Gates won't accept tickets

[whole diary]

[swrural]

On Wednesday we bought tickets from the guard from MDN.  We went to BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) and broke our journey at BTH^» (Bath Spa - next trains) on the way back.  So that was two people four times through the gates.  Not once would they accept our tickets.  At Bath the gateman said he thought we had held them 'too near our mobiles' - naive fellow, he was talking to rural pensioners.

It occurred to me that it was the guard who may have brought this about with all his paraphernalia or is that just a myth? 

[ChrisB]

Its quite possible that the gates aren't set to accept break of journey tickets - a lot aren't.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Historically, the ticket barriers at Bristol Temple Meads consistently refused to accept tickets bought, only ten minutes before, at Nailsea & Backwell - so much so that the Bristol gateline staff would say "Don't tell me: you bought your ticket at Nailsea ... "   

[swrural]

Historically, the ticket barriers at Bristol Temple Meads consistently refused to accept tickets bought, only ten minutes before, at Nailsea & Backwell - so much so that the Bristol gateline staff would say "Don't tell me: you bought your ticket at Nailsea ... "   

Just as well the gates were manned properly, although judging by the pained expressions of the Bristol staff, it was not unknown.  As I say, they all failed, not just the BOJ instances (is that a new abbreviation, I am so fond of them)?

Incidentally, (for another thread) we eschewed the 'champagne tea' in the Pump Rooms (^36 each) and chose 2nd floor cafe at Marks and Spencer at ^1.75 each for a delicious pot of tea and a shortbread biccy.  Charming outlook on the netted roofs of Bath (seagull plague) and real china, with lovely eastern european girls serving.  Also incidentally, apart from the guards on our trains, we encountered only friendly staff with mostly foreign accents at every single stage of the day out in Bristol and Bath, yes, even on the gatelines too. 

 

[Chris from Nailsea]

... not just the BOJ instances (is that a new abbreviation, I am so fond of them)?  

I think you will find 'BoJ^▸ (Break of Journey)' is already in our own list of railway 'abbs', at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/acronyms.html 

[vacman]

If the barrier staff said that it had been too near to your phone then it must have shown an 09 code (unreadable) which means either a faulty avantix or a magnet has been near the ticket.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for that informed comment, vacman! 

I rather think it was the first of those reasons that caused such a reaction on the gateline at Bristol Temple Meads - clearly, they had become aware that their colleague at Nailsea & Backwell had been issued with a dodgy Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains). 

[paul7575]

Its quite possible that the gates aren't set to accept break of journey tickets - a lot aren't.

I once read an explanation of why it is so difficult.  If you were to simply have a 'software switch' to allow break of journey, every ticket barrier line would have to be able to check routeing validity on the fly, for any pair of origin or destination stations for which there was a valid route through the station.  They'd also have to be able to deal with fare restrictions, because some tickets bar BoJ^▸ (Break of Journey) in one direction.

Because the gates are not clever enough to work out validity in the time it takes to read a ticket, BoJ is dealt with by someone simply adding specific origins and destinations to look up tables in the controlling software.  

Safest never to assume BoJ will be programmed in, and if it is, it's a bonus...

Paul

[bobm]

I must admit if I am breaking a journey I always show the ticket to the gateline staff rather than run it through the gate for fear it will keep it and then you have the palaver of getting it back!

[Chris from Nailsea]

That is always a sound game plan, bobm! 

[trainer]

When using the rather expensive First Class All Line Rover not long ago, I was concerned that at one station (I've slept since so the name has slipped away!) the staff were being quite insistent that pax use the ticket gates rather than show their tickets to be allowed through. I preferred not to insert my ticket for the reasons given by bobm and hoped I wouldn't get any hassle.  I didn't and was allowed through with the staff operating the gate.  Now, if that's how I react to clinging on to a ticket costing a mere ^400 or so, how many people with seasons costing thousands are comfortable risking a grab by the gate in the peak rush?  Perhaps they are confident that the technology usually works for them.

Incidentally, I noticed that although Glasgow Central has most platforms gated, 1&2 used by Virgin are not and pax are held at the end of the platform until loading commences.  The loading of the long trains on a fast turn round was thus reasonably speedy.

[Brucey]

Now, if that's how I react to clinging on to a ticket costing a mere ^400 or so, how many people with seasons costing thousands are comfortable risking a grab by the gate in the peak rush?  Perhaps they are confident that the technology usually works for them.

You just have to trust it.  I know that if a barrier retains my ticket, I will kick up a fuss until I get it back.

I did have an adrenaline fuelled moment, however, when the barrier at Brighton spat my ticket out then sucked it back it again.  Fortunately, it was spat out a second or two later.  Surprisingly, the gate opened, which I didn't expect as it isn't one of the most logical permitted routes.

[swrural]

Crikey, Bobm and Brucey, now you tell me!  I'll remember that in future, thanks.  As an aside, how are pax supposed to know all this?  Is it easy for gateline staff to retrieve a swallowed ticket?  Can't they just open the machine with a key? 

[bobm]

Of itself it is not that difficult to retrieve the ticket but if it is a busy gateline and a couple of trains have just come in you may have to wait for the crowd to clear before the staff can access it, by which time of course your ticket has got buried by a few more in the bucket.

[Steve Bray]

The ticket gates at Guildford usually reject my guard-issued tickets on the North Downs Line.