On Jun 9, 12:47*pm, "Tim Roll-Pickering" T.C.Roll-
wrote:

Mizter T wrote:
[...] (Or could they
nip down to Wanstead Park and touch out on the readers there?)
They could - but it's not really something you could ask people to do!

True but those in the know (admittedly unlikely in the specific example as
it's the opposite direction from the tubes within walking distance) might
want to take precautions.

Yes, though people 'in the know' going in the central London-bound
direction would therefore also 'need' to take the precaution of
visiting Wanstead Park first and touching-in before heading to Forest
Gate to get a train to Liverpool Street.

Anyway, I'm not sure it would necessarily solve the problem either -
I've just done a search on TfL's "Fare finder" and Wanstead Park to
Liverpool Street, the result being "Your search returned no fares." -
this happens whether you correctly enter the destination as "London
Liverpool Street [National Rail]", or otherwise enter it as "Liverpool
Street [London Underground]".

So I'm not quite sure what would happen were you to do this in
practice. I was of the impression that *all* stations are paired for
Oyster PAYG fares purposes, so either that's not correct - in which
case what actually happens? - or otherwise the Fare finder system only
returns a subset of fares for 'sensible' routes - though I had thought
it showed all fares in the database (that said I have a vague memory
of getting it to refuse showing a fare for another journey).


The easier alternative would be to simply avoid touching in/out at
Liverpool Street, if at all possible - i.e. go through the side gate
if it's open, brandishing Oyster in hand. Depends how they're doing
things on the day there. Afraid I have my doubts that the gateline
staff will completely comprehend the whole picture (not least because
they likely get free travel on the mainline hence don't have to
confront this personally).

The gateline for the high number platforms at Liverpool Street is frequently
the height of disorganisation - barriers where the Oyster reader is broken
but not marked, too many barriers set for the wrong direction at peak hours
and the staff are further down and difficult to reach and often not the most
responsive. Apart from late in the evening when the barriers are usually
open I don't rate the chances of many trying to get through without touching
out.

Doesn't sound too great! It's really annoying when Oyster readers are
broken but not marked - only ever seems to happen at NR gatelines, LU
manage to put the faulty red sticker on it and then get it fixed
pronto.

Re the chances of getting through without touching out (or indeed in)
- it all depends on how the management and staff at Liverpool Street
interpret their instructions I suppose. Elsewhere at say London Bridge
or Victoria it'll be simple - passengers brandishing an Oyster card
must simply be let through (I wouldn't be too surprised to find the
automatic gates simply being left open there).