On 5 Jan, 00:54, Richard wrote:

On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 12:55:52 -0800 (PST), Mizter T
wrote:

On 4 Jan, 20:22, Richard wrote:
I think I can answer that, at least from the Underground's point of
view. *Just before Christmas, I need to buy an off-peak day Travelcard
on the train, as the ticket machine couldn't sell it. [...]

I'm mildly curious to know where this ticket machine that couldn't
sell an Off-Peak Day Travelcard was - it seems rather remiss for any
ticket machine within reasonable reach of London by rail (i.e. around
the south east) not to have it as an option.

I was trying unsuccessfully to keep the rant short! *I did have a
ticket from Fleet to Surbiton and wanted a Travelcard to start from
there. *A pity that there isn't an "advanced" mode for more exotic
tickets.


Indeed - however the railway is apparently rather wary of remotely
issued tickets however for fear of people fraudulently misusing them.
If a ticket machine could be designed that somehow scanned one's
existing ticket then the potential for misuse could be much reduced -
and doing such a thing could be easier in the upcoming era of
smartcard ticketing. Still seems rather unlikely!

It's good to hear that guards on SWT will sell what is in effect a
ticket extension without fuss. I presume that Fleet ticket office was
closed, or was there just a horrible queue or you were in a rush, the
logic being that if the guard turned down your request you could
alight and buy the needed ticket at Surbiton? Sorry for the
inquisition!


My journey didn't need the Underground in the end but tired and
emotional I returned to Piccadilly Circus just after midnight, where
my ticket, which I thought might now be valid, was rejected. *[...]

Was the next day a weekday? If so then what happened would make
perfect sense - an Off-Peak Day Travelcard would not be valid until
after 0930 on a weekday, full stop.

Yes, of course... I thought for a moment that it wasn't but in fact it
was the first minutes of Tuesday 23rd. *Thanks for clearing that up!


No problem, glad we got to the bottom of that!