In message , at 10:52:59 on
Sat, 4 Aug 2007, Paul Scott remarked:

They say all the ATOC cards [or is it phones] are going to be
compatible
with each other, but I wouldn't take bets on it.

Being technically compatible and using the same stored
value may not be the same thing :-(

That's a whole new can of worms, but are you suggesting one smartcard
could have the stored value from dozens of different TOCs upon it (and

No, just that one TOCs card would be useless at a different TOC
even though they were technically compatable, unless the issue of
funds sharing is resolved.

We need to be clear what is meant by "at a TOC" here.

For example, if you were using the barriers at Melton Mowbray station,
which will be run by East Midlands, but almost all the trains will be
New-XC, would you need to wave your EM or XC card? And what happens when
you change trains at Peterborough onto FCC, and next wave your card as you
leave the station at Huntingdon? Onto which bill (or from which prepay
reserve) would that journey be debited?

Some very fundamental issues need resolving here.

It must depend on the product you have pre-bought?

Assume all I have is a card with some cash on it (in effect lent by me
to the operator while un-used) or a combination of some cash and a
direct debit mandate to charge me whatever I use in excess of that cash.

If you have an Oyster like PAYG card valid on NR, surely the payment
will be made via Rail Settlement Plan in the normal manner

I think this is missing the point. That's about what'll happen when the
fare eventually reaches the settlement system.

But what if all I have is an SWT card, will the barriers recognise that
at Melton Mowbray, Peterborough and Huntingdon and send the relevant
messages back to SWT - who will then debit the fare from me and
afterwards pass it through the settlement system just like if I paid for
that fare at a SWT ticket office today.

Or will the barrier at Melton Mowbray say to both my SWT and XC cards
"Unrecognised card, you must use an EM card" (despite almost all the
trains being XC)?

--
Roland Perry