Ticket Machines and Devon and Cornwall Railcard

[Roylang]

Last week I wanted to buy a single ticket for the 21:45 Penzance to St.Erth. I went (as I have done many times in the past) to the ticket machine, but the Devon and Cornwall Railcard option is no longer available.

The train was in the platform early as always and I asked the guard if I could buy a ticket on-board and explained why (and that I knew it used to be there). He was quite grumpy and told me that the railcard option was available. Indeed, he then escorted me to the machine... to discover that I was right.

He was then apologetic, perplexed and happily sold me a ticket. I fear, however, that had the train already departed when I first asked I may not have been allowed the railcard discount.

Does anybody know when and why the railcard option has been removed?

Thanks,

Roy

 

[island]

You should have purchased a ticket that allowed you to make part of your journey, then part-exchanged it with the guard for the specific ticket you required.

 

[richw]

You should have purchased a ticket that allowed you to make part of your journey, then part-exchanged it with the guard for the specific ticket you required.

Impossible on the OP journey, there is no ticket that will allow such, unless a platform ticket was available

 

[simonm]

There are similar problems on FGW's website not providing the D&C option when buying train tickets.

 

[RPI]

Was working today in Penzance. I think that what happens is the SDS and CDS are about the same price but the discount can only be applied to the CDS.

 

[Goldfish62]

You should have purchased a ticket that allowed you to make part of your journey, then part-exchanged it with the guard for the specific ticket you required.

If that's what should be done, isn't that p*ss-poor customer service?

 

[RPI]

If that's what should be done, isn't that p*ss-poor customer service?

Why??

 

[richw]

Why??

Other than impossible to buy a part ticket for Penzance to St Erth, unless the guard is going to process the refund to apply the appropriate discount. I'm not too sure the guard will be too happy doing that.
Its therefore not a satisfactory policy for either guard not customer in the situation given

 

[WelshBluebird]

Why??

I think its pretty obvious why its incredibly poor customer service.

 

[Roylang]

Other than impossible to buy a part ticket for Penzance to St Erth, unless the guard is going to process the refund to apply the appropriate discount. I'm not too sure the guard will be too happy doing that.
Its therefore not a satisfactory policy for either guard not customer in the situation given

As you say, there is no ticket that can be bought for part-payment. To be fair to the guards they are normally very good at selling tickets on the train even when the TVM is working and the ticket office open. In general I find the FGW staff first rate.

The problem that I fear I would have had was saying that the railcard option was not available when the guard considered that it was (and I fully agree that it used to be). He seemed to be doubtful of my intentions even though I was trying to buy a ticket.

When he found for himself it was missing he did say that he would raise it so perhaps action has been taken already?

Cheers,

Roy
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Was working today in Penzance. I think that what happens is the SDS and CDS are about the same price but the discount can only be applied to the CDS.

It was an off-peak single that I was trying to buy

Roy

 

[185]

I think its pretty obvious why its incredibly poor customer service.

Perhaps. FGW always try to play on their own "Excellent Customer Service", so not checking through their own fare uploads before they are sent live to the machines; whilst taking a strict attitude to revenue protection is a bit hypocritical - companies must make it easy for passengers to purchase the tickets they need.

 

[RPI]

Other than impossible to buy a part ticket for Penzance to St Erth, unless the guard is going to process the refund to apply the appropriate discount. I'm not too sure the guard will be too happy doing that.
Its therefore not a satisfactory policy for either guard not customer in the situation given

Doh yes my comment was a bit numptyish about the particular PNZ-SER incident, I was generalising where if you were going to Truro for example then you could just buy a ticket to St Erth then pay the excess, in that instance I don't see how it would be bad customer service. The TVM is however now selling the full range of tickets. Penzance isn't a Penalty fare station anyway but guards are instructed to only sell SDS/SDR on the train where facilities exist and from what I've gathered on this forum it seems that standards have slipped in the West re Revenue Protection.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Perhaps. FGW always try to play on their own "Excellent Customer Service", so not checking through their own fare uploads before they are sent live to the machines; whilst taking a strict attitude to revenue protection is a bit hypocritical - companies must make it easy for passengers to purchase the tickets they need.

Correct, but this is the first time I have heard of this particular problem, normally the TVM's do offer D&C railcard discounts.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Doh yes my comment was a bit numptyish about the particular PNZ-SER incident, I was generalising where if you were going to Truro for example then you could just buy a ticket to St Erth then pay the excess, in that instance I don't see how it would be bad customer service.

In a situation like that, where you would be paying an excess, then that is fine.
But there would be other situations where doing such a thing would mean you end up paying more than what you should, and so you would then have to fuss about getting a partial refund. Something that can be quite difficult in some cases, and impossible in others (say the person only has enough money on them for the ticket they actually want). A passenger really shouldn't have to do that.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Perhaps. FGW always try to play on their own "Excellent Customer Service", so not checking through their own fare uploads before they are sent live to the machines; whilst taking a strict attitude to revenue protection is a bit hypocritical - companies must make it easy for passengers to purchase the tickets they need.

I was talking more about the whole thing about a passenger having to buy a ticket if the one they should be able to buy is not available, mainly because of the issue I mentioned above where people may have to pay more than what they otherwise would. In my eyes anyway, that is simply not acceptable.

But I agree that not checking fares in the TVM's isn't exactly good customer service either.