So in that case wouldn't it have made more sense to replace the Mag Card validator with a Smart Card Device which talks to the old Wayfarer 2 system. (After all, the MCV just needs the date, time, route, stage and a program-load facility from the Wayfarer system). That way we've a smart-card approved system, and nobody's really going to use a smart card at the driver position anyway once the system gets off the ground.
The cash vault was in fact triggered on the old system too for the Refund operation. I think the new one may trigger the vault, release the vault and only then print the ticket (slowly), which I'd say is actually the problem but I haven't observed this enough times to check.
British Rail managed to set up their really ancient APTIS rail ticketing system with smart card readers for the Oyster scheme which worked flawlessly and from what I've read with minimal outlay. (The system is currently being decomissioned, because it doesn't work well with a multiple-company-train ticket - which we don't have).
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