Advance ticket collection (formerly "Rail Appointed Travel Agents")

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

For quite a while now, I've been buying my advance tickets online, hopping on the train at Redland, showing the printout and showing the same at the barriers at Temple Meads, then collecting my tickets from the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine).

Anyway, yesterday I ran into the most difficult Ticket Examiner (she wasn't the guard) who said I had to buy a ticket to Temple Meads.  Fair enough as I wasn't in possession of a ticket and was trying to bend the rules.

My problem is that I tend to book tickets less than 7 days in advance, so I can't have them posted.  Walking down to Temple Meads takes up a good chunk of my day, so this isn't an option (although I will have to resort to that today).

Is there a list of rail appointed travel agents (or is it a case of contacting local agents and asking them)? (Or can anyone recommend one in the Clifton, City Centre or Gloucester Road/Bishopston areas?)

Are they able to sell advance tickets and am I likely to be hit with booking/credit card/admin fees?

Thanks

_{Edited to amend heading to reflect thread-drift}

[matt473]

I can't answer your question, but can I suggest since you are a genuine paying passanger who wants to travel but does not have the facilities to collect tickets at the origin station that you contact First and see if they can be flexible. The reason I ask is if they realise enough people are in similair situations then the rules may be "relaxed" for genuine travellers who are unable to collect tickets at origin station but still have them so can make appropriate arrangements. A TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) on the other side of the barriers at Temple Meads that only dispenses advance tickets for example to collect tickets from for those who started journies like you at a station without the facilities and should not benefit fare evaders as they would still be ticketless at the barriers. In theory the only people to benefit would be genuine fare paying passangers with FGW^▸ (First Great Western) being seen to be helping with what is an annoying yet common problem

[Mookiemoo]

But the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine)'s will only sell FROM bristol to XYZ not the other way round

you would need a complete new class of ticket machine that only dispenses prepaid and does not issue new ones

[Timmer]

A good case in point for FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to introduce 'print at home' and download to your mobile phone ticketing.

[matt473]

But the TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine)'s will only sell FROM bristol to XYZ not the other way round

you would need a complete new class of ticket machine that only dispenses prepaid and does not issue new ones

Actually you don't as it connects to the database. I worked this out when I accidentally printed my Bristol to Swansea tickets at Swansea as opposed to the other way round. Even though it's different TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) they use the same database so in theory you can collect any tickets from anywhere. It would also probably only require a software patch to disable the buy tickets feature as well

[old original]

TVMs^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) will only SELL ticket from where they are , but will issue pre booked tickets (with a reference) for any journey irrelevent of where you might say you will pick it up from

[JayMac]

I, too have had issues with Advance Purchase, where my start station is one without a TVM^▸ (Ticket Vending Machine) (Shirehampton). I've not yet encountered an officious Conductor or Assistant Ticket Examiner. Normally proof of valid travel in the form of a printout will suffice, but the strict interpretation of the rules is that you must be in possession of a valid ticket (or purchase one) from the station where you boarded.

I'm fairly certain there are no 'Rail Appointed Travel Agents' in the Clifton area of Bristol, so that idea ain't going to be a runner.

Fortunately the SVB Line is outside the scope of the Penalty Fares scheme on FGW^▸ (First Great Western), so the worst that can happen is you will be charged for a SDS to Temple Meads.

I agree that flexibility and discretion should be shown, but that is always going to be at the whim of the individual staff member you encounter.

No harm in dropping a line to FGW to see if they are prepared to offer some 'official' flexibilty. Of course they may be wary of folks trying it on by saying they've got tickets to collect at BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains) when in fact they are going to bail out at Stapleton Road or Lawrence Hill.

[vacman]

This has been brought up many times before and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will say the same as now, main reason being is that people will buy a ticket from Bristol to say London online then expect a free ride from Avonmouth.

[matt473]

This has been brought up many times before and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will say the same as now, main reason being is that people will buy a ticket from Bristol to say London online then expect a free ride from Avonmouth.

Well why not? First are now doing a free ride on certain buses for train tickets over a certain price so why not allow free travel on the SVB, especially as it is subsidised by Bristol City Council. Would it really cost FGW that much to do this for all advance purhases?

[Brucey]

Thanks for the replies.  I might send an email to ATOC^» (Association of Train Operating Companies See - here) and see if they can recommend anywhere more local to buy tickets.

I assume printouts (that can't be checked on the train) aren't really acceptable as they can be very easily faked.  Plus you might have people who don't have a printer or who have booked over the phone.  These people will only have a reference number (which could be for any journey!)

[vacman]

This has been brought up many times before and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will say the same as now, main reason being is that people will buy a ticket from Bristol to say London online then expect a free ride from Avonmouth.

Well why not? First are now doing a free ride on certain buses for train tickets over a certain price so why not allow free travel on the SVB, especially as it is subsidised by Bristol City Council. Would it really cost FGW that much to do this for all advance purhases?

Does this reply even deserve an answer??

[Chris from Nailsea]

Hmm.

To be fair, vacman: using your own example of someone purchasing an advance ticket from Bristol to London online, from their home address in Avonmouth - where there are no ticket collection facilities - how much would it 'cost' FGW^▸ (First Great Western) to allow such passengers the option of ticket collection from BRI^» (Bristol Temple Meads - next trains)?

I'm not saying it's right - just practical, in terms of the cost of a ticket from Avonmouth to BRI, compared with the time it takes for a member of FGW staff to deal with such a situation?

[grahame]

This has been brought up many times before and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will say the same as now, main reason being is that people will buy a ticket from Bristol to say London online then expect a free ride from Avonmouth.

I think there's something flawed in the system here.

I have just checked for a journey next Tuesday evening journey from Melksham (19:47) to London and I'm offered an 18 pound advanced fare - or 26 pounds if I pay on the train.   But although FGW offer me this fare, they don't provide me with any way of collecting my ticket without making a round trip of over 10 miles ahead of time which would more than eat up the saving. 

I am aware of the "grace and favour" often shown in allowing people to travel the first leg on a printout, but what a silly system that sells a product that I've no practical way to get my hands on before I start to use it in the first place.

Vacman - you have given a reason why FGW will tell people they can't travel before collection. Can you also provide a constructive and practical suggestion for people from Avonmouth, Melksham and perhaps other places as to how we can actually make use of the product that your company is selling within the rules?

[bigdaz]

My suggestion would be a PERMIT TO TRAVEL from such destinations, with a unique code, linked to the national d/b which could be checked, if required, on the train.  It could be printed at home with wording similar to.... Permit to Travel for the Acquisition of Pre-Paid tickets valid for travel between Shirehampton and Bristol Temple Meads on (date) with travel before (time of first pre-booked ticket.

This kind of pulls together previous contributors' suggestions.

[JayMac]

This has been brought up many times before and FGW^▸ (First Great Western) will say the same as now, main reason being is that people will buy a ticket from Bristol to say London online then expect a free ride from Avonmouth.

Well, you can already get a 'free' ride from stations on the SVB Line to lots of destinations beyond Bristol with Off Peak tickets. Many SVSs/SVRs are priced the same as if from Bristol.