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PRIV Oyster
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Haywain
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Because you are safeguarded. If you had been a new entrant you would not have Priv once you'd retired. The thread is about new entrants.
Surreytraveller
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'New entrants' have photos on their cards. Safeguarded do not need photos if they're retired or child dependants
plymothian
Member
I managed to get an NR Only PRIV loaded at Paddington Elizabeth line 2 Saturdays ago.
Unfortunately, I then lost my Oyster somewhere in between Scotland and England due to Avanti chaos, so upon arrival at Kings Cross Saturday gone, I had to buy another Oyster. I was then sent from gateline to gateline before they refused to add it as they "don't do that one here" and sent to an Overground station. So I went to Stratford (an NR, Overground and Elizabeth line station) where I was heading and again they refused as they "don't have an agreement to do that" and send to the next nearest Overground at Hackney as that was listed on the assistant's ipad, who again refused.
By now it was near 23.00 and as the Elizabeth line is shut on Sundays, I gave up in the end and will wait till I'm next in London.
Unfortunately, I then lost my Oyster somewhere in between Scotland and England due to Avanti chaos, so upon arrival at Kings Cross Saturday gone, I had to buy another Oyster. I was then sent from gateline to gateline before they refused to add it as they "don't do that one here" and sent to an Overground station. So I went to Stratford (an NR, Overground and Elizabeth line station) where I was heading and again they refused as they "don't have an agreement to do that" and send to the next nearest Overground at Hackney as that was listed on the assistant's ipad, who again refused.
By now it was near 23.00 and as the Elizabeth line is shut on Sundays, I gave up in the end and will wait till I'm next in London.
Stratford can in theory do it, but you need to find MTR Elizabeth Line staff who then do it on one of the machines they run. I believe if you ask at the ticket office (which is run by MTR Elizabeth Line) they can come out to one of the ticket machines and do it. However as the ticket office is closed after 2130, this wouldn't work. In theory any customer service staff member of MTR Elizabeth Line should be able to do it (if they've been trained - if they work at multiple stations/on gatelines they will likely be, if they only work as dispatch/platform its unlikely), however after the ticket office closes I believe the only place you'll find them is on Platforms 5 and 9, so convincing them to come to help you add a discount is unlikely.
Gateline/concourse staff at Stratford don't know as they are London Underground and can't do it on "their" machines.
RJ
Established Member
There is literature floating around stating that staff with this combination of discounts are entitled to have the All Rail discount loaded onto their Oyster cards.
My understanding is it's because the discount is not valid on London Underground, so LU stations should not set it. There's no technical limitation to prevent it, it's just a policy LU staff are required to adhere to.
Oh no, you mustn't try to do that at London Overground run stations! These days (certain) Elizabeth Line station are about the only places it can be done.
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I have had trouble in the past finding anyone to do them at King’s Cross they were short staffed last time I went,I managed to get mine done before the end of June but I need to get the rest of the family’s done,Does anyone know if the discount can still be applied for them if I go there in a couple of weeks and take there new Staff Travel cards as it is now after 30th June.
If the discount has expired, and thus "dropped off" of the cards, you need to submit a new application form to Rail Staff Travel and wait for that to be authorised before the discount can be added again.
Ok Thank you.
Still no luck here either folks.
The RSL cards were valid from 1 Nov.
EL stations including Paddington which many are saying they had success in getting it applied have said they don't have the authority anymore due to union.
OG stations say the same.
I've emailed RSTL for assistance as we are entitled to this discount as TFL (OG and EL) staff are entitled to a Priv card we should be entitled to a NR discount for oyster
Im
The RSL cards were valid from 1 Nov.
EL stations including Paddington which many are saying they had success in getting it applied have said they don't have the authority anymore due to union.
OG stations say the same.
I've emailed RSTL for assistance as we are entitled to this discount as TFL (OG and EL) staff are entitled to a Priv card we should be entitled to a NR discount for oyster
Strange I went to TCR , EL station side yet staffed by LU staff. They said they couldn't and won't apply discount.
Im
Being told the exact thing. A union issue. Both LOROL and MTR have said this but some are getting it applied at Padd EL. Not sure here.
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Try one of the stations on the "national rail" side. Even Ealing Broadway or Stratford should be able to do it which shouldn't be too much of a hassle.
Stratford is a NO no. Even both sides of the station said they can't do it.
Someone did mention EalingB. I'll give it ago.
iphone76
Member
If it helps, a few people I know managed to get it done at Ealing Broadway. They went to the ticket office and they came out and did it for them.
Amazingly, and I must say I almost fell over when they said they would, I got it done yesterday at Abbey Wood. Not the ticket office upstairs, but the second exit downstairs at the end of the Elizabeth Line platforms.
Another try may be Woolwich if Abbey Wood don't.
Amazingly, and I must say I almost fell over when they said they would, I got it done yesterday at Abbey Wood. Not the ticket office upstairs, but the second exit downstairs at the end of the Elizabeth Line platforms.
Another try may be Woolwich if Abbey Wood don't.
Good to know ,Will try that to never been to abbey wood but the savings will be worth it, Ealing is nearer but a trip east if I have no luck.
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RJ
Established Member
That is crazy! A nice discount has been negotiated but it seems there are new issues springing up making it harder and harder to actually get
Having paid full price from East Croydon to Queenstown Road yesterday I need to get mine sorted. I'll try this afternoon and report back, but pity to hear Stratford is now a problem as that was my go-to the last two years!
Unfortunately June last year they pulled all oyster readers from ticket offices. Tfl rail and LOROL ticket offices had oyster facilities within them , always did mine there. Now it's via TVMs and union dispute means they want all Ticket office staff on the platform. So it's creating challenges getting someone to add itThat is crazy! A nice discount has been negotiated but it seems there are new issues springing up making it harder and harder to actually get
Having paid full price from East Croydon to Queenstown Road yesterday I need to get mine sorted. I'll try this afternoon and report back, but pity to hear Stratford is now a problem as that was my go-to the last two years!
I'm going to try EalingB then Abbey wood as suggested if no luck.
DeparturesBeck
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I enquired at Stratford MTR ticket office last Saturday and was told it can only be performed by Supervisors, was told to return Monday - Friday 10:00 to 16:00.
Upon returning during these times the Supervisor did add the discount back onto my Oyster, but moaned about having to do so and said he'd had enough and wouldn't be doing any more.
Upon returning during these times the Supervisor did add the discount back onto my Oyster, but moaned about having to do so and said he'd had enough and wouldn't be doing any more.
What a ridiculous state of affairs - what on earth could possibly be the issue here?
Class800
Established Member
Stratford always seem impolite and doing the minimum they can.
LA50041
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Interesting. Abbeywood flatly refused me last week saying they don’t have the machines to do it but Woolwich Arsenal can definitely do it. Flatly refused again told it has to be done at a LU station which we all know isn’t possible
Class800
Established Member
Doesn't surprise me having grown up round there. How the railway treats 'its own' is quite baffling to an outsider.
LA50041
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Indeed. I keep being told by outsiders how lucky I am to get a discount, yet I can’t get the discount because fellow rail staff are being difficult
Class800
Established Member
Yes and I have had some really bad experiences at Woolwich Arsenal, such that there are some perfectly valid things I will not do there as they would cause me too much hassle.
Does anyone know whether this is the same union you all belong to, or a different one? If its different, is it worth raising as a dispute against the other union with your union? Its a pretty sad state of affairs when two railway unions conspire to cost each others members money.
So Woolwich arsenal can do it or did they flatly refuse too.
So abbey wood is off the list.
It's all RMT.
But tfl are making it difficult for non tfl staff to claim the basic NR only discount. Staff aren't trained adequately and it was pointless removing oyster facilities from within ticket offices at LOROL and TfL rail ticket offices. It now as someone mentions a wild goose chase to find someone who can add it.
Someone mentions abbey wood didn't add it, another said they did.
Same for Stratford and Padd EL.
Its not good. I also read London OG are strictly against adding the discount.
I will try Ealing on Tuesday and update .
Woolwich arsenal is a SE station so I assume they have oyster in the TO.
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Haywain
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The Oyster facilities went along with the out of date ticket issuing system it was operating on. As it was out of accreditation and support there wasn’t a choice.
I suspect it’s the Woolwich EL station that might be able to add the discount, not the NR station.
Woolwich Arsenal won't be able to do it as its an SE station as you say. Abbey Wood might be the difference between upstairs and down. There are ticket machines at the Kent end of platforms 3/4 and staff manning the gateline.
Removal of facilities in ticket offices was not TfLs decision. The TIS needed updating to maintain accreditation and this was deemed uneconomic. This affected several TOCs as well as LO/EL.
Removal of facilities in ticket offices was not TfLs decision. The TIS needed updating to maintain accreditation and this was deemed uneconomic. This affected several TOCs as well as LO/EL.
I managed to get it done at Ealing Broadway on Wednesday 2nd Nov in the morning, having tried Tuesday evening and told no one was avaliable who was able to. Note since then a brief has apparently gone round to many staff (apparently during the second half of the week) NOT to issue the discount. You are perhaps best off going in "office hours" (0900-1600 weekdays) when a station manager is around - but even then they might be off at a meeting or similar. Also apparently not all staff have had any info like that. I know at least one staff member who has not had any instruction not to do discounts so as of yet, so says they would be able to do it still.
Woolwich Arsenal cannot do it, and no TOs have Oyster anymore. Woolwich EL however should be able to do it, via any staff doing it on the ticket machines - aside from the overall issues of staff not doing it...
Agreed there was no choice overall with a new TIS, but perhaps provisioning a separate Oyster Ticket Stop style machine could have been the solution, accounting issues aside. But we know the overall higher-up view of ticket offices and adding even more equipment was unlikely to go.
Stratford has always been a pain due to the lack of MTR EL staff there, afaik the only EL staff are the ones on the platforms and the T/O, which is usually busy. In theory (previously) T/O staff should come out to apply the discount on one of the machines however there may be a general reluctance. Asking gateline staff will always be a no because they are LU.
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I don't get why they don't just let Underground staff apply the discount. The option is right there on the machines! It's a completely bonkers. TfL are making it very clear how reluctant they are to honour the discount.
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