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Has Grand Central dropped its 'buy ticket on train' policy?

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TUC

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Both Grand Central and Hull Trains have long been known for their policy that passengers are welcome to board without a ticket and buy it on the train, to the point that when the Kings Cross ticket gates were being installed it was agreed that the gates would be open in the periods leading up to GC and HT departures.

I've noticed several times recently at Kings Cross that the gates were closed even when GC departure was due, and today I saw that the display screen for the 1603 to Bradford stated 'buy tickets before boarding'. Interestingly, at the same time I saw that, with respect to HT's 1548 to Hull, the screen read 'buy tickets on board train' , so it can't be a wider policy change at Kings Cross.

Has GC changed its policy re: on-board ticket purchases?
 
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blakey1152

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I have travelled with GC from Kings Cross to Bradford twice in the last month and the first time at Kings Cross the barriers were indeed open as soon as the platform was announced.

The second time I travelled which was last week the barriers were closed and I had to put my ticket through.

Didn't notice anything about buying tickets before hand on the screens. Mind you I wasn't really looking as I already had a ticket :)

The barriers always seem to be in operation at Bradford Interchange though.

Blakey
 

ainsworth74

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I wonder if the guard had a duff Avantix or the train was expected to be too busy to do effective revenue protection?
 

TUC

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I wonder if the guard had a duff Avantix or the train was expected to be too busy to do effective revenue protection?

I was on the journey in question and it wasn"t a particularly busy service.
 

FQTV

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Even some years ago, I've faced closed barriers at KGX when going for a GC service, and buying on board.

The successful workaround has thus far always been as follows:

Me to gate line staff: "Hi, I'm heading for the Grand Central service."

Staff member: "No problem, come on through [tap]."

I appreciate that this is not the most robust revenue protection process ever devised, but rather my point with reference to this thread would be that closed barriers don't necessarily suggest an end to buying on board.
 

island

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A tweet has been lodged and GC has confirmed that the policy hasn't changed.
 

TUC

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Also just tweeted GC before I saw post above..
 

Luke185

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I've seen that on screens for GC trains at KingsX lots of times in the past, usually if their avantix machines on-board have broken or not been available for whatever reason. Or it may have simply been a mistake or glitch with the info boards. Have also known them to do manual ticket checks on the platform before allowing people to board (regardless of ticket barriers).
 
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