I don't necessarily have an issue with till roll stock (though I can't help but feel its a little flimsy compared to card based stock) but they have got to cut down the size so it's at least only slightly larger than the current credit card sized stock. Until they do that I can't see anyone being happy with the state of affairs, staff or passengers! I honestly can't believe the people behind this thought that the till roll stock that's been issued was a good idea...
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Avantix replacement (previously: Arriva ditch Avantix)
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http://www.newburydata.com/products/nd4025/ this looks like a reasonable, if not-quite-off-the-shelf solution for printing proper tickets. No obvious reason the same software couldn't be adapted for working with it. I feel like Northern have just decided they're going to make a massive false economy and screw revenue or customer convenience.
(I haven't seen one and have no idea if they're any good, but they're obviously a lot smaller than the Avantix units, and the print speed looks alright, and they do cut tickets rather than the continuous feed stock that Avantix use)
(I haven't seen one and have no idea if they're any good, but they're obviously a lot smaller than the Avantix units, and the print speed looks alright, and they do cut tickets rather than the continuous feed stock that Avantix use)
There are already other options available. Greater Anglia use Star Mobile but with the ability to print Credit Card Sized tickets as well as paper roll ones. SWT, amongst others, mainly in the South East I believe, are using ATOS Envoy which prints conventional tickets only.
dave87016
Established Member
As I previously stated, with the usual credit card like stock I always show my ticket and say thanks when they checked it , with these new "Airline" style tickets I say I haven't got a ticket but I do have a boarding pass !!!!
Staff usually laugh and have a bit of banter and then say how annoying they was
I am not going to state which service it was but there were three in the back cab and 2 of them had the bags ( that they put the machines in ) so there was 2 machines they came round and said they hadn't got a machine , there was no problems with them within the TOC I get the impression they couldn't be bothered with them
One of them came round to check tickets when people without a ticket wanted one she said I haven't got a machine!
Staff usually laugh and have a bit of banter and then say how annoying they was
I am not going to state which service it was but there were three in the back cab and 2 of them had the bags ( that they put the machines in ) so there was 2 machines they came round and said they hadn't got a machine , there was no problems with them within the TOC I get the impression they couldn't be bothered with them
One of them came round to check tickets when people without a ticket wanted one she said I haven't got a machine!
Haywain
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But they are still a lot chunkier than PRT printers, and that counts for a lot if you are the guard having to carry it up and down a train. It's not just about weight, it's also about bulk. And speaking as a passenger, I'm not too bothered about the size of the ticket as long as it is a ticket. Being larger it can carry all the information required in a size that is easy to read - solving a complaint frequently raised against CCST stock. Let's not pretend everything is rosy with CCST stock, any more than it is with new systems that have been around for less than 12 months.
headshot119
Established Member
Just because they've brought a machine out doesn't mean they are working, so don't just jump to conclusions :roll:
dave87016
Established Member
But they had bags In which they pack their machines in and when the guard came round she actually said I haven't got a machine on me if it was not working then they would surely say that
headshot119
Established Member
It's quite normal I find for guards to say they haven't got a machine if the machine isn't working. I wouldn't draw any conclusions from it.
+1
When I buy a 'foot long' for my trip to London, I expect to be eating it. I do not expect it to refer to the dimensions of a Super Off Peak Return ticket!
Last Sunday the guard managed to sell two tickets between Flowery Field and Manchester Piccadilly due to the app crashing and refusing to restart. He said the machine is better than the old one because he had always had a thing for people paying by card to slow him down - and the old Thyrons not being the best. I successfully paid by contactless for the first time too. Unfortunately that meant thus far on that shift he had only been able to sell 4 tickets because it kept crashing. The 4th ticket was to a gentleman travelling with a child, the guard was not able to issue the child a ticket at all because the machine refused to issue an accompanied child flat fare (50p).
Seriously? I've carried bigger mp3 players than this. It isn't a *lot* chunkier than a bog roll printer, and since it doesn't need to be attached to the screen there are any number of convenient ways to carry it. As to the easiness to read thing on CCST stock, the only complaint I ever hear was when they put out that terrible update that made all the important text tiny for no good reason whatsoever.
I bought a ticket on board this morning and as a result of paying by card the ticket is longer than my keyboard at work due to the extra card receipt 
I got chatting to the guard who wasn't a fan of the system, he said he only gets half the train done now rather than the full train
Do they have GPS switched on? My train app can pop up the nearest stations automatically which I imagine may be quite useful when it comes to ticket sales on board
What did seem to work quite well in fairness was contactless payment by card
I got chatting to the guard who wasn't a fan of the system, he said he only gets half the train done now rather than the full train
Do they have GPS switched on? My train app can pop up the nearest stations automatically which I imagine may be quite useful when it comes to ticket sales on board
What did seem to work quite well in fairness was contactless payment by card
The stupid huge roll of ticket does my head in and a straw poll suggests the passengers hate them as well. Needs to be much smaller.
Meanwhile my TOC is retaining CCST so I'll keep selling people tickets that work all barriers and that they can use on the Tube, and it can even have a code thingy on it if so desired!
Meanwhile my TOC is retaining CCST so I'll keep selling people tickets that work all barriers and that they can use on the Tube, and it can even have a code thingy on it if so desired!
No & no, in my experience - although I have obviously not visited every gated station nor encountered every Northern guard
.hairyhandedfool
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The newer barriers have the scanners, but lack the programming to use them.
None of Northern's Guards or ticket offices have the ability to scan the barcode as yet.
Is there a plan to stop clipping and only scan instead?
hairyhandedfool
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Allegedly, yes.
Solent&Wessex
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Of the gates Northern manage none seem to be able to read the aztec codes. Virgin and TPE gates are able to read them.
TPE guards and RP staff have scanners, but most don't use them as they are slow and for Star Mobile tickets, quite troublesome. There appears to be a coding error with the Aztec code on the return portion of SVR and SOR star mobile issued tickets which doesn't give the right message regards dates of validity. 7DS tickets only read in the direction of issue but show as not valid on the return. This has been raised but apparently it is a Fujitsu error so has been passed to them to fix.
TPE guards and RP staff have scanners, but most don't use them as they are slow and for Star Mobile tickets, quite troublesome. There appears to be a coding error with the Aztec code on the return portion of SVR and SOR star mobile issued tickets which doesn't give the right message regards dates of validity. 7DS tickets only read in the direction of issue but show as not valid on the return. This has been raised but apparently it is a Fujitsu error so has been passed to them to fix.
Haywain
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That particular problem is not down to Fujitsu as it occurs with other systems. For gates supplied by Cubic it is waiting on Cubic updating their gating logic to recognise the season ticket on both directions as, I believe, S&B gates already do.
The scanner was in use the other day at Wigan Wallgate, I know because it rejected my ticket when I scanned it 
I tried to exit with the outward portion of an Anytime Short Return from Mauldeth to Alsager the other day at Crewe, and was told it wouldn't work because the scanners don't accept tickets where there is a break of journey
It seems it's going to be much more difficult to prevent people from re-using tickets with all of this new technology that doesn't work. The ATW guard on the Manchester to Crewe train was very surprised that I had such a ticket. Have the Shrewsbury crew not even seen the new machines yet?
I tried to exit with the outward portion of an Anytime Short Return from Mauldeth to Alsager the other day at Crewe, and was told it wouldn't work because the scanners don't accept tickets where there is a break of journey
It seems it's going to be much more difficult to prevent people from re-using tickets with all of this new technology that doesn't work. The ATW guard on the Manchester to Crewe train was very surprised that I had such a ticket. Have the Shrewsbury crew not even seen the new machines yet?
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Wallsendmag
Established Member
The scanner was in use the other day at Wigan Wallgate, I know because it rejected my ticket when I scanned it
I tried to exit with the outward portion of an Anytime Short Return from Mauldeth to Alsager the other day at Crewe, and was told it wouldn't work because the scanners don't accept tickets where there is a break of journey
It seems it's going to be much more difficult to prevent people from re-using tickets with all of this new technology that doesn't work. The ATW guard on the Manchester to Crewe train was very surprised that I had such a ticket. Have the Shrewsbury crew not even seen the new machines yet?
That's not the technology it's poor programming
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I've pretty much given up trying to check the new 'airline style' tickets - it takes so long to unfold them, particularly after they've been shoved in a pocket and left there all day. I used to fully check all tickets and railcards - these tickets would probably be ideal in the controlled environment where they were tested but in daily use they are awful. I actually spend more time now apologising for tickets than checking them.
For the first time in many years, I can actually say that I am not being given the tools to do my job correctly (take that, company questionnaire!). In fact, the tools I have been given are considerably hindering me in the carrying out of my duties. And they reckon we take less money these days . . . .:roll:
For the first time in many years, I can actually say that I am not being given the tools to do my job correctly (take that, company questionnaire!). In fact, the tools I have been given are considerably hindering me in the carrying out of my duties. And they reckon we take less money these days . . . .:roll:
Really? You have carried an MP3 player that is nearly a foot long and half a foot wide? I think youre telling porkies here to try and make a point.
People have always complained there isnt enough information on normal ticket stock and here there is a mobile solution that can now printeverything on it to keep everyone happy albeit a too long and people still are nto happy? Is it due to nostalgia for tickets and peoples aversion to change?
Thanks for confirming my impressions formed during recent travel. As the normal passenger behaviour in vast swathes of Northernland is to board ticketless and buy when/if approached there is going to a big increase in unpaid for travel in the areas where there are no (or unmanned) barriers at the destination station.
craigybagel
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Given Avantix was turned off at ATW on December 31st that seems very odd!
Incidentally, you won't see any Shrewsbury conductors between Manchester and Crewe.....
plymothian
Member
It seems STARMobile is back on for GWR. Specifically v2.02 with CCST printers.
Sleepy
Established Member
Abellio are less than pleased with Fujitsu .....
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