Hmm... looking at my journey history it's maybe related to an earlier stuff-up on the DLR Oyster readers although I thought that would have been flagged on touching in.

Not easy to switch to another gate with a train-load of passengers up the rear but I'll try it next time...

BarCar, there was a man at Charing Cross tube complaining of a similar issue at Deptford Bridge DLR this morning with the Oyster validator, the little box which HOP should have when the gates are closed.

Incidentally when I returned home, I had a little play with the Oyster part of the ticket machine, it sells the full range of TfL Oyster products including bus passes.

The night before last I got back to Forest Hill Station from Balham, and the station/barriers was closed - so had to go all the way around to the open gates at platform 2 to touch out by going in (without touching) and out again. The oyster reader that they did have installed outside of platform 1 is, according to the apologetic staff member, away for an upgrade - they haven't even used it yet!

Obviously a few little operational niggles still to iron out..

Ryananglem - I was about to post exactly the same thing! I had that problem last night. When I spoke to the staff this morning they said I ought to go to an underground station as they couldn't do anything about it at FH. The guy at the underground had some problems to say the least.

Hope they get this sorted soon...

Tried Oyster PAYG on both Southern and tube today. Very pleased to report I was charged the right fare on both journeys today to and from FH.

I had problems topping up my Oyster PAYG balance recently. Being unfamiliar with the TVM (Ticket Vending Machine) operation, I failed to touch my Oyster card onto the reader a second time once I had paid for my top up. I touched my card on the reader at the start of the transaction, selected PAYG Top up and paid cash for my £10 topup with a £20 note. As soon as I received my change, I went to catch a train believing my transaction to be complete. However, when I touched in, I noticed that my topup had not been applied. I ran back to the TVM, but it was displaying the default start screen.

The staff at the station told me there was nothing they could do about giving me my money back and I had to contact Oyster directly.

I waited 48 hours before contacting Oyster (as per website instructions), but had not heard anything by yesterday afternoon. I therefore called the Oyster helpline and I was instructed to fill in a TOM form (Ticket Office Machine), which I could obtain from any TfL station. These are not available from our stations.

As I was in central London today, I went to Cannon Street where I spoke to the station supervisor. He explained that I had been given the wrong information. Indeed, he told me that I was out of luck as the TVM would have concluded that the transaction was incomplete and therefore refunded the money after timing out. I tried this at Forest Hill this evening and that is indeed what happens, so some lucky person is £10 richer.

This seems like a flaw in the system. Either the machine should retain the money and require me to apply for a refund (after all, I have already touched once, so it knows who should qualify to apply the credit to) or I should be required to touch my Oyster card onto the reader a second time BEFORE the machine issues any change.

Please spread the word and warn people that they must touch their Oyster card onto the reader TWICE when topping up at a TVM.

This nearly happened to me this morning when I bought my first weekly season ticket. Thought I had finished and it was only because I dropped my card as i was going to walk away did I notice the machine asking me to touch again. The problem is this last screen looks like the default screen so i would not have known.

I think it's always been the same at underground Oyster machines too, but the procedure seems a little quicker somehow and there is a swift message to touch your card again. I can't understand why they can't refund you as surely there would be a record that the top up hadn't been applied to the card?

While we're on the subject of oyster I'll throw my oar in. I've used Oyster since it was first introduce several years ago. Generally speaking I much prefer it to paper tickets due to my semi-regular talent for losing and/or damaging them.

I am however somewhat puzzled by how poorly supported Oyster Extension Permits (OEPs) are across the vast majority of the overland network in London, Forest Hill station included.

For those who don't know what OEPs are (which seems to be most people): they're needed for Oyster card users with monthly or annual season tickets on. Every time you want to travel outside your zones you have to load an OEP onto your oyster so the system can charge you the extension cost. This system just "works" on the underground without messing around with OEPs.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets/oysteronli...#section-5

I have a 1-3 zone season ticket on my oyster. Recently I attempted to travel to Croydon from Forest Hill so needed to load an OEP on my oyster so I could get there without having to either a) buy a paper ticket or b) getting a penalty fare when I got there.

Foolishly I assumed it would be simple to do so with my oyster card by putting an OEP on it. I discovered the following:

- Forest Hill station ticket office can't load OEPs onto oyster cards (and the staff don't know much about them)!
- Forest Hill station ticket machines can't load OEPs onto oyster cards!
- 2 out of the 3 newsagents with Oyster machines within a 5 minutes walk of the station hadn't even heard of OEPs. (FYI The one that did is on Dartmouth Road past For Your Eyes Only DVD rental next to the old Cafe Jeera).
- No station along the entire London Bridge to Croydon line can load OEPs onto oyster cards (although London Bridge underground can)

I'm struggling to see how this is anything other than a grossly inconvenient and hopelessly under supported way of doing things. It renders having a season ticket on an Oyster card much worse than using either paper tickets or just pre-pay.

Maybe Southern is dragging its feet because it has been forced to adapt it's machines to use Oyster and it hasn't bothered to train the Booking Office staff yet. It could also be LOROL who is being incompetent and doesn't know what OEP is. In spite of all that, I have also been using Oyster monthly cards and now the Freedom pass. Both were/are excellent.

I suppose a ticket inspector might fine you if you don't have one (though when was the last time you've seen one on a train? I've lived in FH for over two years and never come across one), it seems that when you touch out at your destination the correct PAYG fare will be deducted anyway, even if you don't have an OEP loaded onto your card.

One of the problems with those machines that despite the on screen monitor telling you it's London Overground, it's still the Southern typeface and functions with a different colour with their machines still being used.

I'm sure the LOROL machines at the ex Silverlink stations are different to our ones. Hopefully once FH has been fully integrated into London Overground in May, this won't be an issue with the ticket office having the same facilities and equipment as the Tube. (although still selling National Rail tickets)

My understanding is that the new machines will be different to the FasTIS used on the NLL as they are being supplied by Shere. This is the reason for the delay in implementation as they are struggling to get accreditation for their software.

Mattfh

I raised this with Tfl and their reply was

I do not have a travelcard on my Oyster and so cannot verify this.

The other thing to remember is the OEP option should only come up if you have £1.50 or more on your Oyster Card.

I've emailed LOROL a few weeks back about why Discount Bus and Tram Bus Passes (for benefit claiments) are not on sale at the FH machines although the full price passes are. This is not an issue at Tube vending machines while read that the Oyster card has this information on them, so sell the passes at the correct price.

Hey everyone, I'm new on this forum although I've lived in Forest Hill for 20 years and love it!

I was just wondering if anyone has taken Southern up on the fact they got rid of Off-peak returns last week? An off peak return to London Bridge would before have cost me £2.10 and last week jumped up to £3.50, a lovely 67% increase in cost.

I think it's pretty out of order. Does anyone know whether this has happened on all lines administered by TfL? I'm guessing they've done it because of the ELL coming through the area and therefore everything being the same price. Still, I'm surprised it's not raised a few more eyebrows.

Cheers for whoever can enlighten me a little.

M

Off-peak returns were axed on 2nd Jan 2010 as part of the deal to accept Oyster PAYG on National Rail servies. I think the Anytime return to LB is £5.30 and not £3.50.

With Oyster that would be £2.60 each way from 0630-0930 and 1600-1900 and £2 at any other time.

By the prices you've quoted mjc it seems you either have a Gold Travelcard or one of the many Railcards which give you discount, although the old discounted off peak day return to London before Jan 2nd was actually £2.70 (34% off £4.10). Now off peak returns have been axed you get the discount off the anytime day return (34% off £5.30 = £3.50)

Although it's quite an increase it's still cheaper than using Oyster, which for the same journey would be either £4, £4.60 or £5.20 return depending the on time you're travelling!

Some railcards (HM Forces, Disabled, Senior & 16-25) can be loaded onto an Oyster card, which gets you a discount on the Off Peak daily rate cap. Unfortunately though this doesn't apply to those of us with Network Railcards!

Off-peak returns have only been abolished for National Rail journeys within London Zones 1-6. You can still buy an off-peak return if you use a station outside of the London zones travelling in.

That's my understanding from the Southern Railways link on Using Oyster Cards.

It has a useful FAQ pdf with the following question...

My concern is that maybe one day TfL will want to abolish ALL weekly, monthly and annual season tickets within zones 1-6 and force regular commuters to use PAYG!

I doubt that as even now, not all TOC's have the Oyster equipment. South West Trains don't have any Oyster purchasing facilities at all.

The next stage for National Rail is the introduction of ITSO smartcards which will be used to store a ticket instead of a paper one. Ironically, it's SWT who did the first trial of ITSO in 2008.

If and when ITSO is introduced, London Overground will also participate in the scheme, although Oyster will be the prefered choice for travelling within London.
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