Online railcard trouble

[Chapeltom]

Hi all

I bought a YP Railcard, well renewed it in September and I was stopped by an inspector at Manchester Piccadilly yesterday who said the picture was too dark. I was on my way to Liverpool at the time and he said I could be stopped by a guard and could be basically refused railcard fare. He let me through however to continue my journey. I have not in 5 months encountered any problems, no-one has even taken a second glance at it.

It had faded and its badly scratched as well, he was saying I should get a new one. Admittedly its a bit dark but in the light its ok. What should I do about this? It was bought online, how do I go about changing it? I've heard some stations can just re-issue them?

Tom

 

[Pumbaa]

Umm online ones no idea. Don't listen to the gronks at Piccadilly, they're clueless. Keep using it till online staff raise an issue.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Don't listen to the gronks at Piccadilly, they're clueless.

I personally just see them as a pain in the backside tbh. Very rarely do they check my ticket properly. They let me walk onto platform 13, whilst delibrately showing the guy my First single for Friday evening's 18:20 EUS to MAN. (As it was the one nearest/most recently used).

 

[Chapeltom]

I've noticed they take a lot more notice of tickets now. One peering down his glasses at a perfectly valid Disley to Squires Gate ticket last weekend. Thankfully next weekend's trip is my last via P13 and P14 for a good month and a bit.

 

[mullin]

I've been stopped by them once before saying it wasn't me in the picture. A brand new railcard and a picture less than 5 days old.... :roll::roll:

 

[Flamingo]

I've been stopped by them once before saying it wasn't me in the picture. A brand new railcard and a picture less than 5 days old.... :roll::roll:

Well, next time take the Burka off before you take the picture

 

[Chapeltom]

Update on this. Was pulled on it by a conductor on Tuesday evening, I was sold the ticket but told to "get it sorted". What can I actually do? I don't think it classes as damage and I've heard people who buy them at stations, can get them reprinted, mine essentially needs a new picture and re-doing.

 

[SS4]

If you have a kind of receipt you can 'lose' your railcard and get a replacement for £5. Or at least you can at a station.

If not it might be better to cut your losses and get a railcard from your local station (and a nice wallet to go with it!)

 

[hairyhandedfool]

The online ones can't be replaced at stations.

The railcard website doesn't appear to help either, but the 'help' email address is

RailcardHelp@atoc.org

There is also a phone number and postal address on the site.

 

[cuccir]

The online ones can't be replaced at stations.

Is that a technical (ie the computer system won't let someone do it) or a rule-based thing? I only ask because if it's the latter, I suspect that a friendly visit to a ticket office during a quiet period might see you being able to get it reissued anyway. I've had faded railcards reissued before, but it wasn't one purchased online. If nothing else, you might benefit from asking - the ticket officer can always just say 'no'!

How dark/faded is it Chapeltom? My previous railcard became very tattered (it was one of the Natwest YP railcards), with the front bit of card with picture & date on it beginning to pull away (though it was only fraying before one guard picked at it and then said 'this is coming off' :roll and over a month I was warned three/four times to get it renewed. Anyway, long story short is that I didn't get round to changing it and after that month didn't get any more comments about the card - and continued to use it for another 2 years!

So I suspect that at the time there'd been a couple of memos gone round about dodgy railcards, which once they had receded into memory, guards were no longer bothered. My point is, if the photo is still identifiable as you, this might just be a temporary concern which will soon be forgotten...

 

[hairyhandedfool]

It's a rule thing, although even if it was allowed the station issued railcards have a seperate photocard which would need to be made up before a replacement could be issued anyway.

 

[Flamingo]

One I heard recently, allegedly true:
Chap walks up to South Wales booking office: "What do I need to get a Student railcard?"
Clerk: "For a Young persons railcard, you need to bring us proof of identity, something that proves your age, and a passport photograph"
"Oh, Ok", walks away, walks back up to the clerk
"A passport photograph of what?"

 

[swt_passenger]

One I heard recently, allegedly true:
Chap walks up to South Wales booking office: "What do I need to get a Student railcard?"
Clerk: "For a Young persons railcard, you need to bring us proof of identity, something that proves your age, and a passport photograph"
"Oh, Ok", walks away, walks back up to the clerk
"A passport photograph of what?"

OMG - shulee evry1 no u nede fot of v type of train u want to ride?

'Students' eh...

 

[Mike395]

The online ones can't be replaced at stations.

The railcard website doesn't appear to help either, but the 'help' email address is

RailcardHelp@atoc.org

There is also a phone number and postal address on the site.

Just to advise, if it's anything like the Natwest-issued ones, they have a £10 replacement fee if lost (as I found out to my disadvantage on Wednesday after leaving it on the 45 bus!)

Mike

 

[hairyhandedfool]

You should be able to have it replaced at no cost, however I do not know the proceedure for online sales.

If you lose it there is an admin fee (you will also have to have the 'letter of receipt'), If stolen it can be replaced at no cost if you have a police crime report number.

 

[Mike395]

Just had a quick investigation (I work in a call centre and its pretty quiet today :P ) - point 2. here - http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/buy-16-25-railcard/faqs/refunds-replacements - suggests you can replace it for a £5 fee by logging in using the same details used when ordering the card initially

 

[anthony263]

I have had my 16-25 railcard replaced free of charge after it had faded , although this 1 was purchased at the station rather than online

 

[323235]

I've had mine replaced online for £5 after it cracked when I put it in my pocket instead of my wallet, although do not select damaged on the webpage as it takes ages, as you have to send them the old one before they will give you a new one and they take ages to process it. Always "lose it" as it should be a lot quicker.