Child Gold Card

[MrJeeves]

Hi guys! I recently ordered a child annual season ticket and received today my ticket and got a Gold Card! Can I use my Gold Card for discounts? It said on National Rail's site that only adult annual tickets got a Gold Card.

Any ideas?
David Wheatley

 

[Bletchleyite]

Hi guys! I recently ordered a child annual season ticket and received today my ticket and got a Gold Card! Can I use my Gold Card for discounts? It said on National Rail's site that only adult annual tickets got a Gold Card.

Sounds like an issuing error, and not valid for anything in particular.

 

[MrJeeves]

Sounds like an issuing error, and not valid for anything in particular.

Ok, thanks! I'm going to attach an image of my ticket (with personal info blurred) if anyone else wants to give me an answer but that's nice to know. I checked with my dad and he said there's no difference between mine and his ticket except mine says CHILD and his says GOLDC.

 

[bb21]

Child season tickets are not supposed to be issued on Gold Card stock, so I would advise against using it for Gold Card discounts.

If caught, there would be a heavy price to pay so it simply isn't going to be worth trying it on.

 

[Be3G]

If caught, there would be a heavy price to pay so it simply isn't going to be worth trying it on.

Would there? The way I see it is that the OP has been given a railcard that they shouldn't have been given. However, now that they've got it, until such time as the railways choose to take it back (which is their right), the OP would be doing nothing wrong by using it, because the railcard in and of itself is valid.

To me, it's a bit like applying for one of those free three-month family railcards courtesy of a newspaper, but being sent a normal one-year one by mistake. (This is a made-up scenario, not something I've actually heard of happening.) The customer shouldn't have received the item, but once they have, it is in and of itself a valid product.

Of course, this is all my opinion, so I wouldn't recommend the OP uses it just based on my thoughts. I'd be interested to know, though, how the railways could prosecute someone for using a wrongly issued gold card, particularly if it's clear that the customer isn't even aware of the fact that they've been wrongly issued it (i.e. they think it's just an added bonus). It isn't a customer's responsibility to know they shouldn't be given something, after all – it's the railway's responsibility to not give it.

 

[bb21]

Now that the OP is aware of it, using it to obtain discounts he is not entitled to would be fraudulent. There is no way I can recommend any such course of action. Sorry.

 

[Be3G]

Indeed, as I said previously I'm not recommending it either. But as this certainly isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened (e.g. I've seen an annual London bus pass issued as a gold card), I'm concerned by the idea that a customer unwittingly using something they've been given could face serious consequences.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Indeed, as I said previously I'm not recommending it either. But as this certainly isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened (e.g. I've seen an annual London bus pass issued as a gold card), I'm concerned by the idea that a customer unwittingly using something they've been given could face serious consequences.

It's not unwitting, he knows what has happened.

 

[TEW]

There's plenty of Child annual season tickets issued on Gold Card stock around. However, just because something is issued on Gold Card stock, doesn't mean it's actually a Gold Card.

 

[74A]

Well it will give you 33% off adult tickets but as a child you already get 50% discount !

 

[MrJeeves]

All right guys, I've had a lot to read there I'm going to be calling Southern to double check this but, seeing as you guys know so much, I'm assuming it's just easier them using the same paper to print on than creating a batch of tickets just for Child Season Tickets.

 

[TEW]

It shouldn't have been issued on Gold Card stock. Should be issued on standard blue or grey season ticket stock.

 

[MrJeeves]

Well, Southern Customer Support said, and I quote, "If you have been given a Gold Card, it means it has been issued and processed. So, if you received one, you are more than welcome to use it." I'm not sure whether my representative meant "use it" as in use at ticket barriers or "use it" as in use the discounts. I'm going to call again. I'll update you guys in a bit.

 

[clagmonster]

If I were you I would write or email rather than call, that way there is a paper trail. If you do call, ask for a reference number.

 

[MrJeeves]

I have been told that we ordered a season ticket (standard) by 2 people now, and they have both said something along the lines of "it it states it a gold card at the bottom of the ticket then it is a gold card". My third, however, was very honest and said, "It should not be a Gold Card so it is most likely wrong. You can still use it and get discounts anyway, you have the right to. If it has been sent in error, it is still valid unless we formally terminate it. It is our error and it is our fault." So... yeah...

Now we know that:
• it should not be a gold card (and is not in their servers),
• it is their fault and should not have happened,
and
• I can (probably) use it safely for discounts on National Rail fares.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

If I were you I would write or email rather than call, that way there is a paper trail. If you do call, ask for a reference number.

...

Bit late now xD

 

[IanD]

Well it will give you 33% off adult tickets but as a child you already get 50% discount !

Plus 33% off for three other adults and 60% off child fares for 4 children (or 3 if the holder is include in that group).

Plus a railcard for someone else at £10

 

[MrJeeves]

I have, as clagmonster above said, now sent an e-mail to Southern so that I have solid evidence for my answer. I have attached a screenshot of it for you guys to see so that you will understand each reply I get. Each one will have personal details scattered about into tiny pieces (literally).

 

[bb21]

• I can (probably) use it safely for discounts on National Rail fares.

Until another train company takes a different view.

It is your decision, but hopefully you now have all the facts to make an informed decision.

It really says a lot about Southern's Customer Service department however.

 

[34D]

I can't find the thread, but there is/was a company related to SouthEastern who issue corporate season tickets. They routinely issue (example) Leeds to York annual season on Gold Card stock. We had the debate at the time.

 

[MrJeeves]

When I start heading off to school again, I'm going to ask at my local station as well. See what they say.

 

[bb21]

When I start heading off to school again, I'm going to ask at my local station as well. See what they say.

I doubt you will find more information by doing that.

If you are looking for evidence to support the idea of allowing you to use the associated discount, then I think a printed copy of your email communication with Souther should suffice. Getting an answer verbally from your local station is not going to strengthen your case any more.

But as I said before, you know the deal. Ultimately it is your choice what your decision is.

 

[MrJeeves]

Yeah, I agree. Im not going to go anywhere that often anyway so it's not that important but it's just nice to know. Thanks for your help guys, now time to wait for a reply from Southern. Five business days is a long time, especially if the weekend is coming up especially with a bank holiday! Oh well, it's better I have some proof rather than nothing. I'll keep you updated.

 

[talldave]

Until another train company takes a different view.

It is your decision, but hopefully you now have all the facts to make an informed decision.

It really says a lot about Southern's Customer Service department however.

Incompetent would be the word I'd use, but fullyin line with all my interaction with them.

Ironically, when I bought my Lichfield annual season it took 3 or 4 attempts to get the printer to put it on the manual feed Gold Card ticket.

 

[MrJeeves]

Incompetent would be the word I'd use, but fullyin line with all my interaction with them.

Ironically, when I bought my Lichfield annual season it took 3 or 4 attempts to get the printer to put it on the manual feed Gold Card ticket.

That reminds me, on the piece of paper (receipt) it said "Handfed 1/1". What does that mean?

 

[talldave]

That reminds me, on the piece of paper (receipt) it said "Handfed 1/1". What does that mean?

No idea I'm afraid but I would guess that it refers to the Gold Card being manually inserted into the printer?

In my case, the Gold Card had to be loaded into the front of the printer's ticket hopper because it just wasn't grabbing the manually fed one. Since my ticket was effectively a reprint it has a price of £0.00!

 

[MrJeeves]

No idea I'm afraid but I would guess that it refers to the Gold Card being manually inserted into the printer?

In my case, the Gold Card had to be loaded into the front of the printer's ticket hopper because it just wasn't grabbing the manually fed one. Since my ticket was effectively a reprint it has a price of £0.00!

Oh right. I just Googled it and it and brought me to another thread which said here: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2007405&postcount=8

"...all railcard stock, and the longer than monthly season stock, is hand fed into ticket printers."

That explains why it said hand-fed on my receipt!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just received a reply:

I can advise that your Annual Gold Card season ticket entitles you to the discounts which are detailed at the link below. this is because from the 2nd January 2015, Gold Card discounts were changed to apply to all Annual Gold Card Season tickets.