Fare evasion [original topic]

[whole diary]

[chrisoates]

Restrictions need to be sorted out. TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) need to meet and decide what "peak" means.

Buses down here have dropped the peak nonsense.
I can purchase a 'Ride Cornwall' (train & bus ranger) ticket on an early bus but I can't on a train.
I can't buy a 'PlusBus' ticket on a bus.

In Cornwall there can't be any argument for a peak period to discourage overcrowding as there is none - it's purely a money grabbing exercise.

Today particularly annoyed me - I wanted to go to Torquay for a ride in the Balloon - paid ^9-90 for a railcarded CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day')) to get me on the 8:53 from St Erth which is off-peak (for some strange reason), however I'd forgotten that the 8:53 doesn't stop at Newton Abbot (change for Torquay) so I had to catch the 8:38 and buy a another ^6 peak ticket to get me to Truro which I guessed would be outside the peak.
Just as well I did - ticket was checked before we got to Hayle.

The madness is that the 8:53 is off peak out of St Erth but peak when it passes Camborne and Redruth (it used to be off-peak at Redruth but not now)

Sometimes I catch a bus from St Ives to St Erth to avoid the debate over whether I can have a CDR if I promise to catch the 8:53 and not the 8:38 (which costs me another ^2).

Life's too short for all of this - I get one day off a week and just want to travel as far away from work as possible (only possible by train) but I start out with a headache from all the planning.

The planning includes the weird new timetables.       
 

[devon_metro]

Was the baloon flying? Was quite windy in Brixham!0

[chrisoates]

Was the baloon flying? Was quite windy in Brixham!0

GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! no it wasn't - second time I've been up for a go, first time it was foggy.

[chrisoates]

As in my previous post to process an electron card you must have authorisation from the bank for each purchase which Advantix cannot do.  Hence they cannot be used on train.

FGW^▸ (First Great Western) do accept them at ticket offices however.

Came across an Electron problem at Exeter today, customer offered to pay for an EXD^» (Exeter St Davids - next trains) to EXM on the train !!
Conductor said no and didn't bother going into detail about why as he continued to quiz the customer about how he had managed to pass the barrier without a ticket.
His second customer also wanted a ticket from EXD to EXM, had cash but no explanation about getting through the barriers....is there a hole in the fence somewhere
I passed through the barriers twice and there were three vigilant staff there.

(I renewed my railcard at EXD and I must say the staff were exceedingly pleasant, also queried the appearance of a 6 car SWT^▸ (South West Trains) which wasn't appearing on CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) - chap got on the radio immediately and saved me a wait - very good.)

[devon_metro]

Was the baloon flying? Was quite windy in Brixham!0

GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!! no it wasn't - second time I've been up for a go, first time it was foggy.

I think it spends more time on the ground

When I passed through Exeter earlier, barriers were in operation, so most mysterious indeed

[thetrout]

There is a certain unstaffed exit at Exeter Central that is a perfectly legal and authorised exit.

Found it purely by accident as well.

I must point out that I am not encouraging finding this little exit, and also I will point out as I have done in another post that I always have the appropriate ticket

[devon_metro]

There is a certain unstaffed exit at Exeter Central that is a perfectly legal and authorised exit.

Found it purely by accident as well.

I must point out that I am not encouraging finding this little exit, and also I will point out as I have done in another post that I always have the appropriate ticket

Not that the other exit at Central has barriers anyway. When a Revenue Block is on, both exits are monitored.

[vacman]

There is a certain unstaffed exit at Exeter Central that is a perfectly legal and authorised exit.

Found it purely by accident as well.

I must point out that I am not encouraging finding this little exit, and also I will point out as I have done in another post that I always have the appropriate ticket

I presume you mean the footbridge? there are usually staff there aswell.

[vacman]

Restrictions need to be sorted out. TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) need to meet and decide what "peak" means.

Buses down here have dropped the peak nonsense.
I can purchase a 'Ride Cornwall' (train & bus ranger) ticket on an early bus but I can't on a train.
I can't buy a 'PlusBus' ticket on a bus.

In Cornwall there can't be any argument for a peak period to discourage overcrowding as there is none - it's purely a money grabbing exercise.

Today particularly annoyed me - I wanted to go to Torquay for a ride in the Balloon - paid ^9-90 for a railcarded CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day')) to get me on the 8:53 from St Erth which is off-peak (for some strange reason), however I'd forgotten that the 8:53 doesn't stop at Newton Abbot (change for Torquay) so I had to catch the 8:38 and buy a another ^6 peak ticket to get me to Truro which I guessed would be outside the peak.
Just as well I did - ticket was checked before we got to Hayle.

The madness is that the 8:53 is off peak out of St Erth but peak when it passes Camborne and Redruth (it used to be off-peak at Redruth but not now)

Sometimes I catch a bus from St Ives to St Erth to avoid the debate over whether I can have a CDR if I promise to catch the 8:53 and not the 8:38 (which costs me another ^2).

Life's too short for all of this - I get one day off a week and just want to travel as far away from work as possible (only possible by train) but I start out with a headache from all the planning.

The planning includes the weird new timetables.       
 

I very much dispute that peak time isn't busy in Cornwall! have you ever travelled on the 0737 from Penzance? or the 0702 from Plymouth? The 0853 off St Erth is off-peak throughout 0842 from Penzance.

[G.Uard]

There always used to be a way out by a little exit on the down platform. It leads up the side of the station to Queen St and not to the main entrance.  I think it it used to be an access for catering supplies when they had restaurant cars on the S.R.....

before even vacman's time 

No idea if it is still there.

[devon_metro]

Yes it is still there.

[thetrout]

I think it's the exit G.Uard mentioned, It's advertised as a "Step Free" exit for disabled passengers. I discovered it simply because I wanted to look at a Class 66 in the Bay Platform

Technically, I know I should have used the main exit, so on my way out of the station, I discovered the huge queue, and decided against waiting in it to show my ticket, So I took myself along with my valid ticket to the authorised yet hidden exit

*disclaimer* If a poster feels that my post may encourage fare dodgers to use this exit, then I will happily remove it from my post

[devon_metro]

You don't technically have to use either exit 

They are both entrances and exits to Exeter Central station...

[thetrout]

I see your point. What I was trying to get at was the little exit is supposed to be there for people unable to use the stairs. But you are right, you can use the most convienient (sp?) exit. Which at the time was exactly what I did.

I feel particularly sorry for disabled passengers at Bath Spa trying to access the Step Free entrance to Platform 1. Simply because you would park in the car park, then have to go to the ticket office to get a ticket, then go all the way back to the step free entrance. Surely it would make sense for the gateline staff at the entrance to have an Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains)..??

Just a minor thought...

[Tim]

I see your point. What I was trying to get at was the little exit is supposed to be there for people unable to use the stairs. But you are right, you can use the most convienient (sp?) exit. Which at the time was exactly what I did.

I feel particularly sorry for disabled passengers at Bath Spa trying to access the Step Free entrance to Platform 1. Simply because you would park in the car park, then have to go to the ticket office to get a ticket, then go all the way back to the step free entrance. Surely it would make sense for the gateline staff at the entrance to have an Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains)..??

Just a minor thought...

I agree, but the station will shortly be getting lifts which I suspect will result in the car-park gates being locked.