Delay repay where journey is valid, but not suggested one?

[digitaltoast]

Good morning!

Question about Delay Repay on RETFORD to CAERSWS (Mon 16th Sept)

Suggested route on a weekday is 4h39m and 3 changes
RET > SHEF > STOCK > SHREW > CWS
DEP 14:31 > arr 19:14= 4h43m

I don't know why they suggest this, as there is a valid route which is is 4h10 and 2 changes, and all interchange times are valid:
RET > SHEF > BHM > CWS
DEP 14:02 > arr 18:12 = 4h10m

RET 14:02 > SHEF 14:42
SHEF 14:56 > BHM 16:04 (That's 14 minutes in a 7 minute station)
BHM 16:25 > CWS (ATW) 18:12 (That's 19 minutes in a 12 minute station)

However, the 16/09 @ 14:56 CrossCountry from Sheffield was delayed by 48 minutes, didn't depart until 15:24 and arrived at 16:52

So because I missed the 16:25 ATW, my next train was 17:26 arriving CWS at 19:14, therefore while just the XC portion was 48 minutes late, my whole journey was delayed by OVER an hour.

I just buy a standard return, because the most you ever save on splitting is about a fiver, and the open return freedom is worth it. So there is no way to PROVE I took that route, except the face that I took a photo of the board with the delay on at Sheffield, and CS signed a copy of my ticket (not sure how that helps!).

So, my question is: Do I have a claim for 48 minutes or 1h2m, and do I need to submit the photo of the delay board to help prove it?

 

[SickyNicky]

A through ticket for that journey isn't valid via Birmingham, even though it's the fastest route. That's why non-split booking sites won't offer it. So clearly you had to travel via the route you did.

 

[digitaltoast]

A through ticket for that journey isn't valid via Birmingham, even though it's the fastest route. That's why non-split booking sites won't offer it. So clearly you had to travel via the route you did.

Not sure I follow - what makes you think it's not valid via Bham? No-one has ever picked me up on it, when I first started doing the journey, the ticket collector said it was fine, and the only endorsement in the ticket is "TB", which is https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/TB

Nothing about "only valid via" or "Not valid via" anywhere.

 

[SickyNicky]

I was surprised when I looked it up, and of course I'm not in the least bit surprised that the ticket is accepted that way, as it's completely reasonable and obvious.

Never the less, there's no mapped route in the routeing guide, and it's not within 3 miles of the shortest route, so it's technically not valid. That's why you don't see it on most booking sites. The routeing guide is a rather hard-to-grasp document telling you which routes you can use a ticket on. There are a handful of experts on this forum who can interpret it properly though!

 

[digitaltoast]

OK, so now we know it' "legal", coming back to the original question:
Do I have a claim for 48 minutes or 1h2m

 

[SickyNicky]

The full delay that you experienced on the route you took. That there was an alternative route available isn't relevant (whether or not it was a valid route!).

 

[WesternLancer]

I'd be tempted to claim for what actually happened to you on the journey you actually did and let them respond. If they reject it on the basis of route it would be interesting to see what they say. Surely they will accept your version of the trains you used even if the ticket is flexible. I don't see why you have to proove the route you took on the journey concerned through to your ultimate destination (after all, if staff check tickets and clip them with train specific markers then that is what should be done, not up to you if that isn't).

Make the point that the delay on one train meant over 1 hour late at ultimate destination.

 

[digitaltoast]

Great - will do that. Yes, the ticket was clipped - it has a number on the top right which doesn't mean a lot to me, but I guess will to them?
I'll let you know how it turn out! Thanks

 

[WesternLancer]

Great - will do that. Yes, the ticket was clipped - it has a number on the top right which doesn't mean a lot to me, but I guess will to them?
I'll let you know how it turn out! Thanks

Yes, one has to presume so (as a customer - even though it may or may not mean anything to the staff who process the claims depending on what the code is!)

But be prepared to be rejected and then have to ask again - not because you are wrong but because they seem to have a poor record of dealing with these claims properly! In fact I would not submit photo of the 48 mins delay board as likely that the person dealing with this will not read your claim carefully but glance at the photo, and conclude that you were 48 mins late and refund accordingly - when in fact you were over an hour late at final destination. Let them look into it themselves, if they opt not to believe the basis of your claim they can explain why in their response. I've had responses from XC that are little better than garbled amalgamations of cut and paste text so.....

After all, with this being a long journey on a walk up fare I am guessing that there are a few ££s at stake here and important to claim them.