I'm concerned that the gates were unattended in the closed position at Russell Square. You probably ought to report that to TfL as I'm pretty sure it's against their operating procedures.
As to South Eastern, have you tried asking for a replacement at the London terminal?
That would mean having to queue up at ticket office. which I really cant be arsed to do every time. I shouldn't have to do that...and I might not have the time.
Ahh, a fellow Sheerness Line user ...
Are you alighting at Kemsley?
That's the one.
If so, I'd use the PERTIS (Permit To Travel) machine, and then exchange it for a proper ticket at Sittingbourne, time permitting.
The machine doesn't work all the time. In fact I'm loath to use it ever since I put some money in and lost it! In any case last time I bought one the guy in the ticket office at Sittingbourne told me not to buy one.
Also there's only about ten minutes between the Kemsley train arriving (assuming it's on time, which it often isn't) in Sittingbourne and the London (Victoria) train departing, which isn't long if you need to purchase a ticket. One day not so long ago I had to (because the guard hadn't come round on the Kemsley train), but the queue was long and only one window was open. In the end I had to give up because the train had arrived. I purchased my ticket from the guard on the London train.
Just a suggestion, cos I know the guards like to sit in the comfy back cab and not check/issue any tickets on some journeys.
Yes, it does sometimes seem like a lottery as to whether they come round or not.
It's not right to have an unstaffed gateline (whether LU or mainline), so I would report this.
Thanks, I will
As for the issue then you need to report that to SET as soon as possible, perhaps a machine calibration issue.
I have reported it. I emailed them a while and received a fob off reply along the lines of the magnetic strip on tickets can be affected by this and that, which is a lot of old rot because when I purchase a ticket from the ticket office it's fine; I only have problems with the guard purchased ones, and I don't treat them any different.
That's most certainly against LU's procedures, I suggest you contact them. Make sure you let them know what time this was, and you could ask what steps will be taken to ensure that procedures will be followed in future.
I will.