"Roland Perry" wrote

Are you referring to buying a ticket for the first off-peak train?

At least these days most booking office clerks will sell you one ahead
of time, having first made enquiries about when you intend travelling.
Back in the day they wouldn't.

When I lived near Surbiton it was impossible to catch the first off-peak
train to London (if it was on time) because it left only one or two
minutes after they'd started selling tickets for it.

They are and were prepared to sell them the previous day (after 3pm unless
that was the machines).

Also the same day after the last peak train had left (too many trains at
Surbiton for this to make much difference).


--
Mike D