The most lenience you've experienced from rail staff with your erroneous ticketing?

[Jovian98]

Once when I was an partying-hard teenager, I returned from Nottingham to Bath Spa on a Sunday morning, with a ticket but no money at all. After Birmingham New Street I fell asleep, missed Bristol and was woken by the guard just before Taunton. He accepted my mistake and told me to get off at Taunton and return to Bristol, and to explain to the guard on that train that I'd missed my stop. I did so and was able to get to Bristol without buying another ticket.

On the ten minute journey from Bristol to Bath, I again fell asleep again and was woken in Swindon. Again the guard took pity on me as did the guard on the return train to Bath. That's four journey legs I did with no valid ticket and no money, and nothing but pleasantness from rail staff

On another occasion the last train from Didcot to Oxford on an intermediate leg of my journey was cancelled. A taxi would be provided just for me, but I had to show my ticket, which I just realised I'd lost I fished out the two-week old outward portion of my Saver Return, and explained I'd lost the return bit. Never mind he said, I'll accept that, but be more careful in future.

So, what's the most you've been let off with?

 

[34D]

So, what's the most you've been let off with?

Back when cross country had 47s, they seemed a lot less particular about being on the correct train. I recall doing Sheffield-Leeds (route not doncaster) via doncaster and york behind the large logo liveried 47.

 

[Wath Yard]

I didn't have an erroneous ticket, I didn't have any ticket.

Spitfire's 1st attempt to take an 87 to Glasgow. It was the middle of winter so to make the most of the day but reduce the amount of time trundling around in the dark I intended to board at Woves but alight at Preston on the return. I had an AP Preston - Wolves. After standing in the freezing cold for several hours the tour was cancelled. Guard on a Birmingham - Glasgow or Edinburgh allowed me to travel back to Preston on my Preston - Wolves AP ticket.

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

A ticket for Lancaster-Preston didn't print recently at Preston (on a return journey to Silverdale), the staff on the station were incredibly rude but the TPE guard on board made sure things would be okay for the Lancaster-Preston leg and things went smoothly even though I got a VT back from Lancaster.
tl;dr: ticket didn't print, the Preston staff were rude, but the guards understood the issue

 

[starrymarkb]

Doing a George Osbourne on the Brunig Panoramic Express... Der Gripper allowed us to stay as we were only 2 stops from the terminus

 

[LE Greys]

I remember once doing a school trip to the NRM in IC days. We had most of Coach J reserved, only for a 'Pullman' set to turn up without a Coach J. Result, two teachers, some LSAs and about 30 kids all head down the platform to take their seats in first class!

 

[LexyBoy]

Night Riviera sleeper with Advance tickets for the previous day. Oops. Not only let us travel, even found us a berth whose rightful occupant hadn't turned up! Always a lovely bunch of people on that service!

Got the wrong train and sailed through my intended stop a couple of times, never question of being chinged to go. That's fairly standard though.

 

[185]

Buys ticket at Aachen DB station booking office, Germany.

No seats left to Paris, "ist is Voll", so buys one halfway, up to Bruxelles.

Asks German Conductor onboard "can I pay extra and stay on beyond Bruxelles?"

German Conductor: "Nein. Ist iz a €200 fine if you do!!!"

Crew change at Bruxelles.

Off gets mein fuhrer, on gets some Belgians. So I wanders over....

Me: "Hi, he said I can't pay extra, is there any room for one more?"

Belgian Guard looks at ticket: "But your staff?!? You're a colleague! Go sit in First Class. That idiot's probably just upset about the war."

Bottles of wine and allsorts of food arrived, I did try to politely refuse, but was told to get it ate and drink up.

*gobsmacked*

 

[D2022]

Packed HST from Bath to Swindon one morning so I went in a First Class vestibule, not realising my ticket didn't allow me to be there, guard wanders through and said 'oh your not supposed to be here but since you are have a seat, theres none down that way' (reffering to the standard class coaches)

Veryy cery comfy I must say

 

[ushawk]

Was on a Manchester to London train and my reserved seat had had to be used for someone else by the train manager. As there were no other similar seats (forward facing table with a plug) - I was allowed to sit in a rather empty first class - was very nice !!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

DB guard , who I sought out to pay / buy a priv due to late arrival at station said "du ist arbeiter eisenbahn" - (or your staff) - no charge and a free 1st class upgrade.

Back in cold war days - Dresden to Berlin on a Czech dining car - not much visibly avaible until the DR guard checked our tickets and spoke to the crew - thence instead of thin noodle soup and rye bread , plates of ham and eggs appeared , butter and proper Budwieser. We paid the modest amount and left a tip in DM which went down very well.

Good experiences there ...