Unable to collect ticket on departure (from machine)

[stew]

My local station (Northern) has no ticket office but has a ticket machine (which offers ticket collection).

I travel tomorrow and purchased tickets online and selected “print at machine”.

Checking the machine tonight, the ticket machine is “unable to print tickets”. Possibly down to lack of ticket stock?

If the machine is not working tomorrow when I begin my journey, can I board and ask the conductor to print off my tickets (using collection ref)?

Many thanks

 

[plugwash]

I don't think Northern Guards can print ToD.

 

[yorkie]

What's your journey?

TOD is a nightmare for this and is being phased out by e-tickets, which avoid this problem.

But in the meantime, you can certainly make the journey (I'd take a photo of the error on the TVM just in case someone accuses you of making it up) but you may have to obtain the ticket at an interchange (if applicable and if you have time) or at your destination (if the facility exists to do that); some Guards can issue tickets, but I don't know if that applies on Northern, and even if it does, it won't work if the reason for your tickets being TOD is that the journey includes London Underground.

 

[skyhigh]

I don't think Northern Guards can print ToD.

They can't.

 

[Haywain]

Checking the machine tonight, the ticket machine is “unable to print tickets”. Possibly down to lack of ticket stock?

The machine would go out of service if it was lacking ticket stock.

The problem could be related to the type of ticket to be issued.

 

[trebor79]

My local station (Northern) has no ticket office but has a ticket machine (which offers ticket collection).

I travel tomorrow and purchased tickets online and selected “print at machine”.

Checking the machine tonight, the ticket machine is “unable to print tickets”. Possibly down to lack of ticket stock?

If the machine is not working tomorrow when I begin my journey, can I board and ask the conductor to print off my tickets (using collection ref)?

Many thanks

Yes. I usually take a photo of the machine just in case, but I've never had serious difficulty in these circumstances.
Here in Greater Anglia land guards can print TOD tickets but it seems to be a bit of a faff and 90% of the time they just tell me to print it at the destination or a station I'm changing at en route.

 

[Watershed]

My local station (Northern) has no ticket office but has a ticket machine (which offers ticket collection).

I travel tomorrow and purchased tickets online and selected “print at machine”.

Checking the machine tonight, the ticket machine is “unable to print tickets”. Possibly down to lack of ticket stock?

If the machine is not working tomorrow when I begin my journey, can I board and ask the conductor to print off my tickets (using collection ref)?

Many thanks

If there are no facilities to buy a ticket at your origin station then you can board without a ticket. The problem you have is that, technically speaking, you could still be forced to buy a new ticket even if you already have a ToD booking you couldn't pick up.

Obviously some TOCs' guards are able to redeem ToD bookings, and many other guards would be pragmatic about the situation and allow you to collect the ticket at your destination or interchange station. But there's always the possibility you'll encounter a jobsworth...

 

[DelayRepay]

If there are no facilities to buy a ticket at your origin station then you can board without a ticket. The problem you have is that, technically speaking, you could still be forced to buy a new ticket even if you already have a ToD booking you couldn't pick up.

Obviously some TOCs' guards are able to redeem ToD bookings, and many other guards would be pragmatic about the situation and allow you to collect the ticket at your destination or interchange station. But there's always the possibility you'll encounter a jobsworth...

One way to protect yourself would be to send a Tweet to the TOC (assuming you use Twitter) asking what to do. It's almost certain they'll tell you to board the train and show your booking confirmation to the guard. I think that would count as being given permission to board if challenged later. If you don't use Twitter you could use the help point (if there is one) and ask them to log the call.

Personally I would just board and speak to the guard. Most won't have a problem but I'm confident enough to argue my case if they do.

 

[skyhigh]

The machine would go out of service if it was lacking ticket stock.

One of the 'out of service' screens on Northern machines says something along the lines of 'This machine is out of service as it is unable to print tickets' and further details of your alternatives, so I think it's likely the machine is just out of ticket stock.

 

[stew]

One of the 'out of service' screens on Northern machines says something along the lines of 'This machine is out of service as it is unable to print tickets' and further details of your alternatives, so I think it's likely the machine is just out of ticket stock.

This is the message which was displayed. Machine now functioning so presumably was restocked today.

The machine would go out of service if it was lacking ticket stock.

The problem could be related to the type of ticket to be issued.

It was an off peak return where an identical ticket has been picked up previously so not related to type of ticket

What's your journey?

TOD is a nightmare for this and is being phased out by e-tickets, which avoid this problem.

But in the meantime, you can certainly make the journey (I'd take a photo of the error on the TVM just in case someone accuses you of making it up) but you may have to obtain the ticket at an interchange (if applicable and if you have time) or at your destination (if the facility exists to do that); some Guards can issue tickets, but I don't know if that applies on Northern, and even if it does, it won't work if the reason for your tickets being TOD is that the journey includes London Underground.

I have picked up dozens of tickets from this machine over the last year and never had this issue before so it’s not been a “nightmare” for me.

E-tickets are not a preferred option for me.

Machine now working so issue solved

 

[Wallsendmag]

This is the message which was displayed. Machine now functioning so presumably was restocked today.


It was an off peak return where an identical ticket has been picked up previously so not related to type of ticket


I have picked up dozens of tickets from this machine over the last year and never had this issue before so it’s not been a “nightmare” for me.

E-tickets are not a preferred option for me.

Machine now working so issue solved

At the risk of opening a whole other can of worms, why don't you like eTickets?

 

[yorkie]

I have picked up dozens of tickets from this machine over the last year and never had this issue before so it’s not been a “nightmare” for me.

That's lucky; others have not been so lucky, as evidenced from previous threads.

E-tickets are not a preferred option for me.

That's your choice, but TOD is being phased out.

Machine now working so issue solved

Until the next time!

 

[trebor79]

At the risk of opening a whole other can of worms, why don't you like eTickets?

Can't speak for the OP, but I also dislike eTickets.
I don't like faffing about with my phone at gatelines, as I'm a bit clumsy and will end up dropping it one day, and that's a very expensive repair bill. I don't like printing eTickets because that uses more paper than CCST and they don't fit into my wallet like CCST.
Basically less convenient and come with the added risk of damaging my phone by needing to use it whilst being jostled through a busy area carrying my bags etc.
eTickets don't offer me anything in terms of convenience. I don't see what's wrong with CCST.

 

[stew]

At the risk of opening a whole other can of worms, why don't you like eTickets?

Simple, I had my phone stolen at a railway station gate line

That's lucky; others have not been so lucky, as evidenced from previous threads.

That's your choice, but TOD is being phased out.

Until the next time!

As a rough guide, how large is the problem of tickets being collected at a machine? Obviously bearing in mind that very few people come on here to say “I successfully picked up my tickets today”

Re: TOD being phased out, can you point me to a schedule for this being implemented please?

 

[Wallsendmag]

You are aware you don't need a phone with eTickets?

 

[stew]

You are aware you don't need a phone with eTickets?

yes, but you need a printer and paper

 

[Wallsendmag]

Simple, I had my phone stolen at a railway station gate line


As a rough guide, how large is the problem of tickets being collected at a machine? Obviously bearing in mind that very few people come on here to say “I successfully picked up my tickets today”

Re: TOD being phased out, can you point me to a schedule for this being implemented please?

As soon as we can get agreement to do so, 85% of our customers choose eTicket and TVMs aren't cheap to run. It's very quickly getting to a point where a TVM will sell tickets but not by CCST.

 

[stew]

As soon as we can get agreement to do so, 85% of our customers choose eTicket and TVMs aren't cheap to run. It's very quickly getting to a point where a TVM will sell tickets but not by CCST.

“As soon as we can agreement to do so” could mean a few months? Or is it likely longer than this?

 

[Haywain]

“As soon as we can agreement to do so” could mean a few months? Or is it likely longer than this?

Frankly, the sooner the better.

 

[stew]

Ok, but what does “sooner the better” mean time wise?

 

[afc75]

I had this issue at Chelmsford this morning. Ticket would not print inward journey, had already queued 20 mins due to multiple machines not working. Barrier person let me through.

They printed at Liv St, but had an a slightly jobworth ticket inspector at Liv St.

But, i get really annoyed with slowness of digital/E-tickets at gates. Hence using paper tickets still.

 

[trebor79]

Frankly, the sooner the better.

Why? If you're happy with eTicket what's wrong with me using CCST?

 

[jthjth]

Why? If you're happy with eTicket what's wrong with me using CCST?

Is there any prospect of being able to transfer an e-ticket to a smart card from a suitably equipped phone? That way there would no need to print and no prospect of the phone being damaged or running out of power.

 

[trebor79]

Is there any prospect of being able to transfer an e-ticket to a smart card from a suitably equipped phone? That way there would no need to print and no prospect of the phone being damaged or running out of power.

That might be a solution, but seems expensive and is less functional than CCST which will have your itinerary and seat reservations printed on it for advance purchase tickets.
I just don't see a compelling reason to rush into ditching CCST. I'd posit that the reason eTicket use is so high is because many TOCs won't give you the option of CCST if you're buying on a phone (even if using a website rather than an app), rather than because everyone prefers them.

 

[duncanp]

When TVMs are deliberately not repaired when broken so as to force people to use e-tickets phased out, what are you supposed to do if you arrive at a station without having purchased a ticket beforehand, and where there are no ticket issuing facilities.

Your phone might be broken/stolen/not working, or there is no internet access to enable you to buy a ticket online.

You could say buy on board from the guard, but if the majority of stations do not have TVMs, and it is a busy train, the guard will not be able to get round and sell everyone a ticket in time.

Then there will a large queue at the destination station there will be a large queue for people to buy tickets to get through the barrier, and it will encourage short faring. (eg. there is an unpaid fares window in the Red Lounge at Birmingham New Street, but as it is at concourse level the person selling the ticket won't know, or be able to prove, whether you have come from Five Ways or London Euston)

 

[OscarH]

I'll be corrected if I'm wrong but I don't think TVMs are going anywhere, just in the future they'll issue bog roll tickets with barcodes instead of orange stock, and they won't have ToD collection

 

[plugwash]

Or even just e-tickets printed on ordinary till roll. IIRC one operator has already trialed TVMs that do that.

 

[yorkie]

Why? If you're happy with eTicket what's wrong with me using CCST?

If the people who want to stick to CCST pay the full cost to maintain that system, that's fine by me!

I had this issue at Chelmsford this morning. Ticket would not print inward journey, had already queued 20 mins due to multiple machines not working. Barrier person let me through.

They printed at Liv St, but had an a slightly jobworth ticket inspector at Liv St.

But, i get really annoyed with slowness of digital/E-tickets at gates. Hence using paper tickets still.

e-tickets are no slower at gates than paper tickets in my experience and I've never had a 20 minute wait for an e-ticket!

 

[stew]

If the people who want to stick to CCST pay the full cost to maintain that system, that's fine by me!

e-tickets are no slower at gates than paper tickets in my experience and I've never had a 20 minute wait for an e-ticket!

And would the people who use e-tickets pay retrospectively for the R&D costs for e-tickets?

 

[_toommm_]

e-tickets are no slower at gates than paper tickets in my experience and I've never had a 20 minute wait for an e-ticket!

Absolutely. Once you have the nack for where to place your phone on the scanner, I’d say it’s even quicker than CCST as you wait for it to run through the barrier and you subsequently having to pick it back up.

I only use CCST tickets for long or unusual journeys where I like to keep my tickets as a keepsake/memory, although I could definitely live without them. For me, commuting = e-ticket, one-off special trips = CCST. Same with theatre tickets, although a programme is more than enough!