[trivran]

FCC have their ticket barriers set to reject all Child tickets. Apparently there was a bit of a problem with fare evasion.

[big_dirt]

I was challenged today at Tulse Hill in relation to my North Dulwich - Elephant and Castle season ticket.

Without wanting to refer to routing guides, as I don't understand them, I just said that in order to go from Elephant to N Dulwich I have to pass through Tulse Hill so therefore I can get off early. This was enough to have him open the gate. I don't know if he was entirely convinced though.

Having to ask them to open the gate has become a bit of a pain. I'd love it if Southern would just programme the barrier to make it operate.

By the way, if I do Tulse - Elephant most often, do Southern earn a bit more if I buy the ticket from North Dulwich because I need to travel on both companies' trains?

[wintonian]

Had smiler trouble a couple of weeks ago with a Winchester to Eastbourne SDR route Not London ticket a Clapham Junction, the security guard (why are they checking tickets at clapham Junction?) kept insisting it wasn't valid at clapham Junction as the origin was Winchester, after I persisted he he reluctantly let me pass though the gate so I could show it to a member of SWT staff.

It's rather annoying when they program the gates to reject BoJ particularly in an area where its rare for BoJ to be prohibited.

[DaveNewcastle]

I wonder if you might be confusing some of the explanations which have already been posted here, with the complex validity arising from the Routing Guide? The programming of barriers is certainly not attempting to replicate that coding of validity; they are attempting to capture a proportion of passengers which is proportionate to the available inspection staff, and whose tickets fall within recognised parameters of abuse.
The best example given above was the setting to reject all Railcard discounted tickets.
That has nothing to do with Routing or validity. Its not even something which a barrier COULD confirm. But it is just a recognised form of fare evasion which is easily confirmed if the barrier rejects the ticket in the first instance and requies manual verification (of the Railcard). A similar check might be applied to Child tickets or Off-Peak tickets during peak hours.

Originally Posted by big_dirt

I'd love it if Southern would just programme the barrier to make it operate.

I think you are wrong to argue that the barriers are not operating as designed. In each instance you have held a valid ticket, but not one with that station as its destination. For that reason, the barrier has required manual confirmation, and you have been given that.
I've deduced that they are probably operating correctly.

[Urban Gateline]

Originally Posted by wintonian

the security guard (why are they checking tickets at clapham Junction?) kept insisting it wasn't valid at clapham Junction as the origin was Winchester

That would have been STM agency staff who cover the Gateline role at London stations, they don't get much ticket training but are not as bad as G4S I'd say!

[wintonian]

Originally Posted by DaveNewcastle

I wonder if you might be confusing some of the explanations which have already been posted here, with the complex validity arising from the Routing Guide?

On the flip side I think there are some pepole acting on behalf of TOC's who do as well, though how many seems to vary by TOC and as usual depends on the amount and quality of training provided.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Originally Posted by Urban Gateline

but are not as bad as G4S I'd say!

Agreed, everything G4S touch seems to end in a right cack-up in my experience and I'm not just thinking of Olympic security either!

[34D]

Originally Posted by DaveNewcastle

I think you are wrong to argue that the barriers are not operating as designed. In each instance you have held a valid ticket, but not one with that station as its destination. For that reason, the barrier has required manual confirmation, and you have been given that.
I've deduced that they are probably operating correctly.

I think I agree with the OP. Many other stations accept some common 'break point' tickets so this one _could_ be added in theory.