On Sun, 4 Jan 2009 17:42:12 -0800 (PST), Mizter T
wrote:
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!

You can ask anything you like! The ticket office had closed a little
early and as discussed elsewhere the Permit to Travel machines have
disappeared. I think I mentioned that the office had shut, which
might have helped. The SWT guards seem happier to sell excesses than
discounted tickets - one told me that if he sold an off-peak ticket
for travel the same day he'd be asked why. Mine neatly avoided the
problem by getting the date wrong...

In my experience, most people who ask for a ticket on the train get
one, though probably the peak version. Not many SWT guards *seem* to
have the Penalty Fare training, or if they do they use their
discretion a lot. Almost all of them seem very professional.

Richard.