Roland Perry wrote:
at 15:27:42 on Fri, 2 Mar 2012, Stephen Sprunk remarked:

This Web page discusses payment methods that also apply to paying
on train: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_...t_methods.html

Credit/Debit/Charge Cards

All National Rail train companies accept the major cards
such as Visa, Visa Delta, MasterCard, Maestro and Amex.
Some train companies also accept Diners Club International,
Solo and Electron.

Nothing on this page says that gift cards are accepted. Gosh. They
must know the card number ranges!

Why would they care if it's a gift card? A card is a card; as long as
the transaction is authorized, that's all that matters.

That's the big "if". There are many ticket vending machines, and
portable machines, which are simply not "online", so they can't
authorise at all.

That was Stephen's point to begin with, when he raised the spectre of
use of gift cards that cannot be authorized in such circumstances, that
cannot be debited to pay the fare.

Suddenly, he's changing his position.