Remedy for being unable to board a train because it is full

[BanishDemons]

If I arrive at a station intending to board a specific train but cannot because it is full am I / should I be able to claim a refund without an admin fee?
I was in this situation yesterday. On this occasion I did not have a reservation. I left the station and caught a bus instead as this got me to my final destination faster than waiting for the next train.
I then applied for a refund. There was a £5 admin fee which I accepted, but I wonder if I could have avoided this? Would it make a difference if I had a reservation?

Also could I be in trouble because I went onto the platform? I wonder if the station operator could now claim the ticket technically never existed and prosecute me for trespassing on the platform?

 

[Starmill]

Also could I be in trouble because I went onto the platform? I wonder if the station operator could now claim the ticket technically never existed and prosecute me for trespassing on the platform?

No. Simply being on the platform isn't an issue of trespass as you hadn't been asked to leave and there's nothing to say you shouldn't be there. Also you had a legitimate reason to be there if you intended to catch the train. I doubt the station you were at had a Compulsory Ticket Area, but even if it did that cannot be applied retrospectively.

If I arrive at a station intending to board a specific train but cannot because it is full am I / should I be able to claim a refund without an admin fee?

If you made an attempt to join the train but found it were physically impossible due to a lack of space, then I would say that's a strong argument for cancelling your contract for travel. You would need to explicitly state that in order to have the £5 fee reversed though, not following the usual refund channel. You are still entitled to make this point if you choose to. Most trains don't offer real reserved seating nowadays anyway so I don't think having one or not really changes anything.

My advice would be to take a picture if the train doorways don't have physical space for you to board.

 

[Hadders]

You're entitled to a refund without an admin fee if you choose not to travel due to disruption. I'd agrue that being unable to board due to overcrowding constitutes disruption.

You'd need to contact the ticket retailer and explain what happened. Applying for a refund using their automated systems is likely to result in the defalut admin fee being charged.

 

[Kilopylae]

I'd agrue that being unable to board due to overcrowding constitutes disruption.

It's analogous to the train being cancelled, especially in a case where (say) a stop is changed to be set-down only. You have presented yourself at the station on time to board the 12:21, the 12:21 was not available to you, so you abandoned your journey because the 12:21 wasn't available. Hard to see how the railway can evade that logic.

 

[gray1404]

In these circumstances you a entitled to a fee free refund. Contact your retailer and asked for the £5 back.

 

[Starmill]

It's analogous to the train being cancelled, especially in a case where (say) a stop is changed to be set-down only. You have presented yourself at the station on time to board the 12:21, the 12:21 was not available to you, so you abandoned your journey because the 12:21 wasn't available. Hard to see how the railway can evade that logic.

If the customer is willing to accept a refund, they're actually doing the train operator in question a favour, because they're saving them the costs of any alternative transport provision, or delay compensation if they're asked to wait for the next service, if it isn't very shortly behind.