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Okay, so what was I meant to do?
The other evening, I turned up at Kingston (upon-Thames) station,
needing a ticket to Leicester. The booking office was closed, so I bought a 5p permit to travel. The problem came when the BR booking office at Vauxhall was closed too. I sweet talked the LU lady at Vauxhall into letting me through the barriers and the LU bod a KXSP didn't seem to have a problem with it either (thank god). The St Pancras booking office was also closed, but I finally managed to get a ticket at the barrier before boarding the 2340. It all worked out nicely, but it seemed to me like I shouldn't have been able to do that (who was to know I wasn't actually wanting to get to the King's X area, for instance?). Does anyone know what I ought to have done? |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
|
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
The other evening, I turned up at Kingston (upon-Thames) station,
needing a ticket to Leicester. The booking office was closed, so I bought a 5p permit to travel. The problem came when the BR booking office at Vauxhall was closed too. I sweet talked the LU lady at Vauxhall into letting me through the barriers and the LU bod a KXSP didn't seem to have a problem with it either (thank god). The St Pancras booking office was also closed, but I finally managed to get a ticket at the barrier before boarding the 2340. It all worked out nicely, but it seemed to me like I shouldn't have been able to do that (who was to know I wasn't actually wanting to get to the King's X area, for instance?). Does anyone know what I ought to have done? I think that the status of National Rail PTTs is not clear on LUL services but I think that what you did was correct. What you should be required and able to do is buy an LU ticket for the LUL portion of the journey and then get that credited against the cost of a National Rail ticket along with the PTT. Even better would be a general rule that any ticket(s) can be credited in full against the cost of any other ticket that has greater validity. If I'd bought an LU ticket, it would have got swallowed at KXSP, so that would've been another £2 down the drain. (I could almost get a pint for that at St Pancras!) Sometimes I think New York has it right with their Metrocards which you never let go of as you swipe them. Even if I had managed to retain an LU ticket, I doubt MML would have been kind enough to redeem it, and I probably would have ended up having to write to two different customer relations departments, which really wouldn't be worth it over two quid. What I should be able to do, which is seemingly impossible, is to buy a BR ticket at Vauxhall Underground, just like you can buy LU tickets from the BR booking offices at Richmond and Wimbledon. I've just realised something quite shocking. If I'd got onto Thameslink whilst within LU fare control and changed at Luton (I had plenty of time - there's a big gap before the 2340), I could have got from Kingston to Leicester for 5p. This really takes the ****. No wonder our railways are losing money. |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In message , James
writes If I'd bought an LU ticket, it would have got swallowed at KXSP They aren't, because you need to be able to change from the deep level lines to sub-surface lines, and that requires exiting barriers. -- Roland Perry |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
What about get back on a main line service with your 5p permit to
travel, and go one stop to London Waterloo ? |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
"The Grand Duchess" wrote in message
... What about get back on a main line service with your 5p permit to travel, and go one stop to London Waterloo ? This would be unreasonable to expect, given that he's trying to get from Vauxhall to KXSP to catch the last train of the evening... -- john[at]stalinism[dot]com http://www.stalinism.com/shot-by-both-sides |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In article , James
writes Does anyone know what I ought to have done? Exactly what you did do except for buying a separate ticket for the tube journey. -- Andrew Electronic communications can be altered and therefore the integrity of this communication can not be guaranteed. Views expressed in this communication are those of the author and not associations or companies I am involved with. |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
"Andrew P Smith" wrote in message ... In article , James writes Does anyone know what I ought to have done? Exactly what you did do except for buying a separate ticket for the tube journey. -- Andrew Am I right in saying that the permit should be purchased with coins up to the value of the ticket required and by not doing so he is liable for a penalty fare if it can be proven that he had coins to that value? Jim |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In article , jimmy
boy writes "Andrew P Smith" wrote in message ... In article , James writes Does anyone know what I ought to have done? Exactly what you did do except for buying a separate ticket for the tube journey. -- Andrew Am I right in saying that the permit should be purchased with coins up to the value of the ticket required and by not doing so he is liable for a penalty fare if it can be proven that he had coins to that value? Jim The signs on the PTT machines indicate this IIRC but I never put more than a quid in and sometimes as little as 10p. -- Andrew Electronic communications can be altered and therefore the integrity of this communication can not be guaranteed. Views expressed in this communication are those of the author and not associations or companies I am involved with. |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
jimmy boy wrote:
Am I right in saying that the permit should be purchased with coins up to the value of the ticket required and by not doing so he is liable for a penalty fare if it can be proven that he had coins to that value? What about if he was not aware of the fare, at least he bothered to get one. -- To reply direct, remove NOSPAM and replace with railwaysonline For railway information, news and photos see http://www.railways-online.co.uk |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
"Joe" wrote in message ... jimmy boy wrote: Am I right in saying that the permit should be purchased with coins up to the value of the ticket required and by not doing so he is liable for a penalty fare if it can be proven that he had coins to that value? What about if he was not aware of the fare, at least he bothered to get one. -- True, but how many tickets can you buy for under £1? As you say at least he bothered to get one. Jim |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
"jimmy boy" wrote in message ...
"Joe" wrote in message ... jimmy boy wrote: Am I right in saying that the permit should be purchased with coins up to the value of the ticket required and by not doing so he is liable for a penalty fare if it can be proven that he had coins to that value? What about if he was not aware of the fare, at least he bothered to get one. -- True, but how many tickets can you buy for under £1? As you say at least he bothered to get one. The fare was £25.40. There's no way I'd have enough coinage to insert that much anyway. I actually wanted to pay by card when I finally found someone who would sell me a ticket, so it seems utterly sensible to me to put the minimum cash in, ie 5p. Which brings me on to another point - why don't SWT stations have FastTicket machines like there are at normal stations? Don't they want anyone to pay fares in the evening? |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
Roland Perry wrote in message cy.com...
In message , James writes If I'd bought an LU ticket, it would have got swallowed at KXSP They aren't, because you need to be able to change from the deep level lines to sub-surface lines, and that requires exiting barriers. Ah I'd forgotten it was weird like that - I very rarely use anything but the Victoria Line there. |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
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Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In message , MIG
writes Why do so many people equate their opportunity to get away with not paying with whether they should pay or not? I think some of it dates back to when the railways were nationalised, and fares felt a bit more like a "tax" than a "payment". I know several people (not including myself) that take the view that "if they can't be bothered to collect the money or clip the ticket, why should I ?" -- Roland Perry |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:43:42 +0100 someone who may be Roland Perry
wrote this:- I think some of it dates back to when the railways were nationalised, and fares felt a bit more like a "tax" than a "payment". I know several people (not including myself) that take the view that "if they can't be bothered to collect the money or clip the ticket, why should I ?" A few years ago I tried to buy a ticket for a journey which I had made from a station with no open ticket office. The staff at the station I had got off at would not sell me one. This was in the thrusting era of privatisation, rather than the useless BR BTW. As a result I now have a very simple approach. I will get on the train and if someone comes along I will try to catch their attention [1] so that I can buy a ticket. If they don't want to sell me a ticket then that is their loss. Most businesses make it easy for customers to buy. The railways need to learn this. [1] They have rushed past me on occasion though I have usually managed to get their attention the second time they passed. -- David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000. |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In message , James
writes Which brings me on to another point - why don't SWT stations have FastTicket machines like there are at normal stations? Don't they want anyone to pay fares in the evening? Because the chance of survival for any length of time in some of the areas that SWT run through is quite minimal. Most have QuickFare machines with a limited range of destinations, ticket types and railcard options, but FastTicket type machines are restricted to major stations such as Guildford (though it was out of order last Saturday) and Waterloo. -- Spyke Address is valid, but messages are treated as junk. The opinions I express do not necessarily reflect those of the educational institution from which I post. |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
"David Hansen" wrote in message ... A few years ago I tried to buy a ticket for a journey which I had made from a station with no open ticket office. The staff at the station I had got off at would not sell me one. This was in the thrusting era of privatisation, rather than the useless BR BTW. As a result I now have a very simple approach. I will get on the train and if someone comes along I will try to catch their attention [1] so that I can buy a ticket. If they don't want to sell me a ticket then that is their loss. Recently I was ter) at Longfield, or on the train, or at Rochester. In fact I obtained a PTT to the value of the ticket. On the way back, the conductor cheerfully and correctly exchanged it for a CDR from Longfield to Rochester, even though I was on the return leg of the journey. Peter |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In article , David Hansen
writes On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:43:42 +0100 someone who may be Roland Perry wrote this:- I think some of it dates back to when the railways were nationalised, and fares felt a bit more like a "tax" than a "payment". I know several people (not including myself) that take the view that "if they can't be bothered to collect the money or clip the ticket, why should I ?" A few years ago I tried to buy a ticket for a journey which I had made from a station with no open ticket office. The staff at the station I had got off at would not sell me one. This was in the thrusting era of privatisation, rather than the useless BR BTW. As a result I now have a very simple approach. I will get on the train and if someone comes along I will try to catch their attention [1] so that I can buy a ticket. If they don't want to sell me a ticket then that is their loss. Most businesses make it easy for customers to buy. The railways need to learn this. [1] They have rushed past me on occasion though I have usually managed to get their attention the second time they passed. Well I travelled from West Worthing to Brighton not so long ago. Ticket office at WW was shut, PTT machine was broken as was the platform ticket machine. I boarded the train. A member of staff came along and I asked to buy a return ticket. She said she couldn't sell me a ticket on the train as she didn't have a ticket machine and that I should pay at my destination. I got off at Brighton to find the barriers open and the ticket booth trackside unmanned. Did I buy a ticket? No, 'cos I couldn't, -- Andrew Electronic communications can be altered and therefore the integrity of this communication can not be guaranteed. Views expressed in this communication are those of the author and not associations or companies I am involved with. |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
I've just realised something quite shocking. If I'd got onto
Thameslink whilst within LU fare control and changed at Luton (I had plenty of time - there's a big gap before the 2340), I could have got from Kingston to Leicester for 5p. This really takes the ****. No wonder our railways are losing money. Possibly. However, that line is usually quite well manned by TIs, especially in the evenings when the ticket offices are closed. In fact you are almost guaranteed to get one unless the train is packed due to people returning from some sporting event. Marcus |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
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Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In message ,
Colin Rosenstiel writes If I'd bought an LU ticket, it would have got swallowed at KXSP They aren't, because you need to be able to change from the deep level lines to sub-surface lines, and that requires exiting barriers. Not much longer. One of the effects of the present works will be to end the need to traverse exit barriers to make tube interchanges. I noticed that the new St Pancras station had two sets of escalators going down into a dark hole underneath the road between KX & StP. It's still a very long way from there to the Met Line platforms (much further than XK Platform 11). Nice to see progress, but I don't think it's all going to be open for a year or two. -- Roland Perry |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
On Mon, 5 Jul 2004 07:13:46 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote: In message , Colin Rosenstiel writes If I'd bought an LU ticket, it would have got swallowed at KXSP They aren't, because you need to be able to change from the deep level lines to sub-surface lines, and that requires exiting barriers. Not much longer. One of the effects of the present works will be to end the need to traverse exit barriers to make tube interchanges. I noticed that the new St Pancras station had two sets of escalators going down into a dark hole underneath the road between KX & StP. It's still a very long way from there to the Met Line platforms (much further than XK Platform 11). Nice to see progress, but I don't think it's all going to be open for a year or two. Hiking along the Marylebone road this morning I noticed once again that the sign warning of the road works at KX says that it is to 2004. Hummmm.... Any takers on it being finished before December the 32nd :-) Keith J Chesworth www.unseenlondon.co.uk www.blackpooltram.co.uk www.happysnapper.com www.boilerbill.com - main site www.amerseyferry.co.uk |
Okay, so what was I meant to do?
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Okay, so what was I meant to do?
In article m, Roland
Perry writes In message , Colin Rosenstiel writes If I'd bought an LU ticket, it would have got swallowed at KXSP They aren't, because you need to be able to change from the deep level lines to sub-surface lines, and that requires exiting barriers. Not much longer. One of the effects of the present works will be to end the need to traverse exit barriers to make tube interchanges. I noticed that the new St Pancras station had two sets of escalators going down into a dark hole underneath the road between KX & StP. It's still a very long way from there to the Met Line platforms (much further than XK Platform 11). Nice to see progress, but I don't think it's all going to be open for a year or two. Aren't they intended to be in use when Thameslink moves into St P later in the year? -- John Alexander, |
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