Delay repay: how much can I claim for?

[al78]

I was travelling from Farringdon to Horsham earlier this evening via the 17:24 Farringdon to Brighton service, changing at Three Bridges to catch the 18:14 service to Southampton/Bognor. I got to Three Bridges without any problem and despite the short connection time, got to platform 3 in time to catch the 18:14 train. The 18:14 train was delayed until 18:25 and there was a slower Horsham-bound train that was due into platform 3 at 18:23. This slower train (that stops everywhere) was rerouted to platform 2 and we were advised to move to that platform if we were going to Horsham. I did this and boarded the train, but it occurred to me that given the imminent arrival time of the fast Horsham-bound train, this slower train would have been held back. I stayed on it hoping it would move off and be able to get far enough ahead to avoid delaying the fast train, but evidently the signaller judged that wasn't possible, thus the train I was on was held at Three Bridges for several minutes after the doors were closed whilst the fast train pulled in and set off.

Going by the train I was on, my delay was just over half an hour, it was around 7pm by the time I got to Horsham and I was supposed to get on the fast train and arrive at 18:27. Had I gone back to platform 3 and got on the fast train, I would have made it to Horsham with less than half an hour delay. For the purposes of delay repay, is it reasonable for me to claim for a 30-60 minute delay given I had to guess which train would get me to Horsham quickest? Before boarding I did ask a member of staff for advice on which train was likely to leave Three Bridges first but he didn't know.

 

[CyrusWuff]

GTR would almost certainly argue that you're not entitled to Delay Repay given the train you actually travelled on only arrived into Horsham 7 minutes late (RTT link.)

The train you intended to catch (RTT Link) was scheduled to arrive into Horsham at 18:27, and you arrived at 18:49. As such, the most you could claim would be for a 15-29 minute delay.

 

[OscarH]

GTR would almost certainly argue that you're not entitled to Delay Repay given the train you actually travelled on only arrived into Horsham 7 minutes late (RTT link.)

I don't follow this, the delay compared to the scheduled arrival time of the Thameslink was irrelevant because it was never the passenger's intention to travel on it

The train you intended to catch (RTT Link) was scheduled to arrive into Horsham at 18:27, and you arrived at 18:49. As such, the most you could claim would be for a 15-29 minute delay.

But I agree with this, the difference between your actual arrival on the Thameslink and the scheduled arrival on the Southern as you intended falls in the 15-29 band.