Strange CCST print layout

[MrJeeves]

Just been sent this picture by someone I know of a very odd printing layout on their CCST. Anyone seen this before?

It's almost like a strange hybrid between the old and not-so-new-anymore print formats.

I assume it was printed at Paisley Gilmour Street

 

[CyrusWuff]

It's a perfectly valid, if uncommon, print format. As you noted, it's essentially the spiritual successor to the old APTIS (All-Purpose Ticket Issuing System) print layout, as shown below. (Source: APTIS ticket features. (2023, August 5). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/APTIS_ticket_features)


As an aside, the closest equivalent to that example now is an Off-Peak (former Saver) Return, which is currently £51.40 with a Railcard discount and not valid for travel before 0930 Mondays to Fridays (excluding public holidays.)

The old restriction code for the SuperSaver was 8N, which I'm guessing probably had no time restrictions, but wasn't valid on any Friday, nor Saturdays in July and August, nor for a few weeks around Christmas and New Year, nor any of the other "White" Saver days shown in the National Fares Manuals. That for the Saver was 8A, which had no time or day restrictions.

 

[MrJeeves]

Do the printing format specifications not matter, then? I was under the impression that ticket printing machines had to follow the spec, which doesn't look like that!

Spec: https://archive.org/details/print-formats-v-06-00-guidance-notes-2022-03-16

 

[CyrusWuff]

Do the printing format specifications not matter, then? I was under the impression that ticket printing machines had to follow the spec, which doesn't look like that!

Spec: https://archive.org/details/print-formats-v-06-00-guidance-notes-2022-03-16

The information block at the bottom of the ticket shows that the machine is using v05-00 of the print formats (superseded by v06-00 just after Easter this year) and that specific layout is format A1. You'd normally expect an Off-Peak Day Return to use format X08 though.

 

[MrJeeves]

using v05-00 of the print formats (superseded by v06-00 just after Easter this year)

Is there a timeframe that printers need to be updated to the new spec by? Something like 1 year after publication, maybe?

that specific layout is format A1. You'd normally expect an Off-Peak Day Return to use format X08 though.

So it is! What does the machine use to decide which format to use? Is it normally associated with the fare data in some way?

 

[Segedunum]

I've seen it before, back in 2021. It was also in an SPT area station.

 

[MrJeeves]

My friend bought the same ticket again yesterday and it printed in the standard layout. Seems it was a one time error!

 

[deecee16]

I've seen it before, back in 2021. It was also in an SPT area station.

This format, first seen from around mid-July 2020 has only been seen from a handful of stations that have Scheidt & Bachmann machines. It is sporadic and has not been seen at all machines at a station.

So far v06-00 has only been seen on tickets from PICO T/O and SST, Cubic TfL TVM’s and Evolvi.