PCN cross city line help needed please

[lgfellows]

Last week I travelled from Wylde Green (West Midlands trains) to
London Euston. Booked on Avanti. I had an advance ticket valid from 08.32 but got onto the local train at 08.22 to make my connection at New Street. A revenue protection officer on the train said I didn’t have a valid ticket and issued me a penalty charge of £104! I assumed because you can’t make reservations on the cross city line and all fares are equal at any time of day with a peak ticket (which I had) I was covered. I need to appeal but not sure how to word it. Can anyone guide me please? Thanks for reading

 

[AlterEgo]

Please show us a picture of the ticket you held, and the penalty fare notice with your personal details redacted.

 

[gray1404]

I've just checked and none of the services departing from Wylde Green offer reservations or counted place reservations. You therefore travelled with a valid ticket as you were not booked onto a specific train from Wylde Green. Also I assume the ticket you used says Avanti West Coast and Connections?

 

[WesternLancer]

Has the inspector taken the time listed on any itinerary with the ticket as a must travel on the listed connecting local train? And if so is that not in fact an obligation?

 

[gray1404]

Has the inspector taken the time listed on any itinerary with the ticket as a must travel on the listed connecting local train? And if so is that not in fact an obligation?

That looks to me like what has happened and the inspector was totally wrong so this needs challenging.

 

[furlong]

From the FAQs created after some fuss in the press several years ago

Q: Can a passenger with an Advance ticket travel on an earlier connecting train?
A: Yes, if it is non-reservable, no if it is reservable

Q: Can a passenger travel on any train if they are booked on specific TOC’s Advance ticket e.g. “XC &Connections”?
A: As a connecting TOC into the main TOC shown in the routing on the ticket – yes. As a replacement for the main TOC shown on the ticket – no

 

[Fawkes Cat]

From the FAQs created after some fuss in the press several years ago

This may be a useful one for us to quote in future. Please could you link to the source website so we know whose FAQs we are quoting?

 

[Hadders]

This may be a useful one for us to quote in future. Please could you link to the source website so we know whose FAQs we are quoting?

It’s from internal guidance so cannot be linked on here.

 

[furlong]

This may be a useful one for us to quote in future. Please could you link to the source website so we know whose FAQs we are quoting?

A search of the forum shows that it is quoted here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/advance-fare-faq-for-transport-focus.127957/post-2498007

 

[Fawkes Cat]

A search of the forum shows that it is quoted here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/advance-fare-faq-for-transport-focus.127957/post-2498007

Thank you. In future before posting I will make sure that I check all posts from the last nine years.