TfW First Class Upgrade: Railcard discount?

[MCR247]

Morning,

I’m currently onboard a TfW mk4 set and purchased a first class upgrade and was charged £22.00 from Shrewsbury to Cardiff despite having a railcard.
I’d checked brfares prior and was expecting to pay £14.50 (link) but the guard said you only get railcard discount on the initial ticket and not the upgrade. I couldn’t get onto the wifi at the time so didn’t argue it further, but I’m now on it and can see that I wasn’t imagining things and brfares does show a railcard difference.

Before I ask for a partial refund, I just thought I’d double check with our resident experts

Thanks in advance!


EDIT: I have an answer - no discount available.

 

[nwales58]

Isn't the PCU supplement, Business Zone, for the 197s? Not for real 1st on the Mk4s.

 

[Watershed]

Isn't the PCU supplement, Business Zone, for the 197s? Not for real 1st on the Mk4s.

My understanding is that PCU (entitled "Business Zone" in the fares data) is for the Mk4s, whilst PUG (entitled "Std Plus Upgrade") is for the 197s, to reflect that you're not getting the full catering. As usual though, there has been no communication from TfW and there's nothing on TfW's website or NRE (even the internal version) which clarifies.

I don't think PUG supplements are intended to be sold yet, as 1st class on the few 197s that have it is de facto declassified since the 197-diagrammed services aren't advertised as having 1st class in the timetable.

 

[northscots]

If its anything like Scotrail, the upgrade is a supplement rather than a change of ticket type, so no discounts apply. If it works out cheaper to excess your ticket to 1st class using a rail card ask the conductor to do that instead.