Virgin Trains Small Ticket Scanner

[sgraIRL]

It may be used by other operators, but I noticed it on Virgin trains.

Can anyone give me any information, such as its name, or technical details on the small ticket scanner used Virgin Trains staff. It was in use on train and on the ramp at Euston. The device is very small and looks for all the world like an ink stamper. Initially that's what I thought it was. The sight of someone trying to ink stamp my smart phone was startling!

The device is so small it cannot possibly have data storage, wireless or other tech on board. So very interested in its features and limitations. It appears to beep and flash a green or red light.

On all occasions my Britrail gave a red light and the 'not-good' beep. On the ramp at Euston I was asked to wait while the staff member checked their phone - and let me go. On train they just scanned it and moved on.

Interestingly 2 ticket checkers have never seen a Brit Rail before, but I never had any issues.

Thanks in advance

 

[Haywain]

You'll be talking about a barcode scanner and, while I can't remember the name of it, it is part of the onboard kit used at LNER as well. It is connected to the smartphone by Bluetooth rather than wifi. It is an excellent little device and well liked by the train crews who use it and some become accustomed to the variations on the beeps so that they know when to ask for a railcard, for example.

 

[Westcoast-ting]

Scanners are made by opticion and the software is by TTk.

There linked by Bluetooth to the tablets they carry.

 

[Ianno87]

One was used to scan the barcode on my Digital 26-30 Railcard last week by VTWC on board - wondered what the purpose was.

 

[Westcoast-ting]

There good bits of kit, they even tell you if a refund has been requested on e tickets

 

[Wallsendmag]

There good bits of kit, they even tell you if a refund has been requested on e tickets

And m-Tickets and Self print. is this Avocet at a gateline?

 

[Westcoast-ting]

Yep all barcode tickets. Can even tell the photoshopped ones.

No it’s envoy but ttk is ran on that, we used to have it on iPhone / iPad

 

[_toommm_]

EMT guards also have them, I don't know if it's the same model as they use different printers.

 

[Flying Snail]

It may be used by other operators, but I noticed it on Virgin trains.

Can anyone give me any information, such as its name, or technical details on the small ticket scanner used Virgin Trains staff. It was in use on train and on the ramp at Euston. The device is very small and looks for all the world like an ink stamper. Initially that's what I thought it was. The sight of someone trying to ink stamp my smart phone was startling!

The device is so small it cannot possibly have data storage, wireless or other tech on board. So very interested in its features and limitations. It appears to beep and flash a green or red light.

On all occasions my Britrail gave a red light and the 'not-good' beep. On the ramp at Euston I was asked to wait while the staff member checked their phone - and let me go. On train they just scanned it and moved on.

Interestingly 2 ticket checkers have never seen a Brit Rail before, but I never had any issues.

Thanks in advance

The only advantage of the electronic Britrail is to get through barriers easier than with the large paper tickets, if they don't scan correctly then they are utterly pointless, and even more of a hindrance than having to use manual gates.

 

[Wallsendmag]

I've got one in my bag

 

[sgraIRL]

The only advantage of the electronic Britrail is to get through barriers easier than with the large paper tickets, if they don't scan correctly then they are utterly pointless, and even more of a hindrance than having to use manual gates.

Not the only advantage!
As a mobile ticket it gets delivered immediately, unlike postal delivery which is 2 to 7 days standard (€5) and 1 to 3 days express (€19)

 

[Wallsendmag]

This sort of thing ?

 

[sgraIRL]

This sort of thing ?

View attachment 51792

Certainly looks like it!
They were always in the operators hand.. and therefore my view was limited. Hence my surprise at their small size!
Seems to be a natty little device.

 

[221129]

Doesn't help when they are wrong though.

 

[Bantamzen]

It may be used by other operators, but I noticed it on Virgin trains.

Can anyone give me any information, such as its name, or technical details on the small ticket scanner used Virgin Trains staff. It was in use on train and on the ramp at Euston. The device is very small and looks for all the world like an ink stamper. Initially that's what I thought it was. The sight of someone trying to ink stamp my smart phone was startling!

The device is so small it cannot possibly have data storage, wireless or other tech on board. So very interested in its features and limitations. It appears to beep and flash a green or red light.

On all occasions my Britrail gave a red light and the 'not-good' beep. On the ramp at Euston I was asked to wait while the staff member checked their phone - and let me go. On train they just scanned it and moved on.

Interestingly 2 ticket checkers have never seen a Brit Rail before, but I never had any issues.

Thanks in advance

You'd be surprised how much data storage you could get into a device like that. Currently the largest capacity Micro SD card readily available is 512GB, more than many computers have. And at a push you might even be able get enough battery power in to drive a WiFi transmitter, although for it's limited purpose Bluetooth is more than adequate. There are lots of different models on the market, and as the photo suggests they are designed to be small enough to hang from an lanyard and connect to a nearby device.

 

[Wallsendmag]

You'd be surprised how much data storage you could get into a device like that. Currently the largest capacity Micro SD card readily available is 512GB, more than many computers have. And at a push you might even be able get enough battery power in to drive a WiFi transmitter, although for it's limited purpose Bluetooth is more than adequate. There are lots of different models on the market, and as the photo suggests they are designed to be small enough to hang from an lanyard and connect to a nearby device.

Ours connect to a mobile phone.