Delay repay “cannot find the journey” state Southern.

[Ivor]

I claimed for a 10:23 cancelled train last Saturday Angmering to Clapham Junction as were the next 4 trains cancelled in the next 2 hours. This train is always scheduled on a Saturday (other days of week 10:22) with 23 minutes past the hour all day in addition to a 52 past throughout the day.

So my delay repay (Southern) was declined stating “cannot find the journey” it wouldn’t allow me to resubmit as to too many screen shots with proof off their site & National Rail showing this cancellation & subsequent cancellations so I’ve emailed the proof.

Now this isn’t the first time I’ve had this reason for being declined over the years & I have spoken to a friend who has had similar on certain journeys, again Southern.

I was cheesed off with the decline yet again & I eventually got through to a very efficient lady in customer services who said she agreed & would get it passed to the relevent department giving me a case number to get it overturned, she explained it’s an ‘auto system’ in other words the computer does it.

My point is it’s just not good enough, it takes my time & these trains are scheduled on their systems from the point of buying the ticket to the day of travel.

Being Mr Angry I have also put in a complaint stating I also want compensation for my time & administration which obviously won’t happen nor will they give a hoot.

Why on scheduled trains can their system not find the journey? As I say the answer seems to be in not so many words “it’s the computer’s fault”

 

[Class800]

Depends if you want the honest answer or the polite answer. But basically they are trying to abdicate their responsibilities under conditions of travel. I had something equally bizarre recently when Avanti claimed they did not operated the 08.53 London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly! I appealed. And will escalate if needed just for point of principle when reason is so facetious

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Were services from Angmering running to Clapham Junction (and London Victoria thereafter) last Saturday (14JAN2023)?

Looks like the 1023 did run, but to London Bridge.

Realtime Trains | 1013 Littlehampton to London Bridge | 14/01/2023

Real-time train running information for 1013 departure from Littlehampton to London Bridge on 14/01/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[mocko]

I've had similar problems with EMR denying a valid claim, in this case because they think an off-peak return is valid 28 days and not the real one-calendar-month. Goodness knows how many claimants they've ripped off doing that and as usual, there's no visible interest in making amends.

These web-based delay repay tools seemed like a nice idea but I can't help wondering if they're really just an automated way of fobbing passengers off - deny X% of valid claims, most people will forget or give up, then they get to keep the money.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Ivor. Did you actually travel? As per my previous post, seems like there were Southern trains from Angmering to London Bridge (via Hove and East Croydon), with a rail replacement bus from East Croydon to Clapham Junction. So, were there scheduled works last weekend?

 

[Ivor]

@Ivor. Did you actually travel? As per my previous post, seems like there were Southern trains from Angmering to London Bridge (via Hove and East Croydon), with a rail replacement bus from East Croydon to Clapham Junction. So, were there scheduled works last weekend?

I was told by staff to go & have a coffee as no trains came through in a two hour period so off I went to Sainsbury’s cafe keeping an eye when trains ran, returned 2 hours later, told it was signal failures on line.

There were no trains (another weekend) ECR-VIC engineering works, so eventually boarding a train at lunchtime I went as far as ECR then replacement bus to CJ which was a nightmare in itself due to bus availability & traffic so it took nigh on 4 hours, normally approx 1.35 hours.

The CS lady checked her system & confirmed no trains at the 2 hour window.

My frustration though lies where their system often cannot find scheduled trains resulting in delay repays being declined.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 18 Jan 2023 ==

Depends if you want the honest answer or the polite answer. But basically they are trying to abdicate their responsibilities under conditions of travel. I had something equally bizarre recently when Avanti claimed they did not operated the 08.53 London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly! I appealed. And will escalate if needed just for point of principle when reason is so facetious

And I thought it was just Southern

I've had similar problems with EMR denying a valid claim, in this case because they think an off-peak return is valid 28 days and not the real one-calendar-month. Goodness knows how many claimants they've ripped off doing that and as usual, there's no visible interest in making amends.

These web-based delay repay tools seemed like a nice idea but I can't help wondering if they're really just an automated way of fobbing passengers off - deny X% of valid claims, most people will forget or give up, then they get to keep the money.

Totally agree

 

[JBuchananGB]

It is quite odd for Real Time Trains to show that trains actually ran, when your evidence from being there is that they didn't.

 

[Ivor]

It is quite odd for Real Time Trains to show that trains actually ran, when your evidence from being there is that they didn't.

Yep agree, I never really look at Real Time Trains, I suppose in case of a dispute it’s good to keep screen shots on the day, I religiously do it since the first repay declined some years ago.

 

[LA50041]

Yep agree, I never really look at Real Time Trains, I suppose in case of a dispute it’s good to keep screen shots on the day, I religiously do it since the first repay declined some years ago.

the internal TRUST system shows that on Saturday the 1023 from Angmering did run, departing 1024, and arrived East Croydon 21 late and London Bridge 22 Late.
The 1052 and 1122 were diverted via Horsham not serving Angmering
the 1152 also ran, although was 24 late at Angmering and terminated at East Croydon 29 mins late

 

[Ivor]

I have just had an email from Southern CS declining again stating they cannot find my ‘planned journey’ even as I originally stated I sent screen shots & links for TRUST & REAL TIME that @Mcr Warrior & @LA50041 kindly fed back, albeit trains did not run (see attached)

I won’t be letting this go, obviously pantomime season is still going.

 

[Class800]

I have just had an email from Southern CS declining again stating they cannot find my ‘planned journey’ even as I originally stated I sent screen shots & links for TRUST & REAL TIME that @Mcr Warrior & @LA50041 kindly fed back, albeit trains did not run (see attached)

I won’t be letting this go, obviously pantomime season is still going.

Not sure what to suggest, they've decided they're playing silly b*ggers

 

[pdeaves]

Just to eliminate the obvious, are you 100% certain the date you travelled and the date Southern think you said match up? If you think different dates to each other, confusion will reign.

 

[Ivor]

Not sure what to suggest, they've decided they're playing silly b*ggers

Deliberately I’d suggest! No I better not suggest that

Just to eliminate the obvious, are you 100% certain the date you travelled and the date Southern think you said match up? If you think different dates to each other, confusion will reign.

100%….on the 14th when I eventually arrived in CJ I went into Wetherspoons & filled out the delay repay straight away, I definitely filled it out before the beer touched my lips