Taplow - Unmanned gateline

[davews]

Yesterday I did a very nice walk from Slough to Taplow along the Jubilee river, so I had an off peak return to Slough.

At Taplow as expected the gateline rejected my ticket (starting late). The gateline was unmanned (maybe it is all the time outside peak hours), but there was a large machine by the side where you could ask for assistance, which I did. A lady came on, but I couldn't understand what she was saying.

An area marked 'scan' was on the display in the machine, presumably this is just for e-tickets and contactless and wouldn't work with my paper ticket. After a few exchanges with me saying I had a ticket from Slough, she opened the gateline and I went through. I found it most confusing, and where was I expected to dangle my ticket so she could see it?

The gateline on the opposite side of the station also looked unmanned.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I would have thought that ‘scan’ only applied to ‘Aztec’ barcode tickets. Remote barriers used to have CCTV for ‘paper’ tickets. Has that been discontinued at Taplow?

 

[Watershed]

There would be a camera on the assistance machine. I think the idea is that you would show your paper ticket there; even though it cannot be direct scanned, it can at least be visually inspected.

 

[davews]

Thanks. I assumed there was a camera but it was not clear where it was and how I should hold it so it was visible. If only I could have understood the woman's accent. By the way I had no problems at Reading when I broke my journey again, gateline accepted my ticket no sweat (but didn't tell me my trains were delayed.....).

 

[mickey]

Taplow is staffed from first to last train, but there’s reduced presence at off-peak times so sometimes only one of the two gatelines is attended. This is only allowed if a staff member is in place at the other entrance and the tech is working - the machine allows you to hold up a ticket to a camera, it’s a bit fiddly the first time you encounter it but it does work perfectly well and there are plenty of other stations with it too.

The staff at Taplow are lovely in my experience, certainly friendly and helpful whenever I’m there. At least the gatelines are always closed, unlike neighbouring GWR stations…