Ticket machines at Hertford North.

For the customers of Greater Anglia, FCC and Network Rail
Post Reply
Ewoowar
Posts:100
Joined:Sat 30 Nov, 2013 6:26 pm
Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by Ewoowar » Wed 24 Sep, 2014 2:40 pm

I didn't take time to look today as I hurtled through the ticket barriers at Hertford North but I do recall a queue similar to that on Monday when there was only one ticket machine working and a single desk open.

From an I.T. background I assume that the machines automatically alert to report when they are faulty. So surely having three of the four machines out would raise the priority of the issue. Perhaps they could then put more staff on the desks as well.

steven
Posts:17
Joined:Wed 24 Sep, 2014 11:36 pm

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by steven » Thu 25 Sep, 2014 3:33 am

A downed host can't alert, it's down so it can't trap. They run an embedded, cut-down version of XP as far as I'm aware so are useless at the best of times. I doubt they're even monitored remotely (as all monitoring is done, it's what SNMP is for), and I'm not sure they care anyway.

Can I rant about HFN? I'm going to anyway.

The entrance/exit is way too small, in an emergency nobody is getting out in a hurry, you're better off running toward a platform in the event of an emergency at rush hour, unless the emergency is at a platform. All the recent work made the tunnel narrower so that makes the exit problem worse, or at least the queue longer. The ticket barriers, when in operation, force people to back up the stairs when a commuter train arrives, and the tickets bought from HFN sometimes don't work on the barriers, so I have to interrupt a staff conversation to get through. The staff are more interested in talking amongst themselves than being proactive when it isn't busy.

In almost a decade I've only ever seen one person selling tickets at the window, and twice I've missed a train because the lone person at the window has just upped and left as I got to the front, because he had to go to the toilet. That's fine of course, we all need to do that, but please John (I'm sure we all know John), don't shout at me when I ask why you walked off while I'm mid-sentence asking for a monthly season ticket, which the machines can't provide. Just explain you need a to visit the gents *before* you go. I imagine he hates his job as much as I hate using that so-called service so I can't really blame him for not caring, his employers care even less. Despite my understanding of his predicament, it's not good enough.

Then there's the fact that most passengers tend to wait until they're walking down the stairs on their way home after work to check their phones for whatever facebook updates they deem so important, rather than doing so on the train, so you're stuck behind a bunch of dawdlers when all you want to do is get home. If you (not you Ewoowar, I mean "you" in the plural) do that, please don't do that, you're holding everyone up behind you and you don't even know it.

Kateg28
Posts:254
Joined:Tue 03 Dec, 2013 9:53 am

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by Kateg28 » Thu 25 Sep, 2014 8:32 am

steven wrote: The entrance/exit is way too small, in an emergency nobody is getting out in a hurry, you're better off running toward a platform in the event of an emergency at rush hour, unless the emergency is at a platform. .
AAAHHHHH. LAst night it was crazy busy (because of all the points made correctly above) and two people trying to get in to the station both got fed up of waiting and decided to barge through, both hitting me and nearly pushing me over (thankfully the huge multitude of people behind me kept me upright). Whilst it was annoying, I do have some sympathy for the two travellers trying to enter the station. Watching a commuter train full of people exit the station in single file must be exasperating.

I too have wondered what would happen in an emergency.

Even if the made the static parts next to the door open, it would be a start! All that money spent refurbishing the tunnels yet the entrance door is still single file.

Ewoowar
Posts:100
Joined:Sat 30 Nov, 2013 6:26 pm

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by Ewoowar » Thu 25 Sep, 2014 10:50 am

This morning.

One counter open, as usual.

Three, yes three, guards standing chatting with mugs of tea.

steven
Posts:17
Joined:Wed 24 Sep, 2014 11:36 pm

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by steven » Thu 25 Sep, 2014 9:22 pm

If I thought it'd make any difference I'd complain :(

Kateg28
Posts:254
Joined:Tue 03 Dec, 2013 9:53 am

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by Kateg28 » Fri 26 Sep, 2014 8:35 am

I tweeted them :)

Got a very bland response about passing comments on to Station manager :roll:

Ewoowar
Posts:100
Joined:Sat 30 Nov, 2013 6:26 pm

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by Ewoowar » Fri 26 Sep, 2014 2:54 pm

I've never seen the station manager. I recall her picture is on a board by the machines but I don't know if she exists.

Perhaps she should offer a meet the manager open session to take feedback, positive and negative.

mdja
Posts:72
Joined:Thu 05 Dec, 2013 2:48 pm

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by mdja » Mon 29 Sep, 2014 3:46 pm

Ewoowar wrote: Perhaps she should offer a meet the manager open session to take feedback, positive and negative.
They had a 'meet the manager' session a while back, I don't know if anybody noticed it because it looked little different from the earlier mentioned staff members standing around chatting with mugs of tea. Except they did give me a free sweet. Which was nice.

Re. people using phones on the stairs, it's probably because of the communications black hole between Bayford/Pangsbourne tunnel and Hertford, that only recovers at the station. Not excusing it, just sayin'.

Kateg28
Posts:254
Joined:Tue 03 Dec, 2013 9:53 am

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by Kateg28 » Tue 30 Sep, 2014 7:48 am

I could go on a right rant now as the other thing I hate is the smokers who stop outside the single door to light up so not only are you queueing to get out, you walk out into a haze of smoke. :x

I just wish smokers would move to one side so it is not as overwhelming when exiting the station.

TupennyRush
Posts:36
Joined:Thu 02 Jan, 2014 4:03 pm

Re: Ticket machines at Hertford North.

Post by TupennyRush » Wed 01 Oct, 2014 1:44 pm

I tweeted Great Northern (are they due a name change as I don't think Hertford counts as the North?) about the staff (whose conversation is far more interesting than ever doing their job obviously!) and got a 'we'll talk to the manager response.... I think the manager is probably a figment of someone's imagination as I've never seen her.... has anyone else?

Post Reply