Ticket offices and Rovers.

[djpontrack]

I have not had any problems buying rover and ranger tickets at Carnforth. I have bought lots of different ones there over the past few years including many that were out of area. The staff that man the ticket office at Carnforth are not railway staff, they are council staff but they are very knowledgable, and the big bonus for me is its only about 10 seconds walk to the excellent Snug Micropub along the platform.

 

[supervalkoinen]

Chester struggled to do me a 2 zone North Wales rover last year, they initially said it couldn't be done, as it wasnt shown, but I was persistant.

They asked if I was in a rush (as they were going to give me authorisation to get on the train).
As I wasn't they asked if I'd mind waiting a minute while they spoke to a manager in a back room. Eventually the manager came out and sold the ticket no problem

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Was that Zones W+F (Chester+Wrexham) + (Flint) or W+D (Chester+Wrexham) + (Denbigh)?

The latter continues to be a problem and I'm not aware of anyone who has been successful in buying it at Chester Station. See previous threads.

 

[philthetube]

2 points,

firstly, would it be too difficult for ticket offices to have a list of codes and secondly on the network rail enquiries site where details of rovers are shown couldn't codes be provided as well?

 

[Techniquest]

There's no tickets from anywhere north or west of London, as far as I can tell. The best value I could find was to split at somewhere in the South East of London - like New Cross - which saves about a fiver compared to splitting at London proper.

Thanks! Something to bear in mind for 2017...

 

[maniacmartin]

I was once denied a GM Wayfarer from a Southeastern suburban London ticket office as the clerk couldn't find it. I had a printout from BR fares with the code and obscure name that it might appear in the TIS as, but the clerk refused to look at it or try the codes on it. I was then accused of stealing inside railway information because of the printout of BR Fares!

I think a lot of it is down to who is manning the ticket office when you happen to go. Some staff will look around to find the ticket, and some just aren't interested.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

2 points,

firstly, would it be too difficult for ticket offices to have a list of codes....

Every ticket office should have access to an internal website called National Rail Enquiries (internal) Knowledgebase, or iKB for short, which is what used to be called 'The Manual' and before that the 'Fares and Retail Publication Portal' (FRPP). Contained within that is a section on Rovers and Rangers, which can be found on the index under the letter R.

.... and secondly on the network rail enquiries site where details of rovers are shown couldn't codes be provided as well?

To help Guards? Maybe, but would they even look there for them?

 

[philjo]

I boarded a Heart of Wales service at Church Stretton (unstaffed) a couple of years ago. The Guard was unable to get his machine to issue a Heart of Wales Round Robin ticket. Though we did get it sorted eventually as he took me to the ticket office during the 15 minute wait at Llandrindod wells where the staff there were able to issue it without any problems.

Shrewsbury ticket office have issued the North Wales Rovers without any problems when I have needed them.

 

[krus_aragon]

Was that Zones W+F (Chester+Wrexham) + (Flint) or W+D (Chester+Wrexham) + (Denbigh)?

The latter continues to be a problem and I'm not aware of anyone who has been successful in buying it at Chester Station. See previous threads.

I suppose the W+D only variety can seem non-obvious to rail staff, as every train to Denbighshire goes through Flintshire. It's perfectly valid for a train to Wrexham/Rhiwabon and a bus on to Llangollen, Corwen, Denbigh (or even Rhyl) of course!

 

[185143]

Was that Zones W+F (Chester+Wrexham) + (Flint) or W+D (Chester+Wrexham) + (Denbigh)?

The latter continues to be a problem and I'm not aware of anyone who has been successful in buying it at Chester Station. See previous threads.

W+F I think? I cleared all the Borderlands Line shacks, and also Ruabon, Wrexham and Flint.

Travelled on the WAG Express to Flint (from Wrexham), then transferred onto the other WAG express to Crewe! (Using another ticket from Chester obviously)

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[supervalkoinen]

I suppose the W+D only variety can seem non-obvious to rail staff, as every train to Denbighshire goes through Flintshire. It's perfectly valid for a train to Wrexham/Rhiwabon and a bus on to Llangollen, Corwen, Denbigh (or even Rhyl) of course!

It should be obvious to them by now, since I know several potential purchasers have pointed out the above.
In fact, I don't think the desk staff are to blame, as it seems to be a deliberate management decision not to offer the ticket for some reason.

W+F I think? I cleared all the Borderlands Line shacks, and also Ruabon, Wrexham and Flint.

Travelled on the WAG Express to Flint (from Wrexham), then transferred onto the other WAG express to Crewe! (Using another ticket from Chester obviously)

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Surprised you had problems buying that - it's what some staff have tried to sell me when I've asked for a W+D.

 

[TUC]

Welcome to the railways. Quality of service at ticket offices is very hit and miss, but there is no compulsion for anything to be done about it.

Yes there is. It's called basic staff management.

 

[185143]

It should be obvious to them by now, since I know several potential purchasers have pointed out the above.
In fact, I don't think the desk staff are to blame, as it seems to be a deliberate management decision not to offer the ticket for some reason.



Surprised you had problems buying that - it's what some staff have tried to sell me when I've asked for a W+D.

It was around a year ago

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[kieron]

Every ticket office should have access to an internal website called National Rail Enquiries (internal) Knowledgebase, or iKB for short, which is what used to be called 'The Manual' and before that the 'Fares and Retail Publication Portal' (FRPP). Contained within that is a section on Rovers and Rangers, which can be found on the index under the letter R.

Would that tell them all they need to know to find it on their ticket machines? I've never seen it, so I don't know what sort of depth it goes into.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Would that tell them all they need to know to find it on their ticket machines? I've never seen it, so I don't know what sort of depth it goes into.

For STAR, there's more than enough, you can just type in the name of the Rover. I haven't used any other ticket machines for a number of years, but I believe that everything necessary is there.

 

[Parallel]

9 out of 10 times, railway staff have been able to issue rover or ranger tickets for me.

Two occasions where they haven't, one was a GWR ticket office who didn't know what a Heart Of Wessex ranger was, and couldn't find it on the system, and when I showed him the GWR Rovers and Rangers promotional booklet they've produced and HoW map of validity, he asked me which ranger on the map I wanted. I gave up.

The second was a little more understandable, I wanted to buy a Dartmoor Sunday Rover from a GWR guard who doesn't operate in the Devon area. He did have codes for rovers/rangers within his areas though. I gave him the code and although he was grateful for the code, he couldn't find it on Avantix. However, the lady at Chippenham ticket office found it with no problem, despite saying she has never sold one before!

The third, I asked to buy a Heart Of Wessex Ranger on board a service to Weymouth. The guard couldn't find it and advised me to buy when I got to Weymouth.

Generally, I have had good experiences with GWR though, and have never had a problem with ATW.

IMO the most popular rovers and rangers should be made available on TVMs. Why the Devon ranger isn't available on TVMs in Devon still astounds me, considering its great value.

 

[Temple Meads]

Why the Devon ranger isn't available on TVMs in Devon still astounds me, considering its great value.

Maybe that's exactly why it isn't on them

Being more serious an RPI told me at the start of the year that they were trying to put rangers on TVMs but had 'run into issues', he was hopeful it would happen eventually though..

 

[GatwickDepress]

Do Rangers and Rovers count as part of the full range of tickets? I ask as I've been refused sale of an East Midlands Rover (in advance, I might add) at London Euston's Virgin ticket office as it wasn't valid from Euston.

 

[AlterEgo]

Do Rangers and Rovers count as part of the full range of tickets? I ask as I've been refused sale of an East Midlands Rover (in advance, I might add) at London Euston's Virgin ticket office as it wasn't valid from Euston.

Yes they are part of the full range of tickets, and the ticket office were wrong to refuse the sale.

 

[185143]

I've had a GM Rail Ranger from Southampton Central, several GM Wayfarers from Hooton, a Valley Lines Day Explorer from Manchester Oxford Road (which got me talking to a scouse guard when I was in Cardiff!), recently an SPT Roundabout from Warrington.

I think the best I've done is a Northern family and friends ticket (the one where you get a voucher from an employee) from Aviemore!

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[Mulberry2016]

They all work from the same system so it wouldn't matter whereabouts in the country you were so long as they knew what they were doing. As previous members have said, it's all down to training. Best to ask the experts on here first so they can advise you what to tell them if you want a rover / ranger for a completely different part of the country.

 

[rg177]

Newcastle are rather damn good at selling just about anything you ask them for.

The clerk didn't even flinch at a Boundary Zone 6-Monks Risborough return when I asked for one last year, and even yesterday morning a West Midlands Ranger was given to me in seconds.

The only issue i've ever had is a Thames Branches Ranger being issued there which an RPI on GWR took massive exception to and told me not to do it again because Newcastle wasn't in the validity area When I probed further and asked why on earth she was being so ridiculous, she came out with 'I don't know just don't, it gets me confused'

I do think that they've upped their game from East Coast days, as i've noticed that the bad ones have either gone or suddenly become very knowledgeable! One such face who has vanished is one who seemed to take personal offence to me asking for split tickets from Derby to Bristol...

 

[Dhassell]

It honestly depends on the Staff Member, for example at my local station some of em can't be assed an just say no such ticket, others give it a try and eventually get there any one in particular shines in every way and gets it first time

 

[317 forever]

I bought a South Wales Flexipass at Stockport station last year. I had a printout, and the clerk asked to see it so he could enter the right description or code.

In 2009 I was able to buy a West Yorkshire Bus & Rail Day Rover at Manchester Victoria. Mind you, an Arriva bus driver must have seen Manchester Victoria on it and got confused because he asked me what ticket it was!

 

[sheff1]

Sheffield booking office claim they are unable to sell a GM Wayfarer even though its validity commences less than 10 miles away. .

Things are looking up. A last minute arrangement meant I had to try and get a GM Wayfarer at Sheffield today. After previous refusals, I was expecting problems but there was no problem at all and the ticket was issued in seconds.

Hopefully things have changed across the board - but I will be keeping todays ticket in case I encounter one of the awkward squad again .

 

[lejog]

In 2009 I was able to buy a West Yorkshire Bus & Rail Day Rover at Manchester Victoria. Mind you, an Arriva bus driver must have seen Manchester Victoria on it and got confused because he asked me what ticket it was!

He probably was confused because the Bus and Day Rover is only supposed to issued on special ticket stock, not standard red tickets.

Its not even available at TVMs in West Yorkshire or (according to the Ts&Cs) on the train.

This appears to be for historical WYMETRO reasons. Bus drivers seem quite capable of accepting Plusbus tickets on standard ticket stock and it must be a drag for the rail industry to keep special ticket stock.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

He probably was confused because the Bus and Day Rover is only supposed to issued on special ticket stock, not standard red tickets.....

There are stations in Greater Manchester that have the WYPTE stock, though offhand I don't know if Manchester Victoria is one of them.

 

[lejog]

Thats slightly irritating if true, because being a PTE product, they're only supposed to be available within West Yorkshire and (the irritating bit) I haven't at least in the past been able to purchase Greater Manchester System One tickets from stations in West Yorkshire. But local shops sell them via Paypoint.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Thats slightly irritating if true, because being a PTE product, they're only supposed to be available within West Yorkshire and (the irritating bit) I haven't at least in the past been able to purchase Greater Manchester System One tickets from stations in West Yorkshire. But local shops sell them via Paypoint.

The only Greater Manchester products that require special stock are the Countycard and Buscard Extras, but I don't think there is a restriction on where you can buy the others. STAR would ask for specific ticket stock for a Traincard, which might confuse some staff, and I suppose if the staff are expecting certain tickets to be on special stock they might not want to try to issue it.

 

[plymothian]

A few months ago someone managed to buy a Tarka Line Rover from Chester station.

Now given that even GWR stations no longer sell that rover in that form, nor is it in Avantix, that was a very rare find.

 

[jax4154]

So once again I am forced to travel to another station to buy a ticket. a Freedom of the North West 4 in 8.

The lovely lady at Worksop says it isn't on her system and the only one she can find appears to be a completely different price. It's more expensive than the 7 day one but I am not allowed to look on the screen to check validity so it is very likely to be something completely different and useless.

It amazes me how this is a acceptable.

I work in the entertainment industry in a responsible job role, if I couldn't do the job I am supposed to do I would be out of a job immediately. If I messed up a job to the point that it impeded people's progress or cost them time or money i wouldn't be stood up in court before the end of the month. Yet time and time again I come across people that for all intents and purpose simply cannot do the job they are being paid to do.

The worst part is it makes the majority of staff who are very good look bad as a whole which is unfair.

The ticket exists I have purchased them before, from this station. In the end I got an outright "I haven't a clue what ticket you mean and there's a queue so I can't help you"

I'm not needing it until tomorrow so I will call somewhere else to buy it. No doubt if I had finally found a ticket there would have been an issue paying with RTVs

I know this will sound harsh and some users will be disgruntled by it but it to my mind is a simple request.


Rob

Tell her its code N37 in Rovers/Rangers (£73 I believe???)