Hi everyone
Just came across this forum as I was searching more information regarding a travel irregularity report that was issued to me today. I was travelling from Chesterfield to Lancashire via Manchester Piccadilly on transpenine express (never heard of or stepped on this train before).
I had my valid ticket (well I thought) bought in advance. A male ticket/revenue inspector or officer came checking tickets which I showed confidently from my trainline app. I have a 26-30 railcard which automatically applies to all tickets that I search and buy and he obviously asked to see this and I showed it to him. This is the worst part, as I showed him, the railcard loaded and it showed my railcard had expired and I’m talking of September 2024 expiry . I was not expecting this and I pointed out to him that I think it expired (in my eyes I was thinking I saw September 2025 as I couldn’t believe how I had an expired railcard for almost a year without knowing and I know how it looks trying to explain this.
So he immediately asked for my ID or any proof of ID I have on me and I had my drivers license which I gave to him. I didn’t ask why as I thought this was for checking that the railcard indeed belongs to me and I was still in shock regarding the nearly a year expiry date. He asked to see my ticket and was taking pictures of it asking me to hold my phone still and informed me he’s recording.
I really felt like a criminal and tried to explain that it’s not deliberate as Trainline automatically applies the railcard to all tickets and doesn’t show or alert that it has expired but he wasn’t having any of that and said it’s my responsibility to take it off the app. In my mind I’m thinking yes I would have if I had known it’s expired but I didn’t see anything and I explained this and he repeated the same thing. He tried to see if I can renew but I can’t renew either as I just turned 31 in the summer this year. So I ended up having to buy yet another ticket from Manchester Piccadilly to Lancashire since my original ticket is classified as invalid due to the expired railcard. The inspector also issued a travel irregularity report with my name and address and said I should expect a letter delivered to the address on my ID.
I rarely use overground trains and tend to use coaches if needed. I checked my app and can see I have bought quite a few tickets with the unknowingly expired railcard and this doesn’t help either. I’m talking maybe 3-4 every 3 to 4 months for local trains in London and maybe 1 or 2 every 4months from London to midlands and vice versa as well as from London to down south of England and vice versa.
When I receive the letter, what can I expect in terms of punishment? I read some posts and saw that others have had similar experiences but with a railcard that has just expired or expired for a few weeks or months etc, nothing like mine. This is my first ticketing offence and just quite stressed and annoyed that I have found myself in this position.
Just came across this forum as I was searching more information regarding a travel irregularity report that was issued to me today. I was travelling from Chesterfield to Lancashire via Manchester Piccadilly on transpenine express (never heard of or stepped on this train before).
I had my valid ticket (well I thought) bought in advance. A male ticket/revenue inspector or officer came checking tickets which I showed confidently from my trainline app. I have a 26-30 railcard which automatically applies to all tickets that I search and buy and he obviously asked to see this and I showed it to him. This is the worst part, as I showed him, the railcard loaded and it showed my railcard had expired and I’m talking of September 2024 expiry . I was not expecting this and I pointed out to him that I think it expired (in my eyes I was thinking I saw September 2025 as I couldn’t believe how I had an expired railcard for almost a year without knowing and I know how it looks trying to explain this.
So he immediately asked for my ID or any proof of ID I have on me and I had my drivers license which I gave to him. I didn’t ask why as I thought this was for checking that the railcard indeed belongs to me and I was still in shock regarding the nearly a year expiry date. He asked to see my ticket and was taking pictures of it asking me to hold my phone still and informed me he’s recording.
I really felt like a criminal and tried to explain that it’s not deliberate as Trainline automatically applies the railcard to all tickets and doesn’t show or alert that it has expired but he wasn’t having any of that and said it’s my responsibility to take it off the app. In my mind I’m thinking yes I would have if I had known it’s expired but I didn’t see anything and I explained this and he repeated the same thing. He tried to see if I can renew but I can’t renew either as I just turned 31 in the summer this year. So I ended up having to buy yet another ticket from Manchester Piccadilly to Lancashire since my original ticket is classified as invalid due to the expired railcard. The inspector also issued a travel irregularity report with my name and address and said I should expect a letter delivered to the address on my ID.
I rarely use overground trains and tend to use coaches if needed. I checked my app and can see I have bought quite a few tickets with the unknowingly expired railcard and this doesn’t help either. I’m talking maybe 3-4 every 3 to 4 months for local trains in London and maybe 1 or 2 every 4months from London to midlands and vice versa as well as from London to down south of England and vice versa.
When I receive the letter, what can I expect in terms of punishment? I read some posts and saw that others have had similar experiences but with a railcard that has just expired or expired for a few weeks or months etc, nothing like mine. This is my first ticketing offence and just quite stressed and annoyed that I have found myself in this position.