Thameslink delay repay: how to apply without being able to take a photograph of the paper ticket?

[lightbulb]

Hello all,

I was delayed on Thameslink tonight by 32 minutes outward and 15 minutes return (I suspect the latter might not qualify, as although the arrival at Luton was 15 minutes late, the subsequent departure from Luton was 14 late, and I bet they'll go by that!).

Having bought a paper ticket at Luton (Super Off-Peak Day Return to London Thameslink, with a Disabled Persons Railcard for £11.80), I asked at both Blackfriars and Luton stations for a delay repay form, but I was told all applications must now be done online. So I did as I was advised, and tried to claim online, which required me to create an account with Thameslink, giving the required details, including the ticket number. The website then asked me to supply a photograph of the ticket, but I am unable to do so, as I do not own a camera or a mobile phone (and my computer does not have a webcam).

How should I proceed?

 

[James H]

Ask a friend with a phone to take a photo of the ticket for you?

 

[lightbulb]

I wish it were that easy! My friends all live many miles away, and I'd need to travel to see them. I could ring Thameslink customer services in the morning and find out if they'll post a paper form to me, but that's on the assumption that paper forms do still exist, which seems unlikely, going by what I was told. The Thameslink website does refer to paper applications, but it seems that I'd have to download it, which I can do, but I don't own a printer...

 

[Hadders]

The staff at Blackfriars were incorrect. You can claim by post, I suspect they simply did not have any forms and fobbed you off.

You can download a paper form from their website https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/-/media/goahead/gtr-all-shared-pdfs-and-documents/delay_repay.pdf

 

[lightbulb]

The staff at Blackfriars were incorrect. You can claim by post, I suspect they simply did not have any forms and fobbed you off.

You can download a paper form from their website https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/-/media/goahead/gtr-all-shared-pdfs-and-documents/delay_repay.pdf

Thanks, Hadders, but I don't have a printer. I need a physical form, rather than a digital one. I expect to be travelling by train this weekend, and can break journey at any Thameslink station between Luton and St Pancras in order to pick one up: I just need to know which station (if any) has the actual form.

 

[Hadders]

Thanks, Hadders, but I don't have a printer. I need a physical form, rather than a digital one. I expect to be travelling by train this weekend, and can break journey at any Thameslink station between Luton and St Pancras in order to pick one up: I just need to know which station (if any) has the actual form.

I can't say which stations will definitely have forms but any station with a ticket office ought to have them. Perhaps you could contact GTR and ask where you can get one from.

 

[lightbulb]

The staff at Blackfriars were incorrect. You can claim by post, I suspect they simply did not have any forms and fobbed you off.

You can download a paper form from their website https://www.thameslinkrailway.com/-/media/goahead/gtr-all-shared-pdfs-and-documents/delay_repay.pdf

Thanks, Hadders, but I don't have a printer. I need a physical form, rather than a digital one. I expect to be travelling by train this weekend, and can break journey at any Thameslink station between Luton and St Pancras in order to pick one up

I can't say which stations will definitely have forms but any station with a ticket office ought to have them. Perhaps you could contact GTR and ask where you can get one from.

Thanks again: I'll phone them in the morning and ask. If stations don't have them, I hope they'll be able to post one to me. It all seems a lot of hassle to have to go to, and there'll come a point where it's just not worth it to claim back around £8.80 or so...

 

[Hadders]

Is there anyone you know who can take a photo of the ticket for you and email it to you?

 

[lightbulb]

Is there anyone you know who can take a photo of the ticket for you and email it to you?

I'd normally count on a very good and kind neighbour, but she's away until next week, and I'm going away from this weekend, so I won't see her until the middle of October.

 

[philjo]

Can you print it at work? Otherwise try your local public library to use their scanning/printing facilities.

 

[skyhigh]

You could probably write a letter including all the information the form requests and an explanation of why you haven't done it on the form, enclose your ticket and post it to the freepost address.

 

[XAM2175]

You could probably write a letter including all the information the form requests and an explanation of why you haven't done it on the form, enclose your ticket and post it to the freepost address.

This is the route I'd take in the circumstances, assuming I wasn't able to first print it at work or a public library.

Alternately, your public library might be able to make a scanned image of your ticket for you, which you could then use with the online form.

 

[Haywain]

I'd normally count on a very good and kind neighbour, but she's away until next week, and I'm going away from this weekend, so I won't see her until the middle of October.

I find it difficult to believe that you don’t know anyone with a mobile phone who can take a photo of the ticket and email it to you.

 

[lightbulb]

Thanks, everyone. I'll write to them, enclosing my tickets.

I find it difficult to believe that you don’t know anyone with a mobile phone who can take a photo of the ticket and email it to you.

I accept (and understand) your disbelief, but nevertheless, it doesn't alter the truth of the fact that I don't know anybody with a smartphone, apart from the neighbour who is away. My friends and acquaintances are all older than me (in their 70s and 80s), and use basic mobile phones without cameras. Even if they could do as you suggest and email a photo to me, I wouldn't know what to do to get it from the email to the delay repay form, without the help of that neighbour (although I can call on what used to be known as the "Geek Squad" if need be). My internet use is mainly limited to emails, online banking, and forums like this; otherwise I try and do everything in person or by phone call.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I accept (and understand) your disbelief, but nevertheless, it doesn't alter the truth of the fact that I don't know anybody with a smartphone, apart from the neighbour who is away. My friends and acquaintances are all older than me (in their 70s and 80s), and use basic mobile phones without cameras. Even if they could do as you suggest and email a photo to me, I wouldn't know what to do to get it from the email to the delay repay form, without the help of that neighbour (although I can call on what used to be known as the "Geek Squad" if need be). My internet use is mainly limited to emails, online banking, and forums like this; otherwise I try and do everything in person or by phone call.

I would be pretty much astonished if you didn't know anyone with a camera, though. Older people (e.g. my parents) tend to have separate cameras rather than using phone cameras, but they're pretty much all digital these days, even if they never connect them to their computer and just take the memory card to a photographic shop to get traditional prints. Even the oldest people like their holiday snaps!

 

[lightbulb]

I would be pretty much astonished if you didn't know anyone with a camera, though. Older people (e.g. my parents) tend to have separate cameras rather than using phone cameras, but they're pretty much all digital these days, even if they never connect them to their computer and just take the memory card to a photographic shop to get traditional prints. Even the oldest people like their holiday snaps!

They may well own a camera, but it's not something I've ever needed to ask! (I've just returned from the USA, and took a few photographs with a disposable film camera. I've yet to get the film developed and printed: it's on my to-do list.)

 

[Bletchleyite]

They may well own a camera, but it's not something I've ever needed to ask! (I've just returned from the USA, and took a few photographs with a disposable film camera. I've yet to get the film developed and printed: it's on my to-do list.)

At a push you could take a photo of the ticket using that camera (though getting the focus right may be a challenge) and have it developed onto both paper and onto a USB stick to use on your computer.

 

[lightbulb]

At a push you could take a photo of the ticket using that camera (though getting the focus right may be a challenge) and have it developed onto both paper and onto a USB stick to use on your computer.

In theory, yes, but it's all far too much hassle, and so much easier to write to Thameslink, which they've confirmed is the best way.