Red Spotted Hanky.....

[metrocammel]

Not seen this mentioned on here anywhere....

http://www.redspottedhanky.com/A new(?) booking service using the Atos system (like East Coast, Southern etc...)

There aren't any booking fees like a certain other ticket service, and more interestingly, you can use Tesco Clubcard points to book tickets (very handy for me, having accumulated a lot of Clubcard points living next door to a Tesco!) and for every £100 you spend on tickets, you get a £1 voucher. Check it out!

 

[AlterEgo]

call our support line, open every day from 08:00 - 20:00 on 090678 000 54 (Calls charged at £1 per minute).

*Cough*

Always buy direct from the TOC.

 

[ainsworth74]

They've been around for a while and a few people on here use them, but as AlterEgo points out whilst they don't have booking fees they really sting you should you need to call them so personally I would stick to TOC websites for the most part.

 

[metrocammel]

That's a good point. But I can honesty say I've never had to call up a TOC regarding a problem with a ticket booked online? And to be fair, most TOCs have 0870 numbers anyway!

 

[jopsuk]

using the Atos system

The site is owned by Atos Origin.

The Clubcard deal is pretty good- £10 "worth" of points gets you a £30 voucher to spend on tickets.

 

[AlterEgo]

For example, After Sales Support at Virgin is 4.9p per minute. It's still more than local rate, but it's not so bad compared to other retailers.

God help those who have to call RSH with a query. Are their support/sales staff UK-based? Does anyone know?

 

[metrocammel]

And also, with a couple of clicks, it's easy to find a geographical alternative to the 09 number... 01902 to be precise, which is a Wolverhampton number!

 

[AlterEgo]

And also, with a couple of clicks, it's easy to find a geographical alternative to the 09 number... 01902 to be precise, which is a Wolverhampton number!

Almost foreign then!

 

[MCR247]

They'll still sound foreign as well

 

[WestCoast]

And also, with a couple of clicks, it's easy to find a geographical alternative to the 09 number... 01902 to be precise, which is a Wolverhampton number!

I'll save everyone the trouble...

01902 627981 - Local Rates for anyone

0800 3777748 - Freephone for Tesco Clubcard Voucher issues.

 

[Wyvern]

Looks to me more like a white spotted red hanky.

 

[WestCoast]

*Cough*

Always buy direct from the TOC.

A lot of TOCs are jumping on the bandwagon of "let's charge for postage (even for Ticket-On-Departure in one case)" - plus none of my local stations have TOD, so postage is essential for me.

That's why (unless there is a special TOC offer) I use www.londonmidland.com and www.redspottedhanky.com for my tickets. No postage fees, unlike Virgin, XC e.t.c.

Redspottedhanky is the best independent ticket retailer by miles, due to the loyalty points, lack of fees, WebTIS site, and Tesco Clubcard acceptance. I can look past the call rates (which are easily avoidable) for the other benefits.

 

[hughesfowler]

why not try poppin down to you local booking office for advanced tickets etc, stave off Mcnulty and support the local booking offices and as said unless its like an east midlands red what everday we will try to give the best advice and best fare.

TVMs will not, rage against the machines, stand united against the war that is coming our way.

 

[All Line Rover]

A lot of TOCs are jumping on the bandwagon of "let's charge for postage (even for Ticket-On-Departure in one case)" - plus none of my local stations have TOD, so postage is essential for me.

That's why (unless there is a special TOC offer) I use www.londonmidland.com and www.redspottedhanky.com for my tickets. No postage fees, unlike Virgin, XC e.t.c.

Redspottedhanky is the best independent ticket retailer by miles, due to the loyalty points, lack of fees, WebTIS site, and Tesco Clubcard acceptance. I can look past the call rates (which are easily avoidable) for the other benefits.

Agreed. I have the local rate phone numbers for both redspottedhanky and Virgin Trains, and I could easily get the local rate phone number for any other TOC.

I would point out that their customer services are excellent. You always get put through to someone straight away, they offer to ring back if you need to be put on hold, and will even ring back straight away if you ask. They have also waved the £10 administration fee on a number of occasions (it is optional after all).

On top of this, I have found a way (until next month) to buy £8.50 worth of a certain item at Tesco, and get 500 Clubcard points, worth £15 toward train tickets with redspottedhanky. I'm almost doubling my money, especially as redspottedhanky don't charge any fees!

They are definitely based in Wolverhampton, as you have to send any letters there to process refunds. I also remember passing the ATOS Origin head office once when I was on the train - I am sure it was near Wolverhampton!

So, to sum up, I completely disagree with AlterEgo - in my opinion redspottedhanky is excellent. I only wish that they'd change their stupid name!

NOTE: A similar thread was created AGES ago when they first started accepting Tesco Clubcard vouchers.

 

[yorkie]

A lot of TOCs are jumping on the bandwagon of "let's charge for postage (even for Ticket-On-Departure in one case)" - plus none of my local stations have TOD, so postage is essential for me.

Note that East Coast (and possibly others) only charge for postage if TOD isn't available.

If I want postage, all I need to do to get it free is to buy from Poppleton - which is always the same fare as from York (except for Reader Offer promotional fares)

 

[Goldfish62]

The site is owned by Atos Origin.

The Clubcard deal is pretty good- £10 "worth" of points gets you a £30 voucher to spend on tickets.

Yes - it's great - had a recent free travel bonanza courtesy of my Clubcard vouchers!

 

[All Line Rover]

Note that East Coast (and possibly others) only charge for postage if TOD isn't available.

If I want postage, all I need to do to get it free is to buy from Poppleton - which is always the same fare as from York (except for Reader Offer promotional fares)

Ha! How clever!

 

[sheff1]

why not try poppin down to you local booking office for advanced tickets etc, stave off Mcnulty and support the local booking offices and as said unless its like an east midlands red what everday we will try to give the best advice and best fare.

I'm afraid I have absolutely no intention of popping down to Sheffield station and then trying to explain to the uninformed staff there what I want. Before it was possible to book virtually any ticket online, I have spent many an hour (and I mean hour) trying to get them to issue tickets which I can now book from the comfort of my own home in 10 minutes.

 

[WestCoast]

why not try poppin down to you local booking office for advanced tickets etc, stave off Mcnulty and support the local booking offices and as said unless its like an east midlands red what everday we will try to give the best advice and best fare.

TVMs will not, rage against the machines, stand united against the war that is coming our way.

All very well unless you live in an area where many of the stations have limited or no ticket purchasing facilities. A lot of the people in the lands of Northern, ATW, Scotrail e.t.c are in this position. We have hardly any TVMs in Northern-land either, we actually want more! To put this in perspective, Burnley Manchester Road served 190,070 passengers in 2009/10 and it has no office, TVM or RPIs. Guards are struggling to collect fares on some routes and this is leading to big queues at principal stations to pay (or non-collection in some cases). You can't buy advance tickets from a guard either.

Smaller staffed stations often have just one clerk in these areas, and that advance query can lead to large queue build-ups at certain times. I can't be bothered with that, since I can do it more easily on the internet and I can do it a lot faster with my exact preferences. Some people may have to make special trip to the nearest staffed station.

 

[island]

A lot of TOCs are jumping on the bandwagon of "let's charge for postage (even for Ticket-On-Departure in one case)" - plus none of my local stations have TOD, so postage is essential for me.

That's why (unless there is a special TOC offer) I use www.londonmidland.com and www.redspottedhanky.com for my tickets. No postage fees, unlike Virgin, XC e.t.c.

EC will also give free postage when the first journey you book in a transaction doesn't have TOD.

 

[yorkie]

EC will also give free postage when the first journey you book in a transaction doesn't have TOD.

Yes, good point, although I will clarify that I am pretty sure it's the first scheduled journey as part of the transaction, regardless of when you place it in your basket. e.g. if I add London to York to my basket for 1st August, then add Poppleton to London to my basket for 12th July, it would give me free postage.

If someone wants free postage but all their local stations have TOD, then put a DPT to DOC child single in your basket for a time prior to your first actual journey. This will cost 40p, thus a saving of 60p compared to paying the £1 postage charge.

 

[WestCoast]

If someone wants free postage but all their local stations have TOD, then put a DPT to DOC child single in your basket for a time prior to your first actual journey. This will cost 40p, thus a saving of 60p compared to paying the £1 postage charge.

Or if you are not availing of an EC discount (or similar), buy from a fee-free retailer.

I only wish that they'd change their stupid name!

It's been chosen on purpose to stand out from the crowd and to make you remember it. It doesn't necessarily matter whether it is "good" or "bad" - just that you know it!

Still, I bet if you asked the travelling public about online ticketing retailers, 90% would mention "The Trainline"..

 

[Crossover]

My parents asked me about Red Spotted Hanky the other week so have passed on the message about Tesco clubcard points.

I usually book with the TOC sites but may have to look at RSH in future in some cases. I purchased a Stafford-Manchester AP Single with YP the other day, costing £4.60 from XC. They were willing to post them to me for a cost of £6! hock: or to collect at TVM for £1. I went for the e-ticket option but have to say it is such a crap solution with the amount of rubbish it prints and the inconveience of an A4 sheet...in future I'll be aiming to stick to standard ticket stock!

 

[jon0844]

why not try poppin down to you local booking office for advanced tickets etc, stave off Mcnulty and support the local booking offices and as said unless its like an east midlands red what everday we will try to give the best advice and best fare.

I'd like to, but often have so many problems getting the ticket (even anyone to acknowledge the ticket exists) that I've been very tempted to buy online (and, if I am doing the same trip more than once, save it as a 'favourite') and simply pick it up from a TVM when I go.

But, just as you can't get a ticket extension from a TVM, nor can you get a ticket from Boundary Zone 6 by booking online. Instead you must buy from the last station in the zone, which is more expensive for one journey I do occasionally. It's only about 5p more buying online, but it's the principle!!

I'd like to see ticket offices remain open and nicely staffed, but when you get shoddy service from some (mostly agency staff, but why should a passenger care about things like that?) then you will seek alternatives. I have no doubt all the good staff are just as frustrated by the cuts in training that could have them out of a job in the years to come as a result.

 

[MCR247]

Looks to me more like a white spotted red hanky.

It is a Red spotted, hanky opposed to a Red, spotted, hanky if you get what I mean

The first means:
A hanky with spots that are red

The second:
A red hanky that is spotted