... what are you supposed to do?
I sometimes travel from a station where the ticket office is shut and there are no ticket machines. When I get on the train it is very busy, and while there is a guard on there he never checks tickets so there is no opportunity to buy the ticket on the train.
When I arrive at the destination there is no ticket barriers etc. Legally do I have to then purchase a ticket for the journey I have just made from that station?
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Legally, You should attempt to pay somewhere even if its at the end.
But if you cant... hey ho.. at least you can claim to have made an effort.
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I may actually walk up the guard next time and attempt to purchase a ticket from him. I can't believe there are no ticket machines though. The station in question is Urmston. It is a suburban railway station but its on the Liverpool line and it does get very busy.
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When we travel into Manchester from the local station the train is often too busy for the conductor to get to you. And sometimes the ticket office is closed. Most times at the other end you have to show a ticket though and buy one if you hadn't already.
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It may not be legal but if the train company can't arrange to collect my money that is their problem as far as I am concerned.
The Police and security guards check the tickets on the trains in the Australian Perth, there are ticket machines at every station, no ticket, big fine. Not many argue with a policeman with a gun and a taser.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 27 May 11 at 19:19
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Metrolink is the same, you have to have a ticket before you board, however there are ticket machines at each station.
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Do you not have the concept of a 'permit to travel' up north?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permit_to_travel
Do they not have penal charges if you do not have a valid ticket or p to t?
Nice little earner for the revenue enforcement teams at £20 a pop.
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Never knew that existed. Northern Rail don't penalise people for having no ticket onboard, as you can pay on the train at discounted rate (e.g the same as a ticket office) provided the ticket office was closed or there was no ticket office at the station you boarded.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 27 May 11 at 21:17
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I have been on the train from Manchester to Glasgow when someone got on the train and missed their connection. So their prepaid ticket was not valid. So what happened? They had to buy another ticket to the next stop.... then get off and buy a ticket for the remainder of the journey and then get the next train.
Had they really wanted to stay on the train and buy another full price ticket on the train there was no discount and therefore VERY expensive.
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Northern do offer the discounts though, because it is far easier rather than have all the usual the ticket office is shut arguments.
I once managed to get from London to Manchester and I never once had to show a ticket.
Was one time in Europe I when I had the wrong ticket, I was travelling from Paris to Amsterdam. The train from Paris was delayed, meaning we missed the train to Amsterdam in Brussels, we just got the next train. Luckily no inspections but that was a frightening moment not being able to speak a word of French or Dutch.
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I think it was Transpennine from Manchester to Glasgow. It was during the afternoon in the week so no excuse about close ticket offices. My local station closes by lunchtime in the week but is open later on the weekends.
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Yeah I sometimes use your Station if for some reason I have to do some shopping in Stockport. Park up on Tatton Road and get the train in. I try and time it so it is a class 323.
Last few times though I've had free parking courtesy of the FIAT dealer in Stockport.
Even in the four minutes it takes to get to Stockport they always manage to come round so I can buy a ticket.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Fri 27 May 11 at 22:48
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In the other direction into Manchester on a Sunday the train is pretty full and they often don't get around. We've normally already bought a ticket though.
And if you couldn't.... the off-peak single is only slightly less than a return and you always pay on the way back.
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That is a major gripe that, I often used to have to go to Wilmslow one way as I would have a lift to Stockport on the way back, so I could catch the bus home (before I could drive) but I always bought a return because it was only 20p more.
Metrolink tickets at Old Trafford are now the same price single as return. Rather annoying.
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Strangely enough, front page story on the Manchester Evening News tonight peretaining the Northern Rail.
Man gets on train at Newton (N) No ticket office or machine. Travels through Flowery Field (F) station on the way into the city.
Arrives at Manchester without a ticket...no guard appeared on the journey.
So, arriving at Piccadilly station he buys a return to F, where he wanted to get off, a mile short of N....£4.70.
Later, gets train back and gets off at F. Ticket checked and as he didn't have a voucher to show his inward trip started at F, the checkers told him he owed them 50p for the N to F mile he travelled earlier. He offered to pay it but was told he was being reported for ticket fraud. He offered to pay a fixed penalty but to no avail.
Our traveller, who said he thought the price would be the same from both stations as they were close, has had to make 3 appearences in court before the justices dismissed the case as a genuine mistake rather than a criminal fraud. The cost of this action to the taxpayer is thought to be around £2000
So don't make a mistake over a 50p fare...you might get a criminal conviction !
Ted
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>> to Amsterdam in Brussels, we just got the next train. Luckily no inspections but that
>> was a frightening moment not being able to speak a word of French or Dutch.
Thats ok, the locals there often refuse to speak French or Dutch depending on where they are and who they are talking to, despite it being the national languages.
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>> >> to Amsterdam in Brussels, we just got the next train. Luckily no inspections but
>> that
>> >> was a frightening moment not being able to speak a word of French or
>> Dutch.
>>
>> Thats ok, the locals there often refuse to speak French or Dutch depending on where
>> they are and who they are talking to, despite it being the national languages.
I met some Dutch speakers who spoke good English. I was taken aback to discover that I probably spoke better French than they did despite it being one of their official languages.
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I wanted to but a return ticket at Slough at about 7am but the office was closed. I got in the train, and at Reading asked for a return from Slough, explaining that the office was closed. The employee told me that the office was not closed. I said it was. She said it wasn't. I told her to ring Slough to check. She said she would not because the office was open. I felt very insulted by her rudeness. I have had other instances of rudeness from train staff. It is one reason I avoid the train. Drive, and you go where you want when you want, it's cheaper and quicker and the staff are not rude. And you don't sit next to some grossly overweight person who squashes you against the wall, or sit next to loud mouthed people. Some train staff are very nice, but the minority spoil it.
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Ratts, Why don't you just come and work for us you love trains and are some type of spotter so your free train travel and 75% discount on other services will suit you fine, plus you can still run your buisness on your time off or shifts.
www.northern.engageats.co.uk/
You also get a reduced train travel world wide as my mate loves eastern europe he travels for next to nowt searching the brothels. :-)
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Though about it, but not sure if I could put up with the abuse from passengers on local services. With my medical conditions I would never be able to be a train driver.
My ideal job in the railways would be in the customer service kiosks, advicing people on what connection to make to get to Tring for example.
Though about getting a customer service job on the Metrolink but having seen them in action lets just say I wouldn't get on with them! My idea of good customer service is not swearing in front of customers.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sat 28 May 11 at 17:14
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Some train staff are very nice, but the minority spoil it. No it's the very rude passenger who think we owe them for traveling are rude & turn up late and expect the service to be run late just for them.
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When there is no way of buying a train ticket.... - Mapmaker
