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Paper Ticket usage logs?

kazmaz

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Joined
12 Sep 2025
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3
Location
Oxford
Today I made a journey from Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford on an super off-peak single ticket that was marked "Not via Reading", but since my train was cancelled I ended up taking a train to Reading and changing there to go to Oxford.

If I file for delay repay, can they check the time I entered and exited Bristol/Oxford and figure out I took a route I wasn't allowed to?
 
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Gaelan

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3 Apr 2023
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997
Location
Edinburgh
Today I made a journey from Bristol Temple Meads to Oxford on an super off-peak single ticket that was marked "Not via Reading", but since my train was cancelled I ended up taking a train to Reading and changing there to go to Oxford.

If I file for delay repay, can they check the time I entered and exited Bristol/Oxford and figure out I took a route I wasn't allowed to?
Just to make sure, when you say "paper ticket", do you mean the credit-card shaped kind that you put into a slot, or the receipt-paper kind with a barcode you scan?

For the former no, for the latter yes (as it's technically very similar to a digital ticket)
 

kazmaz

New Member
Joined
12 Sep 2025
Messages
3
Location
Oxford
Just to make sure, when you say "paper ticket", do you mean the credit-card shaped kind that you put into a slot, or the receipt-paper kind with a barcode you scan?

For the former no, for the latter yes (as it's technically very similar to a digital ticket)
Thanks for all the responses.

I have the credit-card shaped one you collect at the ticket machine.
 

redreni

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Joined
24 Sep 2010
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2,672
Location
Slade Green
GWR guards can give permission for this sort of thing during disruption, so even if you assume:
  • the delay repay claim would be processed by a human for whatever reason;
  • they had the entry and exit times in front of them;
  • they noticed the arrival was earlier than the live running data suggests should be possible given the route restrictions (automated delay repay systems typically pay no attention to route restrictions); and
  • they bothered to look into it to rule out other possible causes of the earlier-than-expected arrival such as tight connections shorter than the MCT
they're still not going to be able to assume a customer who took a route not ordinarily permitted didn't have permission to do so from one of their guards.

Consequently I wouldn't personally worry about this regardless of the ticket type held, albeit I do think as a general rule the less data TOCs have, the less scope that gives them to misinterpret it.
 

kazmaz

New Member
Joined
12 Sep 2025
Messages
3
Location
Oxford
GWR guards can give permission for this sort of thing during disruption, so even if you assume:
  • the delay repay claim would be processed by a human for whatever reason;
  • they had the entry and exit times in front of them;
  • they noticed the arrival was earlier than the live running data suggests should be possible given the route restrictions (automated delay repay systems typically pay no attention to route restrictions); and
  • they bothered to look into it to rule out other possible causes of the earlier-than-expected arrival such as tight connections shorter than the MCT
they're still not going to be able to assume a customer who took a route not ordinarily permitted didn't have permission to do so from one of their guards.

Consequently I wouldn't personally worry about this regardless of the ticket type held, albeit I do think as a general rule the less data TOCs have, the less scope that gives them to misinterpret it.
I see, thanks. I didn't realise Delay Repay was processed by computers these days, and you're right, I was being pretty paranoid because I've encountered way too many issues with the system in the past.

I was once issued a West Drayton - Oxford ticket once instead of a Boundary Zone 6 and was denied Delay Repay because my ticket verbatim was for West Drayton :(
 

Watershed

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I was once issued a West Drayton - Oxford ticket once instead of a Boundary Zone 6 and was denied Delay Repay because my ticket verbatim was for West Drayton :(
A West Drayton ticket is just as valid to combine with a Travelcard as a Boundary Zone 6 ticket. If this happened within the last 6 years then you'd be entitled to pursue it further, although I recognise you may not see it as worthwhile if it's for a relatively low amount.
 

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