Unusual ticket

[stapler]

Can anyone explain the ticket illustrated at

tinypic.com/view.php?pic=i1w9sg&s=8#.Vhl4V9LBzGc

which is apparently a 7 day zone 1-2 travelcard issued to an American tourist at Euston LO/LM about a month ago?
It is issued WITHOUT a photocard and overstamped "Visitor" where the photocard number is geneally added. It was a first time purchase, not a renewal....

[MoreToJack]

Short answer; no.

Long answer; I see a lot of tickets like this coming through on gatelines which have been issued from several different zone 1 London Terminals. We accept them without hesitation any time; as it is an 'in boundary' season it doesn't (for us as LU) require a photocard as a weekly, and has clearly been done as Euston's ticket office can't issue seasons on Oyster cards - in boundary Travelcards up to a monthly period can be purchased 'self service' on any LUL POM.

I don't know why it has been issued as a renewal, or why people aren't suggested to get an Oyster card instead, but it's perfectly legitimate and perfectly valid. I expect it's some National Rail bodge...

[rincew1nd]

It's not overstamped. It is simply endorsed "VISITOR". #pedant

I've seen a Booking Clerk overstamp 100 tickets and have them in a (numerical order)pile 30seconds later. It involves taking a pre-printed ticket and modifying its validity by adding an extra condition (eg. Only valid with a fare paying adult).

[stapler]

Moretojack, Thanks...how keen are barrier staff on checking this sort of thing? The ticket illustrated presumably opens the barriers, being properly encoded, so quite likely staff other than those involved in a revenue protection blitz would never see it.
What would happen if the holder of that ticket had been challenged for her photocard?

[MoreToJack]

Oct 11, 2015 6:58:42 GMT stapler said:

Moretojack, Thanks...how keen are barrier staff on checking this sort of thing? The ticket illustrated presumably opens the barriers, being properly encoded, so quite likely staff other than those involved in a revenue protection blitz would never see it.
What would happen if the holder of that ticket had been challenged for her photocard?

It will differ from station to station, person to person, situation to situation... the variables are far too lengthy to list.

As I mentioned, I see them more than you might expect, largely due to (I think) tourists being unfamiliar with mag stripe tickets and inadvertently wiping the data. They should always open gates within their validity.

When I scan tickets (Other methods are available!) I'll check the expiry date and zones/destinations before anything else. These are the most important bits of info, and in the middle of the peak you don't have time to be worrying about any more as gateline staff - if you did, you'd have queues backing up quickly. At quieter periods, or if the situation suggests that more examination would be prudent, I'll probe railcards/photocards - and it's surprising how many people *do* chance it. However, for a weekly or monthly zonal ticket I'll rarely bother looking for a photo card - as I mentioned previously, they're not required if it's held on an Oyster, thus there's not too much difference if it's held on mag stock in my eyes. Most RPOs whom I've spoken to agree with me on this one, and wouldn't challenge the ticket mentioned. After all - it's been issued as such.

When you're working on a gateline day in, day out you very quickly pick up on what could potentially be dodgy anyway, and what is clearly genuine.

[stapler]

Thanks again. I don't think I was ever asked for a photocard in the years I used an annual season on Oyster and before; not that I'd have been immediately recognisable in a 20-year old photo. I've never been asked for a senior railcard on TFL (it's loaded onto Oyster)although I have on NR.
NR TTIs/RPOs seem more than anything keen on checking Advance tickets to make sure it's the correct train. One day I was on the 0930 to Norwich when a girl with an advance for the 1030 was made to get off at Colchester North and wait the next train...