Forum Topic

Brentford Train Station Ticket Checking and Time Table

Yesterday I was walking to the station  around 18:23 and I noticed that there were a lot of personnel from SW Trains (around 7 people) at the entrance located on the pub side (orchard road) As soon as I was entering into the station one of the gentleman stopped and he asked me to show the ticket . I kindly showed my daily travel card I bought in the morning and he  let me go however even if I don’t dispute they got right to control the ticket I did not like the fact the location it was asked me to show the ticket as I usually touch and go with my credit card where the touching machine is inside the station. I wonder if they were going to fine me if they found me without a ticket……….honestly it looked as sort of rip off exercise in my opinion  as they should control on the train Also I noticed there are 2 semi fast trains from Brentford from Waterloo at 18:31 and 19:00 which are great but I wonder why they cannot extend in the morning too….

Domenico Urzi ● 2326d14 Comments

I've had a Freedom pass for years and Oyster before If you want to travel out side the travel zones you buy the ticket first. At a ticket office. Any ticket office (If open). I go to Braintree a lot . Buy this ticket that day or days before show your Freedom pass or oyster and only pay from zone edge. As per previous writer the ticket inspectors were in plain clothes but had I.D. showing.

David Squire ● 2319d

Or consider this....You can fairly easily travel by bus from West Middx Hospital to Staines on an Oyster card.However, you cannot do it so easily by train.Beyond Feltham is not on the Oyster system.You therefore have a choice:1/ Travel to Feltham - get off and buy a ticket to Ashford or Staines.2/ Buy a ticket directly to Ashford or Staines - paying the extra for being unable to use your Oyster.3/ Travel buy bus - taking 3 times as long.4/ Get on at an unmanned station like Brentofrd, Isleworth, Hounslow - don't pay a thing and travel for free in retaliation of the train companies incompetence.    This is made all the worse by the fact you can exit Ashford station having paid a full fare and get on a bus directly outside to Staines and use your Oyster card.    This has been going on for years.

Martin Webb ● 2320d

Out of interest, was the ticket inspector in plain clothes as the posters suggest?

Anne England ● 2322d

A TFL ticket inspector will always look at the photo card as should a driver as the abuse in borrowing someones card is vast. Drivers don't as the time it takes. I was on the 267 last week when the TFL inspector got on and caught someone using someone else's card. Wasn't the point of being caught that made him mad was the fact the inspector took the Freedom pass off him.

David Squire ● 2322d

that was actually my doubt. Thx for you clarification.I am still thinking the reason he asked me for the ticket at the entrance before to get to the train was just an excuse to check my profile as I may look too suspiciuous that day as it was cold and I was wearing the hood and they thought I want to hide my face for some reason.......

Domenico Urzi ● 2323d

Well because if you have the travel card you don't need to tap at the exitMost of them are daily commmmuters coming from Waterloo, Vauxhall, Clapham Junction which require enter through gates  and btw if you tap at one of those station and you don't tap at exit station you will automatically charged full day ticket by end of the day.

Domenico Urzi ● 2323d

Actually I was on a bus a couple of years back and my photo on my old gits pass was worn out - I was told due to 'special circumstances' I could stay on the bus, but it was a 'special favour' and that I had to get another pass before I would be allowed to travel - eh?  Old gits pass gives me free travel on bus and tube regardless of my photo.  It was a real jobsworth wealding his power.  Honestly.

Emma Renton ● 2323d

Re checking tickets, on buses this time, yesterday on the 235 I saw a poster inviting one to 'spot the plain clothed ticket inspector' with accompanying pictures of all sorts. I have yet to be on a bus however where an inspector, plain clothed or otherwise, has got on.

Anne England ● 2323d

I have got on and off at Brentford many times and I'm amazed at the amount of people who just walk out of the station without tapping. More checks the merrier.

Neil Chippendale ● 2324d

A while ago a team got into the bus I was on, and I had paid with my touchless debit card.  I was asked to show them my card and before I did so, I asked how they could know I had paid?  Turns out their whizzy palm machine can read that the debit card has gone through their system.  No problem.Sarah

Sarah Felstead ● 2324d

Also they are maybe after evaders getting off the train once they have left the station area on either side and had chance to get a ticket by whichever means they use.

Jean Harrison ● 2324d

No, they would let you proceed to the machine to buy a ticket just like they have when revenue checking for at least the last ten years to my knowledge and certainly for the whole time that there have been self-service machines on Brentford station.

N V Brooks ● 2326d

Thanks for your comment.My point is if I did not have the ticket since I usually touch with the credit card the machine locate inside the station would they give me a fine?I found weird asking ticket at the entrance when people can pay the ticket inside the station..unless it was an excuse because I look suspicious for them ;-) which may explain why they stopped me and that would make sense...

Domenico Urzi ● 2326d

Absolutely right for the train operators to check. If it takes a team of people to do this sobeit.No pint of doing it on the train any more as people simply hop on and off the train to avoid the revenue officers. I used to see this routinely on the early morning services.You had a ticket, what's the issue?I used to travel into Waterloo early every morning from Brentford and revenue Protection officers were routinely joined by BTP personnel and often by Immigration Enforcement Personnel.

N V Brooks ● 2326d