Little Thameslink Debacle

I like to break into proceedings for a little complaint, it makes me feel better.

Here I am with a rail ticket to board the 15:36 at London St. Pancras to Bedford and two Thameslink gateline staff have rejected the ticket saying it’s invalid with their service, refusing me access to the platforms. The Thameslink staff said that my ticket wasn’t valid on their service, only the EMR service. The details on my ticket read:

“Board the 15:36 service to Bedford (Thameslink). (G50426 service details)”

Now, I always fear I’ve made a mistake, as I do that quite a lot, so I thought I’d better check first with the ticketing company, Trainsplit. They’ve already checked for me and they’ve told me that Thameslink are in breach of the National Rail Conditions of Travel and the information they were supplying was wrong.

Here’s the details of the 15:36 train that the gateline staff said wasn’t an actual service. After claiming the 15:36 was definitely an EMR service, the gateline staff did let me through in the end (I think one of the staff had a moment of realisation that the only 15:36 service departing the station was their Thameslink service) but warned me that my ticket wasn’t valid and I might be asked to buy another one. I haven’t heard so much piffle since listening to Liz Truss prattling on about something she didn’t understand, but the railway wonders why people get confused. If I had followed the instructions of the gateline staff I would have been liable for a fine from EMR for travelling on a service that I didn’t have a ticket for which feels very sub-optimal given all the confusion over ticket prosecutions at the moment.

Merrily on board the 15:36 (albeit delayed).