Dead Tickets still in the system

[SprinterMan]

A friend of mine was trying to book tickets from Bangor (Gwynedd) to Leamington Spa a while ago, but the only Advance tickets that are available are "Virgin Trains Only" tickets, so cannot actually be booked as Virgin haven't served Leamington since 2007. A similar situation exists between Bangor and Manchester, with VT only £6.60 advance tickets being shown as available, but not actually being available on any trains despite the fact VT still serve both of these places. Is there any reason these tickets are still in they system, as it is most frustrating that they are not available to buy.

Adam

 

[John @ home]

A similar situation exists between Bangor and Manchester, with VT only £6.60 advance tickets being shown as available, but not actually being available on any trains despite the fact VT still serve both of these places.

£6.60 appears to be the lowest 2012 rate with a Railcard. The lowest 2013 rate with a Railcard, £6.95, is currently available on Tuesday 12 February on:

2020 Bangor (Gwynedd) - Crewe 2154 VT
2213 Crewe - Manchester Piccadilly 2248 VT

Search for Bangor (Gwynedd) to Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe.

 

[thedbdiboy]

This most often occurs with cluster priced fares where some stations in the cluster are not served by the required service. It is an overhang from the current (antiquated) fares system which is due to be replaced in 2014, and should lead to such fares being removed from display in due course!

 

[D2022]

The TVM at Swindon, next to the departures screen still shows a super off peak return option for SWI - WSB. Yet use it and its not valid...

 

[Eagle]

This most often occurs with cluster priced fares where some stations in the cluster are not served by the required service.

The cluster in question is only the stations from Leamington to Stratford, of which none are served by VT. And only Leamington has the advance fares, the other seven in the cluster are walk-up only.

 

[bb21]

This most often occurs with cluster priced fares where some stations in the cluster are not served by the required service. It is an overhang from the current (antiquated) fares system which is due to be replaced in 2014, and should lead to such fares being removed from display in due course!

I certainly hope this does not spell the end for cluster pricing. If so, I anticipate many more loopholes than the existing system.

Much of the redundant fares do no harm whatsoever, as the majority of passengers will not see them. It is usually only visible to those digging deep into the fares database.

 

[Eagle]

The TVM at Swindon, next to the departures screen still shows a super off peak return option for SWI - WSB. Yet use it and its not valid...

Which is odd because BRFares.com says that ticket doesn't exist (any more?).

 

[Paul Kelly]

I certainly hope this does not spell the end for cluster pricing. If so, I anticipate many more loopholes than the existing system.

Much of the redundant fares do no harm whatsoever, as the majority of passengers will not see them. It is usually only visible to those digging deep into the fares database.

I suspect what thedbdiboy means is that the new system will be more versatile and provide tools to the TOC pricing managers to allow them to do this deep digging and discover anomalies themselves

 

[D2022]

Which is odd because BRFares.com says that ticket doesn't exist (any more?).

I'm travelling to Bath Spa for surgery tomorrow so might try and buy one just to see if it allows you to actually complete the transaction. Hopefully not or my gamble will cost me some pennies into the machines belly but in all fairness it's there and shows up, yet we all know its not a ticket anymore, even the ticket clerks had some eyebrows raised when I told them it's in the system. Just on that one TVM though, not the other one in the foyer.