Arrival of the Ticket Vending Machine at Melksham

[whole diary]

[grahame]

I love getting on our local train, buying my ticket from the conductor and changing for an adventure that may take me to Scarborough or Taunton or Motherwell or Cambridge - all trips coming up in October. Problem is that the service is getting so busy that the conductor doesn't have time to go round and sell all the tickets, especially if he has tasks associated with his primary operational and safety roles.

So I'm delighted to see:

footings going in today for a ticket vending machine.  It'll be card only (note to vandals / ram raiders - NOT WORTH IT!), but as most people pay by card these days it will free up the conductor to collect remaining cash fares, and to provide travel information and check other tickets.

"Revenue Protection" is a key issue for us on the TransWilts - fares need to be collected, and for that to happen travellers need to be given the opportunity to pay.   Growth has been such that even those who want to pay have found it difficult at times - to give you an idea, the 20:30 last Sunday was busier than the 'peak' weekday train last year, with some peak trains now being standing room only.   And once the "want to pay" folks are facilitated, the conductor can move on to help the "will pay if asked" folks meet the rules 

Concrete pouring tomorrow ... the arrival of the machine itself gets a couple of steps closer

Photo posted with permission

[Chris from Nailsea]

Excellent news, grahame - and it's good to see that your Ticket Vending Machine at Melksham Station will be situated within the platform shelter, where it should at least be protected from the elements. 

[bobm]

Given that it needs a link to the outside world to process debit and credit cards might it also mean the help-point will be more reliable I wonder?

[Chris from Nailsea]

They use different technology / wiring, apparently (based on various excuses provided on a previous similar situation at Nailsea & Backwell Station) - but we remain hopeful. 

[bobm]

You never know - technology may have moved on..... then again..... 

[Brucey]

Aren't the help points basically a mobile phone with a slightly larger screen?

But excellent news about the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine).  Shows that FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have taken the rise in passenger numbers seriously.

[Electric train]

............. Next platform 2?   !!!!! 

[JayMac]

That's a big pipe being fitted there.

Is that where you flush your money down the drain when paying for an Anytime Single to Paddington? 

[TeaStew]

Big holes yesterday and contractors present this morning...
[sorry if not ticket machine related but did not want to make a new topic for every new hole in the platform]