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Can't collect ticket

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Factotum

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I am going to Sheffield tomorrow from Chinley. I booked and paid for the tickets on-line for collection at Whaley Bridge.
When I went to collect the tickets a few minutes ago the ticket machine was out-of-order.
What are my options?
 
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Bletchleyite

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I am going to Sheffield tomorrow from Chinley. I booked and paid for the tickets on-line for collection at Whaley Bridge.
When I went to collect the tickets a few minutes ago the ticket machine was out-of-order.
What are my options?

You can collect at any other station that has a TVM, if that is convenient for you?
 

Watershed

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When I booked the ticket I had to specify where to collect it so I assume that is w#the only place I can pick it up
No, they just make you 'state' somewhere to make sure your intended station has a machine capable of picking up tickets.

Unfortunately strictly legally speaking, if there are ticketing facilities at your station (e.g. the ticket machine can sell tickets but not pick them up) then you must use these to buy a ticket, even if you have already bought one online

If the ticket machine is totally broken and there is no ticket office, you can of course board the train. However, if the conductor does not have the facility to pick up your ticket on their machine, again unfortunately strictly legally speaking you'd have to pay them for a new ticket, and then claim a refund later.

It's a total bodge of a situation - really if you've bought a ticket and the facilities are broken, you should be allowed to travel with the booking confirmation alone. But some members of staff may apply the rules above strictly, as opposed to showing common sense.
 

voyagerdude220

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All Northern operated TVMs were out of service today due to an update. If the TVM is broken tomorrow I'd just show your confirmation email to the Conductor on the train, explaining that the machine is broken and hopefully you should be able to collect them in Sheffield.
 

Factotum

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All Northern operated TVMs were out of service today due to an update. If the TVM is broken tomorrow I'd just show your confirmation email to the Conductor on the train, explaining that the machine is broken and hopefully you should be able to collect them in Sheffield.
Thanks. I'll do that.
 

infobleep

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All Northern operated TVMs were out of service today due to an update. If the TVM is broken tomorrow I'd just show your confirmation email to the Conductor on the train, explaining that the machine is broken and hopefully you should be able to collect them in Sheffield.
Can these updates be done oveenight to avoid things like this. Approecatw there maybe some still collecting tickets but surely far less.
 

voyagerdude220

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Can these updates be done oveenight to avoid things like this. Approecatw there maybe some still collecting tickets but surely far less.
Judging by what I've heard, it seems to have affected every Northern TVM, I'm under the impression the outage was unexpected by Northern.
 

skyhigh

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I saw the email from Northern about the outage and thought it was a little strange, it may be a P1 fix that had to be pushed out in a hurry.
It was. Initially was planned for 1hr downtime for an urgent fix, and "things happened".

If it was planned they would have picked a better time.
 

infobleep

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It was. Initially was planned for 1hr downtime for an urgent fix, and "things happened".

If it was planned they would have picked a better time.
That makes sense.

I remember when a network drive crashed at my university back in the late 90s. They decided to run scan, thinking it would be quick. Alas after a 1 to 3 days, I forget quite how many, they has to set up temporary home drives as the scan was taking so long.
 
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It was. Initially was planned for 1hr downtime for an urgent fix, and "things happened".

If it was planned they would have picked a better time.
When I boarded a train at my local northern station yesterday morning (circa 05:45), both TVMs were down. One had a black screen, the other was stuck on a loading screen, both had the red light strip across the top.
Didn't think much if it before seeing the announcement on the Northern website, as its not overly unusual for the machines to have a fault.
 

MikeWh

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Don't hold your breath.

things happened

So I understand

Well, that's certainly illuminating !
Yes indeed. Sometimes it feels like I'm looking in on a railstaff mess room where private jokes are being laughed at uncontrollably. Given that this is supposed to be a public forum, and one which wants to encourage non-railstaff to participate, I think sometimes these private jokes should be taken to private messages.

[/rant]
 

P Binnersley

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From https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/updates/travel-alerts/2945-self-service-ticket-machines-fault

Customers who have already bought tickets to be collected at a machine, or who would normally use ‘promise to pay’ slips, should board their booked service and either speak to the conductor or to Northern staff at their destination station.

So they have given permission to board a train with your booking confirmation & get tickets where possible. (It might be worth printing out the web page "just in case").
 

Haywain

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Yes indeed. Sometimes it feels like I'm looking in on a railstaff mess room where private jokes are being laughed at uncontrollably. Given that this is supposed to be a public forum, and one which wants to encourage non-railstaff to participate, I think sometimes these private jokes should be taken to private messages.

[/rant]
Sometimes rail staff would like to say more than they can. There certainly aren’t any private jokes going on here.
 

skyhigh

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Sometimes rail staff would like to say more than they can. There certainly aren’t any private jokes going on here.
Yeah, I could say more, but the most that can be said is that it wasn't a planned outage or software update, it wouldn't have been any better with 'testing' and the issue is on the side of the supplier rather than Northern breaking anything.
 

MikeWh

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Sometimes rail staff would like to say more than they can. There certainly aren’t any private jokes going on here.
I understand that. Sometimes it helps to explain just a little bit more that full details can't be given.
 

infobleep

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Rhinojerry

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Machine at Bamber Bridge this morning took payment but did not issue ticket,said a problem occured.got to Preston showed Northern employee permi to pay,,bought ticket...home tonite,check bank app and find money taken for journey but no tkt...have subbed compailnt but what to do should they say ✌️
 

Bletchleyite

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Machine at Bamber Bridge this morning took payment but did not issue ticket,said a problem occured.got to Preston showed Northern employee permi to pay,,bought ticket...home tonite,check bank app and find money taken for journey but no tkt...have subbed compailnt but what to do should they say ✌️

It's possible that it didn't actually take payment but pre-authorised it, and that may drop off in a few days. Your bank app should show you which is the case, if not ask them.

If I was writing TVM software what I'd do is:
1. Pre-authorise the card for the fare amount
2. Issue the ticket
3. If (2) succeeded, submit the request for settlement to the card company

Not that they necessarily do of course!
 

SteveM70

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It's possible that it didn't actually take payment but pre-authorised it, and that may drop off in a few days. Your bank app should show you which is the case, if not ask them.

If I was writing TVM software what I'd do is:
1. Pre-authorise the card for the fare amount
2. Issue the ticket
3. If (2) succeeded, submit the request for settlement to the card company

Not that they necessarily do of course!

I had a similar thing happen at a Northern station, except there was a second machine on the opposite platform which worked ok. For 24 hours it looked like I’d been charged twice,’then one of them disappeared
 
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