Quality of Printing

[Starmill]

So, I went to the trouble to go to Piccadilly to print this out, rather than using the cheap & nasty TVM at Mauldeth Road, which is closer to me, in order to get a ticket that would print properly...

Anyone think I'll have problems with it in the Capital's gates? Or even from staff? I'd hate to arrive in London only to find out that I can't get a replacement issued because I ordered it to a TVM in Manchester. And I plan to be putting this paper through an awful lot of gate lines.

Sorry if its a stupid question, but I don't know which part of the tickets the gates read. Surely the magnetic strip does not hold all that information!? Plus, I've NEVER seen horizontal lines before, and I have a LOT of tickets stacked up, from TVM guard and booking office.

 

[D2022]

I've had tickets in far worse condition, as far as I know it's only the mag strip that matters, the actual ticket face is just the same info but in a format we can understand. If challenged on it they can always rip the old strip reader out and check.

I wouldn't worry, like I said I've had tickets in far worse Nick that have passed through barriers.

 

[transportphoto]

If that is a hole in the bottom of the ticket, I'd take it back to Piccadilly ticket office tomorrow and ask them for a replacement. If that's how it's come out of the TVM then I would be worried. The horizontal lines are nothing to worry about.

I don't know what type of ticket machine Mauldeth Road has, however the 'cheap & nasty' TVM's you refer to (the ones Northern typically use) often dispense tickets more suited to persistent use in the gateline. Don't ask why, but this is what I've found.

TP

 

[maniacmartin]

A hole? Looks like somebody's thumb holding the ticket to me. I too have seen much worse print quality than that!

 

[transportphoto]

T'is logical... Yep. Sorry I'm tired.

You've nothing to worry about, horizontal lines are common.
My second point still stands however.

TP

 

[Lrd]

Surely the magnetic strip does not hold all that information!?

The mag stripe does hold all that info and is the bit read by ticket barriers.

 

[Starmill]

Apparently, they are known as Parkeon machines - see the thread about Northern TVMs at unstaffed stations.

As for gate lines,the staff at MCO have told me not to put them through the barriers from Mauldeth Road. I assumed this was TVM related? Unless they don't accept them from MAU very well? I don't know!!!!

Why do you think they're better? Just because they are thicker and less bendy? The printing is thin and spidery, but more imprtantly, they aren't all the same shape. Large tabs of card stick out... Almost like they're cut from a spool as with a portable machine.

As for cases of worse printing, I should expect it would be as a result of the machine getting jammed? And obviously need to be replaced. Whatever the weather, it works and I'm happy.

 

[bb21]

I notice that I am not the only one buying Travelcards online from Strawberry Hill.

I prefer Fasticket machines as the fonts are more legible than both Parkeon ToDler machines and S&B machines (both of which have very difficult to read dates when ticket is printed in advance).

 

[mikeg]

I've had worse. I once got a ticket from 'ONEHAVEN' to 'UNDEE' from the TVM at Stonehaven and the text was really pixellated. No questions asked by the guards. I don't know what type the machine was, maybe someone can answer that question?

 

[Tomonthetrain]

I've had worse. I once got a ticket from 'ONEHAVEN' to 'UNDEE' from the TVM at Stonehaven and the text was really pixellated. No questions asked by the guards. I don't know what type the machine was, maybe someone can answer that question?

What about "ON TERMINALS" to "ESTER" Coach Unable to read Seat 62 seat reservation. Yet the ticket printed ok

 

[Starmill]

I notice that I am not the only one buying Travelcards online from Strawberry Hill.

I prefer Fasticket machines as the fonts are more legible than both Parkeon ToDler machines and S&B machines (both of which have very difficult to read dates when ticket is printed in advance).

Hehe, not easy at all really, as I didn't know any NR stations within the zones other than various London Terminals. http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1260296#post1260296

This came from a FastTicket, but the date is impossible to see (Or at least it would be, if it weren't printed in Season Ticket layout?).

 

[Bushy]

My season ticket is barely readable. The SET conductors look at it on most journeys and I haven't had any comments yet.
With three weeks left on it, it is the first time for several years that I haven't had to get it replaced part way through the year.

Regards

Bushy

 

[heart-of-wessex]

The NR stock seems more bearable to excessive use in a day! I used to get TfL stock from the Underground TVMs at Paddington Praed Street, and about 3/4 of the way into a bash, taking the ticket in/out my wallet for the gates, the ticket was very faded and barely readable!!

Now I get them from the NR concourse from the FGW ticket machines on the orange stock, the printing is still readable at the end of the day