The Booking Office Cannot Issue Pre-Paid Tickets

[lyesbkz]

I was travelling via Morpeth when I noticed the following sign posted on the only TVM in the station, which was out of order.



The sentence which has been highlighted:

The Booking Office Cannot Issue Pre-Paid Tickets

I am curious as to the plausibility of this, especially given the suggestion of boarding a train armed with only a collection reference - an action which could not possibly have any negative consequences(!) Is it really not possible for the ticket office to do this? What if, for example, the TVM had broken down during printing. Presumably this would mean the booking office could not provide any assistance to the customer whatsoever.

I find it strange that the office could sell walk-up and advance tickets but not have the means to print out tickets booked online. Can anybody shed some light on this?

 

[CyrusWuff]

Morpeth is run by Northern, who use Cubic FasTIS for their ticket office machines. FasTIS doesn't have Ticket on Departure functionality, hence the sign saying to collect at another station.

In such cases, revenue staff should be aware of the fault and deal with affected passengers appropriately.

 

[Starmill]

Indeed, there are a number of signs at Northern stations on the Styal Line that tickets purchased online CANNOT be collected at the ticket offices, only at the TVM at Mauldeth Road.

ToD dead zones...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Actually, there is a process for Northern offices to follow should the TVM not be working, however it is a long process and it may be easier to ask people to collect at another station.

 

[lyesbkz]

Does this mean that staff on-board the trains are actually able to retrieve the data on their Avantix (or other) ticket issuing machines? Or is everyone more likely to be given the benefit of the doubt until they reach their destination...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Advantix cannot retrieve the data.

 

[island]

If you have a printout of your booking or can show this on your phone/tablet/laptop you are more likely to be allowed to progress to your next interchange station than if you just have the booking reference.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Actually, there is a process for Northern offices to follow should the TVM not be working, however it is a long process and it may be easier to ask people to collect at another station.

And sod's law states that, nine times out of ten, the problem will occur when the CTR Helpdesk is closed, so you need to contact the original retailer to get the details. Bonus points if the customer only has the reference number and can't remember which website they booked through...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

And sod's law states that, nine times out of ten, the problem will occur when the CTR Helpdesk is closed, so you need to contact the original retailer to get the details. Bonus points if the customer only has the reference number and can't remember which website they booked through...

.....Or insist it was "national rail".:roll:

 

[thelongestroad]

.....Or insist it was "national rail".:roll:

Brilliant! I know exactly what you mean.

Incidentally, I guess you recreate the ticket in your TOM based on the information given to you by the retailer or the CTR help desk? And you offset that against a sundry credit?

Sounds like an accounting nightmare!

 

[CyrusWuff]

Incidentally, I guess you recreate the ticket in your TOM based on the information given to you by the retailer or the CTR help desk? And you offset that against a sundry credit?

I stand for correction, but I believe that any "replacement" tickets issued in such circumstances (i.e. TVM not working, and the Ticket Office TIS not having ToD functionality) are treated as a loss to the TOC concerned, which is why it's preferable to direct the passenger to another station to collect their ticket(s).

 

[Olympian]

I stand for correction, but I believe that any "replacement" tickets issued in such circumstances (i.e. TVM not working, and the Ticket Office TIS not having ToD functionality) are treated as a loss to the TOC concerned, which is why it's preferable to direct the passenger to another station to collect their ticket(s).

That's wouldn't seem to be very customer focused though, particularly if they then had to commence their journey without being in possession of a valid ticket because it's easier for the TOC concerned. What "authority to travel" are they given just in case they encounter an RPI or gate line assistant who doesn't believe their story and particularly if all they have is a booking reference?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....Incidentally, I guess you recreate the ticket in your TOM based on the information given to you by the retailer or the CTR help desk? And you offset that against a sundry credit?....

It's a bit of a fudge, but that is the theory, never actually done it myself though.

I stand for correction, but I believe that any "replacement" tickets issued in such circumstances (i.e. TVM not working, and the Ticket Office TIS not having ToD functionality) are treated as a loss to the TOC concerned, which is why it's preferable to direct the passenger to another station to collect their ticket(s).

Northern has an accountance process in place (as far as the ticket office is concerned) for occasions where the TVM is not working. It really shouldn't work out much different to a TVM issuing the ticket anyway.