Stratford - yellow validator between DLR platform and gateline

[Cloud Strife]

Something confused me in Stratford the other day, and I wonder if anyone can explain why this exists?

I was coming from the DLR platforms into Stratford (heading towards Westfield), and I saw a pair of yellow validators, so I touched out there. I was surprised to see a gateline further into the station, because (from my perspective as a tourist), the yellow validators were for leaving the DLR like elsewhere on the DLR network. I was allowed out of the system and I wasn't charged anything additional, but why do those validators exist on the entrance/exit to the DLR platforms if you pass through the gateline anyway?

I would understand pink validators here, but yellow ones?

 

[Cesarcollie]

Something confused me in Stratford the other day, and I wonder if anyone can explain why this exists?

I was coming from the DLR platforms into Stratford (heading towards Westfield), and I saw a pair of yellow validators, so I touched out there. I was surprised to see a gateline further into the station, because (from my perspective as a tourist), the yellow validators were for leaving the DLR like elsewhere on the DLR network. I was allowed out of the system and I wasn't charged anything additional, but why do those validators exist on the entrance/exit to the DLR platforms if you pass through the gateline anyway?

I would understand pink validators here, but yellow ones?

Is it possibly because some passengers will be coming off the DLR and travelling onwards via National Rail - so not passing through a gateline?

 

[Cloud Strife]

Is it possibly because some passengers will be coming off the DLR and travelling onwards via National Rail - so not passing through a gateline?

I don't know the layout of Stratford at all, so is such a journey possible? I came from the direction of Bow Church (Canary Wharf?).

 

[miklcct]

A related question: I sometimes change between Overground and Greater Anglia fast services but the last time I did it, I couldn't find a yellow reader on the fast line Greater Anglia platform after alighting the Overground, and I had to use one on the Central - Elizabeth line platform. The validators on the Overground platforms are pink readers.

Can anyone show me the locations of all the yellow readers in the station?

I don't know the layout of Stratford at all, so is such a journey possible? I came from the direction of Bow Church (Canary Wharf?).

It is the standard interchange between the DLR and the Greater Anglia destinations.

 

[vinnym70]

One of the flows of passengers will be to/from National Rail services so anyone who's using PAYG in London will potentially use those yellow validators to start/end their PAYG journeys.
It all gets complex for occasional visitors as some National Rail services accept PAYG to/from destinations outside of London (I believe Shenfield is the limit if you're heading out to Essex) so you really do need to know whether these validators are relevant to your journey or not.

That said, I don't believe an unnecessary touch at Stratford DLR concourse will alter your fare in any way but not touching out if you needed to will (unless your missing touch in/out gets resolved automatically)

There are a few yellow validators on the National Rail platforms should you miss the ones on the DLR concourse.

 

[transportphoto]

@MikeWh has compiled a comprehensive website guide to Oyster, and one topic covered is “continuation exits”. I copy a quote from https://oysterfares.com/information-pages/same-station-and-continuation-exits-entries/.

Oyster Continuation Exits

There are a number of stations where it isn’t always obvious whether you should touch out or not using platform validators. Usually these validators were intended to start or end Oyster journeys without leaving the station because the overall journey continued using paper tickets on National Rail. In order to avoid problems at the station gatelines and/or the deduction of maximum fares due to unresolved journeys, the validators at these stations are set to continuation exit. Note that this does not apply to readers attached to a gateline.

How it works​

When you touch out at a standalone validator at one of these stations your fare is adjusted correctly as if you were leaving the Oyster system. Any further touches at that station within 15 minutes (including at a gateline) will replicate the exit with no further deduction. If you continue on from that station by a different mode then when you exit at your final destination the balance is readjusted for the new end point, as long as the new exit is within the maximum journey time from the station where you started your journey.

 

[Surreytraveller]

I don't know the layout of Stratford at all, so is such a journey possible? I came from the direction of Bow Church (Canary Wharf?).

Yes. Trains from way outside London stop at Stratford, so people changing onto TfL services need to be able to tap into the system

 

[Kite159]

Yes. Trains from way outside London stop at Stratford, so people changing onto TfL services need to be able to tap into the system

Especially if they think payment for the GA leg is strictly optional when traveling from an unbarriered station

 

[vinnym70]

Especially if they think payment for the GA leg is strictly optional when traveling from an unbarriered station

If you use the validators on Platforms 9 and 10 as you arrive at Stratford on a GA train, you're very likely to be asked to show your ticket for the journey to that point by some plain clothes chaps.
And quite rightly too.

 

[boiledbeans2]

A related question: I sometimes change between Overground and Greater Anglia fast services but the last time I did it, I couldn't find a yellow reader on the fast line Greater Anglia platform after alighting the Overground, and I had to use one on the Central - Elizabeth line platform. The validators on the Overground platforms are pink readers.

There is a yellow reader in the eastern subway, just under the GA triangular platform.