Selling tickets and standing passengers

[hairyhandedfool]

....Its quite normal to see people getting fines (I presume that's the paperwork being waved around), so have the people actually attempted to skip through without a valid ticket?

Not even G4S could give you a fine! The bits of paper could be the 'warning' notices Northern are using these days to help get the message through that buying before you board (where possible) is the thing to do. AIUI, the 'bits of paper' amount to out of court settlements of the fare due plus £80.

 

[Howardh]

What am I supposed to do in this instance?

Get on at a station without ticketing facilities.
Guard doesn't come round the train - do I go and knock on his door?
Due to overcrowding (say after a football game) I can't get to his door even if I wanted to..
Arrive at Picc 13/14, up the stairs and meet G4S wanting to see my ticket that I don't have.
Happy to pay for the journey - not happy if he gives me a "fine". In fact, I wouldn't let him, in that situation I'd give my name/address and ask him to persue me through the courts.
Think it's ridiculous that every station DOESN'T have a ticket machine, and one that can sell every conceivable option. If you can do it on the web, then you should also be able to by touch-screen at an unstaffed station.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The notices are supposed to be for people who travel from stations with facilities to sell the required ticket.

 

[northwichcat]

At Manchester Piccadilly they usually have one or two Northern staff stood at a counter on the platform selling tickets, and then a barrier of G4S staff checking tickets. Its quite normal to see people getting fines (I presume that's the paperwork being waved around), so have the people actually attempted to skip through without a valid ticket?

According to TfGM from last year:

Northern has introduced a new initiative to attempt to reduce ticketless travel and encourage customers to ‘Buy before they board’. ‘Failure to Purchase’ forms are issued during special exercises on key lines of route. The forms are only issued once posters and leaflets have been handed out and displayed in advance. Once a passenger is issued with a form they are reminded of their responsibility to pay and advised that if they receive a further warning they will receive an £80 fixed penalty. The first of these exercises took place during the first two weeks of October on services from Glossop / Hadfield arriving into Piccadilly.

I believe it's also been extended to the Calder Vale line and a couple of other lines.