Tapping out from Thameslink at Kentish Town?

[Connacht]

I travelled from Cricklewood on Sat evening at 8:35pm, on a Thameslink to Kentish Town.

In Kentish Town, I climbed the stairs, crossed on the bridge, and the way ahead was blocked, as the tube station seemed closed.

There was a sign to take a path to the right, which was an alternative exit.

There was no gateline to walk through.

There was a lone Oyster reader, of some sort, at the point where the alternative exit path diverged from the main path.

I was unsure what to do, but I tapped it.

As far as I can recall, the text on the small blurry screen was not re-assuring.


Later that night, I returned from Gospel Oak on Overground to Brondesbury.


I see now that because I returned from Gospel Oak, the system assumes that I earlier travelled from Cricklewood to Gospel Oak.

What should I have done at Kentish Town?
Thanks.

 

[bcarmicle]

You were correct to tap out at Kentish Town. (The Tube station is closed until summer due to renovation works.)

Do you remember if the Oyster reader beeped? If not, it may not have processed your card. If it did, then it's possible that the tap may not have uploaded onto the online system yet.

If you paid via Oyster and not contactless, and it is within your eight most recent journeys, you can view the history stored on the card at any Oyster ticket machine, as the card locally stores where it was tapped in and out. This will tell you if you correctly tapped in or out.

 

[MikeWh]

I concur that tapping out at Kentish Town was the right thing to do. It may be that there is a connectivity problem delaying the touches from Kentish Town getting to the central system. Cricklewood to Gospel Oak is the same fare as Cricklewood to Kentish Town so you will not get charged any extra, and indeed you have been charged correctly already. Don't worry about it.

 

[mad_rich]

The system assumed the OP tapped in at Cricklewood, took a train to West Hampstead Thameslink, exited the station (didn't tap out), walked to West Hampstead Overground (didn't tap in), got a train to Gospel Oak and didn't tap out.

I'm not sure whether to be impressed at its logic or not!

 

[methethpropbut]

The system assumed the OP tapped in at Cricklewood, took a train to West Hampstead Thameslink, exited the station (didn't tap out), walked to West Hampstead Overground (didn't tap in), got a train to Gospel Oak and didn't tap out.

I'm not sure whether to be impressed at its logic or not!

To be pedantic, the system assumed the OP tapped in at Cricklewood, and out at Gospel Oak. It has no notion of railway geography nor which interchanges require a tap out and back in, beyond what is hardcoded by the human. Very simple logic!