Stolen railcard

[Pumbaa]

Obviously you can submit the crime number to the railcard folk, and they'll issue you with a replacement. What, however, is the standard way of dealing with pre-bought tickets with the railcard before a new one is issued? I'd be damned if I'm shelling out again for the luxury of having my wallet stolen!

I'd like to think Railcard folk email you a form and you can take it with you? Then again I'm not sure that common sense will apply! If anyone knows the correct procedure, I'm all ears! Thanks!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

What, however, is the standard way of dealing with pre-bought tickets with the railcard before a new one is issued?

The purchase of tickets simply involves 'asking' for a Railcaed discount to be applied (it does not require any specific Railcard to be produced).

It's only at the time of travel that the (or maybe I should say "a") Railcard must be available for presentation on demand.

Consequently, there does not need to be any continuity between the RailCard possessed at the time of purchase and the RailCard possessed at the time of travel.
They will, however, both have to be the same classification of Railcard (eg 16-25, Forces, Senior, Family etc.)

 

[Pumbaa]

Okay ta - but now here's the issue. I'm due to travel Thurs afternoon and return Fri morning on two heavily discounted Advance tickets, both with railcard discount. I'm obtaining a crime number tomorrow morning (should have been today but they didn't ring back, so I'm getting hold tomorrow morning) and then passing it on to DVLA, Railcard folk et al.

Now I don't have the means to pay for new tickets a) because my passport is in a different city (and incidentally will pick it up Thurs) and so can't withdraw funds, b) all my means of payment were stolen along with my railcard in my wallet and c) I can't really afford nor ask a friend to stump out the £80 odd quid for travel. Not travelling isn't really an option either!

My hope is that when railcard ltd confirm they have received your crime number and have dispatched a second railcard, you can use a confirmation of sorts to continue travelling on your (not present) railcard. It is not my fault I had my wallet stolen after purchasing my tickets, although I appreciate it is not the railways either.

 

[yorkie]

Do you have some sort of insurance or are your cards covered under something like GuardCard (which covers railcards as well as bank cards)?

 

[Anvil1984]

Sorry is the railcard a bank issued one or a rail station issued one?

 

[Pumbaa]

Do you have some sort of insurance or are your cards covered under something like GuardCard (which covers railcards as well as bank cards)?

Sadly not - obviously banks cover the cards but thats it.

Sorry is the railcard a bank issued one or a rail station issued one?

Online from ATOC.

 

[Anvil1984]

Darn it, send off an email or ask them if there is any way to get there quicker but i think the answer will be no I'm afraid, numbers are

RailcardHelp@atoc.org or call us on 08448 714036 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday).

Always worth a shot

 

[MikeWh]

First off, I'm sorry to hear about your hassles. I really do hope you get it sorted. I really would like to hear from those members who repeatedly insist "you signed up to the conditions, if you can't present your railcard then you know what will happen" or similar words. Given this real scenario, can any of them concede that there ought to be some scenarios that deserve compassion?

 

[yorkie]

Sadly not - obviously banks cover the cards but thats it.

My bank does cover railcards. It may be worth checking your policy. If you've not paid extra for a card protection policy then you won't be covered though.

 

[Anvil1984]

I'm usually one of those but as it has been stolen then personally if it was my train I'd take the crime reference number, if it was a loss then tough luck usually

 

[Pumbaa]

My bank does cover railcards. It may be worth checking your policy. If you've not paid extra for a card protection policy then you won't be covered though.

Sadly not - I checked already, I just had basic card protection.

First off, I'm sorry to hear about your hassles. I really do hope you get it sorted. I really would like to hear from those members who repeatedly insist "you signed up to the conditions, if you can't present your railcard then you know what will happen" or similar words. Given this real scenario, can any of them concede that there ought to be some scenarios that deserve compassion?

I would hope so, its a nightmare scenario to be in. But hopefully HHF or likewise will be along to give their view!

I'm usually one of those but as it has been stolen then personally if it was my train I'd take the crime reference number, if it was a loss then tough luck usually

Yes, tough luck if lost. I would hope though that with a) a crime reference number, b) email from ATOC confirming re-dispatch of valid railcard that was issued 18 months ago and c) print out of the original application showing photo ID and railcard number (hopefully matching with b)) would be enough for the hardiest of guards!

 

[yorkie]

Yes, tough luck if lost. I would hope though that with a) a crime reference number, b) email from ATOC confirming re-dispatch of valid railcard that was issued 18 months ago and c) print out of the original application showing photo ID and railcard number (hopefully matching with b)) would be enough for the hardiest of guards!

Hmm, it would be enough for most. But would it be enough for the most desperate of NCL-based EC guards? For sure, the nicest of them (who are a credit to the rail industry) would wish you well and tell you not to worry. But the toughest of them, well I've heard some horror stories... Would 'PS' accept it? Hmm, probably not! But I'd love to be proved wrong...

PM me your journeys and I'll tell you your chances

 

[Flamingo]

Try approaching the station manager with the documentation you have before travelling or ring the customer services department and ask if they can suggest who you need to talk to. They can be dealt with on a case by case basis. Usually this will be viewed sympathetically (judging by the number of passengers I've had brought up to me by station staff saying "Can they travel?". Give a reasonable amount of time at the station to sort it, or go in a few days before if you can.

If they refuse to accept it, then at least there is the option of purchasing a new railcard before boarding, at £26 it might be cheaper than a full open.

In my experience, a letter / official piece of paper will be accepted by a guard, it's when we are the first one to be approached with something that has obviously been known to the passenger before they started their journey that the problems may start (and be exacerbated if we have to find them, rather than them finding us!).

p.s. Read my signature block...

 

[tony_mac]

p.s. Read my signature block...
The bus stop is just down the road..

That's not very kind!

I assume that, it should be possible to excess the tickets up to standard fare (before departure). That sounds like it may be less expensive than buying a new railcard which isn't needed.

At least you didn't have the tickets stolen also!

If you are having problems, maybe someone here would be able to help out, depending on where you are?

 

[hairyhandedfool]

A one year railcard can be replaced at any station provided you have a crime report number or the receipt (or 'letter of receipt'), so you need not travel without a railcard. You will have a form to fill out.

If you have already applied for it online and it doesn't arrive in time, you may need to buy a new ticket and have the discounted one refunded.

 

[Flamingo]

That's not very kind!

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I was refering to the first bit of it!

 

[Pumbaa]

A one year railcard can be replaced at any station provided you have a crime report number or the receipt (or 'letter of receipt'), so you need not travel without a railcard. You will have a form to fill out.

If you have already applied for it online and it doesn't arrive in time, you may need to buy a new ticket and have the discounted one refunded.

Thanks for that - I've sent it off but no reply yet. I'm still hopeful!

 

[Pumbaa]

In my experience, a letter / official piece of paper will be accepted by a guard, it's when we are the first one to be approached with something that has obviously been known to the passenger before they started their journey that the problems may start (and be exacerbated if we have to find them, rather than them finding us!).

p.s. Read my signature block...

Thank you for the very helpful reply. I will do this if the response from ATOC includes no guarantee on travel.

 

[janb]

A one year railcard can be replaced at any station provided you have a crime report number or the receipt (or 'letter of receipt'), so you need not travel without a railcard. You will have a form to fill out.

Except of course...

Stations and Travel Agents cannot replace any Railcards purchased online and applicants should be directed to the website from where it was purchased.

...when it was purchased online.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Must have missed that bit, sorry.

 

[Pumbaa]

Result from all of this;

VT Liverpool to Euston - didn't accept documents for travel and offered no solution other than buying a new ticket.
LM Liverpool to Euston - bought a super off-peak return to do my journey minus railcard
SWT Waterloo - Bournemouth - accepted documents for travel and apologies for VT actions

SWT Bournemouth to Waterloo - accepted documents for travel.
LM Euston to Hemel - accepted documents for travel.
Picked up railcard in Hemel which was sent to my previous address (wouldn't let me chose a new one online!)

No problems then on Hemel - MK - Crewe - Liverpool.

Have fired off an email to VT, although I realise that the VT TM acted to the letter of the rules, other TMs had no problem with the situation and the documents I produced.
LM Eustom

 

[wintonian]

Glad it's sorted,

We do have quite a few good guards down here with SWT, don't think I have ever had a problem when doing something different like a rover, rail sail, splits etc.

 

[MikeWh]

Picked up railcard in Hemel which was sent to my previous address (wouldn't let me chose a new one online!)

Superb!

So, what happens if you move house and have no connection with the old place (ie you aren't moving out of parents home), or the place is demolished, or some other issue. I can understand why they wouldn't normally want to send to a different address, but there must be something else they could do. Pick up from a station with agreed id?

Anyway, I'm happy that you were treated sympathetically by some of the staff. Depending on the outcome of your letter to VT, perhaps consider writing to one of the national newspapers.

 

[tony_mac]

If you get any reply at all from Virgin you will be doing well.

If you manage to get something other than a generic picked-from-a-script answer then I will be amazed!

 

[barrykas]

So, what happens if you move house and have no connection with the old place (ie you aren't moving out of parents home), or the place is demolished, or some other issue. I can understand why they wouldn't normally want to send to a different address, but there must be something else they could do. Pick up from a station with agreed id?

Logic says that you phone up, or e-mail, the Online Railcard helpdesk. Contact details for which are given on the Lost/Stolen Railcard page. Not having used the online service, however, I couldn't say whether they make it clear that they'll only send the replacement to the original address...

Stations are unable to do anything with railcards issued online, or by banks, ditto Disabled Persons railcards, and that goes double for the three year ones.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[penaltyfines]

Interesting note on stolen replacement...

I had mine stolen, reported it to the police by phoning them... high-tech police force texted me the crime reference number (and got a call from Victim Support a week or so later which was a joke!).

I took this to the ticket office to get a replacement.... they said they needed a physical crime report, not just the number, and made me pay £5 for a placement when I bought my tickets. Calling the TOC made no different, they just re-iterated this.

I phone my bank as I was incensed about this and provided the details, T&Cs etc... they did a charge-back of the £5 *and* the £60 ticket I bought... bonus!!

 

[janb]

I took this to the ticket office to get a replacement.... they said they needed a physical crime report, not just the number, and made me pay £5 for a placement when I bought my tickets. Calling the TOC made no different, they just re-iterated this.

Needless to say, they are wrong. You only need the number, concerning they didn't know that.

 

[AlexS]

I like that - the bank standing up for the little guy for once, ha

Dear Mr Large Faceless TOC - you have falsely charged our customer. So we are taking this money back.

Ciao!