Is it me or are the guards now checking the tickets on the trains even
more since they installed the gates at Waterloo?

Have to say, the gates work pretty well, although did come across some
machines that wouldn't let any of us on paper tickets out the other
week.

But, seriously, my ticket is checked by machine getting through the
barriers both ends, do you really need a visual check as well?
Treating us all like bloody criminals, I may start refusing to show my
ticket to the guard as they now have ample checks and six times a day
takes the p*ss.

"elyob" wrote in message
...
Is it me or are the guards now checking the tickets on the trains even
more since they installed the gates at Waterloo?

Have to say, the gates work pretty well, although did come across some
machines that wouldn't let any of us on paper tickets out the other
week.

But, seriously, my ticket is checked by machine getting through the
barriers both ends, do you really need a visual check as well?

They might still be checking for people who may have joined at the large
proportion of unbarriered stations, or who have changed from an unbarriered
connecting service, looking especially for those attempting to use tickets
for only part of the journey.

Perhaps there has been a remarkable increase in sales of Vauxhall - Waterloo
seasons?

Paul S

On Mar 17, 10:48*am, "Paul Scott"
wrote:
"elyob" wrote in message

...

Is it me or are the guards now checking the tickets on the trains even
more since they installed the gates at Waterloo?

Have to say, the gates work pretty well, although did come across some
machines that wouldn't let any of us on paper tickets out the other
week.

But, seriously, my ticket is checked by machine getting through the
barriers both ends, do you really need a visual check as well?

They might still be checking for people who may have joined at the large
proportion of unbarriered stations, or who have changed from an unbarriered
connecting service, looking especially for those attempting to use tickets
for only part of the journey.

Perhaps there has been a remarkable increase in sales of Vauxhall - Waterloo
seasons?


Well, true. But it just seems that SWT have upped their checking. But
I guess I just get a bit peeved as I have to carry luggage through the
"manned" gate at my station. The people are never there at rush hour,
and sometimes can be wandering off somewhere else.

Wouldn't it be easy enough to let the gates know which train has come
in and then check the validity? i.e. if it's a fast from Surbiton, no
way could a Vauxhall be valid.

elyob wrote:

Wouldn't it be easy enough to let the gates know which train has come
in and then check the validity? i.e. if it's a fast from Surbiton, no
way could a Vauxhall be valid.

Too many trains come in at once and also, IIRC, passengers are able to move
between platforms behind barriers so there's no way one can fairly assume
what stations a passenger could and couldn't have used. You also have the
problem of the trains not running to time or making unscheduled pick-ups,
let alone interchanges and extensions (e.g. if I come in on a Woking fast
and use my travelcard how does it know I've also got a paper extension?) so
there'd be no end of legitimate passengers held up.

On 17 Mar, 10:14, elyob wrote:
Is it me or are the guards now checking the tickets on the trains even
more since they installed the gates at Waterloo?

I don't know if it is you, but I have been commuting from Waterloo to
Wandsworth Town for about 13 months... I've been checked exactly once
on the train, about 8 months ago I believe. Never had a check at
Wandsworth Town station either. Where do you get checked and what
route do you take?

Wouldn't it be easy enough to let the gates know which train has come
in and then check the validity? i.e. if it's a fast from Surbiton, no
way could a Vauxhall be valid.

That wouldn't work due to the high number of trains coming in and the
fact that people are legally allowed to us any of the gates they can
reach, also those nearer to other platforms. It would be pretty much
impossible to program the system in this way.

On 17 Mar, 12:18, elyob wrote:
On Mar 17, 10:48*am, "Paul Scott"
wrote:





"elyob" wrote in message

....

Is it me or are the guards now checking the tickets on the trains even
more since they installed the gates at Waterloo?

Have to say, the gates work pretty well, although did come across some
machines that wouldn't let any of us on paper tickets out the other
week.

But, seriously, my ticket is checked by machine getting through the
barriers both ends, do you really need a visual check as well?

They might still be checking for people who may have joined at the large
proportion of unbarriered stations, or who have changed from an unbarriered
connecting service, looking especially for those attempting to use tickets
for only part of the journey.

Perhaps there has been a remarkable increase in sales of Vauxhall - Waterloo
seasons?

Well, true. But it just seems that SWT have upped their checking. But
I guess I just get a bit peeved as I have to carry luggage through the
"manned" gate at my station. The people are never there at rush hour,
and sometimes can be wandering off somewhere else.

Wouldn't it be easy enough to let the gates know which train has come
in and then check the validity? i.e. if it's a fast from Surbiton, no
way could a Vauxhall be valid.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

There is usually a space to pass luggage through in a manual gate -
you can put your luggage through there and then use the ticket gate to
exit yourself, picking your bag up from the other side of the space in
the manual gate.

Unless your luggage is too big, you don't need a manned gate.

elyob wrote


Well, true. But it just seems that SWT have upped their checking. But
I guess I just get a bit peeved as I have to carry luggage through the
"manned" gate at my station. The people are never there at rush hour,
and sometimes can be wandering off somewhere else.

What station ? There may be a schedule to upgrade to a manual
double-wide gate.

Wouldn't it be easy enough to let the gates know which train has come
in and then check the validity? i.e. if it's a fast from Surbiton, no
way could a Vauxhall be valid.

Nope, the new Waterloo layout has free flow airside of the barriers
(and the subway at peak times too).

BTW, a giggle from (Waterloo) Update 04 leaflet.

"The introduction of the gates .... brings a substantial increase ...
with around 100 additional staff to work the gates and offer assistance
to travelers."

--
Mike D

wrote:

There is usually a space to pass luggage through in a manual gate -
you can put your luggage through there and then use the ticket gate to
exit yourself, picking your bag up from the other side of the space in
the manual gate.

Not any more. The installation at Waterloo has a fairly high proportion of
'wide gates'. There are no manual gates as such, they are all mag stripe
ticket or Oyster card operated.

Paul S

On 17 Mar, 20:03, "Paul Scott" wrote:
wrote:
There is usually a space to pass luggage through in a manual gate -
you can put your luggage through there and then use the ticket gate to
exit yourself, picking your bag up from the other side of the space in
the manual gate.

Not any more. The installation at Waterloo has a fairly high proportion of
'wide gates'. There are no manual gates as such, they are all mag stripe
ticket or Oyster card operated.

Paul S

Yes, the introduction of wide gates is an improvement over the rather
lax loophole that is a manual gate.

Having said that, they may not always be quick enough to only let one
person through.