On 18 Oct 2006 15:47:01 -0700, "
wrote:


Tim Woodall wrote:
What screen? All I've ever seen is a green and red light.

p.s. Does anyone know what happens if you try to badge two oyster cards
at once? I've thought about getting a second card so when one runs out
of cash I can then use the other one to get me to somewhere where I can
top up. What about if I wrap the "backup" card in aluminium foil?

As far as I am aware, some form of screen exists on all gates and
validators, whatever their design. Certainly on the old pneumatic
gates the information pops up on the glass panel toward the top of the
gate, where the green entry arrow is illuminated, and tells you either
your current balance or "ticket 1 near expiry" if you have a season
ticket. This is the same place where it tells you "seek assistance" if
its giving you grief. Other designs have this in a different place -
If I remember right, I believe the newer gates like those in Kings
Cross (coming off the Picc) have it on a small LCD display by the
Oyster reader.

Sorry but you have this the wrong way round.

There are three designs of paddle gate on LUL :-

a) original pneumatic with the wider stanchions and square illuminated
displays (what we call a POD display).
b) next generation electric gate with narrower stanchions and round
illuminated displays.
c) current generation electric gate with narrow stanchions and round
illuminated displays. Some of these are short length and some are also
Oyster card only.

On model (a) there is a small two line display which is flat on the top
of the gate just above the top of the actual Oyster card reader. This
will display value deducted and balance remaining or other relevant info
but the user must look down towards the Oyster reader to read the
display. This is because the POD display has no capability to show text
messages other than the entry / exit red cross / green arrow / seek
assistance signs. It was not considered sensible to re-engineer the
first generation gate PODs hence the difference in orientation between
the designs.

On the electric gates the POD displays have the ability to show a wider
range of messages. The stanchion width is too narrow to incorporate the
flat design of the pneumatic designs. Therefore a passenger using an
electric gate should look ahead and slightly down to their right at the
POD display as they walk through. That will show value deducted /
remaining or whether a ticket is about to expire.

Not having used PAYG or Auto Top Up I don't know what messages are
displayed in relation to these products but I assume appropriate
messages are shown.

As others have said the validators at manual gates or at stand alone
locations have a two line display that is similar in design to the
pneumatic gates displays. DLR validators are similar but are in a
special metal housing.

On buses the display is on the driver's ticket machine but I find it
very hard to read as the display is dark text on a darkish grey
background. On bendy buses there is a display at each validator. On the
heritage routes a conductor looks after your fare deduction!

I can't tell you what happens on Tramlink as I have not been on it in
ages and ages.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!