Senior Railcard - ongoing issues, merged posts

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

Some of them do have a sense of humour. 

[grahame]

I find myself only asked for my senior card infrequently - most often when purchasing a ticket at a manned ticket office and just occasionally at a ticket inspection on a train. Only once, ever, at a ticket gate - and that was a really odd case where my FOSS^▸ (Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover) had failed to work the gate, I was the only passenger around, and the bloke on the gate insisted on taking a careful look at my ticket  and punching a hole in it having got his punch out from the cupboard.

I would suspect it relates often to the time taken - whether the staff have the time to check railcards, etc, - so they'll prioritise checking everyone has a ticket rather than going into individual backing documents.

Now ...

* Seniors, I suggest, might be less likely to "try it on".  For sure their cards expire, but that's like to be forgetfulness rather than intent to defraud.

* A senior card may expire but once you have one, you can always get another - unlike the younger age tickets where you hit a wall where you can no longer get the discount and may be tempted to try

* Train staff probably feel more comfortable challenging people young enough to be their children rather than old enough to be their parents.

[Chris from Nailsea]

* Seniors, I suggest, might be less likely to "try it on".  For sure their cards expire, but that's like to be forgetfulness rather than intent to defraud.

Blimey!  There are specific reasons why it is relevant for me to ensure that my own Senior Railcard is renewed before it expires on 2 June 2025.

Thank you, grahame. 

[PrestburyRoad]

... There are specific reasons why it is relevant for me to ensure that my own Senior Railcard is renewed before it expires on 2 June 2025.

I too renewed my previous Senior Railcard before it expired, and this was fine - on trains.  But on my Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) card there was a problem.

The new railcard had a validity that was a few days longer than three years.  In that short period after getting the new card I was visiting London with my brand new card and I asked a TfL^» (Transport for London - about) person to add the new card to my Oyster card.  Alas they couldn't - machine said no.  They found an expert, who explained that the Oyster system only accepts a railcard expiry date no more than three years in the future.  Fortunately they also had a workaround: they entered the expiry date as two years in the future, and asked me to come back some time in the next two years to have the true expiry date added.

[Mark A]

Short of asking staff to do so, there may be a way to check if an Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) is linked to a railcard, but if there is it's well hidden. I've two Oystercards and the system presumably will not let me link the railcard to more than one Oyster (though I've not tried that).

Mark

[froome]

I have had a Senior Railcard for several years now (I am 72 and got it on the first day I was able to and made use of it on that day). I have always had a card ticket rather than having it on my phone. Several train managers like to call it a Young Persons card, which is always pleasing to hear, though I did once get sold a ticket at a station by someone who assumed I had a Senior Railcard, several years before I was old enough to get one, presumably due to my prematurely grey hair, which by then was almost white. I did also once get sold a Young Person's ticket by a train manager on a train. He had made the joke about a Young Persons card when I asked to buy a ticket with my Senior Railcard, and then presumably forgot he was joking! I had to explain to other train managers on my route why I was travelling with this ticket - not sure if they actually believed me.

I'm pretty sure it makes no difference at the station barriers. Tickets often seem to be rejected, but I don't think the railcard is ever the issue, though obviously I can't be sure on that.

I usually show both my ticket and card at the same time, but if I forget (or can't get the card out in time), I find about half of the managers ask to see the card and half don't, though more do these days than not.

[froome]

Only once, ever, at a ticket gate - and that was a really odd case where my FOSS^▸ (Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover) had failed to work the gate, I was the only passenger around, and the bloke on the gate insisted on taking a careful look at my ticket  and punching a hole in it having got his punch out from the cupboard.

This happened to me once with my FOSS, at Southampton Central. Where was yours, as I wonder whether it was something specific to that station?

The woman at the barrier took a lot of time checking my ticket, asking where I was going and generally questioning it, and insisted on punching it too, and I only just made it onto the platform in time to catch my train.

[grahame]

Only once, ever, at a ticket gate - and that was a really odd case where my FOSS^▸ (Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover) had failed to work the gate, I was the only passenger around, and the bloke on the gate insisted on taking a careful look at my ticket  and punching a hole in it having got his punch out from the cupboard.

This happened to me once with my FOSS, at Southampton Central. Where was yours, as I wonder whether it was something specific to that station?

The woman at the barrier took a lot of time checking my ticket, asking where I was going and generally questioning it, and insisted on punching it too, and I only just made it onto the platform in time to catch my train.

Mine was Chippenham ... and I found myself wondering if punching a hole in a ticket these days is a way of signalling to other staff "awkward customer".  Staff are usually excellent, but this was the exception.   I do recall a more thorough check of my FOSS that usual at Southampton Central too - same person perhaps - but then utterly helpful there on other occasions.

The FOSS ticket is a bargain if you want to do what it allows, and I wonder if s minority of staff resent the really good price you've got your travel at.   I've found the same attitude on occasions with my Interrail pass.

[Clan Line]

This happened to me once with my FOSS^▸ (Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover), at Southampton Central. Where was yours, as I wonder whether it was something specific to that station?

My FOSS cards never worked Southampton during my multiple visits last Oct/Nov. Gave up trying....................

[Clan Line]

Don't know what happened there - tried to correct a typo and it posted the whole amended thing again as a quote 

[grahame]

Don't know what happened there - tried to correct a typo and it posted the whole amended thing again as a quote 

I have tidied up - that's an easy thing to do if you're one button out!

[Ralph Ayres]

Short of asking staff to do so, there may be a way to check if an Oyster^▸ (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services) is linked to a railcard, but if there is it's well hidden. I've two Oystercards and the system presumably will not let me link the railcard to more than one Oyster (though I've not tried that).

Present the Oyster card to the yellow reader on an LU POM (possibly also other Oyster-enabled TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine)?) and somewhere inconspicuous on the screen - top left if I remember correctly - it will show that you have a Railcard discount set.  You can link one Railcard to multiple Oyster cards so long as you have the Railcard with you when using that card in case you are asked to show it; gates can be set by revenue staff to flag that a card with a discount has just been used.

Just noticed that the hover function doesn't work for:
LU - London Underground
POM - Passenger Operated Machine (equivalent to a TVM but sometimes handy to distinguish)
Can an admin add them please?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Just noticed that the hover function doesn't work for:
LU - London Underground
POM - Passenger Operated Machine (equivalent to a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) but sometimes handy to distinguish)
Can an admin add them please?

Thank you for your request, Ralph Ayres.

I am 'on the case' here, with guidance from grahame.  Please do bear with me, while I update my (somewhat basic) online technical skills. 

[Chris from Nailsea]

I have tidied up - that's an easy thing to do if you're one button out!

From my knowing grahame, over many years, I can confirm that his shirt front will probably be 'one button out'. 

[eightonedee]

Rite of passage yesterday - the first time (in nearly 5 years) I forgot to "press" the Senior Railcard "button" on the ticket machine screen.....must be getting old and forgetful