In message , at 21:41:18 on Wed, 17 Sep
2014, Mizter T remarked:
Is there a vague notion of when the current (value stored on card)
Oyster system might end up being decommissioned? (Is that the echo of
Mr Perry frenziedly chanting 'vapourware' I can hear?)

You really don't get the concept of vapourware, do you? It only applies
to products which are significantly pre-announced, and the eventual
outcome is either the product does appear (in which case it's off the
list) or the project is ignominiously[1] cancelled in which case it's
off the list again.

Whenever it is, it'll be a big endeavour, what with all the great many
'old system' Oyster cards out in the wild (in bedrooms in Hong Kong,
down the back of sofas in Leytonstone, forgotten about in seldom-used
overcoats in Sheffield etc) which people will want to exchange or
cash-in for years to come.

They've already withdrawn a whole tranche of Oysters (the Barclay
OnePulse variety) so they have some experience to go on. Although they
cheated slightly by transferring the balance to another Oyster. However
there's no reason they couldn't either credit the money to a newly
opened CPC TfL account, or even give you cash if you present the card to
a TVM (for years to come). I'd have to think about whether someone
should rightfully expect the return of their deposit as well, if they
are cashing in a discontinued Oyster.

[1] Well, potentially, often they just fade into obscurity if we don't
keep up the pressure. But if for example it's a type of new train ticket
and the TOC which was promising it loses the franchise, that creates a
pretty definite funeral for its prospects.
--
Roland Perry