Returning from London

[umontu]

I did my trip to London today,
Huddersfield to Wakefield to London Kings Cross
and returning by
Euston to Manchester Piccadily to Huddersfield

I encountered a problem, at Manchester I arrived just before 7pm with a super off peak ticket (Thanks Virgin for helping students) and asked the G4s guy if I could board an 18:57 service to Huddersfield, he told me to ask the guard (Helping to prove some the theories people on here have stated before..., might I add he was very kind and obviously did this to cover his back.), I asked the guard, she said TPE never had Super Off Peak tickets and that it was only for East Coast trains (Route said any.).
Upon presenting my seat reservation ticket for a later train run by TPE she accepted it.

Is any of what she said true? I booked it from TPE's website as well and at Euston there was no problem.

 

[island]

TPE may not price any super off-peak tickets, but it still has to accept them if they are on a permitted route, being used within the restrictions, and not otherwise invalid.

 

[yorkie]

I did my trip to London today,
Huddersfield to Wakefield to London Kings Cross
and returning by
Euston to Manchester Piccadily to Huddersfield

I encountered a problem, at Manchester I arrived just before 7pm with a super off peak ticket (Thanks Virgin for helping students)

It sounds like you got a Super Off Peak Route Any Permitted, and I believe that an excess to Off Peak Route Manchester may have been required for you to undertake that journey, at a price of either 10p or 20p.

However many guards would probably choose not to bother with the hassle of a 10p or 20p excess.

It is a can of worms whether the excess is required or not, one I think is best not to go into over the sake of 10p or 20p, but suffice to say that if a guard was unhappy the absolute maximum they could charge you is 20p.

and asked the G4s guy if I could board an 18:57 service to Huddersfield,

I wouldn't ask them anything!

he told me to ask the guard

Good. They do not have the required knowledge to answer such a query. I am glad to hear they adopted a common sense approach though by accepting that a guard is the best person to check such a ticket, given that they do not know themselves.

(Helping to prove some the theories people on here have stated before..., might I add he was very kind and obviously did this to cover his back.),

Yes, I have no problem with that. Thanks for informing us of their response. In many ways, it is encouraging. (They won't know which routes are permitted, and they are unlikely to understand ticket restrictions, I don't really expect them to, all I ask is that they do not incorrectly charge anyone or deny access to ask the guard)

I asked the guard, she said TPE never had Super Off Peak tickets and that it was only for East Coast trains (Route said any.).

TPE do not price Super Off Peak tickets, and the ticket you held is priced by East Coast trains and routed Any Permitted. Anyone with an Avantix machine, or access to the Avantix Traveller software can determine that in just a few seconds.

Upon presenting my seat reservation ticket for a later train run by TPE she accepted it.

No seat reservation is required, and if she was unhappy with the ticket, the worst she can do is charge you 20p (although I think it should be 10p)

Is any of what she said true? I booked it from TPE's website as well and at Euston there was no problem.

Not true or untrue, but just unknowledgeable and badly worded.

 

[142094]

Agreed about G4S. I wouldn't ask them anything about ticket restrictions. They would probably tell you that the sun revolves around the earth if they were given a chance...

 

[Ticket Man]

these are the downfalls of sub contracting.

TOC: "yes its our revenue but can you look after it for us for a flat fee that doesn't change depending on performance?"
"why yes we can sir!" (laughing all the way to the bank)