Tunbridge Wells
 

Hello all,

Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Thanks in advance.

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 01:15:34 +0100, "
wrote:

Hello all,

Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: “We’re in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits) might not be
so far up the list for providing Oyster.

Tunbridge Wells
 

I can confirm that Oyster PAYG is not valid. The outer boundary on the Hastings etc line is Knockholt.

DRH
(resident of RTW)

On Sunday, 3 August 2014 01:15:34 UTC+1, wrote:
Hello all,



Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to

Tundbridge Wells?



Thanks in advance.

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 06:17:35 on
Sun, 3 Aug 2014, Charles Ellson remarked:
Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: “We’re in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits) might not be
so far up the list for providing Oyster.

The problem with extending Oyster is that it has a very finite number of
price-zones and it's possible these were exhausted when extended to
Shenfield.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 06:17:35 +0100
Charles Ellson wrote:
Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits) might not be
so far up the list for providing Oyster.

The medway towns seem to have a higher proportion of dimwits than most
other places in the southeast.

--
Spud

Tunbridge Wells
 

On 03/08/2014 01:15, wrote:
Hello all,

Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Thanks in advance.

No. The "London's rail and Tube services" map shows the extent of
Oyster-land with a black dotted/broken line:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/national-rail

The box on the left hand side of the map also explains the standard
exceptions (HEx etc).

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 10:33:54 on Sun, 3 Aug 2014,
Mizter T remarked:
Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Thanks in advance.

No. The "London's rail and Tube services" map shows the extent of
Oyster-land with a black dotted/broken line:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/national-rail

From which we can see that the number of places outside the classic
"Zones" is really rather small.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

On 03/08/14 01:15, wrote:
Hello all,

Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Thanks in advance.

I live on that line. The answer is no.

And they do have RPIs at TBW periodically so don't take a chance.

However, provided you can find him, the guard on the train will be more
than happy to sell you a ticket and I have never seen the RPIs *on* the
train (through trains to Ore/Hastings).

Tunbridge Wells
 

For five years, Mr Burrows never saw an RPI either ....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ain-fares.html

DRH


On Sunday, August 3, 2014 11:40:21 AM UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:
On 03/08/14 01:15, wrote:

Hello all,



Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to

Tundbridge Wells?



Thanks in advance.



I live on that line. The answer is no.



And they do have RPIs at TBW periodically so don't take a chance.



However, provided you can find him, the guard on the train will be more

than happy to sell you a ticket and I have never seen the RPIs *on* the

train (through trains to Ore/Hastings).

Tunbridge Wells
 

"Charles Ellson" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 01:15:34 +0100, "
wrote:

Hello all,

Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: "We're in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits

The fact that you can use it go go there by bus and that it is a convenient
connection point for some Z1-6 to Z1-6 journeys might have something to do
with this

tim

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 12:11:34 on
Sun, 3 Aug 2014, Paul Corfield remarked:

The problem with extending Oyster is that it has a very finite number of
price-zones and it's possible these were exhausted when extended to
Shenfield.

I asked TfL's ticketing people, via a Twitter "chat" session, if they
would technically cope with the indicated TSGN franchise plans to
extent Oyster beyond the zones. They said they could. Unfortunately I
can't send you a technical specification to prove this

Do you have them, or a relevant summary?

so I imagine my statement will go on your vapourware list of probably
untrue nonsense ;-)

Vapourware isn't stuff we believe is a lie, or that will never happen;
it's things which have been over-optimistically and yet firmly
announced, but keep slipping (it's possible, after some practice, to
spot the inevitability of this for specific announcements).

Although many do eventually slip so far they get overtaken by events and
hence never see the light of day.

This suggests there is some system capacity left but I imagine there
may also be assumptions about pricing and keeping stations priced on a
consistent basis outside the zones.

How many extra places are TSGN expecting to cover? [1]

When Oyster zones were last discussed here (about 18 months ago) it was
in terms of 12 zones already used and a maximum of 15.

If Oyster PAYG is to extend to Dartford that will solve a great many
problems although it might reduce South Eastern's penalty fare income.
It's hardly likely to be a huge problem given Oyster based Freedom
Passes *are* valid to Dartford so there must be some ticketing logic
in the system that allows those cards to be read (I assuming the gates
at Dartford *do* read them - happy to be corrected if actual practice
is different).

It's not about being able to read the cards, but having enough 'zones'
to cope with all the different charging possibilities. Although that
assumes that all 'outlier' stations need a zone of their own.

Are current Oyster fares from central London to Harold Wood and
Brentwood identical (a "mid-Essex" zone) and if so what would Oyster
charge for a journey from Harold Wood to Brentwood?

Any expansion plans are (conceptually if not for implementation) as
simple as there being many more sets of stations like Harold Wood and
Brentwood identifiable so they can work out the right fare to charge
from Shenfield variously to Harold Wood, and new places like Luton
Airport and Dartford and perhaps other similar ones just outside the
current limit like Swanley, Esher and Hinchley Wood.

[1] Later... Apparently Greater Anglia are committed to several, viz:
Theobalds Grove, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt (inside the exiting zones)
Brentwood, Shenfield (already delivered, outside the zones) plus
Broxbourne, Rye House, St Margarets, Ware and Hertford East (outside
the zones).

Govia Thameslink Railway (aka TSGN) are saying they'll extend Oyster
"as far as Epsom, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport, Welwyn Garden City
and Hertford North" which if we count intermediary stations is quite
a few.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Sun, 3 Aug 2014 07:56:16 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 06:17:35 on
Sun, 3 Aug 2014, Charles Ellson remarked:
Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Definitely not.

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: “We’re in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits) might not be
so far up the list for providing Oyster.

The problem with extending Oyster is that it has a very finite number of
price-zones and it's possible these were exhausted when extended to
Shenfield.

I asked TfL's ticketing people, via a Twitter "chat" session, if they
would technically cope with the indicated TSGN franchise plans to
extent Oyster beyond the zones. They said they could. Unfortunately I
can't send you a technical specification to prove this so I imagine my
statement will go on your vapourware list of probably untrue nonsense
;-)

This suggests there is some system capacity left but I imagine there
may also be assumptions about pricing and keeping stations priced on a
consistent basis outside the zones.

If Oyster PAYG is to extend to Dartford that will solve a great many
problems although it might reduce South Eastern's penalty fare income.
It's hardly likely to be a huge problem given Oyster based Freedom
Passes *are* valid to Dartford so there must be some ticketing logic
in the system that allows those cards to be read (I assuming the gates
at Dartford *do* read them - happy to be corrected if actual practice
is different).

I don't think the gates at Dartford do read Freedom passes. After the gate
wouldn't read it, I had to show mine to a person, who let me through.

Tunbridge Wells
 

Are current Oyster fares from central London to Harold Wood and
Brentwood identical (a "mid-Essex" zone) and if so what would Oyster
charge for a journey from Harold Wood to Brentwood?

Poor example as Harold Wood is within Greater London. The single fare finder gives results that put Brentwood "beyond" zone 9.

The problem is the allocation of special zones for NR destinations beyond zone 6. That eats up the additional zones that Oyster can cope with. If TfL pricing could be applied to the extensions then there would be three existing zones that could be tacked on to each line out of London.

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at
11:32:32 on Sun, 3 Aug 2014, remarked:
Are current Oyster fares from central London to Harold Wood and
Brentwood identical (a "mid-Essex" zone) and if so what would Oyster
charge for a journey from Harold Wood to Brentwood?

Poor example as Harold Wood is within Greater London.

I meant Brentwood and Shenfield, sorry.

The single fare finder gives results that put Brentwood "beyond" zone
9.

And Shenfield "way beyond"?

The problem is the allocation of special zones for NR destinations
beyond zone 6. That eats up the additional zones that Oyster can cope
with.

How many zones can it cope with? Have you heard 15 too?

If TfL pricing could be applied to the extensions then there would be
three existing zones that could be tacked on to each line out of London.

That makes sense with the 15 minus 12 I mentioned earlier. But how does
Oyster handle fares from one of those "three on line A out of London"
and one of those "three on line B out of London"? Or doesn't it matter
if for example every "first station on one of the lines" is the same
price, and every "second station" and every "third station". In effect
three extra zones circling the Capital.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 11:17:23 -0500, Recliner
wrote:

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Sun, 3 Aug 2014 07:56:16 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 06:17:35 on
Sun, 3 Aug 2014, Charles Ellson remarked:
Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Definitely not.

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: ?We?re in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits) might not be
so far up the list for providing Oyster.

The problem with extending Oyster is that it has a very finite number of
price-zones and it's possible these were exhausted when extended to
Shenfield.

I asked TfL's ticketing people, via a Twitter "chat" session, if they
would technically cope with the indicated TSGN franchise plans to
extent Oyster beyond the zones. They said they could. Unfortunately I
can't send you a technical specification to prove this so I imagine my
statement will go on your vapourware list of probably untrue nonsense
;-)

This suggests there is some system capacity left but I imagine there
may also be assumptions about pricing and keeping stations priced on a
consistent basis outside the zones.

If Oyster PAYG is to extend to Dartford that will solve a great many
problems although it might reduce South Eastern's penalty fare income.
It's hardly likely to be a huge problem given Oyster based Freedom
Passes *are* valid to Dartford so there must be some ticketing logic
in the system that allows those cards to be read (I assuming the gates
at Dartford *do* read them - happy to be corrected if actual practice
is different).

I don't think the gates at Dartford do read Freedom passes. After the gate
wouldn't read it, I had to show mine to a person, who let me through.

Roughly comparable to 65+ bus passes used away from their home area ?
I see that 60+ Oyster cards are also valid to/via Dartford.

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Sun, 3 Aug 2014 13:29:25 +0100, "tim....."
wrote:


"Charles Ellson" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 01:15:34 +0100, "
wrote:

Hello all,

Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: "We're in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits

The fact that you can use it go go there by bus

Only on the relevant TfL routes. Conversely, you can't generally use
Oyster within Greater London for non-TfL bus services running between
two stops within GL.
Would the same people also try to redeem Tesco card points in
Sainsburys?

and that it is a convenient
connection point for some Z1-6 to Z1-6 journeys might have something to do
with this

Tunbridge Wells
 

Charles Ellson wrote:
On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 11:17:23 -0500, Recliner
wrote:

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Sun, 3 Aug 2014 07:56:16 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 06:17:35 on
Sun, 3 Aug 2014, Charles Ellson remarked:
Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Definitely not.

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: ?We?re in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits) might not be
so far up the list for providing Oyster.

The problem with extending Oyster is that it has a very finite number of
price-zones and it's possible these were exhausted when extended to
Shenfield.

I asked TfL's ticketing people, via a Twitter "chat" session, if they
would technically cope with the indicated TSGN franchise plans to
extent Oyster beyond the zones. They said they could. Unfortunately I
can't send you a technical specification to prove this so I imagine my
statement will go on your vapourware list of probably untrue nonsense
;-)

This suggests there is some system capacity left but I imagine there
may also be assumptions about pricing and keeping stations priced on a
consistent basis outside the zones.

If Oyster PAYG is to extend to Dartford that will solve a great many
problems although it might reduce South Eastern's penalty fare income.
It's hardly likely to be a huge problem given Oyster based Freedom
Passes *are* valid to Dartford so there must be some ticketing logic
in the system that allows those cards to be read (I assuming the gates
at Dartford *do* read them - happy to be corrected if actual practice
is different).

I don't think the gates at Dartford do read Freedom passes. After the gate
wouldn't read it, I had to show mine to a person, who let me through.

Roughly comparable to 65+ bus passes used away from their home area ?
I see that 60+ Oyster cards are also valid to/via Dartford.

I think that the 60+ cards have exactly the same benefits as Freedom passes
in the London area, including to places like Dartford just outside the
zones. What they don't get is the buses away from London. And, of course,
you don't (yet) have to be 65 to get a national bus pass.

Tunbridge Wells
 

In article ,
(Charles Ellson) wrote:

Roughly comparable to 65+ bus passes used away from their home area ?

They are not 65+ bus passes but at or above the current female retirement
age, around 62 at present and advancing two months every month.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Tunbridge Wells
 

Colin Rosenstiel wrote

(Charles Ellson) wrote:

Roughly comparable to 65+ bus passes used away from their home area ?

They are not 65+ bus passes but at or above the current female retirement
age, around 62 at present and advancing two months every month.

Female state pension age, which is gradually creeping to 66 (in 2020) and
beyond.

http://new.surreycc.gov.uk/__data/as...r-bus-pass.pdf

under current law State Pension age will increase to 67 between 2034 and
2036 ;
and 68 between 2044 and 2046


--
Mike D

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 15:25:39 -0500, Recliner
wrote:

Charles Ellson wrote:
On Sun, 03 Aug 2014 11:17:23 -0500, Recliner
wrote:

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Sun, 3 Aug 2014 07:56:16 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 06:17:35 on
Sun, 3 Aug 2014, Charles Ellson remarked:
Can you use your Oyster card for Pay-as-You-Go from London Bridge to
Tundbridge Wells?

Definitely not.

Not according to anything I can see on the NR website (assuming it is
up to date). There doesn't seem to be anything definite announced
since e.g. "A spokesman for Southeastern confirmed: ?We?re in
discussions with Transport for London to extend Oyster into Dartford."
[Kent Online 21 Feb 2014]

Tunbridge Wells being even further away from Greater London and AFAIAA
with a lower thicko count (Dartford seems to have a particular problem
with people unaware that Oyster has geographical limits) might not be
so far up the list for providing Oyster.

The problem with extending Oyster is that it has a very finite number of
price-zones and it's possible these were exhausted when extended to
Shenfield.

I asked TfL's ticketing people, via a Twitter "chat" session, if they
would technically cope with the indicated TSGN franchise plans to
extent Oyster beyond the zones. They said they could. Unfortunately I
can't send you a technical specification to prove this so I imagine my
statement will go on your vapourware list of probably untrue nonsense
;-)

This suggests there is some system capacity left but I imagine there
may also be assumptions about pricing and keeping stations priced on a
consistent basis outside the zones.

If Oyster PAYG is to extend to Dartford that will solve a great many
problems although it might reduce South Eastern's penalty fare income.
It's hardly likely to be a huge problem given Oyster based Freedom
Passes *are* valid to Dartford so there must be some ticketing logic
in the system that allows those cards to be read (I assuming the gates
at Dartford *do* read them - happy to be corrected if actual practice
is different).

I don't think the gates at Dartford do read Freedom passes. After the gate
wouldn't read it, I had to show mine to a person, who let me through.

Roughly comparable to 65+ bus passes used away from their home area ?
I see that 60+ Oyster cards are also valid to/via Dartford.

I think that the 60+ cards have exactly the same benefits as Freedom passes
in the London area, including to places like Dartford just outside the
zones.

They won't inevitably be valid on all non-TfL local buses running in
to Greater London. TfL seem to have lost the "exceptions" list from
their website but as well as non-TfL contracted routes within GL which
accepted Oyster and/or Travelcards there were a few (no more than a
couple of dozen IIRC) others specifically listed as unavailable
(presumably those paralleled by a TfL service). You could have a
section of a bus route where a 60+ card is invalid but a Freedom Pass
is because it provides ENCTS entitlement.

What they don't get is the buses away from London. And, of course,
you don't (yet) have to be 65 to get a national bus pass.

Tunbridge Wells
 

Some while ago, I had cause to try to understand Oyster fares on NR.

After some searching https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay.../national-rail gave the map and faretables.

Not too easy to follow for a layman.

DRH



On Sunday, 3 August 2014 20:35:01 UTC+1, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at

11:32:32 on Sun, 3 Aug 2014, remarked:

Are current Oyster fares from central London to Harold Wood and

Brentwood identical (a "mid-Essex" zone) and if so what would Oyster

charge for a journey from Harold Wood to Brentwood?



Poor example as Harold Wood is within Greater London.



I meant Brentwood and Shenfield, sorry.



The single fare finder gives results that put Brentwood "beyond" zone

9.



And Shenfield "way beyond"?



The problem is the allocation of special zones for NR destinations

beyond zone 6. That eats up the additional zones that Oyster can cope

with.



How many zones can it cope with? Have you heard 15 too?



If TfL pricing could be applied to the extensions then there would be

three existing zones that could be tacked on to each line out of London.



That makes sense with the 15 minus 12 I mentioned earlier. But how does

Oyster handle fares from one of those "three on line A out of London"

and one of those "three on line B out of London"? Or doesn't it matter

if for example every "first station on one of the lines" is the same

price, and every "second station" and every "third station". In effect

three extra zones circling the Capital.

--

Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

In article ,
(DRH) wrote:

Some while ago, I had cause to try to understand Oyster fares on NR.

After some searching
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay.../national-rail gave
the map and faretables.

Not too easy to follow for a layman.

The gory details seem to be at
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...ailcard-fares-
jan-2014.pdf (watch the line wrap).

Please don't top-post.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Monday, August 4, 2014 12:07:50 PM UTC+1, wrote:
In article ,

(DRH) wrote:



Some while ago, I had cause to try to understand Oyster fares on NR.



After some searching

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay.../national-rail gave

the map and faretables.



Not too easy to follow for a layman.



The gory details seem to be at

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...ailcard-fares-

jan-2014.pdf (watch the line wrap).



Please don't top-post.



--

Colin Rosenstiel

But https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay.../national-rail gives links to map and tariffs, plus useful intro, which may help the original poster and address subsequent comments on zones etc.

DRH

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at
05:41:57 on Mon, 4 Aug 2014, DRH remarked:

But https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay.../national-rail gives links to map and tariffs, plus useful intro, which may help the
original poster and address subsequent comments on zones etc.

The map is a first step, but it doesn't have any pounds and pence, and I
can't find a link to a national rail oyster *fare*.

eg in the following page there's no information about fares outside the
TfL zones:

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...-dlr-lo-adult-
fares-jan-2014.pdf
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Monday, August 4, 2014 1:54:10 PM UTC+1, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at

05:41:57 on Mon, 4 Aug 2014, DRH remarked:



But https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay.../national-rail gives links to map and tariffs, plus useful intro, which may help the

original poster and address subsequent comments on zones etc.

Click on any of the boxes with a * at the bottom, say Adult, and the fares (and map again)



The map is a first step, but it doesn't have any pounds and pence, and I

can't find a link to a national rail oyster *fare*.



eg in the following page there's no information about fares outside the

TfL zones:



https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...-dlr-lo-adult-

fares-jan-2014.pdf

--

Roland Perry

Roland

Click on the '+' next to any of the passenger categories at the bottom, say Adult, and a link to the appropriate tariff (and map again) PDF is displayed.

DRH

Tunbridge Wells
 

On 04/08/2014 13:54, Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at
05:41:57 on Mon, 4 Aug 2014, DRH remarked:

But https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay.../national-rail gives links to map and tariffs, plus useful intro, which may help the
original poster and address subsequent comments on zones etc.

The map is a first step, but it doesn't have any pounds and pence, and I
can't find a link to a national rail oyster *fare*.

eg in the following page there's no information about fares outside the
TfL zones:

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...-dlr-lo-adult-
fares-jan-2014.pdf


That's fares for TfL tariff services (i.e. travel on the Tube, DLR and LO).

Oyster PAYG fares for National Rail are meanwhile he
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/national-rail

The full table of non-discounted adult fares is this one:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/national-rail-adult-fares-jan-2014.pdf

Note there are 'National Rail only fares', and also 'National Rail
through fares' which are for journeys that include NR and TfL modes
(e.g. an NR & Tube through journey).

The single fare finder is however easier to query!
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/single-fare-finder

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at
06:13:27 on Mon, 4 Aug 2014, DRH remarked:

Click on the '+' next to any of the passenger categories at the bottom, say Adult, and a link to the appropriate tariff (and map again) PDF is
displayed.

OK, that's given me a bit more information:

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...al-rail-adult-
fares-jan-2014.pdf

Where do I find the [NR] Oyster fare from (say) Brentwood to Broxbourne?
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

On Monday, August 4, 2014 2:22:32 PM UTC+1, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at

06:13:27 on Mon, 4 Aug 2014, DRH remarked:



Click on the '+' next to any of the passenger categories at the bottom, say Adult, and a link to the appropriate tariff (and map again) PDF is

displayed.



OK, that's given me a bit more information:



https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...al-rail-adult-

fares-jan-2014.pdf



Where do I find the [NR] Oyster fare from (say) Brentwood to Broxbourne?

--

Roland Perry

For that, the Single Fare Finder referred to earlier,
https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay...le-fare-finder
seems to be the easiest way:

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay...ngerType=Adult

DRH

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 14:19:26 on Mon, 4 Aug 2014,
Mizter T remarked:
The full table of non-discounted adult fares is this one:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/national-rail-adult-fares-jan-2014.pdf

Doesn't have fares like Brentwood-Broxbourne (eg pairs of outside-zone
NR stations on different 'lines' out of London).

Note there are 'National Rail only fares', and also 'National Rail
through fares' which are for journeys that include NR and TfL modes
(e.g. an NR & Tube through journey).

The single fare finder is however easier to query!
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/single-fare-finder

However, that has £5.40 for Brentwood-Broxbourne, which is the same as
either Brentwood-Z3 or Broxbourne-Z3.

Which seems a bargain given you in practice have to go via Z3 on the
way. (If there's a Z4-only route I can't see it).

Or is this a "feature" of the Oyster zonal system already beyond
breaking point, and all it can do is charge about half what the fare
might otherwise realistically be (ie £5.40 Brentwood-Stratford plus
£5.40 Stratford-Broxbourne)???

The National Rail paper ticket is a whopping £17.50 Anytime single.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 14:40:06 on
Mon, 4 Aug 2014, Paul Corfield remarked:
OK, that's given me a bit more information:

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cm...al-rail-adult-
fares-jan-2014.pdf

Where do I find the [NR] Oyster fare from (say) Brentwood to Broxbourne?

Single fare finder

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-pay...ail+Station&To
Id=910GBROXBRN&PassengerType=Adult

Yes, but what I really want is a table showing all the point-to-point
fares, because only then can one get a proper view of the size of the
fares matrix which Oyster-outside-the-zones is trying implement.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 15:12:46 on
Mon, 4 Aug 2014, Paul Corfield remarked:

Is your E Mail address in the header valid?

Yes, it always has been.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message of Mon, 4 Aug 2014 15:53:44 in
uk.transport.london, Roland Perry writes
In message , at 15:12:46 on
Mon, 4 Aug 2014, Paul Corfield remarked:

Is your E Mail address in the header valid?

Yes, it always has been.

YMMV! I may be able to do better.
Would you like an Excel 2003 file containing the relevant adult fares.
It is a 630 square array. It consists of sheets: A-D; E-K; L-R and S-Z
because Excel 2003 sheets are limited to ~256 columns.
It is a file of slightly less than 14MB.
Shall I send it? My mailto above is invalid. Please respond in
uk.transport.london.
--
Walter Briscoe

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 16:58:50 on Mon, 4
Aug 2014, Walter Briscoe remarked:
Would you like an Excel 2003 file containing the relevant adult fares.
It is a 630 square array. It consists of sheets: A-D; E-K; L-R and S-Z
because Excel 2003 sheets are limited to ~256 columns.
It is a file of slightly less than 14MB.
Shall I send it?

Give it a try.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

Roland Perry wrote:

In message , at 14:19:26 on Mon, 4 Aug
2014, Mizter T remarked:
The full table of non-discounted adult fares is this one:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/national-rail-adult-fares-jan-2014.pdf

Doesn't have fares like Brentwood-Broxbourne (eg pairs of
outside-zone NR stations on different 'lines' out of London).

Note there are 'National Rail only fares', and also 'National Rail
through fares' which are for journeys that include NR and TfL modes
(e.g. an NR & Tube through journey).

The single fare finder is however easier to query!
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/single-fare-finder

However, that has £5.40 for Brentwood-Broxbourne, which is the same
as either Brentwood-Z3 or Broxbourne-Z3.

Which seems a bargain given you in practice have to go via Z3 on the
way. (If there's a Z4-only route I can't see it).

Or is this a "feature" of the Oyster zonal system already beyond
breaking point, and all it can do is charge about half what the fare
might otherwise realistically be (ie £5.40 Brentwood-Stratford plus
£5.40 Stratford-Broxbourne)???

The National Rail paper ticket is a whopping £17.50 Anytime single.

Journeys going in and out of the centre have always been relatively
cheap under the zonal system. It is no different to Epping - Liverpool
Street being charged at the same rate as Epping - West Ruislip.

Peter Smyth

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message of Mon, 4 Aug 2014 17:35:48 in
uk.transport.london, Roland Perry writes
In message , at 16:58:50 on Mon, 4
Aug 2014, Walter Briscoe remarked:
Would you like an Excel 2003 file containing the relevant adult fares.
It is a 630 square array. It consists of sheets: A-D; E-K; L-R and S-Z
because Excel 2003 sheets are limited to ~256 columns.
It is a file of slightly less than 14MB.
Shall I send it?

Give it a try.
YGM
--
Walter Briscoe

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 12:52:09 on Tue, 5
Aug 2014, Walter Briscoe remarked:
Would you like an Excel 2003 file containing the relevant adult fares.
It is a 630 square array. It consists of sheets: A-D; E-K; L-R and S-Z
because Excel 2003 sheets are limited to ~256 columns.
It is a file of slightly less than 14MB.
Shall I send it?

Give it a try.
YGM

Thanks to both. I'm studying that, and Paul's information, and will post
a reply later in the day.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at 01:00:32 on
Mon, 4 Aug 2014, Paul Corfield remarked:
On Sun, 3 Aug 2014 14:21:21 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

Vapourware isn't stuff we believe is a lie, or that will never happen;
it's things which have been over-optimistically and yet firmly
announced, but keep slipping (it's possible, after some practice, to
spot the inevitability of this for specific announcements).

Although many do eventually slip so far they get overtaken by events and
hence never see the light of day.

I'm using to catch all things that you question / have doubts about
etc. This means pretty much everything in existence. ;-)

I don't question things like Govia having won the TSGN franchise, it's a
done deal, but two years ago IEPs on the Kings Lynn trains was
definitely vapourware, and I had doubts based on the length and
flexibility of the trains (currently they are run as 4, 8 or 12-car at
various parts of the trip at various times of day).

This suggests there is some system capacity left but I imagine there
may also be assumptions about pricing and keeping stations priced on a
consistent basis outside the zones.

How many extra places are TSGN expecting to cover? [1]

You've answered your own question below.

When Oyster zones were last discussed here (about 18 months ago) it was
in terms of 12 zones already used and a maximum of 15.

If Oyster PAYG is to extend to Dartford that will solve a great many
problems although it might reduce South Eastern's penalty fare income.
It's hardly likely to be a huge problem given Oyster based Freedom
Passes *are* valid to Dartford so there must be some ticketing logic
in the system that allows those cards to be read (I assuming the gates
at Dartford *do* read them - happy to be corrected if actual practice
is different).

It's not about being able to read the cards, but having enough 'zones'
to cope with all the different charging possibilities. Although that
assumes that all 'outlier' stations need a zone of their own.

Hang on a minute. To get any station added into oyster PAYG and / or
season ticket acceptance you need compatible equipment at the station,
a means to get data to and from that location,

That's been done 600 times already, so we have to assume the mechanical
aspects are well understood.

for the relevant central systems to recognise the location and assets
there, for fares and season ticket validities to be held in the
relevant fares database and for the card itself to be capable to
accepting whatever description is used for the station and its related
fares and validities.

That's the part I'm concentrating on. Currently we have a 600x600 matrix
of fares!!

Oh and you need the TfL and NR websites to be able to
cope with whatever fares and season ticket prices you set. I guess RSP
and its systems may also be lurking somewhere in this - depending on
how South Eastern's Oyster set up is configured.

If an Oyster card can cope when swiped, I'm sure the websites can be
adjusted adjusted too.

I did used to create and test this data many many moons ago! The
system principles haven't changed that much. What I don't have is any
detail on how zones and / or stations can be recorded on an Oyster
card and what the transaction data structure looks like. I know how
it worked for mag stripe tickets but have never seen the detail for an
Oyster Card.

Are current Oyster fares from central London to Harold Wood and
Brentwood identical (a "mid-Essex" zone) and if so what would Oyster
charge for a journey from Harold Wood to Brentwood?

Mindful I meant to type "Brentwood and Shenfield"...

I don't believe they are the same. Prices vary by route. A quick scan
of the price lists doesn't show any great consistency.

There's some evidence that Brentwood and Broxbourne form a virtual "Zone
10" (see page 15 of your guide) and possibly Theobalds Grove and Waltham
Cross a "Zone 11", with Ockendon, Chafford, Purfleet and Grays in a
"Zone 12"...

Any expansion plans are (conceptually if not for implementation) as
simple as there being many more sets of stations like Harold Wood and
Brentwood identifiable so they can work out the right fare to charge
from Shenfield variously to Harold Wood, and new places like Luton
Airport and Dartford and perhaps other similar ones just outside the
current limit like Swanley, Esher and Hinchley Wood.

If we had a uniform pricing structure across all TOCs then it would be
easier I'm sure. Unfortunately we don't outside the zones so while I
agree your concept is fine it doesn't align with reality.

If we add Shenfield, Chesham and Broxbourne as one-station "virtual
zones" that brings the total to the 'limit of fifteen' mentioned last
year. [And incidentally scupper the four extra stations out to Hertford
East].

My theory then, which I'm beginning to think is too simplistic, would
require some kind of new coding to cope with any additional stations,
and it's odd that National Rail acceptance on all the lines other than
the ones above stops dead at exactly the edge of Z6, when some of the
currently proposed extensions would make a lot of sense (eg extending
one stop to Epsom).

One fly in the ointment though is the Overground to Watford Junction,
where there have been "Special fares" to Watford Junction (a cludge to
get round virtual Zone 16?) but now that Oyster is accepted at
Carpenders Park, Bushy and Watford High Street then there has to be some
scheme already in place for "19 zones".

The next phase of extensions (proposed and actual) will require being
able to recognise and do the sums for these stations outside Z6:

Dartford
Epsom
Cuffley, Bayford, Hertford North
Radlett, St Albans, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway (&Luton?)
Merstham, Redhill, Earleswood, Salfords, Horley, Gatwick
Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Welham Green, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City

[1] Later... Apparently Greater Anglia are committed to several, viz:
Theobalds Grove, Waltham Cross, Cheshunt (inside the exiting zones)
Brentwood, Shenfield (already delivered, outside the zones) plus
Broxbourne, Rye House, St Margarets, Ware and Hertford East (outside
the zones).

The latter 4 stations you mention to Hertford East are not covered by
Oyster. It doesn't reach beyond Broxbourne although the original
intent was that it would.

I wonder why DfT changed their mind? Insufficient demand or some
technical issue. If the latter, and it's now been resolved, perhaps that
extension will be revived.

Govia Thameslink Railway (aka TSGN) are saying they'll extend Oyster
"as far as Epsom, Gatwick Airport, Luton Airport, Welwyn Garden City
and Hertford North" which if we count intermediary stations is quite
a few.

We must and see if this materialises if DfT say yes.

Is it part of the franchise commitment, or something Govia have cooked
up independently? I might have expected them to put more effort into
extending their "the Key" north of the river instead.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

There's some evidence that Brentwood and Broxbourne form a virtual "Zone

10" (see page 15 of your guide) and possibly Theobalds Grove and Waltham

Cross a "Zone 11", with Ockendon, Chafford, Purfleet and Grays in a

"Zone 12"...



Any expansion plans are (conceptually if not for implementation) as

simple as there being many more sets of stations like Harold Wood and

Brentwood identifiable so they can work out the right fare to charge

from Shenfield variously to Harold Wood, and new places like Luton

Airport and Dartford and perhaps other similar ones just outside the

current limit like Swanley, Esher and Hinchley Wood.



If we had a uniform pricing structure across all TOCs then it would be

easier I'm sure. Unfortunately we don't outside the zones so while I

agree your concept is fine it doesn't align with reality.



If we add Shenfield, Chesham and Broxbourne as one-station "virtual

zones" that brings the total to the 'limit of fifteen' mentioned last

year. [And incidentally scupper the four extra stations out to Hertford

East].



My theory then, which I'm beginning to think is too simplistic, would

require some kind of new coding to cope with any additional stations,

and it's odd that National Rail acceptance on all the lines other than

the ones above stops dead at exactly the edge of Z6, when some of the

currently proposed extensions would make a lot of sense (eg extending

one stop to Epsom).



One fly in the ointment though is the Overground to Watford Junction,

where there have been "Special fares" to Watford Junction (a cludge to

get round virtual Zone 16?) but now that Oyster is accepted at

Carpenders Park, Bushy and Watford High Street then there has to be some

scheme already in place for "19 zones".



The next phase of extensions (proposed and actual) will require being

able to recognise and do the sums for these stations outside Z6:



Dartford

Epsom

Cuffley, Bayford, Hertford North

Radlett, St Albans, Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway (&Luton?)

Merstham, Redhill, Earleswood, Salfords, Horley, Gatwick

Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Welham Green, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City





Theobalds Grove and Waltham Cross are in zone 7.
Cheshunt is zone 8.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms...rvices-map.pdf


Potters Bar would have been in zone 9 under the cancelled FCC Oyster extension plans.

Poorly programmed ticket machines have revealed that Watford Junction is "Zone 10", Broxbourne and Brentwood are "Zone 11", and Shenfield is "Zone 12".

Tunbridge Wells
 

In message , at
03:01:40 on Thu, 7 Aug 2014, Matthew Dickinson
remarked:
Theobalds Grove and Waltham Cross are in zone 7.
Cheshunt is zone 8.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms...rvices-map.pdf

Zonal maps seem to be "work in progress". The first I found earlier in
the week didn't show Ewell East/West in Z6 for example, but a subsequent
one did.

I suspected the TG/WC/Cheshunt you refer to above, but the [old?] zonal
map I was looking at had them outside.

Your map also solves the mystery of stations approaching Watford
Junction, which are also Z7/Z8 now. Thus the current Oyster rollout is
still constrained within the 'famous fifteen'.

Potters Bar would have been in zone 9 under the cancelled FCC Oyster extension plans.

Poorly programmed ticket machines have revealed that Watford Junction is "Zone 10", Broxbourne and Brentwood are "Zone 11", and Shenfield is
"Zone 12".

Many thanks, this confirms quite a bit of my suspicions.
--
Roland Perry

Tunbridge Wells
 

"Roland Perry" wrote
[...]
My theory then, which I'm beginning to think is too simplistic, would
require some kind of new coding to cope with any additional stations,
and it's odd that National Rail acceptance on all the lines other than
the ones above stops dead at exactly the edge of Z6, when some of the
currently proposed extensions would make a lot of sense (eg extending
one stop to Epsom).

Stops dead because they moved Z6 (NR only) to suit.

So Hampton Court, Tattenham Corner and others



--
Mike D