Used the lifts for the first time on Saturday - it was lovely not to have to struggle up and down the stairs with a suitcase and laptop etc. Now all I want is for the same to happen at Clapham Junction where I have to change trains. The work to install lifts there started over a year ago, but progress is very slow, but then there are a lot more platforms!

Does anyone know when the ticket office will actually be able to sell tickets on Oyster? Went along on Saturday, naively thinking I would be able to get an annual travelcard on Oyster (after all it's now been 4 months since Oyster became accepted at the station and the ticket machines were updated some time ago). Oh, how deluded of me! I was told the ticket office still can't sell Oyster tickets and to go to London Bridge. Was so flummoxed I didn't think to ask when they expect the damn equipment to be installed. (Checked the ticket machines and they sell monthly, but not annual, travelcards.)

I can't believe we're weeks away from the ELL serving Forest Hill and yet we're still treated as a standard National Rail station with regards to Oyster.

It's worth remembering that stations operated by Southern and Southeastern were Oyster ready at the self-service machines on the 2nd January, but LOROL stations had to wait an extra 2/3 weeks.

Blushingsnail,

Would it not be better to buy an annual travelcard as a paper season ticket as that offers extra benefits for Goldcard holders? If you use the season ticket for travelling, beyond the normal work commute, in the evenings and weekends.

Last weekend's journey : Forest Hill - Reading return, travelled on Sun, came back Mon. Normal fare : £32. With Goldcard discount : £14.

Muss,

My understanding is you still get the 'Gold Card' benefit with an annual travelcard on Oyster. Apparently you get a little receipt which you have to show when buying rail tickets, to get the Gold Card discount.

I thought I'd finally switch to Oyster to benefit from the ease of journey extensions outside zone 3 with the PAYG element (apart from getting OEPs of course).

My understanding from a meeting with LOROL on 4 March is that there are no immediate plans to sell monthly or annual oyster cards froim the station as the Oyster cards have to be registered (and they will not have the facilities to do this).

Shere had run into problems getting accreditation for their Ticket Machines, which had delayed installation of Oyster vending facilities at the Ticket Offices. However, Oyster Vending facilities for PAYG/Weekly travelcards will be available by 23 May 2010, possibly earlier. (This is a contractual obligation with TfL)

We have another meeting with LOROL on Tuesday.

Blushingsnail is correct. You do get a little paper 'Travelcard' that lets you still get your gold card benefits. But it only works at the ticket office - it doesn't work if you want to do PAYG Oyster fares which is irritating.

PAYG, 7 Day Travelcards and 7 Day Bus and Tram Passes have been on sale from the FH vending machines since late January.

I know this has been mentioned before, but the new colour scheme on the display of these ticket machine makes it dreadfully difficult to read them. It really has to change.

FHSoc:

List of gripes to raise with LOROL:

1. Still no Oyster tickets at the ticket office. Yes, there are some alternatives (ticket machines, Oyster Ticket Stops) but not for annual travelcards (especially if you’ve got a season ticket loan from your employer and they’ve given you a travel warrant that can only be redeemed at an overground station ticket office).

2. Ticket machine screens: display colour and sun shining on the screen make it difficult to read. Maybe a contributory factor as to why so many first-time users of the machines aren’t reading the instruction to swipe their Oyster card again after they’ve put money in the machine? In any event, a very poor user-experience, especially for people unfamiliar with using the machines.

3. Lack of information, eg about station improvement work. Posters were put up about the footbridge closure but there was no mention of any of the other work (platform widening and new shelters). Giving passengers good news generates goodwill. Plus, when the footbridge finally opened I didn’t see any attempt to tell passengers – they just removed the sign in the station window that gave instructions to use the subway and left passengers to realise for themselves that the footbridge had opened. Pathetic.

4. Temporary platform signage: it’s ugly and the replacement signage had better be more attractive.

Can you tell I’m p**sed off with them?

5. Underpass. It's beyond a joke now...

6. Exit via Perry Vale car park

7. State of the railway bridge over the South Circular

A poster is now up promoting London Overground's new services from May 23rd.

We had our meeting with LOROL and raised the above points. A report of meeting can be viewed on our website.

They are going to upgrade the TVMs next week.

The mock ups are available through the same link. Please provide feedback to us or through this forum.

Thanks for your work meeting LOROL.

Like FHSoc, I'm not happy about the second rate Oyster service we'll be getting from the ticket office, as well as not being able to purchase monthly or annual travelcards, you won't be able to register an Oyster card, add a discount photocard to an Oyster, which leaves us with the same service as the TVM's.

LOROL stations from Surrey Quays northwards and the ex Silverlink stations offer the same service as a tube ticket office.

I thought that LOROL would be removing the ex Southern ticketing equipment, but of course, seeing they're a private company running a PPP on behalf of TfL, it's down to cost isn't it?

I see the new temporary signs have been installed at FH today, complete with dual Overground/National Rail logos at the Devonshire Road and Perry Vale exits.

Yes, two workmen pasting the horrible orange stickers over the old station name signs on Platform 2 at about 9 this morning.

Would black-lined white lettering, or vice-versa, not have looked much better?

Not my cup of tea, but at least we're getting the roundel signs and LUL style benches before Christmas, which will replace the BR ones (I think there is one left?) that are still left on Platform 1.

Has Oyster been installed at the ticket office yet? According to a transport forum, they still haven't been upgraded at NJ or West Croydon.

How long do we think until the jobsworth on the platform gets his megaphone shoved into Zone One?

The platform clearly isn't wide enough for people to get past if those standing all have to stand behind the yellow line when the train's only just visible on the approach from Sydenham. I know you have a job to do, but nobody wants to get hit by a train either, and while you've just come in this week, we've been waiting on this platform for years, so pipe down a bit, eh?

and can the gent who insists on wondering up and standing right in front of me please learn some manners. If there are people already waiting on the platform for a train dont go and stand in front of them in order to get on first, it's rude and uncalled for.

So there...