Okay, now a London transportation question...

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So, if I'm in London from Saturday to next Monday, then Thursday the 16th through Sunday the 19th, does that mean I just should get a 7 day travelcard when I arrive? And they require a photo with that? Or is the seven day thing unable to be spaced out that way? I seem to remember having such a card back in 2001 but I can't remember all the details...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Does that mean you won't be using it for two whole days? it might not be worth it.

― adaml (adaml), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:31 (twenty-one years ago)

especially if you DO have to fork out for a photo. I can't remember if you do.

DAILY travelcards are probably what yer after.

― adaml (adaml), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I won't be in London for that stretch of time, that's my Dublin jaunt. Thus my question as to what's the best approach here!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Sounds like you won't need a weekly card, but try here, I'm not sure what zones, etc you're using

― adaml (adaml), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah yes, this Oyster dealie. Hm, I wonder I can get one at Heathrow? *checks* Sez they're not available yet per se in seven day format? *ponders* A mystery...

(This is all part of my 'get as much ready as possible' plan here -- already booked my ticket to Luton and back for the Dublin trip, double-checked the passport, made sure I have an adaptor for my shaver and iPod...)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm afraid it's new to me, too. They must have introduced in the last 2/3 months. You might want to wait until the Britishers rise from their pale, malnourished slumber.

― adaml (adaml), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:41 (twenty-one years ago)

And in terms of zones, since I'm staying with Martin in East Ham, I guess I'm using that zone and inward most of all. And that's right on the border with zone 3/4, it seems...

Yes, that's right, they have to rise up, drink sugary tea and boil beef. I've heard of this. Then they all have surgery to make their chins weak.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:42 (twenty-one years ago)

you can't get an oystercard, and you can't do the 2 days off thing, either, i'm afraid. if you only wanted zones 1/2 you wouldn't need a photocard, but you will for zone 3.

a weekly travelcard is only worth it if you'll be moving around before 9:30am, cos travelcards are a couple of quid extra then; if you're doing that a weekly one might be worth it.

also get weekend travel cards on the weekend, they do sat+sun for around £6 instead of £8+ for two separate ones.

oh, and you're probably best off getting a single ticket at heathrow and then a travel card later in the day, cos travel cards including heathrow are expensive (esp if you're there before 9:30am, when they cost £10ish iirc).

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll be there at 12 noon or so -- so you figure I should just get a single ticket from Heathrow to East Ham, a weekend travel card for the rest of the weekend, single ticket from East Ham to King's Cross for the Monday and then back again on the Thursday (or maybe just a daily card for the Thursday anyway)...then a daily travelcard for Friday and Saturday and a single ticket back to Heathrow? Does that sound logical or not or...?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 04:52 (twenty-one years ago)

sounds sensible to me.

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 06:33 (twenty-one years ago)

i'd get a one day or weekend travelcard on Saturday Ned, even from Heathrow i'm sure it'll be cheaper than buying a single to East Ham (this will cost at least £5 i think). plus if we're fapping for the football uptown somewhere then you'll need it for the rest of the day too.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 07:59 (twenty-one years ago)

also ned, if a travel card is cheaper the heathrow to east ham the machine/ticket office man will sell you a travelcard anyway...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 08:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Weekend Travelcard is certainly the cheapest option for the weekend. Then look at your journeys. £4.50/£5 for a travelcard after 9:30 isn't bad at all and works out favourably for the zones. Though of course if you just want to swan around on buses after you are here (my suggestion) then an all zone all day bus pass is only 2 quid.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

ignore pete about buses, obviously.

(actually taking the bus is often a good idea, but i think it's less of one when you don't know your way around.)

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 09:01 (twenty-one years ago)

It is more of one when you don't know your way round. All the bus stops say where they are these days... And the spider diagrams on bus stops are great now.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 09:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Also if you only do busses which might be a bit much from east ham a weekly bus pass is on £8.50 for all zones or £2 daily.

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 10:01 (twenty-one years ago)

East Ham -> West End on a bus is madness! It takes FOREVER.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 10:11 (twenty-one years ago)

But think of the sights!

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 10:25 (twenty-one years ago)

They scrapped the 9.30 am rule about travelcards ages ago, thanks to Ken.

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 10:57 (twenty-one years ago)

They didn't exactly scrap it, you can get a travel card before 9.30, but you pay through the nose for it.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

So it's the same as the old LT card?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:29 (twenty-one years ago)

but you can use it on the overground which you couldn't with an LT card.

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

pre-9.30 travel cards are about 25% more expensive than post 9.30 ones.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:44 (twenty-one years ago)

A peak travel card for zones 1-3 (i.e. before 9.30 am) is £6.20. An off peak zones 1-4 is £4.50.

Coming from Heathrow, a weekend travel card, zones 1-6 is £7.60, only 90p more expensive than a 1-4 weekend travel card.

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Might be worth bearing in mind: any form of Travelcard allows you on any bus, so a Z1-2 T'card will get you about on Z3 or Z4 buses. I can't imagine you'll be wanting to bus it to Z2 when Martin lives on a tube line, but it's an idea.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/fares-tickets-may2003.pdf

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:52 (twenty-one years ago)

woah, really Mike?! So I've been paying 70p to go an extra zone from my travel card for nothing?! doh!

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:53 (twenty-one years ago)

he is quite correct

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, you've been able to do that for the last two years. Yay! Ken.

Though it means I'll never see Emma caught on a bus for not paying the fare ever again.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:57 (twenty-one years ago)

woah, really Mike?! So I've been paying 70p to go an extra zone from my travel card for nothing?! doh!

Yes - it's on p23 of that PDF document above. They introduced that sometime last year but weren't terribly good at advertising the change.

x-post

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 11:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I had a quick look and saw it, they've been appauling at advertising it then! Thank god I 'chanced it most times. Unfortunately it means that I'm more likely to be a lazy sod and wait for a bus, rather than walk to the tube...

Sorry Ned, we've gone off topic a bit!

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember that coming in. What a boon it was. I can't decide who is best - Ken or the Rapture.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

definitely Ken.

I'm getting my Oyster card this afternoon, and I'm worryingly over-excited about it

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

i got my Oyster card today. i keep worrying it won't work and i'll hold everyone behind me up faffing, but so far so good

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:21 (twenty-one years ago)

i paid £8 for an all zone travelcard at 8.05am yesterday tho - bah

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

i love my oyster card. i'm not allowed to go on about it though or my girlfriend will hit me.

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Can someone explain this 'Oyster card' to me? I saw signs for it when I was last in London but it made me think of congealing bottles of oyster sauce and I didn't investigate further.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

tell us about yr oystercard Toby, what scrapes have you got up to with it?

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I love my Oyster card! It lets me go places! With the merest touch on a yellow pad thing!

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I love the DJ's on nightbuses idea. I was on the last bus back to Penge on Thursday and the Arriva MC bigged me up. It's a wicked idea.

― Daryl, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The queues at Brixton have put me off the last two times I've had Oyster dreams, so the transport revolution will have to wait until November at least. There's also the question of maintaining friendly smalltalky terms with the woman in the newsagents, which I've gone on about elsewhere.

Do you have to fill in some kind of application before they give you one or can it be done on the spot? And how does one renew the thing thereafter? Oh, I can't be bothered looking it up, I'm supposed to be working.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:39 (twenty-one years ago)

http://tube.tfl.gov.uk/content/tickets/smartcards.asp?expandOnly=menu1&sideMenu=menu1option9

― Vicky (Vicky), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Phil Neville!

― Daryl, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Mike, you can do it all online so you will never have to venture out again. Er...

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

My question is: how do I know it's going to run out? do I get a warning a couple of days before somehow?

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry ned...

anyway (from the above link):

On the Underground the following work has been completed as part of Oyster:

Ticket gates are now installed at almost all stations, which has helped to reduce ticketless travel.
149 stations have been gated as part of Oyster
2 stations are yet to be completed (part of wholesale station redevelopment schemes)
3 stations are to remain ungated

but which three are they?

finsbury park seems a likely one, but where are the other two? i mean, even camden's got them now...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I could only think of Finsbury Park too, maybe one of the ones out way on the met line like Chalfont & Latimer? It ain't Uxbridge though.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

well waterloo, waterloo and city line, I believe is one of the '2' mentioned above

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought you went through Barriers to get down there, you do from the concourse anyway.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:22 (twenty-one years ago)

pardon my norf lundun ignorance but why wouldn't/doesn't Finsbury Park have gates?

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:22 (twenty-one years ago)

There's an old man who will begin following you around a day or two before it expires. He will communicate via the power of mime.

Those guys with the Golf Sale signs are also aware.

― Daryl, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:23 (twenty-one years ago)

there used to be one way, I think from just by the eurostar terminal where there were no gates just steps down, this may have gone already but I thought it was only imminently going.

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

nope, they've sealed that one now I think. I am currently number 3 in a queue to talk to a careline person who will hopefully tell me!

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Kensington Olympia will almost certainly remain ungated.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't know why FP is ungated, possibly because most of it is underpass and the narrowness of the tunnels. BUT they have put yellow circle things for beeping your oyster card on on the walls, which seems a little hopeful to me...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)

also what counts as an underground station, what about ones where the trains share a station shares a station with overground trains, such as kew, stratford and some of the metropolitan line stations (they may of course have gates anyway).

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)

What sort of god allows this to happen? A just god? Nay. A rightous god? I think not. A god with access to the Ultravox back catalogue? Midge Ure would never allow it.

― Daryl, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:46 (twenty-one years ago)

The nice lady at the Oyster card hotline has gone off to ask a couple of the old duffers that work there (her words) and will ring me back with this vital information

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Shoreditch station is ungated at the moment and will remain so, I betcha (by golly! Wow!).

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

maybe not after the ELLE is built.

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:54 (twenty-one years ago)

According to Georgia at the Oyster hotline, the three that will be permanently ungated are:

Finsbury Park

Mill Hill East

and

Roding Valley!

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 13:55 (twenty-one years ago)

FB and MHE stations should be gated with great big unopenable gates anyway to stop poor unsuspecting innocents visiting those areas by mistake.

Roding Valley doesn't exist.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

(I think Ned has learnt his lesson about asking London transportation questions)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)

It's on the Hainault Loop apparently, I may make a pilgrimage.

More London Transport questions!!!!

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought you were ringing up to find out how you know your card is about to run out!

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry ned...

Oh no worries, I'm intrigued by all this. :-)

I think Ned has learnt his lesson about asking London transportation questions

Okay, so what about DUBLIN transport then? ;-) One day pass, two day, what?

So to sum up for my particular London situation, though -- arrive at Heathrow, get a weekend travelcard that covers the inbound route from Heathrow? This is all I have to do to start with?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Dublin transport = A pair of shoes.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Hendon Central got a gate last year! That made me sad. :-(

― Chuck Tatum (Chuck Tatum), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

(And looking up there Vicky said as much re: weekend card from Heathrow so clearly she is the Queen of Goodness.)

Dublin transport = A pair of shoes.

Hurrah!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

N, yes, looking back I should have done that, but I got caught up in the ungated station mystery.

I'm going to Roding valley soon and will visit the nearest pub, results to follow in Pumpkin methinks

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Ed, Shoreditch station will certainly not have gates after the ELLE is built, because it will no longer exist.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:16 (twenty-one years ago)

If no-one uses Roding Valley station, then it doesn't exist. That little red loop was a Beck creation for asthetic purposes only.

― Daryl, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Does this mean that Shoreditch a) has gates, b) is getting gates c) has been forgotten about by tfl?

bugger, I forgot about its impending demise

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Ken's put Beck in charge of our suburban railway network now?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)

So I'm visiting London right when the old system is completely dying out or what?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, Beck is replacing the whole tube network with a network of contingent plastic funk teleports but you have to have an Oystercard to use them.

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Beck, yesterday:

http://www.thetube.com/content/history/beck_small.jpg

― Ricardo (RickyT), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Beck is distracted and his draft tube map is sent badly awry:

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000033JZU.02.LZZZZZZZ

― Tim (Tim), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:34 (twenty-one years ago)

stop making me laugh!

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

yeh, stop making him laugh

― stevem's boss aka the boss of stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

No, no, it's John Beck, ex-manager of Cambridge United. I thought this was obvious.

― Daryl, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:54 (twenty-one years ago)

This thread is the reason I spend too much time on Ile

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

the tube in london is so cheap compared to california public transport that any travelcard you wind up getting will seem like a deal.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

The reason Finsbury park cannot be gated is due to an ancient Civil Ordinance going back to when Finsbury Park was used as an archery field for all freemen who were part of the militia. Whilst this ordinance has not been repealed London Transport looked into putting in gates five years ago, and were put off by a consortium of historians and celebrities featuring Simon Schama and Norris McWhirter who said they would bring it up. So LT couldn't be arsed.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Does that mean we can practice with our longbows on the victoria line platforms?

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Is this the same kind of archaic law that allows Bryan Robson to become manager of Nigeria?

― Mikey, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it is mainly restricted to the Park itself and possibly wouldn be at odds with other laws recently in more favour. But I remember this being in the Ham and High with regards to access to the Park, with the tube station being read as an entrance so it should not have "ye gates".

Any law that allows Bryan Robson to be manager of Nigeria is an Ass.

That sentence is better read in a diffferent order.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm, I smell booze on your sentence, Pete.

― Mikey, Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Now Pete, that's a VERY creative lie!

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

the tube in london is so cheap compared to california public transport

Depends where you're at, Anthony -- while OC transit is fairly limited (bus, one train line and that's it), for me basic bus fare per month is $10. Admittedly this is subsidized in part by UCI, which has a direct interest in keeping the amount of cars down around the campus.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

that is cheap. MUNI in SF will set you back $37 a month, BART could be upwards of $100!!! bullshit.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Lie, its in Peter Ackroyd's London : The Biography.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

OCTA without subsidization is nearer to $40 a month and nowhere near as common or complete coverage as MUNI, so I suspect we can pretty easily compare and contrast here down the line! As it is it's just perfect for what I need here, so yay.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Well a monthly travelcard in London is about the same, no?

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually I think it's more - it used to be at least £700 a year for my zones 1-2 annual travelcard.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually I think it's more - it used to be at least £700 a year for my zones 1-2 annual travelcard.

Exactly. It IS more, especially if you have to go to Zone 3, or outer of that. Last I saw, buying annually for Zones 1-3 ran at least 800 pounds, or something.

Anyway, Ned: keep an regular eye on the London Transport site or the daily paper for notices of tube shutdowns or closing stations. You don't want to find out the station you'll need is shut down due to a strike, water-main collapse, or something.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

or better http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/service_rt_all.shtml

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 20:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Spot on, Ed.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

personally i think Ned should, upon arriving at Heathrow, cruise into town in a stretch VW Beetle, standing up thru the sunroof yelling 'i am very happy to be here!' at bemused pedestrians and motorists

sadly i do not believe such an appropriate vehicle exists

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 21:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Tim is too hard on FB. But I would expect no less, of course.

― Ally C (Ally C), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)

They wouldn't even bat an eye, only say "Another idiot Yank tourist, innit?"

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

More oyster fun: oyster card

Re: Finsbury Park. I was there a few months ago, when there was a ticket inspection on the staircases leading from the platforms. It was utter mayhem. Several policemen per heated conversation and a noise level you wouldn't believe. And I was trying to get down to the platform.

― Daniel (dancity), Tuesday, 7 October 2003 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Well if people were fare riding at Finsbury Park, all you need do is utter the line - "I am here to practise my archery for the King's militia and to defend all of England from foreign invaders" and they would have to let you pass. Though if you had a bow and arra on you they might arrest you for carrying a dangerous weapon.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 09:36 (twenty-one years ago)

the Gatekeeper of Finsbury is supposed to get a free pig every month are they not? and two comely maidens of virtue true.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 09:42 (twenty-one years ago)

and a hogshead of mead.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 09:57 (twenty-one years ago)

The current gatekeeper of Finsbury is the Mayoress of Finsbury, Sula Aziz who as a strict Muslim has neither need for the hoshead of mead, free pig or the comely maidens. I wonder if they are going to waste somewhere round the running track.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 10:08 (twenty-one years ago)

you should set out with your longbow and fetch us back a pig for the megafap

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 10:10 (twenty-one years ago)

we can sacrifice it in the name of Andrew WK/Busted

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 10:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I was at college with the Mayoress of Finsbury. I once asked her if she wanted to come to my house for a fiddle and she got me in a headlock.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Wednesday, 8 October 2003 11:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I just found this pretty nifty map of tube walklines.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 9 October 2003 09:41 (twenty-one years ago)

cool! i've been developing a more geographically accurate tube map, if anyone's interested...

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 9 October 2003 10:01 (twenty-one years ago)

is Latimer Road really a quicker walk from White City than Shepherds Bush West (as i call it) tho? i think not

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 9 October 2003 10:03 (twenty-one years ago)

(Steve: Have a look at geographical tube maps here.)

― Alfie (Alfie), Thursday, 9 October 2003 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

This is most entertaining.

― Ed (dali), Thursday, 9 October 2003 11:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I found that walklines list the other day too. Do you read the kottke blog, Jerry?

I like the version without the actual tube lines.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 9 October 2003 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I found it via the Things weblog Nick.

More tube map stuff here: http://rodcorp.typepad.com/photos/variousthings/wayoutmap.html

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 9 October 2003 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

ed's link is pretty great.

I still prefer the glasgow underground, of course.

http://www.spt.co.uk/images/Internet_map.gif

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 9 October 2003 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Glasgow's is fantastic isn't it. Steve - White City is really close to Latimer Road as the crow flies, but would probably take ages to walk becasue you have to get the other side of the West Cross Route. So you're right. Glad you liked the walklines map thing.
rodcorp

― rodcorp, Thursday, 9 October 2003 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

the tube map design i was messing with basically stuck to the current Beck design but lines were altered slightly to reflect geography more accurately tho not as accurate as the actual geographic maps linked above (e.g. the 45 degree lines are retained). i also added the new ELL extension and other possible future stations and interchanges such as Park Royal Central lane interchange with Picadilly and White City Hammersmith & City line interchange with Central line. I keep meaning to upload but it needs some tidying/updating. I imported the official PDF into Illustrator is all. Sad? Very much so! but also fun and a useful exercise for me in terms of thought process and design practice.

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 10 October 2003 08:41 (twenty-one years ago)

six months pass...

I'm coming down to London on Friday 23/4 and flying into heathrow, returning on Sunday. What sort of travelcard should i get? I won't being going further out than Zone 2 when i'm there.

― leigh (leigh), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:28 (twenty-one years ago)

How are you getting to/from the airport?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Also which airport?

The likely answer to your question = a 1-day travelcard (Z1&2) on the Friday followed by a weekend travelcard (Z1&2) on the Saturday. Whole lot should cost about £11.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

(I think what Matt means is that you can either get the flashy, fast but expensive Heathrow Express, which is what, £20 return? Or the good old tube for a billion stops, which takes about an hour and a quarter but is only about a fiver. Either way, there's now point getting anything more than a one day travelcard on the Friday.)

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:34 (twenty-one years ago)

now point = no point

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Wasn't planning on getting the heathrow express, I've got a bit of time to kill between landing and meeting my host so the tube suits me better. So the best course of action is to get a single from heathrow to oxford circus then a off peak pass for friday, a weekend pass for saturday and sunday then a single back to heathrow?

― leigh (leigh), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:47 (twenty-one years ago)

No - the all zones Travelcard at Heathrow. It's not so much more than a Zones 1-2 pass that it's worth getting a single then a travecard later.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, get a Travelcard that includes... whatever zone Heathrow is in. 4 or 5 I think.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

(xpost)

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah the 5 zone weekend card is only like 60p more expensive than the 1& 2.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Heathrow is in zone 6; they moved it at about the same time they stuck Hampstead Heath overground into Zone 3, to howls of disgust by locals. When you come to buy a weekend travelcard it will feel bargainish.

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 11:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I was shocked to learn last week that you can travel on any bus in the Greater London area (in any zone) with any tube travelcard (zone 1, zone 1-4, zone 2-3 whatever).

If on you are traveling on the weekday to Heahtrow then the Zone 1-6 1 day LT card (stress LT card not travelcard) is cheapest at £8.20.

If on traveling from/to Heathrow on weekend 1-6 travel card is the best way to go.

― marianna, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:01 (twenty-one years ago)

LT card is just for weekdays before 9.30am isn't it?

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Marianna, I can't believe it took you X length of time to figure that out ;-)! As far as I know they print bus/train/tube logos on them to show how much stuff you're able to use.

― suzy (suzy), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

I remember the great 'you can use any bus' discovery craze of 2000, or whenever Ken got elected.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Well it used to be to go to zone 3 on a bus, you needed a zone 1-3 travel card. I was told it changed at the start of last year by the tube station dude.

― marianna, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:10 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not sure about LT cards, you can only get them 1-6 now and are valid for the entire day, but just exclude travel on national rail or some parts of bakerloo line.

― marianna, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Well it used to be to go to zone 3 on a bus, you needed a zone 1-3 travel card

I know! Then Ken changed it and revealed this information by a stealth marketing campaign.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:13 (twenty-one years ago)

i didn't know you could travel on a zone 1 bus with a zone 3-4 travelcard, is that what you mean?

you can still get one day zone 2-6 travelcards I assume

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I hadn't thought about it that way around - I was thinking about going to zone 3 on a zones 1-2 travelcard. I've always been suspicious of people with travelcards that exclude zone 1.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, I didn't know I could go to zone 3 on a bus, on a zone 1-2 travelcard. None of my colleages did either, so it must have been a very stealth marketing campaign. The info on the TFL site isn't that clear, the which ticket to buy page is vauge.

― marianna, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I've always been suspicious of people with travelcards that exclude zone 1

I used to live in Zone 5 NW London and work at Beeb Centre which is right at the end of Zone 2 heading east so...

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

After looking at the transport for london site it would seem that the off peak zone 1-6 travelcard is about a fiver and the lt card is about £8 although it's very confusing so i could be wrong.

― leigh (leigh), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

My sister gets the tube from Colliers Wood up to Vauxhall (boundary of zones 1 & 2) and so cunningly avoids the expensive travelcard.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

hang on, what's the difference between LT and travelcard??

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

i seem to recall mr barang explaining the travel-card/bus situation to a bus-driver when it first started.

wasn't it when there stopped being different bus zones?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Of course if you really want to save money you could just get a Zone 1-2 travelcard then catch a 105 bus to Greenford, 95 to Shepherd's Bush and then a 94 into central London. It would take about two hours, but is the cheapest route as the bus trips are on the card.

Yes, it was when we just had two bus zones, Ken bought it in. Much to the chagrin of Emma who had got caught coming down Crouch End Hill on a Zone 1-2 travelcard which would within six months be legal.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

i sort of wish it was worth me having an Oyster card again

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

LT excludes overground trains, stevem. It's what students get given, which is a bit of swizz if you live somewhere tubeless but on the Silverlink or whatever.

Oyster rules!

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:36 (twenty-one years ago)

It is, even if it is just oay as you go. The deposit is refundable and you save money on any tube journey you make.

The student travelcard now includes trains after a heavy delegation by some very caring General Managers put the case.

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:37 (twenty-one years ago)

After looking at the transport for london site it would seem that the off peak zone 1-6 travelcard is about a fiver and the lt card is about £8 although it's very confusing so i could be wrong.

No, that sounds about right. As far as I am aware (things might have changed), the only time you want an LT card is when a travelcard is not available, which used to be before 9.30am on weekdays. Forget about it otherwise.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i'll just get a 6 zone off peak travel card on friday and a 6 zone weekend one. I shouldn't be so mean, it's not as if i'm down very often.

― leigh (leigh), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

(Pah, and I wanted someone to try my super 3 bus method).

― Pete (Pete), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry Leigh, I assumed that you'd be getting into heathrow very early, which most of my friends seem to do!

It is important to save money on fares so you can spend it on more important things!

So when did this new bus/travelcard rule come in then Pete?

― marianna, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it was either 2001 or 2002.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry, my name isn't Pete. I used to get told off for that at school.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I 'love' how questions about London transportation evoke 2741 posts, each one more confusing than the last.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, it is one of my 'favourite' things.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:00 (twenty-one years ago)

I could have saved many many pounds by now. :( I guess no one ever told me cause I travel to zone 4 on the tube to go work - but my work reimbursed me for excess travel by way of a raise and I only claimed the difference in cost between the zone 1-3 and the zone 1-4.

― marianna, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I had to buy a weekly 1-6 pass today instead of my usual monthly. The cost? 38 quid!!!!!! I do get to go to heathrow on it if I want though of course, and yes, the LT card is all day (even before 9.30) and is the cheapest to include zone s 1-6

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

This is what marianna was getting at too. 'Cheapest' what? The travelcard is cheaper than £8.20, isn't it?

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Have you ever tried opening the ticket gates by putting the oyster card in your back pocket and then shaking your ass over the oyster card reader?

The Heathrow 1 Day Travelcard summed up:
1-6 off peak << 1-6 LT card << 1-6 travelcard

― marianna, Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't know there were two tiers of One day Travelcard on top of the LT card!

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, Marianna sums everything up perfectly

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Have you ever tried opening the ticket gates by putting the oyster card in your back pocket and then shaking your ass over the oyster card reader?

the stations could pipe out mambo music

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Heathrow is in zone 6; they moved it at about the same time they stuck Hampstead Heath overground into Zone 3, to howls of disgust by locals.

How peculiar - I thought zonal redefinitions were usually all about bringing stuff in not flinging it further out. For example, the broadening of the Z2/Z3 border out in Greenwich/Docklands when the Jubilee and DLR extensions began to take shape. Crystal Palace BR has recently become Z3/Z4-boundary to my unceasing delight (and, hopefully, as a prelude to the ELL extension).

Can anyone point me in the direction of a history of the zonal system? How long has it been around? The notion of fare stages on the buses seems very old hat now, doesn't it?

I'm not sure my ass is at card reader height.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Have there always been peak and off-peak One Day Travelcards? I'm sure when I lived down there it was just travelcards, and on weekdays, you could only buy them after 9.30, until they introduced the pricier LT Card, which you could buy in the mornings too.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Heathrow into zone six = huge money spinner surely?

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I have a travelcard kicking around for zones 1,2, 3a, 3b and 3c. I think it's dated for sometime in 1984, but I could be wrong.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Peak travelcards = new innovation, from about four years ago.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Madness.

I remember the 3a, 3b, 3c thing. Did they just become 3, 4 and 5?

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I have a vague feeling they were North East, North West and South subdivisions.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:30 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't remember those. North Metroland (Watford and ting) is still in A/B/C/D segments i assume?

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:31 (twenty-one years ago)

yes it is (at least I don't have to travel out to them)

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Just had a bit of a google, and it turns out my feeling was wrong.

Originally there were four zones: west end, city, inner and outer. After the first reorganisation, west end and city became 1, inner 2, and outer 3. Outer was then split into a, b and c, which later became 3, 4 and 5. 6 was added later.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

There is very little on the interweb about this, which I find mildly odd. Surely tube ticketing is exactly the sort of geeky subject that should be covered in great and staggering depth online.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I think they're all on uk.railways.london, Ricardo.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Or, uk.transport.london.

― N. (nickdastoor), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:52 (twenty-one years ago)

ricky, i think you have found your PROJECT, make it so :)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Oyster gremlin - swiping into Waterloo East to then walk out of the station at the Southwark side - it doesn't let you. I was told that this was because if you exit the same station you enter, you have to wait 15 minutes before exiting that station. This seems madness. Is there a reason?

Ticketing is not geeky enough. The geeks only care about the trains, curses gnash gnash etc.

I did not know this trick with the travelcards and buses. Never again shall I pay for a 131 from Norbiton to Wimbleydon.

― Dave B (daveb), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 13:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha, I have posted on uk.transport.london! I looked there first.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 14:00 (twenty-one years ago)

You have to wait 15 minutes to re-enter, not exit. Their gates must be bust.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Chris, if you go to Heathrow you can then get a normal service bus to Maidenhead. I just mention it in case you want to come and help me feed the ducks / grab a squirrel.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 15:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I like this 'service bus' concept. Is it full of squaddies passing round one tiny ciggie and turning the air blue?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

As opposed to 'Heathrow Express' like what posh Reading gets. I imagine it's full of pensioners, the others all are.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 14 April 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm going to bear that in mind Mr Miller. Probably after the wedding though

― chris (chris), Thursday, 15 April 2004 07:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Are those handwritten cardboard tickets with "I am a political refugee from Kosovo" valid for the ABCD zones?

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:22 (twenty-one years ago)

January 4th 2001 is the answer to Marianna's question way up a bit.

Waterloo East is a train station therefore the only journeys an Oyster can do must involve the tube. If you have got a Tube from Waterloo to Southwark you are a mentalist and therefore you deserve to be detained for being STOOPID.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:24 (twenty-one years ago)

"Waterloo East is a train station therefore the only journeys an Oyster can do must involve the tube."

HEIN?

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:25 (twenty-one years ago)

re refugee cards, i never saw one north of Ealing Bdway or Kilburn

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Pete is talking nonsense.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:31 (twenty-one years ago)

taxis in london are way too expensive. it pisses me off.

― CAss (CAss), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I do like getting on a bus to find the poor conductor hasn't been issued with an Oyster reader. We both shrug at each other in a resigned "heigh ho, this won't work" way and get on with our bidness.

― Sarah (starry), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Whilst you can use an Oyster as a travelcard, you cannot buy exclusive train tickets (say Waterloo East to East Croydon) on an Oyster pre-pay as the pricing structure is different for the zones etc etc.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I was thinking about this last night, so people with pay as you go oyster cards get free bus journeys?

― Vicky (Vicky), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:38 (twenty-one years ago)

i like walking to most places

― CAss (CAss), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Er, yes, but nowhere did Dave mention prepay!

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 15 April 2004 08:51 (twenty-one years ago)

while bus/train conductors without oyster readers generally just shrug and go whatever, you cant guarantee that. on a train the other week i was asked to show the receipt for the monthly travelcard i bought online. i said i was unable to provide a receipt as my credit card bill had not arrived yet, and that even so, it wouldnt prove the dates. he paused before telling me that the oyster card was not valid without a receipt, and that he would let me off this time, but not next.

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:28 (twenty-one years ago)

he's got a point, you're supposed to keep the ticket style receipt that you get when you recharge it. (obviously I lost my first one and had this pointed out to me by a ticket inspector who let me off)

― chris (chris), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, but how the fuck are you supposed to have this if you buy it online?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:34 (twenty-one years ago)

The train ticket inspectors seem woefully undercluedup about oyster cards. Requiring you to have a receipt for something bought online is completely unreasonable.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:38 (twenty-one years ago)

carry round a printout of the purchase screen? ;o)

― chris (chris), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Well you can't really blame them if it's in the rules somewhere. Is it, or not?

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't have a printer!

(I don't have an oyster card either, but hey)

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I am 99% sure it isn't in the rules. Even if it is it wouldn't stand up if it was challenged.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:42 (twenty-one years ago)

There's one station that Boyler and I passed through on the way home from a City FAP that you actually have to pay to WALK THROUGH. I think it might be from Southwark to Waterloo East now I comes to think of it. It had a drunken Dave sptting venom and blaming Thatcher, obviously.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:46 (twenty-one years ago)

"when buying certain rail tickets, including discounted tickets (where applicabale) tou will need to present your record card [the receipt thing] Oyster card and photocard for inspection"

Mind you on the Oyster information thing it says that if yr oyster doesn't work or if there's no reader then you show the oyster and the photocard

― chris (chris), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, that's only when you are buying eg a ticket to Maidenhead from Paddington, which is cheaper if you already have a Z1234 travelcard.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Even if you buy online you get sent a receipt card thingy with the Oyster innit. It also functions as a Gold Card for discounts (25% off for up to 4 people travelling together?) on overground train travel in the South East.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 15 April 2004 09:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Only when you get the oyster card, not when you renew the ticket. And the gold card only applies for annual tickets.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:00 (twenty-one years ago)

yea, ive never been sent anything when i renew. i was unaware you were to keep the original receipt, (which was sent to my official address anyway, which is non-london). if you had an oystercard for 5 years, are you supposed to keep a flimsy tatty 5 year old piece of paper with you for 5 years also?

― gareth (gareth), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Its not unreasonable if those are the rules agreed on the conditions of carriage (which are significantly different on the train). I had a bus conductor with a reader the other day.

Also Oyster Pre-Pay does not work on buses yet. It will beep, but nothing will happen and an inspector can bitch-slap you upside yo head. Or fine you. Or let you off because you weren't to know.

I still like the idea of the Oyster card penalising you for doing stupid tube journeys that would have been quicker to walk.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:02 (twenty-one years ago)

re. the pre-pay on buses, (and I've realised I mean routemasters, as all driver-only buses seem to have readers unless the conductor has a reader then people can flash their oyster cards, and unless the conductor asks to see their receipt, then they get away scot free. Same with people using out of date oystercards.

I know you could get caught by a ticket inspector, but we were on a bus with one the other day, and it takes so much longer for them to check tickets, that unless you're incredibly unlucky and are one of the first people to get checked, it's easy enough to get off the bus cos there's no way they can keep everyone from getting off the bus without checking the tickets, like they used to do.

my oystercard has an aversion to some of the ticket readers on the 123s, and all the driver does is print off the readout, and tell me to call the number on it as soon as possible, which is ridiculous as I just get off at blackhorse rd, and use the card to get through the barrier no problem.

― Vicky (Vicky), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I've got a Thames Trains Network Railcard.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I went to the end of the DLR at Beckton on Monday for no reason. My life is a little on the empty side.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I've been on a few 73's where drivers have readers now. Being phased in. Pre-Pay will start working on buses soonish, problem is they often give you the green bleep but it hasn't really worked.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:33 (twenty-one years ago)

It's like with girls.

― N. (nickdastoor), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

But Pete, drivers having readers isn't much use!! (not for routemasters, anyway)

― Vicky (Vicky), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Gives them something to play with when they are stuck at bus stops/traffic lights. Sometimes they let the conductors on their bises use them too.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 15 April 2004 10:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Oyster cards lose their merits significantly if you're bussing it - it's quicker for me to renew my monthly bus pass and flash it at the driver on boarding. They work better with train gates naturally although I developed this fear of the gates closing in on my nether-regions because I tapped the reader too early or late after the last person.

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 15 April 2004 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I wonder if anyone has considered getting a bus into Central London. When there was engineering work on the Picc Line we had to take a 'railway replacement' bus service and there was zero traffic and we got there in less time than normal. Depending on the time of day bus transport could be an option.

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Thursday, 15 April 2004 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and a nice oyster thread that may be worth reviving judging by this thread: oyster card

― Japanese Giraffe (Japanese Giraffe), Thursday, 15 April 2004 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

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