There was a time, before all the improvements, when you could just buy a ticket without checking if somebody was scamming you and that it would be valid on the train you were on..
A few years ago, when I still travelled to Ireland on the train, via the Holyhead ferry, before it all got just too difficult, I was waiting for the train after next in Dublin Heuston - the next train being an express that didn't stop where I wanted to alight. I was chatting to the ticket inspector at the gate and the train was due to leave in a couple of minutes, when he suddenly thrust the punch at me, saying "Clip any tickets, I'll be back in a minute!" and disappeared off into the concourse. He returned about thirty or forty seconds later, running with two small luggage items, followed by a panting businessman-type. The cases went in the end door, followed by the passenger who was told "Buy it on the train, it's the same price." A glance to check that all was well and the whistle was blown and the flag waved - and a passenger went on his way having not "just missed it because he was buying the ticket"...
He had spotted him entering the ticket hall at a rush and had correctly surmised the potential scenario. To my chagrin, nobody else cut it that fine and I never got to punch a ticket.
