TPE denied delay repay

[Skymonster]

Hi all,

I have had a TPE delay repay claim denied and denied again on appeal. The details are this:

Sunday 25th July 2021
1B84 Manchester Picc 16:19 Sheffield 17:08
1V66 Sheffield 17:56 Derby 18:26
Standard offpeak return Derby-Manchester

On Sunday 25th July 1B84 was cancelled from Manchester to Sheffield (I have a dated screenshot proof from NRE and saw it cancelled on the screens at Picc). The train started short instead and ran from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. I therefore boarded the next train Manchester to Sheffield (the Northern Hope Valley stopper at 16:45) meaning I missed 1V66 at Sheffield and ended up more than an hour late back to Derby.

TPE says there was no 1B84 departing Manchester 16:19 on Sunday 25th (despite it being on NRE and on the screens at Man Picc) - note they don’t admit it was cancelled, they say there wasn‘t such a train…. [I just knew this would happen when the 1B84 suddenly disappeared from RTT for Manchester but did show as a VSTP from Sheffield]. Note also that when I made the claim, I filled in the details on the form and of course the 1B84 16:19 departure wasn’t listed as a valid train, so I had to enter the details manually.

So, the 1B84 was on NRE and the screens at Picc showing cancelled, but TPE deny it was ever planned to run. I understand the problem was actually down to a fault with the swing bridge between Doncaster and Scunthorpe delaying services, so TPE turned the train around at SHF rather than running through to Manchester and back - i.e. it was an on-the-day problem.

The question is then: how do I now force TPE to accept that the 16:19 on 25th was cancelled from Manchester, thus the delay is their fault and they owe me delay repay?

 

[Hadders]

I would write to TPE customer relations one final time stating what has happened, giving them the opportunity to resolve the issue. Tell them to issue a deadlock letter if they do not accept the claim and then file a complaint with the RIl Ombudsman.

 

[AlterEgo]

Hi all,

I have had a TPE delay repay claim denied and denied again on appeal. The details are this:

Sunday 25th July 2021
1B84 Manchester Picc 16:19 Sheffield 17:08
1V66 Sheffield 17:56 Derby 18:26
Standard offpeak return Derby-Manchester

On Sunday 25th July 1B84 was cancelled from Manchester to Sheffield (I have a dated screenshot proof from NRE and saw it cancelled on the screens at Picc). The train started short instead and ran from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. I therefore boarded the next train Manchester to Sheffield (the Northern Hope Valley stopper at 16:45) meaning I missed 1V66 at Sheffield and ended up more than an hour late back to Derby.

TPE says there was no 1B84 departing Manchester 16:19 on Sunday 25th (despite it being on NRE and on the screens at Man Picc) - note they don’t admit it was cancelled, they say there wasn‘t such a train…. [I just knew this would happen when the 1B84 suddenly disappeared from RTT for Manchester but did show as a VSTP from Sheffield]. Note also that when I made the claim, I filled in the details on the form and of course the 1B84 16:19 departure wasn’t listed as a valid train, so I had to enter the details manually.

So, the 1B84 was on NRE and the screens at Picc showing cancelled, but TPE deny it was ever planned to run. I understand the problem was actually down to a fault with the swing bridge between Doncaster and Scunthorpe delaying services, so TPE turned the train around at SHF rather than running through to Manchester and back - i.e. it was an on-the-day problem.

The question is then: how do I now force TPE to accept that the 16:19 on 25th was cancelled from Manchester, thus the delay is their fault and they owe me delay repay?

Pick up the phone and speak to them, giving your claim reference number.

 

[_toommm_]

I’ve found TPE delay repay team to be incredibly awkward. Have you emailed the above screenshot to them to show the 16:19 was cancelled?

If you do ring Customer Services though, make sure to get an email or some sort of paper trail as to what you’ve talked about, particularly if they approve a claim. I’ve found in the past that the advisor will say one thing, but then there’ll be no record of it so you end up in a never-ending cycle of he said she said.

 

[WesternLancer]

I’ve found TPE delay repay team to be incredibly awkward. Have you emailed the above screenshot to them to show the 16:19 was cancelled?

If you do ring Customer Services though, make sure to get an email or some sort of paper trail as to what you’ve talked about, particularly if they approve a claim. I’ve found in the past that the advisor will say one thing, but then there’ll be no record of it so you end up in a never-ending cycle of he said she said.

I agree. 'picking up the phone' can often be little more than a waste of time unless the person you speak to actually has the power to resolve it and issue the refund there and then (and I doubt you will get to speak to someone who can do that, but happy to be prooved wrong). Even if you make a recording of the conversation you have it is very unlikely that anyone would be prepared to listen to it as part of a case resolution.

I would follow @Hadders advice above.

 

[janb]

It was actually altered in the morning due to no driver predating the swing bridge issues. So if anybody relevant in TPE has access to Tyrellcheck if they look back to 10.07 on the 25th they'll see the last message confirming alteration of the train.

 

[Haywain]

I have had a TPE delay repay claim denied and denied again on appeal. The details are this:

Sunday 25th July 2021
1B84 Manchester Picc 16:19 Sheffield 17:08
1V66 Sheffield 17:56 Derby 18:26
Standard offpeak return Derby-Manchester

When, and where, did you buy your ticket? If it was purchased after the cancellation then you have no claim. If it was before the cancellation you do have a claim and if it was bought online in conjunction with an itinerary which will be on your email confirmation that will back up your claim.

 

[Skymonster]

When, and where, did you buy your ticket? If it was purchased after the cancellation then you have no claim. If it was before the cancellation you do have a claim and if it was bought online in conjunction with an itinerary which will be on your email confirmation that will back up your claim.

The ticket, an off-peak return, was bought at Derby station the previous day just before I departed for Manchester.

Thanks for your feedback everyone - I guess I’ll have to write to TPE to follow this up.

 

[Puffing Devil]

My experience is that appeals are rejected as they only consider the information "in the system".

A final email appeal, where you can provide and reference attachments, including screenshots and provide a well-written description of events, as you have in your posts, will provide a positive result.

It's a very frustrating situation.

 

[yorkie]

I've only made two DR claims in about a year and half and yet both were rejected, even on appeal. I am having to fight them.

As others have said, try one last time and ask that they resolve the matter and if they will not do so, to state you are in 'deadlock'; if it gets to that stage you can contact the rail ombudsman

 

[AlterEgo]

I agree. 'picking up the phone' can often be little more than a waste of time unless the person you speak to actually has the power to resolve it and issue the refund there and then (and I doubt you will get to speak to someone who can do that, but happy to be prooved wrong). Even if you make a recording of the conversation you have it is very unlikely that anyone would be prepared to listen to it as part of a case resolution.

I would follow @Hadders advice above.

Why would someone on the phone not be able to process the claim there and then? It’s how things used to work when I did Delay Repay. Sometimes I even called customers myself if I wasn’t sure what they were claiming for.

 

[Hadders]

I had a rather complicated claim incorrectly rejected by WMT a couple of years ago. I called them and got it sorted over the phone. The difficulty in these sort of situations is getting to speak to someone who actually understands the issue, and this is harder these days as TOCs tend not to publish phone numbers due to more working from home. This is why I recommend writing to them.

 

[WesternLancer]

Why would someone on the phone not be able to process the claim there and then? It’s how things used to work when I did Delay Repay. Sometimes I even called customers myself if I wasn’t sure what they were claiming for.

Good to know that happens. All too often my experience is getting the run around, never getting to speak to someone able to make that decision, time wasted on call queuing systems and generally regretting I'd not just put it all in writing to start with. That is based not all on dealing with the railway, but all sorts of organisations, so that my blur my general attitude to the approach.

 

[43096]

Hi all,

I have had a TPE delay repay claim denied and denied again on appeal. The details are this:

Sunday 25th July 2021
1B84 Manchester Picc 16:19 Sheffield 17:08
1V66 Sheffield 17:56 Derby 18:26
Standard offpeak return Derby-Manchester

On Sunday 25th July 1B84 was cancelled from Manchester to Sheffield (I have a dated screenshot proof from NRE and saw it cancelled on the screens at Picc). The train started short instead and ran from Sheffield to Cleethorpes. I therefore boarded the next train Manchester to Sheffield (the Northern Hope Valley stopper at 16:45) meaning I missed 1V66 at Sheffield and ended up more than an hour late back to Derby.

TPE says there was no 1B84 departing Manchester 16:19 on Sunday 25th (despite it being on NRE and on the screens at Man Picc) - note they don’t admit it was cancelled, they say there wasn‘t such a train…. [I just knew this would happen when the 1B84 suddenly disappeared from RTT for Manchester but did show as a VSTP from Sheffield]. Note also that when I made the claim, I filled in the details on the form and of course the 1B84 16:19 departure wasn’t listed as a valid train, so I had to enter the details manually.

So, the 1B84 was on NRE and the screens at Picc showing cancelled, but TPE deny it was ever planned to run. I understand the problem was actually down to a fault with the swing bridge between Doncaster and Scunthorpe delaying services, so TPE turned the train around at SHF rather than running through to Manchester and back - i.e. it was an on-the-day problem.

The question is then: how do I now force TPE to accept that the 16:19 on 25th was cancelled from Manchester, thus the delay is their fault and they owe me delay repay?

You can also use "Recent Trains Times" (recenttraintimes.co.uk) to get past performance further back than Realtime Trains provides. Doing this for the date/time you gave gives this as a summary:


And for the individual service (direct link: Service Information - Recent Train Times):


Very clearly it was cancelled between Manchester and Sheffield so you have a valid claim. Feel free to copy and paste these in support of your claim.

Good luck!

 

[416GSi]

My advice is to ask for a Deadlock Letter (DL) while intimating that you intend to take them to the Railway Ombudsman 40 days after the original complaint even if they don't provide a DL. That's worked for me many times with TPE now.......one of the first, in 2019, is covered here with lots of great advice from members of this forum.

Transpennine Express - Delay Repay

Can I ask does TPE have a policy of rejecting the first and the appeal of people making Delay Repay Claims? The only reason I ask is that it appears every time I make a claim they reject me on the first attempt and the appeal only to finally pay when I make a further appeal. I'm getting...

www.railforums.co.uk

Good luck and don't give up!

 

[Joshua_Harman]

In the cases I Have had it incorectly denied, I always find emailing helps solve it, there you can upload images to help your case and they dont limit the amount you can wri-

 

[Skymonster]

Thank you again to everyone who contributed for their guidance. I’m pleased to say that after a little further prompting and pointing out exactly which train was cancelled, TPE has approved the claim and half the cost of my round trip ticket is now on its way back to me.