Great Western Coffee Shop

All across the Great Western territory => Fare's Fair => Topic started by: grahame on October 14, 2021, 07:32:51



Title: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: grahame on October 14, 2021, 07:32:51
I am popping up to Didcot for a final hall check for our Saturday AGM (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=25530) today - popped to the GWR site to get my ticket ...

(http://www.wellho.net/pix/notick20211014.jpg)

Oh dear ... I'm going to make the journey anyway as I suspect tickets WILL be available from the TVM.  But this page doesn't seem to be exactly encouraging me to use the train, does it?  (lots more "no ticket available" rows shown - in fact the only train offered with a fare, until a few minutes ago, was the 07:20).


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: ChrisB on October 14, 2021, 09:31:14
Yep, reservation still required for online bookings where services are reservable - SWI to DID in your case. So none available or fully booked. There is an unreserved coach available so you should be able to sit down when buying from machine/ticket office.

I agree it can put off those unknowing souls from using the train & will be taking it up on Monday with GWR.


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: IndustryInsider on October 14, 2021, 09:40:48
Agree, Chris.  This sort of nonsense needs stamping out very quickly.


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: TaplowGreen on October 14, 2021, 09:43:34
Agree, Chris.  This sort of nonsense needs stamping out very quickly.

I take it this "nonsense" is one of the measures to reduce the risk of catching COVID on a train where social distancing isn't possible due to overcrowding?


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: JayMac on October 14, 2021, 11:23:18
Agree, Chris.  This sort of nonsense needs stamping out very quickly.

I take it this "nonsense" is one of the measures to reduce the risk of catching COVID on a train where social distancing isn't possible due to overcrowding?

If it is, then it's a half hearted measure. People can still buy walk up tickets from ticket offices and TVMs without restriction.

Also, I've just checked the old Mixing Deck booking engine (tickets.gwr.com), and the Android app, and neither of those appear to be restricting the sale of walk up tickets for trains in the next few hours, or in the evening peak from Paddington.


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: grahame on October 16, 2021, 10:05:55
If you are coming to today's AGM and getting "no tickets available" from the GWR web site for your train trip ....

You should be AOK walkup - ignore the "No tickets Available" and "Reservations Compulsory"


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: ChrisB on October 16, 2021, 10:09:47
Having the same problem with XC from Banbury…appears a 9 coach doubke-viyager is fully booked  ::)


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: grahame on October 16, 2021, 12:46:14
Having the same problem with XC from Banbury…appears a 9 coach doubke-viyager is fully booked  ::)

On GWR at least "fully booked" does not mean fully booked.  I was on a SWI to DID the other day - "fully booked" but even in the quiet and fully reserved carriages, seats which were only booked for a different part of the journey.  And as usual, only around half the booked seats were actually occupied ...

Hope you can make it, ChrisB


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: Alan Pettitt on October 16, 2021, 21:41:45
A few weeks ago when my son tried to buy a ticket online from Dorchester West to Bristol, to connect with the tickets he managed to buy no problem Temple Meads to Birmingham International, he got the fully booked message (from DCW to BRI? never knew that was bookable) anyway, I told him just to get on the train at Dorchester and pay the guard. No problem, he said the train was nearly empty.


Title: Re: "No tickets available" - Melksham to Didcot
Post by: Red Squirrel on October 17, 2021, 12:46:00
For my two penn'orth, I too was befuddled by this - the GWR app offered me the last remaining first class ticket on the 09.30 BRI-DID, but I had no trouble finding a third-class seat in coach G.




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