I think i've killed my oystercard :( Help!

[TheProtagonist]

Hey Guys.
Got myself one of them child oyster cards. The free ones.
I'd been misled into believing it was also free on the london underground and so therefore touched in at Wimbledon, rode to Camden town, and touched out again. When i returned to Camden to leave it refused me and so i bought a standard paper travelcard instead, feeling slightly concerned and considering that i may have just got a free journey i shouldn't have had. I then decided to get the bus home but that refused me aswell so had to show my travelcard.

I would assume my account balance is now into a minus number - how on earth do i rectify this without being charged penalty fare?! Do i have to go to a Tube station and top-up? Please Help!

Thankyou!!!
David. x

 

[Tom]

Hi.

Just go to your local tube station (or Wimbledon) and you can topup your Oyster there.

 

[Julian G]

Hey Guys.
Got myself one of them child oyster cards. The free ones.
I'd been misled into believing it was also free on the london underground and so therefore touched in at Wimbledon, rode to Camden town, and touched out again. When i returned to Camden to leave it refused me and so i bought a standard paper travelcard instead, feeling slightly concerned and considering that i may have just got a free journey i shouldn't have had. I then decided to get the bus home but that refused me aswell so had to show my travelcard.

I would assume my account balance is now into a minus number - how on earth do i rectify this without being charged penalty fare?! Do i have to go to a Tube station and top-up? Please Help!

Thankyou!!!
David. x

The Under 16 Oyster card meant that you had to travel on the tram not the Tube

 

[Met Driver]

Your card won't be showing a minus number, at least I don't think it will. Touch it on the reader of a touch screen machine, and you can bet that it'll just say you've got an unresolved journey, and that you should go to a ticket office to sort it (you don't have to). You should still be able to use the card, as mine has an unresolved journey on it yet the card works fine. I'm not sure why yours was rejected on the bus though.

Just to repeat what 1288gaje was (I think) trying to point out, the child oyster only allows free travel on trams & busses.

 

[TheProtagonist]

Thing is, i've tried it since and bus is still refusing. this sucks. i guess i'll have to go try the LU ticket machines to find out why it's messed up

 

[Mojo]

The TfL site says that if you can't get to a tube station, you should try phoning them, but they can't resolve all issues.

 

[Dave A]

ALL the 14-15 Oyster Cards are on 0 credit! They will do the double beep and red light. For most this is not a problem as the bus driver can tell when a person who gets refused, is under 16. However, if you don't look under 16, then just show them the card, which should have you photo, and they can't refuse!

Don't ask me why this is but I've seen enough of them to know! :roll:

DO NOT USE THIS ON THE TUBE!!!!

 

[Tom]

Unless you add some pre-pay David...

 

[Dave A]

Unless you add some pre-pay David...

You can't add to them. Oyster pre-pay is only available for adult tickets.

 

[Met Driver]

You can't add to them. Oyster pre-pay is only available for adult tickets.

Wrong. I frequently add prepay to my child oyster and use it on the tube. They will soon be starting price-capping for under 16s as well.