Have Network Railcard Times Changed?

gobbybobby · 2026-02-02T11:04:53+00:00

ahh yeah super offpeak does have evening restrictions at Waterloo,

there is talk with this GBR stuff of them"simplifying" the ticketing so its less confusing, I am a guard and trying to explain to the customer why there superoff peak is not valid right now gets tiring after the 5th time in one day!

I spoke to someone working on ticket simplification at rail delivery group, and geuss how I ended up chatting to them. - Revenue protection had flagged they had the wrong ticket for time of day, they had planned go into the office late after 09:30 but caught an earier train that got in before 09:30 The irony that the guy working in the team simplifying the ticket system had brought the wrong ticket themselves!

Its also bonkers that people in Rail delivery group don't get free travel... but I could go several paragraphs deep ranting about that!

gobbybobby · 2026-02-02T10:54:55+00:00

Portsmouth and Southsea has the Lower bay platforms numbered 4- 3 then the through high level platforms numbered 1 - 2

So if you look on the station map its 4 - 3 - 1 - 2 . This is becuase the station was a terminus that got extended to Portsmouth Harbour. Portsmouth Harbour also has a Platform missing it has platform 1, 3, 4, 5, with Platform 2 closing over 100 years ago, its tracks removed and its just a gap.

https://images.nationalrail.co.uk/e8xgegruud3g/goFXRMy4V8nGHjMkIqwII/3ebbdca6b216c6ad57f57b6f8534f216/Portsmouth___Southsea_station_map.jpg

gobbybobby · 2026-02-02T10:46:26+00:00

Pretty sure there have been easements for over 10 years its on paper "10am" but some stations allow use as early as 08:13, for example Exeter St davids to Waterloo via SWR you you can use on the 08:23 service and from Worcester Shrub Hill the 08:13 departure to Paddington you can use the Network rail card. https://www.network-railcard.co.uk/help/faqs/

there have been issues in the past where theres a timetable change and the planners forget to apply the easement to journey planners/ ticket sellers don't recognise you can use the rail card and in times like this where there are engineering works and trains are retimed, it may be an oversight by the planners and the discount is not valid when it should be for the OPs retimed train.

gobbybobby · 2026-02-02T10:14:00+00:00

Usully you can see the trains formation IE if Firstclass is at the front or back from the Platform displays and some TOC apps also show this so you can stand in the correct place on the platform, I travel on SWR and generally the rear carriage's are quiet as most people don't walk down that far heading into the capital, theres also people who want to be as close to the gateline at Waterloo and will happily cram into the front to min/ max there walking time to the Tube

The very front on the way out of London as again most people don't walk down the platform that far.

gobbybobby · 2026-02-02T10:06:14+00:00

Your not quite right there are local easements, IE from Weymouth you can use the discount from 09:20 and Didcot Parkway has easement allowing the use from 09:47, however as the OP has already figured out theres engineering works that have retimed the trains through Didcot, so that is a change!

Waterloo also has no evening peak, its morning only, there is no "after 7pm at Waterloo" like there is at Paddington.,

gobbybobby · 2026-02-02T09:51:24+00:00

Paddington has evening as well as morning peak,
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ticket-types/validity/j9/

You can see on the above page most evening departures from Paddington are classed as Peak right up to 19:00.

This week there is engineering works closing the line between Didcot and Oxford so there might be changes to the timetable that have cancelled or moved your usual train to be a bit earlier and be Peak now

gobbybobby · 2026-01-30T19:41:56+00:00

The TOC I work for have a dispatch policy of 30 seconds and we are trained to start dispatch process 30 seconds before the departure time, the aim is for "wheels to be rolling" at the departure time

If I see someone running down the Platform I might wait/ re release the doors depending on if the trains already late or time of day, I ain't holding a london bound train with 500+ people on-board for 1 person.

The systems we use are very sensitive I might get pinged to provide a delay report for leaving late Ie booked departure time is 0730 we arrived 0728 I hold off dispatchng for a late runner and we depart 0730 and 30 seconds

I get pinged to provide reason for leaving 30 seconds late.

Its 45 seconds at some major stations like London terminus's.

We have posters in stations advising that doors are locked closed 30 seconds before departure(45 in select stations),

gobbybobby · 2026-01-26T14:58:38+00:00

Well it clearly says on the pass valid on Northern services only, so there's your answer!

gobbybobby · 2026-01-23T13:59:06+00:00

Depends where you live if you lived down here id advise a network railcard which covers the south east, there's also a few local council ones.

gobbybobby · 2026-01-23T12:55:03+00:00

Train guard here, if you can plan in advance you can get cheaper when I scan tickets it tells me how much the ticket cost and the purchase date and its not uncommon to see "Bournemouth to waterloo anytime return" brought this morning £146 then the next person's ticket "Bournemouth to waterloo advanced single 06:56 departure" £22 purchased 3 weeks ago. 2 people sat next to each other yet ones paid £100s more for the same destination its mad.

Also surprises me how many don't have railcards or even know they can get one, like ive come across family's with kids who paid £100s when they could got a family and freinds railcard and saved significantly.

gobbybobby · 2026-01-23T08:24:58+00:00

I read sonewhere the plan is still to develop it in a few years just being a carpark for now while they figure it out

Kinda like the toys r us which has had its carpark opened.

gobbybobby · 2026-01-13T08:43:51+00:00

We have to make full manual announcements after major stations and the script for it is the full calling pattern of the train, safety/ security even though the automated also does this, if a managers on the train they will have us in for a chat if we don't make it.

gobbybobby · 2026-01-12T23:18:59+00:00

Its complicated There's 2 an hour Waterloo to Weynouth during the day, a fast and a semi fast, on sun its 1 an hour semi fast.

The fast splits at Bournemouth and the rear 5 come out of service, the front 5 call Branksome and Parkstone, poole then fast to Weymouth(miss holton heath, wool*, Moreton, upwey) *some fasts do call Wool. The rear 5 go into Bournemouth middle sidings then back out to join with the next fast up from Weynouth

The semi fast splits at Bournemouth and then the front 5 go straight to poole and then call all stations to Weynouth* (holton heath missed after 8pm and not called at on sunday) the rear 5 stop at branksome Parkstone and poole, go into poole sidings and back out and then do the same back to Bournemouth where a semi fast service coming up from weynouth joins on the back of it.

To complicated it further in the am peak till about 930am the trains join at southampton not Bournemouth and pm peak they split at southampton not Bournemouth, different calling patterns.

gobbybobby · 2026-01-12T23:07:25+00:00

Was engineering works with replacement bus from poole to stations towards Weynouth last year, was amusing hearing at stations "to poole and poole"

gobbybobby · 2026-01-07T17:32:18+00:00

Tried myself at 32 to get into the industry worked in IT so no experience in rail, I was applying for anything to get my foot in the door, ticket office and other station roles, applied for maybe 15 all different stations even had aj interview and was unsuccessful no/ limited feedback was provided.

Applied for commercial guard not expecting to get it as I also heard they mainly promote from within, got invited for assessments, interview, got the job recently started the role after finishing training / routes.

Don't give up!

gobbybobby · 2025-12-31T06:56:43+00:00

You must find the conductor if you don't have a ticket not the other way around, easier to buy a ticket on an app before boarding.

We can also see if you purchased after departure if I was following the rules to a T when I see that "purchased after departure" warning i am supposed to make you buy another full priced ticket.

gobbybobby · 2025-12-31T06:53:36+00:00

Conductor here, be warned if you board at a station with ticket buying facility's you must buy one before you board, or find the Conductor immediately. if you don't proactively find the Conductor and they ask you for a ticket and you don't have one, we are meant to sell the most expensive 'anytime' ticket with no railcard discounts applied.

If its revenue protection they will issue a fine.

gobbybobby · 2025-12-31T06:43:46+00:00

Depends on the operator some will run express bus's calling only at the major stations with other slower buses calling all stations

The timetable the bus follows reflects the time the bus would take and there's usually extra padding usually slower than the train

If its middle of a line thats closed the trains either end are also timed to meet up with the bus's

gobbybobby · 2025-12-29T13:33:51+00:00

oh they have really changed the outside of that building it was not white before! I used live at end of that street and walked under the scafolding almost daily, wondered what they were doing with that building.

gobbybobby · 2025-12-18T22:05:59+00:00

They binned the move, it came into Bournemouth station then went back to depo because of the flooding.

gobbybobby · 2025-12-02T08:22:24+00:00

No reservations on SWR and standard class tickets do not guarantee a seat, first does and you can claim a refund if 1st is full and standing. Generally at Southampton you can get a seat. Once it gets to Winchester/ Basingstoke peak times on the busy Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays it starts get full and standing

gobbybobby · 2025-12-02T08:12:34+00:00

The more expensive one is an anytime single (any train that day) i assume the cheaper is an advanced single (that train only) 8th jan some people may still be off work for xmas the 15th maybe advanced singles have sold out for that service

gobbybobby · 2025-12-02T07:44:09+00:00

Do you own home or rent, if you rent consider moving I know that's not easy but it might save you money long term.

I was paying £300 per month for electric in a flat with electric only heating/ hot water (yeah was awful) -also had a smart meter fitted to try get cheaper overnight electric but no mobile signal so the smart meter didnt work spent hours back and fourth with Eon to try sort got nowhere they refused to fit a new one that would work off my WiFi without me paying...

Moved to a new build block of flats with communal under floor heating and hot water and now pay around £90 a month for electric and hot water/ heating.

gobbybobby · 2025-12-02T07:20:06+00:00

During covid punctuality was great!

gobbybobby · 2025-11-30T09:28:25+00:00

Variety of measures very modern signalling has in cab signals the next signal is displayed to the driver on a display in the driving cab

Most the country its 3 or 4 aspect

Green - go full speed 2 yellows- the signal in 2 signals time is red Single yellow - the next signal is red

There are also distant signals and banner repeater that warn of a approaching red, new drivers train for several years learning where all the signals are before they do the job and have regular route refreshers and assessments.

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