Merseyrail - On train ticket checks

[Grumpy Git]

I've been using Merseyrail for almost 25 years.

Until this year, I cannot ever remember having my ticket checked on a Merseyrail train.

I've just had my third check in almost as many journeys (2S42 Hunts X - Southport), what's bought about this change?

 

[74A]

Now merseyrail guards don't operate the doors they have more time to check tickets.

 

[Spandau]

Was it the guard who inspected or ‘security’? I was on 2S42 between Bank Hall and Freshfield and it was rammed. I’m surprised anyone could get through.

The oddity is that only revenue can PF people. Guards cannot even sell a ticket so if someone hasn’t paid there is not a lot they can do.

 

[gray1404]

Guards on the Southport to Hunts Cross line do still operate the doors.

Merseyrail rent a thug Carlisle Security byelaw enforcement officers are now able to issue Penalty Fares along with Merseyrail RPIs.

 

[Vespa]

I have seen Carlisle operate on the old trains, ticket checks by guards on the new trains.

That's only my observation so far, I could be wrong as I can only speak from my observation.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Was it the guard who inspected or ‘security’? I was on 2S42 between Bank Hall and Freshfield and it was rammed. I’m surprised anyone could get through.

The oddity is that only revenue can PF people. Guards cannot even sell a ticket so if someone hasn’t paid there is not a lot they can do.

Not sure, it was a lady. There was another male person passively accompanying her who looked like they could have been security?

I was checked between Aigburth and St. Michael's.

 

[8A Rail]

Now merseyrail guards don't operate the doors they have more time to check tickets.

Guards will continue to operate the doors on all Class 507 and 508 that remain in use until withdrawn. Guards then become 'Train Managers' I understand when on Class 777's. Guards have not checked tickets on the Merseyrail system as far as I am aware.

 

[Vinnym]

I have had my tickets checked by the guard three times recently on the Ormskirk line.

 

[urbophile]

As a fairly frequent (2-3 times a week) traveller on Merseyrail, I have encountered many ticket checks over the last ten years or so. Sometimes you go for weeks without one, and then, like buses, they come along often. In most cases I think these have been done by the guard, but often by security or revenue staff. There was a spell a few years ago (was it because of an ongoing union dispute, or because of company policy?) when there were next to no inspections, I have noticed them more frequently of late. (I mostly use the Hunts Cross branch so these have all been on the 507-8s.)

 

[northwichcat]

I do recall a group of inspectors boarding a Wirral line train a number of years back and then getting off again as soon as they'd done a full inspection. I haven't travelled recently and from my experience the guard just did the door/dispatch duties on the old trains and didn't check tickets.

 

[swt_passenger]

The oddity is that only revenue can PF people. Guards cannot even sell a ticket so if someone hasn’t paid there is not a lot they can do.

That’s not really an oddity, it’s pretty standard across the rest of the railway that only specialist revenue staff are trained to issue PFs.

 

[8A Rail]

I have had my tickets checked by the guard three times recently on the Ormskirk line.

No doubt you were travelling on a Class 777 and the 'guard' is not a 'guard' as they are a 'Train Manager'.

 

[cool110]

That’s not really an oddity, it’s pretty standard across the rest of the railway that only specialist revenue staff are trained to issue PFs.

The oddity is that the guards don't have any ticket issuing equipment.

 

[Peakrider]

Guards have been carrying out ticket checks between stations for years. They can operate the door controls & driver bell, from any door on the 507/8s since refurbishment way back when, and often do on the Chester line where stop distances can be longer.
They also do some checking on those nasty new 777s.

 

[lrailadventure]

I believe when the guards role changed to train manager, and the operation of the 777s commenced, it was expected that the on-board staff would become more proactive with things like ticket checks (staff working the 777s have certainly become more visible as they're not hiding in the cabs the entire journey anymore!).

I believe (source from inside the railway industry who seems to be all in the know) Merseyrail are trying to acquire EMR's old ticket printers, so that the TMs can start issuing and printing tickets on board.

One thing I have noticed with the TMs checking tickets though, is they seem to insist on marking every ticket with a line of Sharpie, even if it's a day saver, which doesn't really need to be marked...

 

[Bletchleyite]

One thing I have noticed with the TMs checking tickets though, is they seem to insist on marking every ticket with a line of Sharpie, even if it's a day saver, which doesn't really need to be marked...

Sounds like 1990s Deutsche Bahn...if it fits in the stampers it gets stamped. I used to get Wochenendtickets (weekend rovers, basically) with ten or more stamps on them. They'd stamp a mobile phone screen if it would fit.

 

[TUC]

Now merseyrail guards don't operate the doors they have more time to check tickets.

Funny how staff in other TOCs can focus on more than one task at a time.

 

[Merseysider]

Funny how staff in other TOCs can focus on more than one task at a time.

Merseyrail have a massive number of stops with just 1-2 minutes between them. Impossible to check any more than a handful after leaving before you’d have to stop again. It’s more like LU/LO than a traditional TOC.

 

[urbophile]

Funny how staff in other TOCs can focus on more than one task at a time.

Possibly because most other TOCs have more time between stations. (Merseysider beat me to it!)

 

[northwichcat]

One thing I have noticed with the TMs checking tickets though, is they seem to insist on marking every ticket with a line of Sharpie, even if it's a day saver, which doesn't really need to be marked...

Sounds like 1990s Deutsche Bahn...if it fits in the stampers it gets stamped. I used to get Wochenendtickets (weekend rovers, basically) with ten or more stamps on them. They'd stamp a mobile phone screen if it would fit.

They may be doing it as proof the passenger has shown that ticket checked on the train. No mark might mean the guard hasn't asked them for a ticket, which might led to a manager asking questions.

 

[lrailadventure]

The only reason tickets are typically marked/stamped is to show they have been used, and to deter people travelling on tickets such as singles and returns from making more than one journey on the same ticket. Which is why marking a daysaver is usually pointless because it allows unlimited travel on that day.

It doesn't benefit managers in the slightest. Managers don't check tickets (managers barely even make an appearance currently), and gatelines (at the few gatelined stations) don't detect Sharpie to see if a ticket has been checked anyway.

If managers were really that concerned about checking the tickets, they'd be encouraging Merseyrail to move over to barcoded tickets so they can see how many tickets each TM is scanning per journey.