Online ticket purchase – where can I find the “mixing deck” nowadays?

[gallafent]

It seems that both GWR and Chiltern have switched away from the “mixing deck” (my preferred ticket purchase user interface), which used to be quite common, to a different one. I had a quick look at LNWR, and at Southern, and they too are using something else. I finally found that TransPennine Express still has it, so I guess I'll be using them to buy my Oxford <-> London tickets for now, slightly absurdly

Where else can I find the “mixing deck” UI these days? Does anybody apart from TPE still use it? Would it be useful to maintain a list of which ticket vendors use which system (and perhaps what benefits accrue with each system, e.g. nectar points with GWR)? Does someone already maintain such a list? If so, where? So many questions, right?

Poll added for fun — I don't know what the others are called, so please let me know (by private message, and ideally tell me which TOCs/independents use them) and I'll add them to the poll — you may change your vote later as I add more options

 

[Silver Cobra]

GWR do in fact still use the "mixing deck" alongside their newer interface. Use this link to access it: http://tickets.gwr.com/gw/en/journeyplanning/mixingdeck

Hull Trains also use the "mixing deck" UI. There may be others out there, but they're the only ones I know currently.

 

[fishquinn]

Off the top of my head (there may be others) the following TOC websites still offer it:

Transpennine Express
C2C
Hull Trains
GWR via the link above

 

[Hadders]

And SWR

 

[Joe Paxton]

... Where else can I find the “mixing deck” UI these days? ...

For any of the Worldline (nee Atos) WebTIS powered ticket sites, in the URL use the prefix 'tickets.' and you will get the 'mixing deck' version of the site, e.g. ...

https://tickets.gwr.com
https://tickets.southwesternrailway.com
https://tickets.redspottedhanky.com

 

[Bletchleyite]

For any of the Worldline (nee Atos) WebTIS powered ticket sites, in the URL use the prefix 'tickets.' and you will get the 'mixing deck' version of the site, e.g. ...

https://tickets.gwr.com
https://tickets.southwesternrailway.com
https://tickets.redspottedhanky.com

Doesn't work on RSH itself any more. It did until about 2 months ago but now doesn't.

 

[Hadders]

Doesn't work on RSH itself any more. It did until about 2 months ago but now doesn't.

I can get the mixing deck on RSH:

http://tickets.redspottedhanky.com/rsh/en/journeyplanning/mixingdeck

 

[Joe Paxton]

Doesn't work on RSH itself any more. It did until about 2 months ago but now doesn't.

Works for me.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can get the mixing deck on RSH:

http://tickets.redspottedhanky.com/rsh/en/journeyplanning/mixingdeck

Ah, that URL works - cheers!

 

[cactustwirly]

I only use the mixing deck because of the free postage & nectar points. Otherwise I would use the superior trainline interface, which is much easier to use and much more reliable.
The mixing deck is full of bugs, it's a 50/50 chance it will find fares for the train you want, and sometimes it refuses to offer tickets at all!

 

[Bletchleyite]

I only use the mixing deck because of the free postage & nectar points. Otherwise I would use the superior trainline interface, which is much easier to use and much more reliable.
The mixing deck is full of bugs, it's a 50/50 chance it will find fares for the train you want, and sometimes it refuses to offer tickets at all!

The mixing deck is better at the question "what trains is this fare valid on", which is a more common question in here than elsewhere I suspect.

 

[westv]

I prefer the mixing desk too but obviously VTEC thinks it's not awsome enough for me and that they know better.

 

[cactustwirly]

Done some further research, I've used 4 different websites and got different prices for advances on the same train!

My train is the 1300 from Leicester to London ojn the 17th March, and my ticket is an advance single with a 16-25 railcard from Leicester to Twyford.
GWR (mixing deck) won't give me an itinerary for this service, but gives me advances on the 1324 for £14.50
EMT (trainline) gives me advances on the 1300 for £13.85
VTEC gives me the same as above
Chiltern gives me advances for the 1300 for £14.50

Clearly the mixing deck is the worst of the bunch.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I prefer the mixing desk too but obviously VTEC thinks it's not awsome enough for me and that they know better.

It is, to be fair, a bit techie to use, which is probably why it is popular here.

RSH etc use a Trainline like interface now which is probably easier for the layman.

 

[causton]

The mixing deck is better at the question "what trains is this fare valid on", which is a more common question in here than elsewhere I suspect.

That is true. Sometimes you have the time in mind and want to see what price it is, but sometimes you have a particular ticket in question and you just want to see what you can take with it (especially if it is a sale fare etc) - Mixing Deck is best for the latter.

 

[Hadders]

Done some further research, I've used 4 different websites and got different prices for advances on the same train!

My train is the 1300 from Leicester to London ojn the 17th March, and my ticket is an advance single with a 16-25 railcard from Leicester to Twyford.
GWR (mixing deck) won't give me an itinerary for this service, but gives me advances on the 1324 for £14.50
EMT (trainline) gives me advances on the 1300 for £13.85
VTEC gives me the same as above
Chiltern gives me advances for the 1300 for £14.50

Clearly the mixing deck is the worst of the bunch.

Webtis isn't showing you're itinerary as it's significantly slower. It's forcing a change at Slough as it's quicker.

If you use the timetables option and put in services that call at West Drayton then the 1300 departure is shown.

My view is it's good to have different options available as it can help to get better value fares with slightly different itineraries.

 

[Paul Kelly]

The £13.85 fare is a special EMT-only fare that other retailers aren't allowed to sell. I guess EMT offer it when the only reservable trains(s) in the itinerary are operated by them, so they'll allow it if you take the (non-reservable) stopping train from Paddington to Twyford, but not the faster (reservable) train as far as Slough. Other retailers are only able to offer the same £14.50 advance on both these itineraries.

 

[cactustwirly]

Webtis isn't showing you're itinerary as it's significantly slower. It's forcing a change at Slough as it's quicker.

If you use the timetables option and put in services that call at West Drayton then the 1300 departure is shown.

My view is it's good to have different options available as it can help to get better value fares with slightly different itineraries.

It's not that much slower, only about 10 minutes

However the xx00 tends to have cheaper advances than the xx24, for example the xx00 could be £11.55, but the xx24 could be £19.85.
So Joe public could be paying more than they need to.

 

[cactustwirly]

The £13.85 fare is a special EMT-only fare that other retailers aren't allowed to sell. I guess EMT offer it when the only reservable trains(s) in the itinerary are operated by them, so they'll allow it if you take the (non-reservable) stopping train from Paddington to Twyford, but not the faster (reservable) train as far as Slough. Other retailers are only able to offer the same £14.50 advance on both these itineraries.

That makes more sense!

 

[Wallsendmag]

The £13.85 fare is a special EMT-only fare that other retailers aren't allowed to sell. I guess EMT offer it when the only reservable trains(s) in the itinerary are operated by them, so they'll allow it if you take the (non-reservable) stopping train from Paddington to Twyford, but not the faster (reservable) train as far as Slough. Other retailers are only able to offer the same £14.50 advance on both these itineraries.

EMT from slough ?

 

[gray1404]

Has TPE got rid of mixing desk in the last few weeks

 

[John @ home]

Has TPE got rid of mixing desk in the last few weeks

No. It's at http://tickets.tpexpress.co.uk/tpe/en/journeyplanning/mixingdeck.

 

[Mojo]

Has TPE got rid of mixing desk in the last few weeks

I bought three lots of tickets yestersay on the TPx website and the first two it loaded Mixing deck and the most recent one the awful new style site.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Note that if you use the direct link to the mixing deck you sometimes have to clear your cookies to make it actually go there.

 

[Mojo]

Note that if you use the direct link to the mixing deck you sometimes have to clear your cookies to make it actually go there.

I had it the other way round. I only got it AFTER I cleared my cookies. None of my Cashback has been tracking so I did that to see if it fixed it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I had it the other way round. I only got it AFTER I cleared my cookies.

That's what I meant, sorry. If you've used the non-Mixing Deck version you have to clear cookies to get to the Mixing Deck version. It seems to be set up to do a "show me the new UI" vs. "return to the classic UI" type thing as Google tend to do, but without the actual links to do that.

 

[Mojo]

That's what I meant, sorry. If you've used the non-Mixing Deck version you have to clear cookies to get to the Mixing Deck version. It seems to be set up to do a "show me the new UI" vs. "return to the classic UI" type thing as Google tend to do, but without the actual links to do that.

I’ve been using the Mixing deck happily for years now, including for two bookings yesterday. It was only after I reset my browser that I saw the bad version.

 

[Wallsendmag]

Mixing deck is so yesterday’s webtis

 

[ainsworth74]

Mixing deck is so yesterday’s webtis

In the spirit of Panto season: Oh no it isn't!

 

[cactustwirly]

Mixing deck is so yesterday’s webtis

So is the trainline, they both look hopelessly outdated!