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Ticket Barriers At Birmingham New Street

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beeza1

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I visit Brum a couple of times a month and at least half the time the ticket barriers reject my ticket, sometimes it's on arrival, other times it's on departure, it doesn't seem to matter where I've purchased my ticket, on board my local stopper, at my local station, over the counter or from the TVM, or from the TVM at Manchester Piccadilly, still the same result, very annoying when It's busy.Strange thing is when the return ticket has been rejected it still operates the barrier at my local station, Anyone got any ideas why this is happening?
Another thing I have noticed, the barriers at Brum don't "eat" your ticket when your journey is complete.
 
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Stampy

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Another thing I have noticed, the barriers at Brum don't "eat" your ticket when your journey is complete.

It "ate" my ticket when I stopped there en route from Stamford to Sutton Coldfield the other weekend!!!!

Had to ask a very nice Virgin Lady to retrieve it for me!!!
 

blue87

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Where do you keep your ticket? If you keep it near coins or a mobile phone this can wipe the data off the magnetic strip on the ticket.
 
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beeza1

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Where do you keep your ticket? If you keep it near coins or a mobile phone this can wipe the data off the magnetic strip on the ticket.

I always keep my tickets in a separate wallet with my railcard, away from my other cards and cash, there are usually several tickets in the wallet though, due to split ticketing, seat reservations etc.
As I stated before, 2 hours after the ticket has been rejected at Brum it will open the barriers at my home station, so the data must still be there.
 
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On Saturday I used the new New St for the first time, early morning, late evening, travelling NW to SW and reverse.

I was astonished that to change trains (and platforms) I had to pass through 2 sets of ticket barriers. As things were quiet, I just about managed to get through in time for connections, but at a busy time I would certainly have struggled.

What's the reasoning?
 

sprinterguy

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What's the reasoning?
To maintain direct access to the main concourse from the Smallbrook Queensway entrance: The thoroughfare runs inbetween the two barriered areas at the "A" end of the concourse. It's awkward, but I'm not sure how else it could be managed.
 
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To maintain direct access to the main concourse from the Smallbrook Queensway entrance: The thoroughfare runs inbetween the two barriered areas at the "A" end of the concourse. It's awkward, but I'm not sure how else it could be managed.

Thanks for info.

As a non-local I have no idea (and even less interest) where Smallbrook Queensway and the 'A' end of the concourse are.

It's more than awkward for the enormous numbers who must have to pass through the double barriers.

I can't believe it was beyond the wit of the designers to maintain the simple platform interchange that existed prior to the re-build.
 

Mojo

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I can't believe it was beyond the wit of the designers to maintain the simple platform interchange that existed prior to the re-build.

This is still possible if you change at the 'b' end.
 

brompton rail

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However inconvenient to passengers at Birmingham New Street the current arrangements are, the ability to leave New Street to Smallbrook Queensway and directly into the Bull Ring Shopping Centre and thus to Moor Street Station greatly enhances the walk for passengers changing from New Street services and Snow Hill Lines (I.e. At Moor Street). Now a ten minute connection is just possible in good conditions! I like it.
 

Trainfan344

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I agree, it has made the change a lot easier! Use it when travelling home from the Severn Valley to avoid a lengthy wait at Smethick
 

azz7008

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However inconvenient to passengers at Birmingham New Street the current arrangements are, the ability to leave New Street to Smallbrook Queensway and directly into the Bull Ring Shopping Centre and thus to Moor Street Station greatly enhances the walk for passengers changing from New Street services and Snow Hill Lines (I.e. At Moor Street). Now a ten minute connection is just possible in good conditions! I like it.


I'd argue less than that, I've made connections from Platform 10 new st to platform 1 moor st in about 6 minutes before. <D
 

swt_passenger

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How are the pax, who have no interest in Bs and As, supposed to know that?

If they really have no idea they'll miss their trains half the time. I think some of the hypothetical passengers mentioned in this forum shouldn't be let out on their own...
 

HowardGWR

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If they really have no idea they'll miss their trains half the time. I think some of the hypothetical passengers mentioned in this forum shouldn't be let out on their own...
Yes but they are customers and thus must be not be treated like enthusiasts. If The_Planner is correct, that's handy, but I gather the problem is upstairs, not downstairs?
 

Bletchleyite

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Yes but they are customers and thus must be not be treated like enthusiasts. If The_Planner is correct, that's handy, but I gather the problem is upstairs, not downstairs?

The problem, if you'd call it that, is that the non-ticketed area of the concourse is between the two bridges. It used to be much smaller and on the Smallbrook Queensway side of both bridges. With the layout as it is, you'd either have to make the concourse a ticketed area or do what they have done (or put some kind of bridge in such that you entered the concourse on the first floor, which would be awkward).

As long as the barriers on that side accept anything that might vaguely be construed as valid i.e. just a correctly dated train ticket of any kind (do they?) I can't see a huge problem. (Codifying validity of tickets to change at New St would otherwise be far too complicated, as just about any pair of stations north/south or east/west of it is likely to be valid).
 
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Thanks for the comments.

I'm no railway expert but have used New St, on and off, since the 1970's. I'm aware that platforms have 'A' and 'B' sections.

In the past I've never had any problems changing platforms or leaving the station to get to Moor St or Snow Hill.

It's possible that announcements are sometimes made on arriving trains regarding platform access, but that certainly wasn't the case on my 2 arrivals.

My grouse is that there is a completely unnecessary double ticket check, which at times must cause confusion and long delays at a station which is amongst the most important interchanges on the network.

Imagine a double ticket check on the over-platform bridges at Leeds, Crewe or Reading.
 

Sniffingmoose

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I change trains at New Street 3 times a week. I have never had a ticket rejected by the barriers. As has already been mentioned, if you change at the B end you don’t have to go through the barriers.
 

Llanigraham

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Yes but they are customers and thus must be not be treated like enthusiasts. If The_Planner is correct, that's handy, but I gather the problem is upstairs, not downstairs?

Don't the signs at the top of the stairs down to the platforms state whether they are to the A or B end? I thought they did.
 

D1009

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By reading the signs that say to do that on the platforms.
As a regular user of New St in the past, it's taken me a while to get used to the new arrangements. But I've learnt if you want to make connections quickly, go to the b end of the platforms, and there are no signs on the platforms telling you to do it. If you want Smallbrook Queensway and Moor Street, go to the a end, and there are no signs telling you to do that either.
 
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