New Ticket Design Launched

[Starmill]

I think all GR ticket machines (or possibly just all in the North, certainly Leeds, York, Doncaster, Newcastle etc) are issuing in the new format now - including as kwvr45 says the Aztec code.

The quality and layout is to be expected to be much better than from a Parkeon or S&B TVM, just as SMART machines did with the old design.

 

[bb21]

I didn't think Parkeon ones are too bad compared to the others (unsurprisingly given that they are the prototype ones). The other ones are so far rubbish.

I will need to collect some from East Coast machines soon to have a look.

 

[ainsworth74]

I didn't think Parkeon ones are too bad compared to the others (unsurprisingly given that they are the prototype ones). The other ones are so far rubbish.

I will need to collect some from East Coast machines soon to have a look.

The writing is a bit small but it is very clear. I think these are the best version of the new tickets that I've seen.

I collected a couple at Darlington a few days ago which you can see below.

 

[Starmill]

They look almost the same as the ticket office example - which again makes sense because only this type of machine produces old style tickets that look similar to the ones from ticket offices.

However, I retract my comments about them being a step up: the over-writing issues remain, there is some text printed right up against the edge of the ticket, there is text that the white to orange line straddles....

Another interesting point is the NRT data must still have GR = 'East Coast'

And I've been given one where, despite only being 1 reservation, it decided to put it on a separate coupon anyway (note the infuriating return of ALL CAPS which is nearly as annoying as them not being able to show descenders).

 

[Starmill]

Hmmm

 

[swt_passenger]

The writing is a bit small but it is very clear. I think these are the best version of the new tickets that I've seen.

I collected a couple at Darlington a few days ago which you can see below.

I wonder why they can't suppress the stuff about connections when there are none...

 

[ainsworth74]

I wonder why they can't suppress the stuff about connections when there are none...

My guess the wording is triggered by the ticket type which for VTEC APs between Darlington and Peterborough (or at least this tier of AP) is VTEC & Connections. Why it's VTEC & Connections when you'd only ever get a direct VTEC service I'm not quite sure!

 

[bb21]

All down to cluster pricing I think.

Hmm, I think I prefer the Parkeon ones. Obviously it is too much to ask that the other suppliers other than the prototype producers do some usability testing.

 

[WillPS]

Have any machines in the wild so far managed to print a circle and/or a diamond in the upper orange bar?

 

[TEW]

Parkeon machines did/do. Other machines print either a 'D' or 'C' in the orange bar though, which IMO is simpler.

 

[Starmill]

Or half the orange bar in this case

 

[island]

My guess the wording is triggered by the ticket type which for VTEC APs between Darlington and Peterborough (or at least this tier of AP) is VTEC & Connections. Why it's VTEC & Connections when you'd only ever get a direct VTEC service I'm not quite sure!

It was the same on East Coast pre-Virgin.

On FGW and VTWC, amongst others, there are separate fares for journeys like this where a route such as AP RUGBY or AP SLOUGH is a quid or so more than VTWC TRNS ONLY or GREAT WESTN ONLY, presumably as the former give rise to ORCATS sharing.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Have any machines in the wild so far managed to print a circle and/or a diamond in the upper orange bar?

I have seen some which haven't come from Parkeon machines, yes. I just can't remember which, so will keep a look out.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I think all GR ticket machines (or possibly just all in the North, certainly Leeds, York, Doncaster, Newcastle etc) are issuing in the new format now - including as kwvr45 says the Aztec code.

The quality and layout is to be expected to be much better than from a Parkeon or S&B TVM, just as SMART machines did with the old design.

All VTEC TVMs are printing in the new format
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

My guess the wording is triggered by the ticket type which for VTEC APs between Darlington and Peterborough (or at least this tier of AP) is VTEC & Connections. Why it's VTEC & Connections when you'd only ever get a direct VTEC service I'm not quite sure!

It's because certain TIS couldn't cope with buses during engineering work with TOC only routes

 

[Starmill]

This is getting very off-topic, but new tickets that were introduced by DOR do have the route VT E COAST ONLY, for example Edinburgh to Inverness or York to Grantham. This is the 'translation' of rhe old AP EC TRNS ONLY, and is distinct fro. EC ONLY which became VTEC ONLY. Reader Offer, Flat Fare some group tickets and a few other bits and pieces might also have the new routeing. On other TOCs, for a reasonably long journey, Darlington to Peterborough may qualify, they might have the TOC X ONLY and TOC X &CONNECTNS with the latter at a slightly higher price, in case the journey is very difficult on 1 TOC and certain times of day (e.g you might have a quicker journey changing to EMT at Grantham). Everyone has a different policy. EC's was to charge nothing for connections at the non-London end in this fashion, and to charge loads for connections through London.

 

[djjawuk]

Let's just hope staff are trained on the new tickets - I was in first class on TPE today and the Customer Host asked for my ticket, which had a D in the top right corner, and he insisted it meant Coach D and that therefore I couldn't sit in First Class!

He backed down when I pointed out that it said "First Class" on the ticket and
that there's no Coach D on a 185.

On a slightly related point, are Customer Hosts trained to understand the ticketing system? Because the Conductor didn't check the tickets that the Host had already checked, so presumably TPE regard the Hosts' check as 'official'?

 

[jon0844]

I got my first new look ticket at Hatfield yesterday and despite having been on this thread for yonks and knowing what they look like, I initially thought the ticket hadn't printed and I'd just picked up a receipt.

People in front of me in the queue looked equally confused, as the machines inside the station still give the old ones - and most people didn't know about the outside machine until being told (the ticket windows were closed so the queues were horrendous).

Anyway, I soon realised. In the flesh, it's somewhat hard to pick out key information quickly. I do think it's going to be harder for RPIs to do checks effectively. On a train I don't suppose it matters to me, but if someone is checking at a station then they'll either keep me waiting or skip doing proper checks.

Still, on the plus side, there is no text overlapping on it!

 

[causton]

Still, on the plus side, there is no text overlapping on it!

View attachment 24109

If it was an Advance you could almost guarantee the railcard discount line overlapping something

Can't be long till we get them either at the window or machine here in LM land...!

 

[Wallsendmag]

Not much room for a barcode

 

[thebigcheese]

They have arrived at Dartford from the TVM's but not Gravesend yet (stations a few stops away from each other) so suspect South Eastern are rolling them out gradually. A new podium like ticket machine appeared a few weeks ago at Gravesend so was surprised when it printed a ticket in the old style

 

[TUC]

The writing is a bit small but it is very clear. I think these are the best version of the new tickets that I've seen.

I collected a couple at Darlington a few days ago which you can see below.

From having had my first new style tickets, the typesize is problematic for anyone with less than perfect vision, especially in terms of details like seat reservations. Just in terms of accessibility requirements I question whether it is acceptable.

 

[Haywain]

Still, on the plus side, there is no text overlapping on it!

Anybody might think that the design specifications failed to foresee this overlapping text issue!

 

[alxndr]

I got my first new look ticket at Hatfield yesterday and despite having been on this thread for yonks and knowing what they look like, I initially thought the ticket hadn't printed and I'd just picked up a receipt.

I had the same initial thought having seen my first one in real life this week at Oxford. Only now looking at your photo have I realised where they show the price too!

 

[jon0844]

Got another one today but ordered online and collected at the same TVM and it printed the old style!

So is there a flag that says when to use the new style? Exact same ticket type and start/destination in both formats just 24 hours apart.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I would have thought it was down to the machines , very strange

 

[JaJaWa]

Whether you are issued an old or new style ticket is down to:

The train company operating the machine
The type / model of machine
The website you booked on
The train company you are travelling with

 

[transportphoto]

Whether you are issued an old or new style ticket is down to:

The train company operating the machine
The type / model of machine
The website you booked on
The train company you are travelling with

Anything to back these statements up with? All seems a bit too dynamic.

TP

 

[Wallsendmag]

That certainly wasn't my impression of how it worked

 

[jon0844]

New style; selected on TVM and printed.

Old style; booked online (GWR) and printed on same TVM.

 

[Starmill]

Whether you are issued an old or new style ticket is down to:

The train company operating the machine
The type / model of machine
The website you booked on
The train company you are travelling with

Anything to back these statements up with? All seems a bit too dynamic.

TP

That certainly wasn't my impression of how it worked

It's perhaps a little broad, but not exactly... wrong.

My understanding of it is that the operator of the machine has to programme it with the ticket type that you want to buy or collect. If it's on a pre-approved list then you get the new design, if it isn't it will revert to the old one.
This explains why at certain ticket outlets (either machine or office) some GWR Adances, Sleeper tickets or Travelcards don't print in the new format.