Ticket issuing machine, British Rail, PORTIS (Portable Ticket Issuing System), serial number 6010, in carrying case, non-working prototype, manufactured by Thorn EMI Electronics, c1983
The PORTIS portable ticket issuing system was used by conductors on British Rail trains from 1982, with its modified successor SPORTIS (Super Portable Ticket Issuing System) continuing well into the privatisation era, being used until 2006.
PORTIS and its desk-top sister version APTIS (All-Purpose Ticket Issuing System) enabled the fast issuing of a huge range of ticket types, standardising the ticket format and spelling the end of the Edmondson-type card ticket. This version is a prototype - the full production version of PORTIS was not introduced until 1986.
