Conductors not checking tickets properly.
 

I’ve noticed that a lot of conductors, particularly those on Northern’s services don’t seem to be checking tickets properly. There are at least two conductors who don’t actually bother checking tickets, but do walk up and down the train after each station asking if anyone requires a ticket. While some other conductors quickly glance at the ticket and probably wouldn’t notice if someone showed them a ticket dated for the 16th, when the date was the 18th, for example. It makes it seem that when a conductor properly checks your ticket, that there’s something wrong.

The problem is probably at times on busy trains the conductor doesn’t have time to thoroughly check tickets and issue them to other people without letting people get away with not showing a ticket.

One conductor seems to have a different approach which I think works quite well. He alternates between starting at the back of the train and the front of the train. This seems to work as I’ve noticed that quite often there are people who board at one station, then get off at the next, sit at the opposite end of the train from where the conductor opens the doors, probably in the hope that they can travel for free.

Also, with Northern they never stamp any tickets, with the exception of sometimes scribbling the date on the return part of a saver or open return. This means that it’s easy for the return part of a day return to be used more than once. However, I’m unaware of that happening.

As a TTI (albeit on a preserved line) I feel well enough informed to answer your comments. First of all the primary reason for having TTIs (or conductors, if you prefer to use that term) is to protect the revenue of the railway. Therefore, a TTI is perfectly justified to ask for those who haven't bought a ticket to identify themselves if he or she feels that by doing so they will be able to better serve the interests of the railway. To elaborate, if there is limited time, surely it is wiser to recieve the fares of honest passengers, who other wise may disembark before being able to purchase a ticket, than it would be to thoroughly check the tickets of many passenger on the off chance that you would find a fare evader who was dishonest enough to not mention it. As with regards to the dates, you'd be amazed at how soon you can pick up ways of checking thinks very quickly. On the East Lancs the dates are printed on the reverse of the tickets, but the ticket types are colour coded. For instance, an adult full line return is yellow, whilst a family ticket is white. As for the correct way to progress through the train, I was trained to always do it from front to back as this is the most methodical.

Adam

I though one of the reasons why ticket inspecors do not come around as often is because it is more than likely that inspectors will check tickets at stations anyway so there is not much point in onboard staff doing it.

Yeah, on the East Lancs it's unusual to have your ticket checked on departure from Bolton Street, because it's difficult to get to the platforms without a ticket. Next time any of you visit, watch for that, it's very rare.

Adam

Note that a lot of big Northern Rail stations such as Blackpool North are having auto ticket barriers fitted this autumn

A number of stations across London and Kent already have auto ticket barriers installed.

While some other conductors quickly glance at the ticket and probably wouldn’t notice if someone showed them a ticket dated for the 16th, when the date was the 18th, for example. It makes it seem that when a conductor properly checks your ticket, that there’s something wrong.

I disagree with part of the post,

As a former conductor with Scotrail you would be very surprised as to the information that a conductor can gleam off a ticket at a quick glance. The first thing I would look at was the date and go from there to the ticket type then the route

Les

Just on the subject of ticket checks, are there particular marks that are made on tickets when checked? I have looked at the stamps that are used and they usually say what service it was e.g. stating with the company initials like VT (Virgin). But when they mark them they don;t put on a code usually just a 'scribble' or something else.

The reason I ask is because when I travelled to Leeds on a TPX 170 in August, the inspector wrote '158' on my ticket when he checked it which I found rather amusing. :D

Was it the 15th of August by any chance when he scribbled that?

Looks like you got that in one there. Im looking into it too deeply ;) .