.30 for the journey which I assume was the correct fare so I don't believe I was overcharged or charged for two separate journeys