Earlier this autumn I've used several LTN-SHP CDRs, and experience suggests that Blackfriars staff are happy for me to BmJ but Farringdon staff - at least one in particular anyway - are not. (I bet you're not surprised!)
This guy at the latter said that BoJ with my ticket was not permitted as ZFD is an LU station, and that I really should have used the Victoria Line between StP and Vauxhall instead; I also suspect he thought that BoJ purely involving NR services was irrelevant in light of the station's LU status. He added that should he let me off at ZFD, I would have to buy a new ticket to SHP in order to resume my journey.
Not at all surprised - my feelings about staff at Farringdon are made clear in this and other threads.
The ticket is valid via 'London' in the routeing guide, and is marked with a Maltese Cross. You can travel between Blackfriars and Waterloo using the Tube for this journey (it's valid in other words). Farringdon is an intermediate station between Luton and Blackfriars, and you can break your journey with your ticket. So, why won't they let you at Farringdon?
LU staff being LU staff aren't trained with *every* NR fares situation (and I believe this includes BoJ).
Firstly, in almost all situations it is irrelevant which way you travel in London so long as you're not taking liberties with your ticket (e.g. Waterloo to Stratford via Epping and Moor Park) and the route is 'reasonable'. In my eyes at least, Blackfriars to Waterloo is reasonable on this ticket.
You may have personal reasons for wanting to go from Waterloo rather than Vauxhall (such as more space available etc.) TBH that's really SWTs business rather than his so he shouldn't really be in a position to comment on 'suggested routes' unless you ask for them.
Now, why is the BoJ at Farringdon permitted even when they say it isn't (and how can you prepare yourself for future occurrances)?
NCoC say that BoJ is permitted except when breaking at an intermediate LU/DLR station. Now, this is sketchy and my interpretation of this rule is breaking on an intermediate LU leg - say Westminster on your Blackfriars to Waterloo ticket - rather than on a NR leg or directly before/after the LU leg.
Had you have come on the Tube from STP (and assuming there was no identical NR service you could have used) then they'd be right with what they said. BUT, in this case there is an NR service, one directly from Luton and one that continues in the same direction to enable you to continue the journey on NR from there without doubling back. (Even going via London Bridge and Waterloo East is valid on this route without even needing the Underground).
They should be aware you are not breaking intermediately *off of* an LU service (which is the primary restriction). Even breaking at Blackfriars before entering the Tube would be allowed.
Best way to avoid this situation in future is actually not using the NCoC (they'll twist the wording in it to show you they're 'right'). Say the route you were given by the clerk when you purchased the ticket is via London Bridge and Waterloo East (completely avoiding LU) and that break at Farringdon is permitted. Say you have broken your journey off of an NR service and, as such, your break of journey is valid by national restrictions. If they still refuse to believe this then ask them to ring a Thameslink North booking office/their retail trainer to confirm that BoJ there is permitted.
If they continue to refuse to believe you/let you out then say fine you won't bother breaking your journey then and you will continue it immediately (you haven't left the station, so have not technically broken your journey!) take down/ask for their name, and simply walk back down to platform 3 and exit the system at City would be the best advice. If they won't let you do this then politely ask them to call the BTP to sort matters out because you are not paying any excess as it is not necessary.
In any case, write to 55 Broadway with your complaint about the Revenue Protection staff at Farringdon and the fact they seem to be clueless about all matters NR - ask for the letter to be passed onto the duty manager there and the situation to be sorted. Send a copy to FCC too and hope they they also instigate extra training...
On a separate matter I bought a CDS to Luton from a TVM at Blackfriars last week. Guess what origin was printed on that ticket...(hint - it wasn't London Thameslink!) :roll:
Oh dear, FCC need a software upgrade to those machines - should only say 'London Terminals' for destinations to the south... They will probably retort that as the same price it doesn't make a difference when, technically by the fares manuals, it does (an inspector in Central London will deem the ticket as invalid - and to be honest they're not at fault - until you say you bought the ticket at BFR (they're probably aware of such problems) - the code on the ticket can confirm this).
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You'll be pleased to know that the TVM and Booking Office at littlehampton still issue a London terminals ticket when asked for London St Pancras and that they still work the barriers at St Pancras.
Albeit incorrectly by the Fares Manuals - that ticket, strictly speaking, is not valid between City Thameslink and St Pancras. This seems to be a national problem and SET, SN, SWT, FCC, and ATOC should be made aware of this! King's Cross Thameslink was normally printed on tickets when asked for from the south - so should STP now it replaced KCM!
Funny thing is Avantix comes up with a fare for STP (and says it is printed as 'London St Pancrs' too) - seems to me it is an issue with training and the fact the clerk and machine automatically interpret this as a London Terminal and puts that into the machine rather than STP...
Not that it matters, but I still wonder if I'd got through straight away by claiming to have used FCC (as opposed to EMT) to get to StP. It's also brought back a few ancedotes which I meant to post earlier.
Then again I'm sure they are of the impression being a TOC that they are invincible. Just to confirm something on a ticket machine you explicitly select a destination of 'London St Pancras'? Something I believe is against the Sale of Goods Act 1979 Section 13 (1A)... The ticket has a validity not as described and the machine probably doesn't state that, actually, the ticket ceases to be valid at City Thameslink. Sorry to be so technical over something some may regard as 'minor' but the 'we know about this but are not doing anything' stance is illegal in this case.