Why is it that when I use my oyster to go through a tube station gate
sometimes the pre-pay balance is displayed and sometimes it isn't?
So far all my journeys have been within my season ticket zones so the
pre-pay balance hasn't changed yet, but it seems a matter of chance
whether or not the gate displays the balance, even at my "home"
station. Is there any logic to it?

I've not got a season ticket, so always see the balance, as long as the gate
has the right screen.

Some of the newer gates (which don't make the air pistony kind of noise when
they open) seem to have a screen on the pillar thing on top of the gate that
can show anything - in the case of prepay it's something like:
£12.34 (£2.00)
The older gates often have a small LCD screen on the reader itself, which
show the same information.

I guess you're just a bit screwed if the gate ain't got either.

JP


"Jill" wrote in message
...
Why is it that when I use my oyster to go through a tube station gate
sometimes the pre-pay balance is displayed and sometimes it isn't?
So far all my journeys have been within my season ticket zones so the
pre-pay balance hasn't changed yet, but it seems a matter of chance
whether or not the gate displays the balance, even at my "home"
station. Is there any logic to it?