G4S in Manchester

[radamfi]

Is an Advance ticket from London Terminals to Manchester Stns valid to Deansgate?

 

[Lampshade]

Is an Advance ticket from London Terminals to Manchester Piccadilly valid to Deansgate?

No, because it's Virgin Trains Only.

 

[radamfi]

No, because it's Virgin Trains Only.

What about a VWC & Connections ticket, such as Gatwick Airport to Manchester Stns?

 

[bnm]

Lol anyone remember when G4S[or Group 4 Securicor]took over the service which escorted convicted Criminals from Court to Prison & vice versa in the early 90s, & there was a quite few escapes from there vehicles, & quite a few jokes about G4 at the time.

Yes, I remember that. I also remember a newspaper article (Guardian, I believe) which looked at the figures pre- and post- privatisation. Comparison showed that there was no increase in escapes from courts and escorted custody following privatisation. There was, however, an increase in the news coverage of escapes.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

...and the Matt cartoon in the Daily Telegraph showing two German PoW camp officers, one at a desk and the one standing reporting to him saying: "All the prisoners have escaped, Herr Groupenfourer!"

 

[yorkie]

What about a VWC & Connections ticket, such as Gatwick Airport to Manchester Stns?

Yep, don't see why not! I've just tried it in WebTIS, and it's happy to issue a connection to Deansgate.

 

[radamfi]

Yep, don't see why not! I've just tried it in WebTIS, and it's happy to issue a connection to Deansgate.

An Advance Gatwick to Deansgate ticket seems to cost the same as to Manchester Stns so you might as well get a ticket to Deansgate if you are actually going to Deansgate. (Unlike Advance tickets from London Terminals to Deansgate which costs £1 extra compared to Manchester Stns, like they do to anywhere else in GM except Stockport)

However, suppose you bought a ticket to Manchester Stns but decided to go to Deansgate after you bought it?

 

[island]

If it's routed VWC & Connectns then it's fine.

Our journey was outbound an SVH and back an advance; the advance issued from Deansgate G-Mex and the Off-Peak S was issued to Manchester Stns. My wife bought a ticket to Sheffield on Saturday and that was marked from Deansgate G-Mex. Take from all that what you will!

 

[Paul Kelly]

It's just anomalies in the way the clusters are defined in the fares database. The ANY PERMITTED flow to Sheffield includes Deansgate separately to Manchester Stns in the cluster, so it has priority and is printed as DEANSGATE G-MEX on the ticket. The "TPE ONLY", "EARLYBIRD NOTHS1", "EMIDSTRAINS.ONLY" and "AP TPE ONLY" flows to Sheffield are defined from Manchester Stns so I expect you would get MANCHESTER STNS printed on the ticket if it had one of those routeings. Maybe a pricing manager somewhere doesn't realise that Deansgate is part of Manchester Stations?

 

[Nym]

My best one has to be flashing an MoD ID Card to get through the barriers at Piccadilly. But for some reason DaySaver Train + Bus tickets, baught on buses confuse them...

 

[island]

I was all set up to show them a Sheffield+Bus ticket from yesterday at the MAN platform 13 barrier today, but they were only on the other exit!

 

[Ferret]

But for some reason DaySaver Train + Bus tickets, baught on buses confuse them...

The problem with tickets printed on bus ticket paper is that they subconsciously cause you to do a double take. Wayfarers, SY Daytrippers, West Mids - I take a close look every time! This may have something to do with me having collared a few with First bus all day tickets and TWM Daysavers attempting to pass them off as train/bus tickets in recent years.....

 

[WestCoast]

I often buy a GM area Tram+Train Day Saver from a Metrolink TVM, so it is on their yellow ticket stock and says it is valid to "all Metrolink stops".It does get some very strange looks and raised eyebrows, especially from TPE and ATW guards!

 

[Solent&Wessex]

I often buy a GM area Tram+Train Day Saver from a Metrolink TVM, so it is on their yellow ticket stock and says it is valid to "all Metrolink stops".It does get some very strange looks and raised eyebrows, especially from TPE and ATW guards!

Thats because the way the new Metrolink ticket machines print the daysavers, they do not make it very clear at first glance what it is you actually have. You have to look closely and hunt around for the info to see what it is actually valid for.

 

[island]

I got an email reply from Northern today, oddly, apologising for the problems we experienced and promising that the "employee" concerned would be interviewed in order to take the matter further.

 

[telstarbox]

Are the people who are having issues actually presenting their tickets to them?

I don't bother with that, I just flash my railcard and ticket from the wallet (at a distance) and walk on. I have tested them a few times with completely invalid tickets - got through every time. They vast majority don't bother me. If you look confident and don't fiddle, they don't spare much time.

Of course, I always have a valid ticket.

Hopefully G4S will eventually provide RPIs on trains and save us all a fortune

 

[323235]

I think I would give up train bashing if G4S started patrolling them.
As I'd know that they would end up trying to make me buy a new ticket or excess when the one I had was valid but didn't look valid and if I was using split ticketing.

I dislike G4S with a passion, which is why its refreshing to see proper Virgin Trains RPI's at Stoke

 

[premier01]

Maybe a Railforums competition should be run to see what the most ridiculous ticket can be shown to these gimps? (Of course whilst at the same time having the right ticket in your wallet in case of trouble).

I think the phrase 'flash with confidence' is needed!!!

Might try it myself if I go over there in the next few weeks.....!

There was another topic recently suggesting that this sort of game could be a byelaw offence and at the very least is obstructive-personally I disagree and do exactly as others do-show any old ticket-usually in my ticket wallet while of course having the correct ticket-I have shown seat reservations and on some occasions a collection receipt

 

[Tomonthetrain]

I have 3 wallets the same design. One contains a nNetwork from WMPTE, one contains a railcard (top and bottom parts) and one contains tickets that I'm using. Even I get confused!

 

[telstarbox]

My regular morning train usually arrives on a platform sans G4S at MAN. Last week G4S were all over the platform each morning but accepted without question: a debit card receipt; tickets-by-post address slip printed on orange stock; and best of all an ancient SPU - TON child season ticket clearly marked "expires July 2004" (the last one was to prove a point!).

With staff like these, who needs barriers?

 

[sheff1]

Well, I will be in the Malmo area later this month and whilst checking times/fares I found that G4S are responsible for inspecting tickets in the area - with a threat of a 800 SEK fine if you do not have a valid ticket.

I look forward to finding out if the Swedish version is as efficient as the clowns in Manchester

 

[Chapeltom]

They may be Great 4 Sweden....

 

[323235]

Was funny yesterday watching all the people who were just Running and walking past G4S and not even showing a ticket. The staff made a somewhat feeble attempt to enforce their authority and it failed miserably.

One guy looked about 20 ish got told off for doing so because he happened to stop to ask the guard a question and got pounced on and got a finger wagging. Even the guard looked somewhat bemused. Other people just kept walking past and getting on the train and the guy started getting a bit annoyed but didn't have any backup as there was only one other guy with him manning the Avantix Machine.