went to London with a mate yesterday- him from Ely, me joining the train at Cambridge. Anyway, he'd turned up at Ely in plenty of time to find no windows at the office open and only one functioning machine- the queue was long and winding. So he chanced it- and boarded the train without a ticket. He's done this many times before, and been sold a ticket at Kings Cross (with railcard discount even!)
This time though, he hit a snag. He explained to the situation to the gateline staff at Kings Cross (suburban platforms) and they did... nothing. They refused to sell him a ticket. They made no effort to charge him a Penalty Fare. They didn't call the BTP. They just said "we don't sell tickets" and otherwise ignored him. They had ticket machines. They had pads. I watched some of this farce. It was bizarre.
He eventually "escaped" by doubling up through the barriers when another busy train arrived. It seemed that this or getting back on a train (still without a ticket!) was the only way out of the situation. It was most odd.
This time though, he hit a snag. He explained to the situation to the gateline staff at Kings Cross (suburban platforms) and they did... nothing. They refused to sell him a ticket. They made no effort to charge him a Penalty Fare. They didn't call the BTP. They just said "we don't sell tickets" and otherwise ignored him. They had ticket machines. They had pads. I watched some of this farce. It was bizarre.
He eventually "escaped" by doubling up through the barriers when another busy train arrived. It seemed that this or getting back on a train (still without a ticket!) was the only way out of the situation. It was most odd.