Train GraphicClick on the map to explore geographics
 
I need help
FAQ
Emergency
About .
Travel & transport from BBC stories as at 09:35 28 Mar 2024
* Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads
- Man suffers life-threatening injuries after train stabbing
Read about the forum [here].
Register [here] - it's free.
What do I gain from registering? [here]
 02/06/24 - Summer Timetable starts
17/08/24 - Bus to Imber
27/09/25 - 200 years of passenger trains

On this day
28th Mar (1988)
Woman found murdered on Orpington to London train (*)

Train RunningCancelled
06:57 Swansea to London Paddington
07:43 Swansea to London Paddington
08:18 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
08:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
09:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
09:12 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
09:29 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
09:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
09:46 Westbury to Swindon
10:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
10:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
10:41 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
11:00 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington
11:05 Swindon to Westbury
11:16 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
11:23 Weston-Super-Mare to London Paddington
11:30 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
11:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
12:15 London Paddington to Cardiff Central
12:17 Westbury to Swindon
12:30 London Paddington to Weston-Super-Mare
13:15 Swindon to Westbury
14:19 Westbury to Swindon
15:14 Swindon to Westbury
Short Run
05:03 Penzance to London Paddington
05:40 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance
06:38 Weymouth to Gloucester
06:54 Taunton to London Paddington
07:33 Weymouth to Gloucester
08:38 London Paddington to Westbury
09:50 Cardiff Central to London Paddington
10:35 London Paddington to Exeter St Davids
Delayed
05:33 Plymouth to London Paddington
06:00 London Paddington to Penzance
06:05 Penzance to London Paddington
07:10 Penzance to London Paddington
08:03 London Paddington to Penzance
08:35 Plymouth to London Paddington
09:04 London Paddington to Plymouth
An additional train service has been planned to operate as shown 09:13 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester
09:37 London Paddington to Paignton
10:04 London Paddington to Penzance
10:23 London Paddington to Oxford
PollsOpen and recent polls
Closed 2024-03-25 Easter Escape - to where?
Abbreviation pageAcronymns and abbreviations
Stn ComparatorStation Comparator
Rail newsNews Now - live rail news feed
Site Style 1 2 3 4
Next departures • Bristol Temple MeadsBath SpaChippenhamSwindonDidcot ParkwayReadingLondon PaddingtonMelksham
Exeter St DavidsTauntonWestburyTrowbridgeBristol ParkwayCardiff CentralOxfordCheltenham SpaBirmingham New Street
March 28, 2024, 09:42:15 *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Forgotten your username or password? - get a reminder
Most recently liked subjects
[146] West Wiltshire Bus Changes April 2024
[117] would you like your own LIVE train station departure board?
[80] Return of the BRUTE?
[63] Infrastructure problems in Thames Valley causing disruption el...
[49] Reversing Beeching - bring heritage and freight lines into the...
[27] CrossCountry upgrade will see 25% more rail seats
 
News: A forum for passengers ... with input from rail professionals welcomed too
 
   Home   Help Search Calendar Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Tapping in/out. A cautionary tale.  (Read 2081 times)
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18894



View Profile
« on: October 29, 2021, 10:08:52 »

I travelled up to London Waterloo this morning, 29th October 2021. Ultimate destination was Oxford Circus.

On leaving my train at Waterloo I headed straight to the Underground from the entrance on the mainline platform. I followed the signs for the Bakerloo line and when I reached my first gateline I assumed I was entering the Underground so I tapped my Oyster (Smartcard system used by passengers on Transport for London services).

A little discombobulated when I found another gateline blocking my progress to the Bakerloo. Tapped my Oyster again and discovered I had no credit left.

Turns out I'd tapped out at a National Rail barrier with my Oyster. I should have scanned my National Rail e-ticket. A quick discussion with TfL» (Transport for London - about) staffer and I learnt I'd been charged the maximum fare for an uncompleted Oyster journey.

No great hassle though. A call to TfL and I was refunded within 20 minutes.

Lesson learnt. That's twice this week I've been caught out with ticketing errors. Losing my touch.  Grin
Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
eightonedee
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 1532



View Profile
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2021, 11:04:47 »

There's a lot to be said for credit card sized bits of card you can glance at and see what it's for before you push them into the slot.......!
Logged
bobm
Administrator
Hero Member
*****
Posts: 9809



View Profile
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2021, 11:22:39 »

Lesson learnt. That's twice this week I've been caught out with ticketing errors. Losing my touch.  Grin

..and that's before he went to the pub.
Logged
paul7575
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5316


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2021, 11:42:56 »

There’s possibly a case for better signage at that particular gateline.  Maybe “Exit from National Rail” as a prominent banner type sign above it.  I’m assuming the gate you used would have had a green arrow?

I think it’s more obvious when you do the same journey Offpeak and have to go via the main concourse gateline where it’s immediately obvious you’re not entering the underground yet.

Paul
Logged
JayMac
Data Manager
Hero Member
******
Posts: 18894



View Profile
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2021, 11:56:40 »

There’s possibly a case for better signage at that particular gateline.  Maybe “Exit from National Rail” as a prominent banner type sign above it.  I’m assuming the gate you used would have had a green arrow?

I think it’s more obvious when you do the same journey Offpeak and have to go via the main concourse gateline where it’s immediately obvious you’re not entering the underground yet.

Paul

Agree. I'm pretty clued up, but was still caught out. Big, prominent 'Exit from National Rail' sign and I may well have used the correct ticket.

And yes. It's been many years since I arrived in Waterloo early doors and the platform entrances to the Underground were open. Pretty sure the last time I used one such entrance there were no National Rail barriers.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2021, 12:12:00 by bignosemac » Logged

"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."

- Sir Terry Pratchett.
paul7575
Transport Scholar
Hero Member
******
Posts: 5316


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: October 29, 2021, 12:33:01 »

There’s possibly a case for better signage at that particular gateline.  Maybe “Exit from National Rail” as a prominent banner type sign above it.  I’m assuming the gate you used would have had a green arrow?

I think it’s more obvious when you do the same journey Offpeak and have to go via the main concourse gateline where it’s immediately obvious you’re not entering the underground yet.

Paul

Agree. I'm pretty clued up, but was still caught out. Big, prominent 'Exit from National Rail' sign and I may well have used the correct ticket.

And yes. It's been many years since I arrived in Waterloo early doors and the platform entrances to the Underground were open. Pretty sure the last time I used one such entrance there were no National Rail barriers.
There was quite a big project to improve and widen the west end of the peak hour subway about the same time as the main gatelines were installed. About 2011 maybe?  Previously I think there were various openings with steps down to the slightly lower LU passageway near the Waterloo & City station, I think they were bypassed and you now have to use another gateline. 

I’ve never found an accurate diagram of it all at that level. I noticed new steps were added at the platform 1-4 end during the 2017 work, they now face outward towards the platform end to avoid a u-turn.

Paul
Logged
Do you have something you would like to add to this thread, or would you like to raise a new question at the Coffee Shop? Please [register] (it is free) if you have not done so before, or login (at the top of this page) if you already have an account - we would love to read what you have to say!

You can find out more about how this forum works [here] - that will link you to a copy of the forum agreement that you can read before you join, and tell you very much more about how we operate. We are an independent forum, provided and run by customers of Great Western Railway, for customers of Great Western Railway and we welcome railway professionals as members too, in either a personal or official capacity. Views expressed in posts are not necessarily the views of the operators of the forum.

As well as posting messages onto existing threads, and starting new subjects, members can communicate with each other through personal messages if they wish. And once members have made a certain number of posts, they will automatically be admitted to the "frequent posters club", where subjects not-for-public-domain are discussed; anything from the occasional rant to meetups we may be having ...

 
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Powered by SMF 1.1.2 | SMF © 2006-2007, Simple Machines LLC Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!
This forum is provided by customers of Great Western Railway (formerly First Great Western), and the views expressed are those of the individual posters concerned. Visit www.gwr.com for the official Great Western Railway website. Please contact the administrators of this site if you feel that the content provided by one of our posters contravenes our posting rules (email link to report). Forum hosted by Well House Consultants

Jump to top of pageJump to Forum Home Page