Faded Ticket

JKJimar53 · 9 Jun 2011

What are the rules for travelling on a faded ticket. I collected a ticket a few weeks ago and since then it has faded a bit. It is legible but the date might need a closer looking at however its obvious that the ticket is valid for when i want to use it.
Is it ok to use or will i need to buy a new ticket.

RailUK Forums

transportphoto · 9 Jun 2011

You should be fine - as long as the magnetic strip (black bit on back) isn't damaged - it should be possible to 'swipe' it through the onboard ticket machine.

HTH

causton · 9 Jun 2011

There's always the 'hold a lighter up behind the ticket' bit if you want to take the risk

JKJimar53 · 9 Jun 2011

Thanks for the replies. If the conductor wants to use his lighter on it then he's welcome (at his own risk).

W-on-Sea · 9 Jun 2011

Or you could always ask for it to be exchanged for a new one, free of charge.

Greenback · 9 Jun 2011

My annual season fades after five or six months. When it first happened the train crew were OK until it got very, very faint, then I had some very funny looks off one or two!

Now I know a bit more I would ask them to swipe it if they have any doubts, or to use my lighter!

JKJimar53 · 9 Jun 2011

W-on-Sea said:
Or you could always ask for it to be exchanged for a new one, free of charge.

Would i be able too its only an Advance single

RJ · 9 Jun 2011

Greenback said:
My annual season fades after five or six months. When it first happened the train crew were OK until it got very, very faint, then I had some very funny looks off one or two!

Now I know a bit more I would ask them to swipe it if they have any doubts, or to use my lighter!

Or you can have it replaced for free, from the TOC you purchased it from.

LexyBoy · 10 Jun 2011

JKJimar53 said:
Would i be able too its only an Advance single

Yes, any ticket can be replaced if it's faded/worn etc.

island · 10 Jun 2011

Although if it's an advance there probably isn't much of a point.

allticketspls · 10 Jun 2011

causton said:
There's always the 'hold a lighter up behind the ticket' bit if you want to take the risk

Cue several worried passengers when this trick is performed on railcards at Euston Barriers hehehehehe

NightatLaira · 10 Jun 2011

Happens every few months with my Young Persons Railcard... some ticket desk staff attempt to charge a '£6 damage or loss fee' even with the original stamped application form receipt, I've had disputes with them several times over this. The people at Edinburgh Waverley are pretty good to be honest but I was once forced into paying £6 for a 'fading fee' by a very bulshy woman at Perth.

Couldn't risk travelling on what was essentially a blank ticket, you couldn't read the date... :-x

cuccir · 10 Jun 2011

NightatLaira said:
Happens every few months with my Young Persons Railcard... some ticket desk staff attempt to charge a '£6 damage or loss fee' even with the original stamped application form receipt, I've had disputes with them several times over this. The people at Edinburgh Waverley are pretty good to be honest but I was once forced into paying £6 for a 'fading fee' by a very bulshy woman at Perth.

Couldn't risk travelling on what was essentially a blank ticket, you couldn't read the date... :-x

I've given up on purchasing rail-cards at the station, they barely last three/four months if kept in a wallet, even if also in the railcard wallet and even if you try turning it round so the ink doesn't rub onto the plastic of the railcard wallet. Buy online - you get a nice proper plastic bit of card!

michael769 · 10 Jun 2011

Greenback said:
My annual season fades after five or six months.

I usually have to get my annual replaced very 2-3 months as the magnetic strips wear out in the barriers.

Waverley have been printing season tickets on the orange coloured ticket stock as they have a stock that is more robust and lasts better in the barriers. Unfortunately some of the non Edinburgh based guards complain if you show them an annual season printed on orange stock, so many of us have had to ask to go back to the grey stock just to get peace and quiet.

To quote a guard at the ticket barriers when I asked about the colour issue "you would think they had enough work to keep them busy on the train without whining about the colour of a perfectly valid ticket!"

Personally I don't understand why they don't get season ticket stock that is designed to last a year in the barriers - it would be less hassle all round!

Still its better than it was when the barriers were first introduced. At that time you were lucky if the strips lasted a week!

causton · 10 Jun 2011

I must say that my railcard is not faded at all! Perhaps I'm not using it enough

SussexMan · 10 Jun 2011

So can someone explain the "lighter" bit? I was on a train yesterday between Lewes and Polegate and the conductor took out his lighter whilst checking a YP Railcard. Couldn't see what he was doing as he had his back to me.

Flamingo · 10 Jun 2011

The print is thermal, not ink, so when they fade, if you apply a heat source to the back of the ticket the surrounding paper turns black, but the original printed area stays white, so you get a "negative" image of the date. I've never been brave enough to do it to someone's RC or ticket, I will admit (plus I don't carry a lighter).

allticketspls · 10 Jun 2011

Flamingo said:
The print is thermal, not ink, so when they fade, if you apply a heat source to the back of the ticket the surrounding paper turns black, but the original printed area stays white, so you get a "negative" image of the date. I've never been brave enough to do it to someone's RC or ticket, I will admit (plus I don't carry a lighter).

You have to be careful and hold the flame at least 2 inches from the ticket. I did 15 r/c tonight and didn't set fire to one. The look on some passengers faces is a picture.

bb21 · 10 Jun 2011

I know it works, but are you actually officially allowed to do it?

I know certain TOCs tell staff not to do it, so if a passenger makes a complaint, you could end up in big trouble.

Flamingo · 14 Jun 2011

bb21 said:
I know it works, but are you actually officially allowed to do it?

I know certain TOCs tell staff not to do it, so if a passenger makes a complaint, you could end up in big trouble.

Can't say we've ever been told not to!

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I heated a YP railcard yesterday that had a hand-written date on it, the date that was revealed was over a year behind the hand-written date. If I'd had more time on my hands, I would have organised a reception committee, as it was, at the first mention of police the BF bought her a new full open. The passenger herself was quite happy to argue with me that somebody at the ticket office had done it, and she wasn't responsible (despite the date, name, and signature all being written in the same pen, with the same handwriting).

I do love it when somebody in that situation says "Are you calling me a liar?". Their face when I say "Yes, and a fare-dodging thief" is priceless!

island · 14 Jun 2011

Just as well (for them) they didn't also start calling you a commission-grabbing thief back!

Flamingo · 14 Jun 2011

We don't get commission on UPFN's, so if it goes to court the "conflict of interest" defence can't be used.

bb21 · 14 Jun 2011

Flamingo said:
Can't say we've ever been told not to!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I heated a YP railcard yesterday that had a hand-written date on it, the date that was revealed was over a year behind the hand-written date. If I'd had more time on my hands, I would have organised a reception committee, as it was, at the first mention of police the BF bought her a new full open. The passenger herself was quite happy to argue with me that somebody at the ticket office had done it, and she wasn't responsible (despite the date, name, and signature all being written in the same pen, with the same handwriting).

I do love it when somebody in that situation says "Are you calling me a liar?". Their face when I say "Yes, and a fare-dodging thief" is priceless!

I don't agree with some ticket office staff hand-writing the expiry date on faded railcards for exactly the same reason. One can never be sure when it is presented as to who exactly wrote the date on without having to resort to checking it with some other method oneself.

Flamingo · 14 Jun 2011

Any I have ever seen done by a booking office always have the office stamp as well, and the date written on the back, not "overwritten" on the original date (as that one did).

Fare-Cop · 15 Jun 2011

Yes, this is a well-known problem with the thermal printing of railcards on current stock.

The holder should take the faded card to a booking office and demand a free replacement because it isn't their fault the stock / ink isn't fit for purpose, but staff should only accept for travel any that have a booking office stamp over the handwritten expiry date on the back.

This shows that the card has been checked and confirmed as valid.

Yew · 15 Jun 2011

Using a zippo lighter, I found it easiest to hold the ticket a few inches above the flame, and mvoe the lighter around

NightatLaira · 24 Jun 2011

Flamingo said:
Can't say we've ever been told not to!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I heated a YP railcard yesterday that had a hand-written date on it.....

I do love it when somebody in that situation says "Are you calling me a liar?". Their face when I say "Yes, and a fare-dodging thief" is priceless!

Love it!!!

Carry on the good work! A conductor with balls - wish there were more of them. A nice thing to see in my book hehe

thesmithclan · 24 Jun 2011

NightatLaira said:
Happens every few months with my Young Persons Railcard... some ticket desk staff attempt to charge a '£6 damage or loss fee' even with the original stamped application form receipt, I've had disputes with them several times over this. The people at Edinburgh Waverley are pretty good to be honest but I was once forced into paying £6 for a 'fading fee' by a very bulshy woman at Perth.

Couldn't risk travelling on what was essentially a blank ticket, you couldn't read the date... :-x

Don't ever pay for a faded replacement. The travel advisor just need to write 'faded' on the replacement form. It's better if you get it sorted before it completely goes but if not the lighter trick sorts it out.

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