need help, will i be taken to court?

[Greenback]

I am not in agreement with the 'warning' notices issued by northern, but I can understand their motivation in trying to amend passenger behaviour. Alongside this they also have an obligation to provide decent ticket purchasing facilities, which in many locations they are unwilling or incapable of doing.

As has been said, the crux of the matter is how long before the departure time of a train Northern feel is a reasonable time to arrive at the station, or how long Northern feel is a reasonable time to keep passengers waiting to buy a ticket. Is it 5 mins, 10 mins, 20, 30 or some other length of time?

 

[b0b]

This seems to be another example, if we take it at face value of people trying to juggle their busy lives around an operator whose failures presents them with unreasonable dilemas (do I queue or miss the train / get to work late??) and then 'pull them aside' when they try to do the right thing at their destination.

Well I think you missed another point - what the OP did, many people do over and over because theres nothing is communicated on previous trips that you have a legal obligation to buy a ticket before boarding, so it doesn't seem like it was a mistake, until the one time you get pulled up by an RPI. Its not direct entrapment, but it certainly feels like the system is set up to eventually catch an honest person out. (and I know we'll have people say read the NRCoC! as a defence)

Alongside this they also have an obligation to provide decent ticket purchasing facilities, which in many locations they are unwilling or incapable of doing.

There is also the really annoying position is that the TOC "wins", if not almost actively incentivised to provide poorer ticket purchasing facilities prior to boarding and then "catch out" honest passengers.

 

[maniacmartin]

There is also the really annoying position is that the TOC "wins", if not almost actively incentivised to provide poorer ticket purchasing facilities prior to boarding and then "catch out" honest passengers.

They won't "win" when passengers start taking the bus or car instead as they are unable to buy tickets. Actually they will as the DfT will bail them out

 

[455driver]

Do the Guards carry ticket machines? If so it is your responsibility to find him not the other way around.

Not the case although it MAY be a good idea to see where the guard is as you get on the train and then once the train has set off go and see if they can sell you a ticket.
Although there is no obligation to do so but as you are on the train anyway it can save time at the other end of the journey and possibly save a lot of grief.