Collecting online train tickets at the station

Normally collecting tickets bought on line (such as from the machines at Barking Station, for example), though it can be done at any machine, requires the card that was used to buy the tickets and the reference number provided by the ticket selling site. This is OK for most people, but not very handy for people who buy tickets on behalf of others.

But in Rail 765, Barry Doe says "it seems like some operators [which he doesn't name] ... allow some frequent 'trusted' customers to use any card to collect tickets. This means that those customers who have a history of successful purchases through the site are allowed to insert any card to bring up the on-screen keyboard on which to type in the reference number." "But, because there could [sc: can] be no general rule, people should be careful to check the wording on their printouts, to be sure they are allowed to do this."

By "printouts" I assume Barry means the information provided by the ticket selling website.

One such operator is Southern - See http://www.southernrailway.com/tickets-and-fares/buying-tickets/ticket-on-departure/ who allow this from ticket machines as well as human ticket clerks (only theirs I have to assume) and I'm not sure if you would have to buy tickets from their website.

Southwest, if I read it correctly, only allow it from human clerks - not from machines.

http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/how-to-buy-tickets.aspx

East Coast Abolish £5 minimum spend on ticket website

My main objection to this limit is that it was applied after you had typed in all your credit card details, shoe size, mother's maiden name. A little programming tweak would have brought the warning up at a much earlier point in the process and saved irritation. East Coast's predecessor ignored me when I flagged this bug up, but fares guru Barry Doe has used his contact and achievd the better result of removal of the £5 minimum. I last fell for this bug buying a £4.20 ticket. I would have happily paid £5 to avoid the hassle, and finished up paying £5.20 to a competitor who charges £1 per transaction.

Thanks Barry, thanks East Coast (at last).