Problem with getting West Midlands Daytripper + Rugeley ticket at Rugeley TV

[thenorthern]

Earlier today I was at Rugeley Trent Valley with my mum and she was going to Solihul so it made sense to buy a West Midlands Daytripper with Rugeley add on as it works out at £8.40 instead of the £12.10 off-peak return. She was traveling after 09:30 so it was valid.

When we go to the Ticket vending machine at Rugeley however there was only the option of a Daytripper but only the one that is valid for the West Midlands county (£6.90 for the day and isn't valid beyond Bloxwich North on the Chase Line).

We requested assistance at the machine who first told us to speak to the ticket office which given Rugeley Trent Valley is unstaffed is impossible. Then they tried to find the Daytripper + Rugeley Ticket but couldn't find it at the machine and told us to buy it on the train which given that the Network West Midlands website says the ticket can't be bought on the train isn't very helpful.

In the end after messing around I just got her the £6.90 Daytripper ticket as the person on the other end giving assistance said that was the best ticket to get.

The ticket issued did say "From Rugeley Trent Valley to West Midlands Daytripper" however I am sure this isn't the correct ticket and I was wondering what she should have done in that situation?

 

[paddington]

If the ticket you want is not available to purchase at your starting station you may buy it on the train, at an interchange station or at the destination (unless the T&Cs of that ticket specify that it can only be bought at certain stations, which doesn't seem to be the case here as the website simply says it is available to buy at "rail stations").

As the ticket was not available to buy at Rugeley TV, it seems a sensible course of action to have bought the normal daytripper from the machine, and then buy the so-called ADD-ON for £1.50 when she got to New St.

The ADD-ON comes as a separate ticket so shouldn't be a problem. I suggest the Network West Midlands Travel Centre at New St station would be the best place to buy it.

 

[thenorthern]

If the ticket you want is not available to purchase at your starting station you may buy it on the train, at an interchange station or at the destination (unless the T&Cs of that ticket specify that it can only be bought at certain stations, which doesn't seem to be the case here as the website simply says it is available to buy at "rail stations").

As the ticket was not available to buy at Rugeley TV, it seems a sensible course of action to have bought the normal daytripper from the machine, and then buy the so-called ADD-ON for £1.50 when she got to New St.

The ADD-ON comes as a separate ticket so shouldn't be a problem. I suggest the Network West Midlands Travel Centre at New St station would be the best place to buy it.

Cheers, I wish the person on the other end of the TVM knew this.