Yes, Poynton is lovely. There is a nice counter to rest your insulated coffee cup on whilst you complete your transaction, a corner at the end of the counter which you can lean your umbrella against, a roof to keep the rain out, walls to keep the sun out and doors to keep the wind out (and toddlers and dogs in).
The Victorians clearly recognised what was useful to make ticket purchase a dream. Can we have some of these features at Hope, please?
I recently found where Poynton was when I happened to walk by. It has a ticket office and two ticket machines. I thought I'd found a heritage railway. It's well worth a visit.
Does Cuddington have a booking office? I think it'd be disabled if that was open, as you can pay cash there?
My apologies that this happened. We have an intermittent fault that we are tracking and trying to establish cause with Mcards currently. If you want to DM me about more details, happy to discuss. We are looking at what messages we can display as part of the overall enhancements based on feedback from customers, and people on this forum.
Is that a platform ticket machine on the left hand side of the first photo?
Back to the main point of the thread - my wife is disabled and can only stand for a couple of minutes maximum. Would she be able to use the ticket machines? Not so worried about time in the queue - people are usually very understanding and will keep her place while she sits (or more often perches) nearby. She will normally use a manned station and will book assistance but there are times when she may travel from an unmanned Northern Station.
Is a prebooked "Fast Ticket" collection genuinely fast using these machines - she can't use a smart phone, but can use a home p.c. prior to travel and has been able to enter the code on the older ticket machines.
Is that a platform ticket machine on the left hand side of the first photo?
Back to the main point of the thread - my wife is disabled and can only stand for a couple of minutes maximum. Would she be able to use the ticket machines? Not so worried about time in the queue - people are usually very understanding and will keep her place while she sits (or more often perches) nearby. She will normally use a manned station and will book assistance but there are times when she may travel from an unmanned Northern Station.
Is a prebooked "Fast Ticket" collection genuinely fast using these machines - she can't use a smart phone, but can use a home p.c. prior to travel and has been able to enter the code on the older ticket machines.
Hi, sorry you found it difficult. We have not yet set up ranger tickets yet, its for a future release of software.
Can anyone explain why TVM’s that only take cards (so no security risk) are sometimes hidden indoors thus only available during booking office opening hours?
Rainhill (RNH) I’m looking at you!
I only saw it by chance when waiting for my delayed Lime Street train...
Saperstein.
The ticket office at Rainhill, like most stations in Merseyside, is open nearly the entire time that trains call there, so this is a very minor problem.
I suspect installation and maintenance costs are lower indoors, installation because it's easier to get power and connectivity and maintenance because no matter how much you try to seal something like a TVM against the weather, sooner or later seals will get damaged, water will get in and electronics will be destroyed and because it's less exposed to troublemakers.Can anyone explain why TVM’s that only take cards (so no security risk) are sometimes hidden indoors thus only available during booking office opening hours?
Also the issue of not being able to buy tickets for trains that are imminent or delayed needs addressing. In one example at Dore & Totley station the machine made customers choose timed trains but wouldn't offer the delayed 0828 departure, only the next one at 0954 - which is off peak and cheaper!
Trains at 7.57, 8.04, 8.24, 8.28 then nothing until 9.54! But that 8.28 is late so often that many rely on it, watching its progress to ensure they get an extra few minutes at home.
One machine, programmed as it currently is, can't sell tickets to all those passengers. The opening screen now extols use of the Northern app. Many must be using it because a large proportion of travellers at this time don't go near the machine.
Of course there will always be those without web access, but then they would be at the station for 8:28 because they would have no means to track the train to know its late....
From 08:23, they cannot select that service as trains 'disappear' from the journey planner 5 minutes before they are scheduled to depart!
From 08:23, they cannot select that service as trains 'disappear' from the journey planner 5 minutes before they are scheduled to depart!
Presumably, it would be much easier if you could just select a ticket - maybe have the option to select a service but not make it mandatory to select.Presumably this is to stop people buying an Advance for a train they then miss - but surely it would make sense just to block Advances?
If you didn't understand the minutiae of the ticketing system, and were making a day return but unsure what time train you were coming back on, 99.9% of people would buy the more expensive but unnecessary open return
One Northern station in Lancashire really looks after any Aussie visitors !View attachment 67480
One Northern station in Lancashire really looks after any Aussie visitors !View attachment 67480