Paul Weaver wrote:
MIG wrote:
the bridge to Waterloo Main, where there are still machines and an almost permanent
squad of checkers

In peak hours perhaps, I rarely see any checkers.

Which really chimes in with what others have said about the train
companies only checking tickets of people who are likely to pay, rather
than actually doing the difficult stuff of checking tickets in the
evenings and at weekends, when you're more likely to get irregular
travellers who are more likely not to have a ticket and more likely to
be violent/aggressive.

Waterloo East is a classic example; there are always squads of
inspectors in the morning peak, and never at any other time. Ditto
Feltham, where I complete my journey - inspectors in the morning and
evening peaks, but travel at any other time and the gates are wide
open.

Patrick