Platform Tickets

[P156KWJ]

I have a few questions about the availability of platform tickets.

Do these still exist? I know under British Rail you could buy them at a cost of 10p or so, but can you still buy them readily?

If so, can you buy these tickets at any staffed station in the UK (would be quite useful if they were)

How much do they cost, and can you buy them from a normal booking hall, and do they look like normal tickets (APTIS/TRIBUTE or whatever they're called) or do they look like this still:

http://railticketsillustrated.digimig.co.uk/p2581827.html

Thanks in advance, Sulzer

 

[Bayum]

You could a few months ago at Leeds... Think they were like 25p for ten minutes or something stupid though...

Not sure if you still can, or anywhere else that does them...

Getting them - there were like little machines that you put your money into and they gave them out - bit like the ticket machines

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I can't say for all ticket machines as I currently only use Fastis, but yes you can buy them, they cost 10p still. Some staff refuse to sell them as they are rarely needed these days.

 

[glynn80]

Yes still readily available, you may need to justify your reason for wanting to purchase the ticket, especially if the station has barriers as they may have suspicions of fare evasion

 

[dan_atki]

As has been stated, they are still available at 10p/hour and look like http://railticketsillustrated.digimig.co.uk/p29944440.html

They are available from all ticket offices I believe, however, in some places local instructions by managers forbid staff to sell them (despite being an option on the system).

 

[P156KWJ]

As has been stated, they are still available at 10p/hour and look like http://railticketsillustrated.digimig.co.uk/p29944440.html

They are available from all ticket offices I believe, however, in some places local instructions by managers forbid staff to sell them (despite being an option on the system).

why do managers forbid some staff to sell them? That's stupid...

 

[dan_atki]

why do managers forbid some staff to sell them? That's stupid...

I have no idea myself but I'd assume due to revenue issues and ticketless travel.

 

[Proud Salopian]

They are available at Shrewsbury (not that I've ever bothered with one).

 

[P156KWJ]

you see, they'd be useful sometimes. At Nottinghama nd Derby I never bother. Nottingham's manned ticket gates are only at peak and Derby has none at all.

 

[mia123]

Back when I worked at Birmingham International station, they used to be be black tickets. I haven't worked at a ticket office since 1999, so they may have changed since.

 

[Tom B]

How is it an issue of ticketless travel - there are inspectors on trains who should hopefully know a platform ticket from a travel ticket.

Useful info though, thanks. Several times I've been at a station with barriers and asked for one - been told "what's one of them, then?" or just got a blank look!

 

[dan_atki]

The area where I was referring to was Thameslink north - which, due to lesser inspections in recent years and unbarriered stations is an area in which ticketless travel is rather frequent.

That said you're probably wondering why platform tickets are needed then... Bedford, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway, and St Albans are barriered and that area comes under jurisdiction from one or two area managers so it would appear to be a ban on sales has come from them I'd presume.

 

[glynn80]

How is it an issue of ticketless travel - there are inspectors on trains who should hopefully know a platform ticket from a travel ticket.

Useful info though, thanks. Several times I've been at a station with barriers and asked for one - been told "what's one of them, then?" or just got a blank look!

A case in point is Liverpool Street, platform tickets have been refused sale there many a time. Apparently they were being used to enter the barriers at the station and due to lack of checks on the suburban rail services out of the station were getting away with it. One Railway then asked all ticket offices to refuse sale of the platform tickets.

 

[Mojo]

At New Street, they are freely handed out by the barrier staff (they have a stack of them) to people accompanying ticket holders onto a train.

 

[Bayum]

At New Street, they are freely handed out by the barrier staff (they have a stack of them) to people accompanying ticket holders onto a train.

I think though, with New Street being such a big and daunting station, that is the right thing to do. Imaging some poor old dear just stood on the concourse at the top of the elevators not knowing what to do or anything...

 

[Tom B]

Surely though this is not a problem with platform tickets, it is a problem with the railway company not putting the right staff in. Shouldn't there be a ticket inspector (if not done by the guard) on every train?

I was meeting a friend at Haymarket, who had a heavy bag, and was going to give them a hand lifting it up the stairs - was told quite bluntly by the droid on the barrier that there was no way I was going on the station unless I wanted a train, "there's staff there who will help your friend if needs be". Pigs fly, too.

 

[P156KWJ]

Surely though this is not a problem with platform tickets, it is a problem with the railway company not putting the right staff in. Shouldn't there be a ticket inspector (if not done by the guard) on every train?

I was meeting a friend at Haymarket, who had a heavy bag, and was going to give them a hand lifting it up the stairs - was told quite bluntly by the droid on the barrier that there was no way I was going on the station unless I wanted a train, "there's staff there who will help your friend if needs be". Pigs fly, too.

couldn't have put it better myself

 

[glynn80]

Surely though this is not a problem with platform tickets, it is a problem with the railway company not putting the right staff in. Shouldn't there be a ticket inspector (if not done by the guard) on every train?

I was meeting a friend at Haymarket, who had a heavy bag, and was going to give them a hand lifting it up the stairs - was told quite bluntly by the droid on the barrier that there was no way I was going on the station unless I wanted a train, "there's staff there who will help your friend if needs be". Pigs fly, too.

Understandably Tom your situation is a genuine one where a platform ticket would have been ideal to resolve the situation. But you have to understand that not everyone is as honest as your good self and having guards on every train is a large expense for TOCs, who at the end of the day, have to make a profit. I realise you feel that well if they want to stop fraudsters then those guards should make the relevant checks but it is an awful lot cheaper to just stop the sale of platform tickets in problem areas.

 

[metrocammel]

I try to collect at least one platform ticket from the various stations I visit. I have noticed, however, in the recent times it has become considerably more difficult. I think there is a two-fold reason for this. Firstly, the newer ticket issuing systems aren't really designed to make the issuing of platform tickets easily available. With APTIS, there was a button solely used for issuing platform tickets- in the top right hand corner if I remember correctly. With FasTIS, I am not entirely sure how to get to the platform ticket function, but it involves a lot of messing around, I believe it's under 'Sundries'. (Northern ticket offices often say 'they don't exist anymore', even though this isn't true, or that can't issue them as station 'x' is an open station, so they aren't needed). Secondly, there is the 'fare dodging' problem. I asked for one at Swindon once, but the woman wouldn't have it, saying that you must have written permission from FGWs management to issue platform tickets(!) I even volunteered my valid train ticket, but to no avail. The situation is similar at Berwick-upon-Tweed. Apparently they have been instructed not to sell them by their retail control- however, curiously Dunbar were more than willing to sell me one!

So, basically, the problem is two fold, depending on geographic location; either lack of staff training, or 'protection' of revenue. I must ask though, how many random scumbags know about platform tickets!? Probably not that many....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I try to collect at least one platform ticket from the various stations I visit. I have noticed, however, in the recent times it has become considerably more difficult. I think there is a two-fold reason for this. Firstly, the newer ticket issuing systems aren't really designed to make the issuing of platform tickets easily available. With APTIS, there was a button solely used for issuing platform tickets- in the top right hand corner if I remember correctly. With FasTIS, I am not entirely sure how to get to the platform ticket function, but it involves a lot of messing around, I believe it's under 'Sundries'. (Northern ticket offices often say 'they don't exist anymore', even though this isn't true, or that can't issue them as station 'x' is an open station, so they aren't needed). Secondly, there is the 'fare dodging' problem. I asked for one at Swindon once, but the woman wouldn't have it, saying that you must have written permission from FGWs management to issue platform tickets(!) I even volunteered my valid train ticket, but to no avail. The situation is similar at Berwick-upon-Tweed. Apparently they have been instructed not to sell them by their retail control- however, curiously Dunbar were more than willing to sell me one!

So, basically, the problem is two fold, depending on geographic location; either lack of staff training, or 'protection' of revenue. I must ask though, how many random scumbags know about platform tickets!? Probably not that many....


Also, another curiosity, Just after the 'new' St. Pancras had opened, I bought a platform ticket, and had a bit of time to kill, so put my platform ticket through the barriers to get to the 'Low Level' platforms, however, it didn't activate them. Does anyone know why this was the case? In the end, I explained what I was doing, and had a quick a nosy!

 

[Tom B]

Understandably Tom your situation is a genuine one where a platform ticket would have been ideal to resolve the situation. But you have to understand that not everyone is as honest as your good self and having guards on every train is a large expense for TOCs, who at the end of the day, have to make a profit. I realise you feel that well if they want to stop fraudsters then those guards should make the relevant checks but it is an awful lot cheaper to just stop the sale of platform tickets in problem areas.

But surely those (few) routes with no on board ticket checks are those in areas such as London where stations are barriered - so at the end the platform ticket wouldn't work.

Anyhow, what's to stop people, under such a system, buying a single to the next station and overriding? It doesn't solve the problem, just shifts it.

 

[87015]

But surely those (few) routes with no on board ticket checks are those in areas such as London where stations are barriered - so at the end the platform ticket wouldn't work.

Anyhow, what's to stop people, under such a system, buying a single to the next station and overriding? It doesn't solve the problem, just shifts it.

You'd think so, but there are loads of totally free railways in the South East. Keeping with Liverpool St thread, plenty of the minor local shacks, say Hackney Downs or Harolds Wood are unbarriered despite all the trains being driver only. I'd bet ticketless travel rates are pretty damn high!

 

[glynn80]

But surely those (few) routes with no on board ticket checks are those in areas such as London where stations are barriered - so at the end the platform ticket wouldn't work.

Anyhow, what's to stop people, under such a system, buying a single to the next station and overriding? It doesn't solve the problem, just shifts it.

Firstly I was really meaning in one direction i.e. out of London. Again I realise it doesn't solve the problem by banning the sale of platform tickets, but purchasing a single to the next station will bring more revenue than a 10p platform ticket. It was obviously significant enough of a problem for the ban to be introduced (or perhaps it was purchasers like metrocammel sounding Retail Manager's alarm bells).

 

[metrocammel]

(or perhaps it was purchasers like metrocammel sounding Retail Manager's alarm bells).

That is quite possible, but I really can't imagine one or two platform ticket sold at a station causing alarm bells to ring! If so, surely people buying them for their intended purpose would around suspicion! Although saying that, there are quite few people who seem to collect platform tickets - so collectively you could have a point. I was once a Limehouse station, and I asked for a platform ticket, and the clerk asked me if I was the person from Chester who had posted 20p, and a SAE for a platform ticket from each window! It wasn't me, however! -Also, on Ebay there is a shop devoted to selling old ones, however, they are mainly APTIS and older.

 

[P156KWJ]

You'd think so, but there are loads of totally free railways in the South East. Keeping with Liverpool St thread, plenty of the minor local shacks, say Hackney Downs or Harolds Wood are unbarriered despite all the trains being driver only. I'd bet ticketless travel rates are pretty damn high!

Colchester Town is like that, although the problem is, I think 321s on Walton-on-the-Naze and the Clacton-on-sea 321s are guarded, but shuttles to Colchester are DOO, but there are barriers at Colchester - catch 22.

 

[dan_atki]

That is quite possible, but I really can't imagine one or two platform ticket sold at a station causing alarm bells to ring! If so, surely people buying them for their intended purpose would around suspicion! Although saying that, there are quite few people who seem to collect platform tickets - so collectively you could have a point. I was once a Limehouse station, and I asked for a platform ticket, and the clerk asked me if I was the person from Chester who had posted 20p, and a SAE for a platform ticket from each window! It wasn't me, however! -Also, on Ebay there is a shop devoted to selling old ones, however, they are mainly APTIS and older.

Funny thing is, on TL North where I was originally referring to such a ban they regularly received requests for a 'platform ticket from every machine in the booking office' whilst it was under APTIS. They enclosed an SAE, money to the value of 10p*number of machines (information available on a ticket website), and even the required blank stock for them to be issued on!

As far as I'm aware, in situations such as these, the request was never refused!

Saying that though, I do remember being told about a circumstance where the platform ticket button on an APTIS was pressed (unaware they shouldn't be sold) but there was no platform ticket stock available. As the request to issue the ticket couldn't be stopped without turning the machine off and back on (which I'd believe would mess up the accounting), every type of stock was put in the machine in a bid to get it to print. If the machine saw a stock 'mismatch' it'd spit it out and say it wanted the correct stock... in the end it successfully printed on a Gold Card!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

.... With FasTIS, I am not entirely sure how to get to the platform ticket function, but it involves a lot of messing around, I believe it's under 'Sundries'. (Northern ticket offices often say 'they don't exist anymore', even though this isn't true, or that can't issue them as station 'x' is an open station, so they aren't needed)....

I don't have a problem issueing Platform Tickets even though mine is an open station, but I would tell the person that there is little point in having one. I think I have only ever issued 14 platform tickets on Fastis, all when it was installed.

Incidentally, F1 (products), F10 (platform ticket), insert quantity, F1 (ok). I can't see how it could ever have been under 'Sundries', as everything there is what can't be issued as a ticket by Fastis (Wayfarers, silks, etc, etc).

 

[45689ajax]

Chester station booking office issue platform tickets (10p). Barrier staff will normally allow access for spotting/photography without one.

 

[metrocammel]

I don't have a problem issueing Platform Tickets even though mine is an open station, but I would tell the person that there is little point in having one. I think I have only ever issued 14 platform tickets on Fastis, all when it was installed.

Incidentally, F1 (products), F10 (platform ticket), insert quantity, F1 (ok). I can't see how it could ever have been under 'Sundries', as everything there is what can't be issued as a ticket by Fastis (Wayfarers, silks, etc, etc).

Thanks very much for that information. The reason I thought it was under sundries, is quite odd actually! It was actually on Fujitsu Star, at Fort William station last May- I asked for a platform ticket, and the woman issued it, though it said 'platform ticket' on it, in the bottom right hand corner it said 'Sundries DR'. It was a very strange ticket, I'll have to dig it out.

Saying that though, I do remember being told about a circumstance where the platform ticket button on an APTIS was pressed (unaware they shouldn't be sold) but there was no platform ticket stock available. As the request to issue the ticket couldn't be stopped without turning the machine off and back on (which I'd believe would mess up the accounting), every type of stock was put in the machine in a bid to get it to print. If the machine saw a stock 'mismatch' it'd spit it out and say it wanted the correct stock... in the end it successfully printed on a Gold Card!

I've never heard of that happening, as I've had some APTIS platform tix printed on unusual stock, with no problems encountered by the clerk. Usually, if I neither of us had the right stock, they would put it on pink (RSP) or black (BR) Supplement stock. I think the lady at Harlesden put normal 4599 orange hopper stock into the slot, and it also worked fine. Possibly the most unusual was in the dying days of APTIS at Blackpool North. They had effectively replaced it, all windows having been equipped with FasTIS, however, their spare machine (window M99) was still in operation- it's last day- and they hadn't got any APTIS stock, so they tried putting the heat sensitive CST stock into it, and surprisingly it worked! That was probably the last ever APTIS ticket bought at Blackpool North!!

Colchester Town is like that, although the problem is, I think 321s on Walton-on-the-Naze and the Clacton-on-sea 321s are guarded, but shuttles to Colchester are DOO, but there are barriers at Colchester - catch 22.

They are getting very strict on the Clacton line, and have men with 'camera helmets' along with BTP on most of the trains to Walton & Clacton. If they aren't on the trains, they often carry out stings, with the BTP at Colchester Town. That line really needed extra security though, as I remember last year being on a 321, when a chav wouldn't pay a penalty fare to the RPI. He ended up spitting at him, and then running off over the bridge at Thorpe-le-Soken. The RPI seemed really calm, and I said something like 'you shouldn't have to put up with scum like that', and he replied 'oh, he's a regular on here, it's just an everyday occurance, we're used to it!' I felt really disgusted that pricks like that can just get away with it, so I hope filming them and shaming them will make them think twice. It probably won't though