Gmpte Clipacard

[Paul’s]

I was chatting with friends about different sort of tickets, and one brought up the clipacard that was around about mid 1970’s.Was this right, any information would be greatly received.

 

[Statto]

This might help
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gmts/15616420684

 

[Paul’s]

Thanks , yes , we remember as a group who could insert the card, and get it to clip but not take ticket.Wonder what that would be called these days..

 

[Llandudno]

MPTE had a similar scheme. BET (Bus Economy Ticket)
10 journeys for the price of 8, I think. Although I am pretty certain you could squeeze 11 journeys on one card!
Some pupils (not me!) made replica sized tickets made out of corn flake boxes.

 

[Statto]

MPTE had a similar scheme. BET (Bus Economy Ticket)
10 journeys for the price of 8, I think. Although I am pretty certain you could squeeze 11 journeys on one card!
Some pupils (not me!) made replica sized tickets made out of corn flake boxes.

Just before my time[showing my age now] i think MPTEs, BET ticket was the first of this type of ticket system in the UK at the time, which was early 70s, not sure if Liverpool Corpy were trying to come up a similar scheme, before they got morphed into the PTE, but think only Liverpool depots were part of the BET ticket scheme, even though MPTE included Wirral[before the 74 County Boundary changes], think Wirral got what is now known as the Trio/Saveaway

The other problem was the cancelling machines, they needed to be well maintained otherwise they wouldn't work, i wonder if passengers got a free ride because of faulty cancelling machines, i'm sure some did?

 

[Ianno87]

The GMPTE Clippercard was still in use as recently as (I think) 2002 or 2003.

 

[Volvodart]

Some of the R registered Alexander PS's that came to Stagecoach Bluebird from Manchester for extra school work in the Aberdeen area still had the equipment in place. I cannot remember when it was, though it would have been a while after 2003 .

 

[Paul’s]

Free journey, the drivers would say machine not work, nod his head, and shout if the inspector gets on , show him your ticket. Some drivers carried hand clippers , think to get there own back on the school kids...

 

[Springs Branch]

Some random distant memories about the GMT ClipperCards:

- The cards were a bit of an inconvenient shape & size – skinny enough, but just a bit too tall to conveniently carry around in a pocket or wallet. The cards were a bit temperamental about working in the cancelling machines if they got creased or folded.

- There were around four adult versions of the ClipperCards, depending on the fare, plus one for the concession flat fare. I think later there were also cheaper version(s) valid in off-peak period only and one for young people between 16 and (maybe) 19.

- I suspect when first introduced the ClipperCards might have been printed with an actual fare value, but this was quickly changed to generic fare bands - obviously there would be a large amount of pulping and re-printing of cards every time there was a fare increase.

- Cards for different fare bands and the off-peak / concession versions were printed in different colours. I think these included some characteristic 1970s shades of brown, purple etc. but luckily the one I needed was printed in a sensible blue.

- On the All Night buses charging double fares, you were meant to clip your ticket twice.

- I’m not sure about the rule for two or more people travelling on the same Clipper Card. Certainly, they were transferable (i.e. you could borrow someone else’s and didn’t need a photocard like the SaverSeven season tickets of the same era). But not sure whether two people could legitimately travel together on the same bus by clipping the ticket twice.

 

[Mr Manager]

Oh yes. Remember them well.

Whilst working for a well known local independent at the time we had a good fiddle going with Clipper cards. Always cover the machine over. Then if someone got on with only one "clip" left you take the card. Next someone gets on with 2 clips left you give them the one clip card from earlier. rinse and repeat till you had a full 10 trip card and sell it Ah the good old days.

 

[Ianno87]

Free journey, the drivers would say machine not work, nod his head, and shout if the inspector gets on , show him your ticket. Some drivers carried hand clippers , think to get there own back on the school kids...

Blue Bus of Bolton didn't have machines - driver just tore off the next number by hand.

 

[Andyh82]

In West Yorkshire we had the Saverstrip which was exactly the same.

 

[WatcherZero]

I used them in the 90's, by then machines had been phased out in favour of drivers using a pair of clippers so they could see that the card had been validated (some clippers cut away a square equal to the number, others cut a small circle in the centre)

 

[Deerfold]

In West Yorkshire we had the Saverstrip which was exactly the same.

These initially allowed 12 rides for the price of 9, then later 12 for the price of 10. They were in different values - you could combine oe clip multiple times for larger fares.

Early DayRover tickets were in the same format.

The problem was that so many machines didn't print the correct time and date. It was then a bit tricky explaining yourself on your next service.

First and Blazefield stopped taking them in the early 1990s, then later they were withdrawn for rail journeys and other bus operators

I may own one of the withdrawn Savesrstrip machines complete with "Kerching a Saverstrip" tagline on it.

In Denmark, the Klippekort used the same system. It was withdrawn in January 2017 (having had a couple of stays of execution whilst its replacement bedded in).

https://www.fyidenmark.com/klippekort.html describes them well.

 

[atraindriver]

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