Hi everyone.
The other Sunday I received a Travel Incident Report paperslip from a train conductor about 5 minutes into my journey to Manchester via Northern Rail. I'd bought a ticket for an hour earlier that day (12pm), but needed to set off later as I had a flare-up of asthma (mine is classed as a disability as its that bad). I never refunded the ticket, but it was an advance single so it's not like it would have been valid. I travelled instead to the train station which had NO barriers, and completely forgot to get another ticket by the machines as I didn't need one to get to the platform. When I went onto the Trainline app, it was buffering (probably because of my poor data, however I was struggling at home as well), so I assumed I could get a ticket on the train. I'd previously been able to do this on another Northern Rail service with no problems, and this station also had functioning ticket machines etc. Furthermore, the other day, on the same route I was on but going from Manc -> Leeds, a woman next to me was also able to buy a ticket no problems (and Vic definitely has ticket machines).
Anyway, my intention was to ALWAYS tell the conductor as soon as I saw them on the train to explain. About 5 minutes in, a train conductor appears by my side and I ask if I can get a ticket. He immediately pulls out his fine machine thing and refuses to clearly tell me why I couldn't pay on the train or be issued a penalty fare. I mentioned that I had been struggling with the app as my reason, and because I was panicking, forgot to tell him about the earlier ticket I had bought (although it was an advance single - it still shows intent to pay and not to evade the fare). I kept asking him to explain (yes - I understand NOW that I needed a valid ticket..I'm so stupid) and he hardly spoke and just laughed at me.
In the past 6 months, I have counted 64 tickets I have paid for on the Trainline app with almost all being Northern Rail services - I have never been in this instance before and I feel absolutely terrible. I'm a young woman and I've just started working in the legal industry, and have hopes to become a teacher abroad before committing to qualifying as a solicitor, I fear this is going to ruin my life and since yesterday I've been in an absolute state worrying about this. I haven't received a letter from them yet, the man told me they'd investigate about the app issue, but I want to be as prepared as possible to avoid this from going to court. I am willing to pay for a solicitor (I saw on some other threads Manak Solicitors are generally good), but obviously before it gets to that stage, I want to be as clear as possible that my intention has ALWAYS been to pay, I am genuinely remorseful and feel so angry with myself that I could let this happen, my actions were not borne out of malicious intent (I was generally confused, I thought I could get a ticket on the train, but I understand now that I can't as a general rule and won't rely on this presumption again). I wish to ask them to consider to settle out of court and will pay hastily any associated fees alongside the penalty fare and ticket price. I believe it would be wholly disproportionate to brandish me with a criminal record because of my mistake, and would be a waste of their time and resources, and I take full accountability of paying a fee which demonstrates the seriousness of the situation.
I am a bit worried people in the forum will be telling me off - I feel bad enough as it is and am a bit of a mess right now. If anyone could help me out with drafting a letter, and could advise on whether I should include evidence of my ticket-buying 'pattern' (to prove I don't have a history of evasion), alongside photocopying the physical ticket I got the other week when I was able to get a train ticket on board (and my bank statement so they can see that the ticket price is on my statement), I would be REALLY REALLY appreciative!!
Thank you a lot everyone and I genuinely hope for the sake of my future this can be sorted.
The other Sunday I received a Travel Incident Report paperslip from a train conductor about 5 minutes into my journey to Manchester via Northern Rail. I'd bought a ticket for an hour earlier that day (12pm), but needed to set off later as I had a flare-up of asthma (mine is classed as a disability as its that bad). I never refunded the ticket, but it was an advance single so it's not like it would have been valid. I travelled instead to the train station which had NO barriers, and completely forgot to get another ticket by the machines as I didn't need one to get to the platform. When I went onto the Trainline app, it was buffering (probably because of my poor data, however I was struggling at home as well), so I assumed I could get a ticket on the train. I'd previously been able to do this on another Northern Rail service with no problems, and this station also had functioning ticket machines etc. Furthermore, the other day, on the same route I was on but going from Manc -> Leeds, a woman next to me was also able to buy a ticket no problems (and Vic definitely has ticket machines).
Anyway, my intention was to ALWAYS tell the conductor as soon as I saw them on the train to explain. About 5 minutes in, a train conductor appears by my side and I ask if I can get a ticket. He immediately pulls out his fine machine thing and refuses to clearly tell me why I couldn't pay on the train or be issued a penalty fare. I mentioned that I had been struggling with the app as my reason, and because I was panicking, forgot to tell him about the earlier ticket I had bought (although it was an advance single - it still shows intent to pay and not to evade the fare). I kept asking him to explain (yes - I understand NOW that I needed a valid ticket..I'm so stupid) and he hardly spoke and just laughed at me.
In the past 6 months, I have counted 64 tickets I have paid for on the Trainline app with almost all being Northern Rail services - I have never been in this instance before and I feel absolutely terrible. I'm a young woman and I've just started working in the legal industry, and have hopes to become a teacher abroad before committing to qualifying as a solicitor, I fear this is going to ruin my life and since yesterday I've been in an absolute state worrying about this. I haven't received a letter from them yet, the man told me they'd investigate about the app issue, but I want to be as prepared as possible to avoid this from going to court. I am willing to pay for a solicitor (I saw on some other threads Manak Solicitors are generally good), but obviously before it gets to that stage, I want to be as clear as possible that my intention has ALWAYS been to pay, I am genuinely remorseful and feel so angry with myself that I could let this happen, my actions were not borne out of malicious intent (I was generally confused, I thought I could get a ticket on the train, but I understand now that I can't as a general rule and won't rely on this presumption again). I wish to ask them to consider to settle out of court and will pay hastily any associated fees alongside the penalty fare and ticket price. I believe it would be wholly disproportionate to brandish me with a criminal record because of my mistake, and would be a waste of their time and resources, and I take full accountability of paying a fee which demonstrates the seriousness of the situation.
I am a bit worried people in the forum will be telling me off - I feel bad enough as it is and am a bit of a mess right now. If anyone could help me out with drafting a letter, and could advise on whether I should include evidence of my ticket-buying 'pattern' (to prove I don't have a history of evasion), alongside photocopying the physical ticket I got the other week when I was able to get a train ticket on board (and my bank statement so they can see that the ticket price is on my statement), I would be REALLY REALLY appreciative!!
Thank you a lot everyone and I genuinely hope for the sake of my future this can be sorted.
