Tickets retained by barriers before destination

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Three times now, I have seen Cardiff Bay - Cardiff Central and Cathays - Cardiff Central tickets be sucked into the barriers at Queen Street, when I’ve gone to the Spar so break of journey (or when I can’t be bothered waiting for the next train and walk the rest)

This is surely unacceptable? My ticket is to Central, therefore I am entitled to return through the barriers later and get a train - to Central!

 

[gray1404]

You are absolutely correct. You should ask to be let out and show your ticket manually. If they insist on you inserting it explain that you cannot do so because it will be wrongly retained and you wish to continue your journey later.

 

[sheff1]

Of course a ticket to a named station should never be retained by the barriers at any other station and I can't understand why anyone would programme the barriers to do so.

The same used to happen at Haymarket with tickets to Edinburgh (haven't been there recently so it might be fixed now) and at London Bridge with tickets to St Pancras (fixed the last time I was there).

 

[alxndr]

Same happens at Argyle Street. Close enough that I suspect its never an issue, but catches me out every time as technically it does have some validity left so I don't expect it (I frequently buy to Glasgow Central as it's the same price and I might change my mind on the way).

 

[Class800]

Three times now, I have seen Cardiff Bay - Cardiff Central and Cathays - Cardiff Central tickets be sucked into the barriers at Queen Street, when I’ve gone to the Spar so break of journey (or when I can’t be bothered waiting for the next train and walk the rest)

This is surely unacceptable? My ticket is to Central, therefore I am entitled to return through the barriers later and get a train - to Central!

Did the ticket actually say Cardiff Central rather than Cardiff Central/Queen Street?

 

[island]

Did the ticket actually say Cardiff Central rather than Cardiff Central/Queen Street?

There is no such thing as a ticket to Cardiff Central/Queen Street, as there is no Cardiff station group – it was withdrawn in the run up to privatization.

 

[extendedpaul]

Three times now, I have seen Cardiff Bay - Cardiff Central and Cathays - Cardiff Central tickets be sucked into the barriers at Queen Street, when I’ve gone to the Spar so break of journey (or when I can’t be bothered waiting for the next train and walk the rest)

This is surely unacceptable? My ticket is to Central, therefore I am entitled to return through the barriers later and get a train - to Central!

Now you highlight it, I think that has been my experience too. When I go to evening concerts in Cardiff I usually buy a return to Cardiff Central so I can return from there if I wish, but alight at Cardiff Queen Street and I'm almost certain the ticket is retained. In my case the journey is complete so it doesn't matter but it would certainly prevent continuing to Central on the outward ticket.

That said, if the barriers are closed there should be somebody nearby to let you out ?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Did the ticket actually say Cardiff Central rather than Cardiff Central/Queen Street?

What a thing to ask. Why would I complain about a ticket saying Queen Street on it being sucked in at Queen Street?

 

[Haywain]

Why would I complain about a ticket saying Queen Street on it being sucked in at Queen Street?

Because you wanted to continue to Cardiff Central.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Because you wanted to continue to Cardiff Central.

Sure okay, and that would still be an issue, but as I said above
Cathays to Central and Bay to Central. Queen Street is not a destination option for the tickets being sucked in there.

 

[WelshBluebird]

I've had it at Cathays before (where a ticket from further up the valley lines to Cardiff Central was retained at Cathays). Though that was a while ago now!

Whilst it is poor, I've found the easiest way to deal with situations where I know the barrier is going to cause an issue (this also applies if I need to retain the ticket for delay repay) is to show the ticket to the member of staff on the barrier and explain why I'm showing it to them rather than putting it through. The vast majority of the time they will let me through, although every now and again you do get someone who makes you put the ticket through (then you have to faff around getting them to get the ticket for you - always make sure you do that because it makes it more likely they will let you through the next time as they don't want to be faffing with the gateline any more than you do!).

 

[kkong]

in contrast to the OP's situation, I have noticed that tickets to Glasgow Central/Queen Street are not retained by the barriers at Queen Street upon arrival at the high level station.

This threw me the first time it happened because I wondered why the barriers didn't open - I had to unexpectedly remove and retain the ticket first.

What is the logic in this programming of the barriers... if there is one?

 

[M&NEJ]

My Lancaster to Manchester Piccadilly ticket got swallowed by the barriers at Oxford Road. I told the platform staff I was breaking my journey on a Day Return but they insisted any Manchester station counted as "end of journey" or some such nonsense.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

My Lancaster to Manchester Piccadilly ticket got swallowed by the barriers at Oxford Road. I told the platform staff I was breaking my journey on a Day Return but they insisted any Manchester station counted as "end of journey" or some such nonsense.

Aren't the various types of day return ticket from Lancaster to Manchester, only ever issued to 'Manchester Stns'?

Doesn't make what you were told, to necessarily be correct, though! Can anyone confirm?

 

[greyman42]

The old barriers at Leeds had a reputation for swallowing tickets that they should not. I assume the problem was sorted out when they put the new ones in.

 

[M&NEJ]

Aren't the various types of day return ticket from Lancaster to Manchester, only ever issued to 'Manchester Stns'?

Doesn't make what you were told, to necessarily be correct, though! Can anyone confirm?

Now you mention it I think you could be right. It's a few years ago now. But I was indignant because when purchasing the ticket I had specified Piccadilly and just assumed that's what I'd been given.

 

[MrJeeves]

My friend had a ticket from Dorking to Burgess Hill eaten at Haywards Heath. Had to get the staff to fish it out of the ticket bin for him.

 

[trainJam]

Afaik, Birmingham New Street gates do not retain any tickets.

Not directly related to the OP's scenario, but rather the thread title:
Officially, what is the policy on Break Of Journey where the destination on the ticket can refer to multiple stations?

 

[DelW]

Aren't the various types of day return ticket from Lancaster to Manchester, only ever issued to 'Manchester Stns'?

Doesn't make what you were told, to necessarily be correct, though! Can anyone confirm?

That shouldn't prevent them being returned if there's a potential for a permitted onward route. Waterloo barriers always pass through tickets to "London Terminals" (which are the norm for up journeys). AIUI it's as they have onward validity from Waterloo East to London Bridge.

 

[Roger1973]

That shouldn't prevent them being returned if there's a potential for a permitted onward route. Waterloo barriers always pass through tickets to "London Terminals" (which are the norm for up journeys). AIUI it's as they have onward validity from Waterloo East to London Bridge.

Or to Charing Cross, or if you feel so inclined, Cannon Street (the passenger service round the Waterloo East - Cannon Street curve ended a long time ago but used to exist as an alternative to the Waterloo and City) - I've travelled from Charing Cross a few times when I had a 'London terminals' season ticket from a SWR station.

And possibly even Blackfriars (although I've never tried it, and the option to do that with a second change at London Bridge wasn't there until Thameslink happened) - Blackfriars used to be an acceptable 'London (Southern Region)' terminus. But I'm not sure what the rules are now.

But to go back towards the original question, if I'm doing a break of journey somewhere with barriers, I'll always ask someone if I can, and if they will let me out, as I don't want to get the ticket eaten.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Or to Charing Cross, or if you feel so inclined, Cannon Street (the passenger service round the Waterloo East - Cannon Street curve ended a long time ago but used to exist as an alternative to the Waterloo and City) - I've travelled from Charing Cross a few times when I had a 'London terminals' season ticket from a SWR station.

And possibly even Blackfriars (although I've never tried it, and the option to do that with a second change at London Bridge wasn't there until Thameslink happened) - Blackfriars used to be an acceptable 'London (Southern Region)' terminus. But I'm not sure what the rules are now.

But to go back towards the original question, if I'm doing a break of journey somewhere with barriers, I'll always ask someone if I can, and if they will let me out, as I don't want to get the ticket eaten.

My experience with tickets when arriving at Waterloo is sometimes not that the barrier swallows it (despite my possible intention of continuing to another trinomial station), but that it doesn't accept the ticket and open in the first place - this has been with tickets linked to a railcard. Is it normal for railcard tickets to be rejected at Waterloo so someone can check if they want to?

 

[DelW]

My experience with tickets when arriving at Waterloo is sometimes not that the barrier swallows it (despite my possible intention of continuing to another trinomial station), but that it doesn't accept the ticket and open in the first place - this has been with tickets linked to a railcard. Is it normal for railcard tickets to be rejected at Waterloo so someone can check if they want to?

No it's not normal. All my journeys through Waterloo for at least a decade have been with railcard discounted tickets and they've only rarely been rejected by the gate line (cause unknown). There are stations where I have found they are regularly rejected (Reading used to be one), but not at Waterloo.

 

[MrJeeves]

No it's not normal. All my journeys through Waterloo for at least a decade have been with railcard discounted tickets and they've only rarely been rejected by the gate line (cause unknown). There are stations where I have found they are regularly rejected (Reading used to be one), but not at Waterloo.

See I've had the same experience — no issues. My friend, however, also reports always having his tickets rejected at Waterloo whenever he uses a railcard.

I have a feeling it might be Railcard use before 10am on a weekday that triggers it, potentially?

 

[KeithMcC]

No it's not normal. All my journeys through Waterloo for at least a decade have been with railcard discounted tickets and they've only rarely been rejected by the gate line (cause unknown). There are stations where I have found they are regularly rejected (Reading used to be one), but not at Waterloo.

I always have my railcard discounted ticket rejected at Waterloo as well. I was told by someone on the barrier that they are set to reject them automatically. Not that anyone ever actually does a manual check - I have never actually been asked to show my railcard!

 

[DelW]

See I've had the same experience — no issues. My friend, however, also reports always having his tickets rejected at Waterloo whenever he uses a railcard.

I have a feeling it might be Railcard use before 10am on a weekday that triggers it, potentially?

I have occasionally travelled through Waterloo well before 10am with a discounted ticket to a destination beyond London, and was quite surprised that it worked the barrier in the morning peak. Such rejections as I've experienced seem to have been at random times.

 

[Bluejays]

Wondering if it may have been done to allow tickets from the other way to be accepted, eg. Barry/penarth to central to also be accepted at Queen Street. Does seem a bit strange though

 

[Wallsendmag]

The old barriers at Leeds had a reputation for swallowing tickets that they should not. I assume the problem was sorted out when they put the new ones in.

Probably got worse as the newer barriers are from the same manufacturer as most of the ones in Cardiff

 

[xotGD]

It appears that the ticket barriers at Brighton are configured to reject Advances when trying to get onto the platform.

Any reason why, and anywhere else like this?

 

[MrJeeves]

It appears that the ticket barriers at Brighton are configured to reject Advances when trying to get onto the platform.

Any reason why, and anywhere else like this?

There's a distinct difference between programmed to reject and simply not programmed.

In this case (as per the other post regarding East Croydon a few minutes ago), 105 is invalid ticket type which means that advance tickets simply aren't configured in the gateline database. They're not set to reject, the gateline just doesn't know what to do with them.

You'd be expecting to see 135, which is "special rules".

 

[Class800]

See I've had the same experience — no issues. My friend, however, also reports always having his tickets rejected at Waterloo whenever he uses a railcard.

I have a feeling it might be Railcard use before 10am on a weekday that triggers it, potentially?

Mine never work on the gateline between Waterloo and Waterloo East