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I booked a return journey for the same day on northern trains. I genuinely left my railcard at home by mistake but have been issued two reports (by the same guard), one for my inbound and outbound.
I do understand it’s done to stop people booking tickets without a railcard but would there be any chance of me sending evidence of my railcard and avoiding any fines? This is the first time it’s ever happened and I’m not sure of the process
The railway companies will normally let you off after making this mistake (leaving a valid railcard behind) once a year. However, that you made the return journey with the same discounted ticket but still without the railcard may not be considered as within this easing of the rules.The experts will be along to tell you exactly how to deal with this.
I booked a return journey for the same day on northern trains. I genuinely left my railcard at home by mistake but have been issued two reports (by the same guard), one for my inbound and outbound.
I do understand it’s done to stop people booking tickets without a railcard but would there be any chance of me sending evidence of my railcard and avoiding any fines? This is the first time it’s ever happened and I’m not sure of the process
The T&Cs of the Railcard have a 'forgotten railcard policy' which allows you to send a copy of the Railcard once per year to resolve exactly this situation
The railway companies will normally let you off after making this mistake (leaving a valid railcard behind) once a year. However, that you made the return journey with the same discounted ticket but still without the railcard may not be considered as within this easing of the rules.The experts will be along to tell you exactly how to deal with this.
So just to be clear do you mean on the 1st / inbound journey the guard gave you a report, then you travelled back again and on the 2nd / outbound journey you again showed your ticket without a railcard, the same guard was on both trains, and they gave you a separate second report?
Or
On the 1st journey the guard gave you paperwork to allow you to get back again n the return the ticket?
Did it occur to you that your return you would still not be able to show a valid Railcard, but you didn't buy another ticket without a railcard discount that would be valid for that journey? Was that because you were advised that you didn't need to buy another ticket or because you thought you might chance it in the hope they would not check again?
It may help if you could upload images of the reports you were given with any personal details blanked out.
I booked a return journey for the same day on northern trains. I genuinely left my railcard at home by mistake but have been issued two reports (by the same guard), one for my inbound and outbound.
It's not clear how/why he issued two reports at the same time.
On the outbound, you had not yet made the inbound trip so he cannot pre-emptively issue anything to you.
If it was on the inbound, did you incriminate yourself by saying you didn't have it on the outbound?
You need to have the railcard on you while making the trip, so if you were caught on the inbound, I can see a cause for the report to be issued. However, normally, RPI have no business to ask you about earlier trips and you have no reason to prove that you had the railcard on you in person on earlier trips. In theory, there is no requirement to even retain the ticket after travel (and most barriers would eat it on exit).
Or were you just unlucky that the same inspector caught you on the outbound and inbound?
Sounds a bit harsh, as obviously if the OP had forgotten their railcard on their outbound journey, they couldn't produce it on the return. I'd have thought on a day return the proof of railcard's existence after the event would be acceptable to cover both journeys. Having to buy a separate undiscounted single to get home is, as I say, a bit harsh.
At this point, we don't know if OP was Penalty Fared (fined in his words) or just reported and is expecting something from ToC based on the two reports he has.
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