Norton Bridge - London Super Off Peak Single to Rtn excess

[adrock1976]

When I was searching on the Great Western Railway website for a Norton Bridge - London Super Off peak Return Route London Midland Only (out 17 May, return 20 May), all of the return fares were greyed out. However, single fares can be selected (unsure if as the connecting "train" from Stafford involves a bus, as to whether the return fares have been input correctly or not, causing them to be greyed out).

As to see if it was a coding error, I also tried it from Rugeley TV as it is the exact same fare. Lo and behold, the return fares could be selected.

What I decided to do was to purchase the Norton Bridge - London Route London Midland Only from the GWR website as it was my intention to visit Norton Bridge (I already had an Advance Single Glasgow - Norton Bridge) and continue to London on LM services, it was obvious I needed an origin of Norton Bridge (for the connecting "train" aka replacement bus) to London. I would also be using LM on the 21 May to Stafford.

When I arrived at Stafford, I went to the booking office to get an upgrade from the Super Off Peak Single to a Return (both being Route London Midland Only). The person who served me firstly mentioned that they don't do that anymore, as "they" (I don't know who or what was being referred to) have clamped down on that. This person then had a look at the ticket I held, then mentioned that as it had been booked online that it could only be altered online, which was surprising to me and me having mentioned that it was not letting me book a return. I further mentioned that when I have previously had an upgrade from a single to a return, I have had it done at Glasgow Central with no problems at all. Eventually, the person who was serving me had mentioned to me that they will do what I will ask them to do, and eventually issued me with the excess.

A couple of thoughts here: as Stafford is an Intercity station, I believe that the whole range of tickets and fares can be sold (as I believe all of the Intercity stations are part of the 294 "core stations" named in 1994 that would sell the whole range of fares, excesses, etc), and more surprisingly, it a local "station" nearby that I had the origin from, so should already know about the unique situation regarding Norton Bridge.

Secondly, is it true that if a single non Advance ticket has been booked online, then it can only be upgraded to a return online? I cannot see anything mentioned about this at all on the GWR, London Midland, VTWC, or National Rail websites. Also, is it worthwhile me mentioning this to VTWC, so as the ticket office staff could have a training session?

 

[yorkie]

The rule is:

It is permitted to charge an excess fare to upgrade a Single ticket into a Return (but not into London Day Travelcards), provided the excess fare is paid before departure. If no ticket office facilities are available, it must be done at the earliest possible opportunity, but before the validity of the Single has expired,

Unfortunately some ticket office staff act in a manner that appears to be consistent with someone who wants to do away with ticket office staff. There is a reluctance among some of them to look up the actual rules and, instead, to inexplicably invent rules that are anti-customer.

It's a longstanding cultural problem and I see no end to it in sight.

If they had not eventually issued it, then you would have fulfilled your obligations to attempt to purchase at the first available opportunity and therefore you should be allowed to purchase the excess fare on board or at your destination.

Am I surprised at this behaviour? In a word: no!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....A couple of thoughts here: as Stafford is an Intercity station, I believe that the whole range of tickets and fares can be sold (as I believe all of the Intercity stations are part of the 294 "core stations" named in 1994 that would sell the whole range of fares, excesses, etc), and more surprisingly, it a local "station" nearby that I had the origin from, so should already know about the unique situation regarding Norton Bridge....

The vast majority of (if not all) manned stations can now issue a full range of tickets.

....Secondly, is it true that if a single non Advance ticket has been booked online, then it can only be upgraded to a return online? I cannot see anything mentioned about this at all on the GWR, London Midland, VTWC, or National Rail websites....

No, it's not true. There are certain things with tickets that need to go back to the original retailer, such as refunds, but excess fares are not one of them.

....Also, is it worthwhile me mentioning this to VTWC, so as the ticket office staff could have a training session?

Depends how much you like banging your head against a brick wall, and I'm not talking about those smooth bricks either.....

There are three issues which may come into play here.

Firstly, does the staff member care enough to be trained to do the right thing? To be honest, if they don't care and use any excuse not to do it then re-training them won't make any difference.

Secondly, is the training going to make any difference? If the training department, or the training material, isn't up to standard then no amount of training will do any good, if anything it could have the opposite effect.

Thirdly, is the person you are conversing with actually going to pass anything on or sort out additional training? Probably not, that's not to say they definitely won't, but I'm yet to see a member of staff actually get some additional training because of a complaint. Perhaps others have?

 

[paul1609]

The rule is:



Unfortunately some ticket office staff act in a manner that appears to be consistent with someone who wants to do away with ticket office staff. There is a reluctance among some of them to look up the actual rules and, instead, to inexplicably invent rules that are anti-customer.

It's a longstanding cultural problem and I see no end to it in sight.

If they had not eventually issued it, then you would have fulfilled your obligations to attempt to purchase at the first available opportunity and therefore you should be allowed to purchase the excess fare on board or at your destination.

Am I surprised at this behaviour? In a word: no!

I'm obviously exceptionally lucky Yorkie but I just never seem to experience these problems. Lancashire Day Rover in Littlehampton, could I just serve this lady first. IOW annual season at Ashford International, could you come back in 30 mins. Railsail at Rye ohh I've read about these but never sold one. Anytime return to Kyle of lochalsh with warrant, obvious disappointment that the fares not in advantix could I come back to you before Gatwick are the typical responses I get.