Platform Tickets

[graham11]

Many years ago I seem to remember having to buy a platform ticket to get onto the platform but are these still required ?

I enjoy visiting railway stations and obviously many un manned stations can just be walked on to.

However , recently whilst in Shrewsbury I popped into the lovely station there and went into the café on the platform . I bought a coffee and sat on the platform watching the comings and goings .

When I left I was stopped and asked where I had travelled from and to show my ticket .
I explained that I hadn`t travelled from anywhere and had simply been to the café.
I must have an honest face because I was believed and allowed to pass .

Should I have bought a platform ticket and do they actually still exist.

Many thanks for any replies

Graham

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Many years ago I seem to remember having to buy a platform ticket to get onto the platform but are these still required ?

I enjoy visiting railway stations and obviously many un manned stations can just be walked on to.

However , recently whilst in Shrewsbury I popped into the lovely station there and went into the café on the platform . I bought a coffee and sat on the platform watching the comings and goings .

When I left I was stopped and asked where I had travelled from and to show my ticket .
I explained that I hadn`t travelled from anywhere and had simply been to the café.
I must have an honest face because I was believed and allowed to pass .

Should I have bought a platform ticket and do they actually still exist.

Many thanks for any replies

Graham

Since Shrewsbury station is not a Compulsory Ticket Area, there is no a legal obligation to have a ticket merely in order to be on the station. However, there is of course the practical issue of entering and exiting the station - neither of which are likely to be permitted unless you can present a valid ticket!

Were you lucky? Perhaps. But ultimately if there is no evidence that the passenger has actually travelled then at a station like Shrewsbury I suppose they must ultimately simply believe the passengers if they say they have not travelled.

 

[najaB]

Should I have bought a platform ticket and do they actually still exist

They do still exist, but would only be strictly necessary in a compulsory ticket area. That said, you'd likely need one at a barriered station.

 

[graham11]

Sorry to show my great ignorance , must be my age , but I am not sure what constitutes a compulsory ticket area .
It is not something of which I have ever heard.
Could anyone please explain and put this ignoramus on track !!!
Graham

 

[najaB]

Sorry to show my great ignorance , must be my age , but I am not sure what constitutes a compulsory ticket area .

There are very few of them on the national rail network so it's not surprising that you haven't come across one. It's a designated area that one may not enter or remain in if you don't have a ticket - no questions asked.

It must be clearly signposted as such, and the border must be marked.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Sorry to show my great ignorance , must be my age , but I am not sure what constitutes a compulsory ticket area .
It is not something of which I have ever heard.
Could anyone please explain and put this ignoramus on track !!!
Graham

Not many people seem to be sure what it is either, but it is effectively it is a defined area on the railway where you must have a ticket or other permit on you when present there - on penalty of receiving a Penalty Fare. A platform ticket must also be available from the ticket office etc. in case you aren't actually travelling.

Of course, since it can only be enforced via a Penalty Fare - and hence theoretically a County Court claim - it is not possible to prosecute for a failure to produce a ticket (unless there is evidence of an actual criminal offence, e.g. fare evasion contrary to RoRA).

 

[Gareth Marston]

Many years ago I seem to remember having to buy a platform ticket to get onto the platform but are these still required ?

I enjoy visiting railway stations and obviously many un manned stations can just be walked on to.

However , recently whilst in Shrewsbury I popped into the lovely station there and went into the café on the platform . I bought a coffee and sat on the platform watching the comings and goings .

When I left I was stopped and asked where I had travelled from and to show my ticket .
I explained that I hadn`t travelled from anywhere and had simply been to the café.
I must have an honest face because I was believed and allowed to pass .

Should I have bought a platform ticket and do they actually still exist.

Many thanks for any replies

Graham

Shrewsbury barriers are manned for most of the working day, however they can be left open for short periods for staff breaks etc. so it's entirely plausible you could have gone past them and up the staircase and then found them manned on your exit. Explains why they weren't to officious as its probably a regular occurance, folk seeing people off or meeting them etc.

Booking office could have sold you a platform ticket. I have had a couple of occasions where people have asked for them as they collect them , there's no need for them at Newtown but the function exists.

 

[ag51ruk]

Shrewsbury barriers are manned for most of the working day, however they can be left open for short periods for staff breaks etc. so it's entirely plausible you could have gone past them and up the staircase and then found them manned on your exit. Explains why they weren't to officious as its probably a regular occurance, folk seeing people off or meeting them etc.

Booking office could have sold you a platform ticket. I have had a couple of occasions where people have asked for them as they collect them , there's no need for them at Newtown but the function exists.

Is separate ticket stock for platform tickets still available? Used to be black/grey on APTIS machines from memory.

 

[graham11]

Thanks everyone who replied .

Very much appreciated ,


Graham

 

[221129]

Is separate ticket stock for platform tickets still available? Used to be black/grey on APTIS machines from memory.

No. It's just on Orange stock.

 

[Muzer]

Yes, I've met a collector who has managed to get a platform ticket from the vast majority of ticket offices across the network (under TOC control) so it's definitely still possible to issue them! But honestly unless you want the novelty of having a platform ticket, if the station is unbarriered and it's not a CTA there's no reason to have one.

 

[Josie]

I've bought them at Manchester Victoria a couple of times recently(ish), to see people off. Standard orange stock, price 10p, valid for one hour from issue.

 

[davmet]

Do ticket vending machines issue platform tickets

 

[Merseysider]

Do ticket vending machines issue platform tickets

I don’t believe they do.