Few other things, we are there to see to the safety of the train, then the timing/door proceedure then revenue, we are not supposed to be selling to people who got on at a manned station really, just the un manned ones where you don't have the opportunity of paying beforehand or if we are emailed/txted that the station ticket windows are shut! Also it is a popular misconception that if the guard fails to find you, then you don't have to pay, NOT TRUE! Your responsibility to find me and offer to pay. Funny enough it's ony ever the old people who do that who pay 50p! I'm not cynical!

As a train conductor/guard for over 13 years I would have to tell you to get a copy of the railway bye-laws for that particular company, ask for one at any major station ticket window, however it will state YOU MUST purchase a ticket before travel at a manned station if the ticket window was open at the time of puchase, there is no legal valid reason for avoiding this, your only other option is to find the guard/trains manager/conductor BEFORE you board and ask their permission to buy one off them, they must agree or else sorry but it's tough! We are allowed to sell cheap tickets at our descretion, otherwise it's full standard single only, personally I have enough trouble trying to get people to pay at all so will just sell ticket for journey at cheap rate, but down south is different they don't have this discretion, after all you are breaking the law, may seem petty/trivial to you but there have to be rules or no one would pay. sorry.