Would appeal even do anything?

[arrrmaa]

Hello,

I bought a return ticket from Smethwick Rolfe Street to Birmingham New Street. I was coming back from work earlier than planned and took the train which was going from Birmingham New Street to Smethwick Rolfe Street with 1 change at Smethwick Galton Bridge. After I got on the train on the Galton Bridge station, prosecution officer asked for my ticket which I happily showed. They then said that the original station Galton Bridge was not on my ticket so I need to pay a fine which is 100£ plus £2.80 for the ticket..... I am very frustrated and wanted to ask if its even worth appealing or should I pay £52 and move on. Plus, I need to know if appeals can even be resolved within 21 days or is that not even a thing. It's ridiculous because the train ticket says anytime return via any routes (attached) but apparently it is not????
Any help would be great.

Hi guys, I have an update to this. I have appealed it with providing evidence of the customer service messages and train ticket itself. Appeal took 5 days and my appeal got accepted. Below is the message I have sent them that AI helped me generate:

"Notice Number: PF668119 Date of Issue: 23/01/2026

Ground of Appeal: Appropriate discretion was not applied by the issuing member of staff.

Statement of Facts: I am appealing Penalty Fare Notice PF668119 on the basis that I held a full, valid ticket for my journey at the time of inspection. I was traveling with an Anytime Day Return ticket purchased via Trainline. The inspector issued the notice claiming I had "No Ticket" for the specific leg between Smethwick Galton Bridge and Smethwick Rolfe Street.

Basis for Appeal:

1. Permitted Route Validity: My ticket is valid via "any permitted route". According to the National Rail Conditions of Travel, any route suggested by a licensed journey planner is a permitted route. The 16:52 service via Smethwick Galton Bridge was explicitly presented as a valid option by the Trainline app at the time of purchase.
2. Confirmation from Retailer: I have contacted Trainline Customer Service, who reviewed the booking and explicitly stated: "The 16:52 service was indeed valid... the onboard staff was wrong and charged you incorrectly".
3. Retailer Admission of Confusion: Trainline admitted that their app showed this alternative routing as a viable option, creating a "complex ticketing issue" where the app's guidance conflicted with the inspector's interpretation.
4. National Rail Conditions of Travel (Rule 13.1): As the route was provided by an accredited journey planner, I was entitled to travel on that service. The inspector failed to apply discretion or recognize the validity of the route provided by the ticket retailer.

Evidence Attached:

• Image 18 & 22: Showing my "Anytime Day Return" and the "Any Permitted Route" condition.
• Image 9 & 11: Showing the retailer's confirmation that the 16:52 service was valid.
• Image 10: Showing the retailer's admission of the app's routing discrepancy.

I request that this notice be cancelled immediately as no fare was evaded and I was following the routing instructions of a licensed ticket retailer."


I wanted to give you an update on this and am attaching what they said in the appeal.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

Hi guys, I have an update to this. I have appealed it with providing evidence of the customer service messages and train ticket itself. Appeal took 5 days and my appeal got accepted. Below is the message I have sent them that AI helped me generate:

"Notice Number: PF668119 Date of Issue: 23/01/2026

Ground of Appeal: Appropriate discretion was not applied by the issuing member of staff.

Statement of Facts: I am appealing Penalty Fare Notice PF668119 on the basis that I held a full, valid ticket for my journey at the time of inspection. I was traveling with an Anytime Day Return ticket purchased via Trainline. The inspector issued the notice claiming I had "No Ticket" for the specific leg between Smethwick Galton Bridge and Smethwick Rolfe Street.

Basis for Appeal:

1. Permitted Route Validity: My ticket is valid via "any permitted route". According to the National Rail Conditions of Travel, any route suggested by a licensed journey planner is a permitted route. The 16:52 service via Smethwick Galton Bridge was explicitly presented as a valid option by the Trainline app at the time of purchase.
2. Confirmation from Retailer: I have contacted Trainline Customer Service, who reviewed the booking and explicitly stated: "The 16:52 service was indeed valid... the onboard staff was wrong and charged you incorrectly".
3. Retailer Admission of Confusion: Trainline admitted that their app showed this alternative routing as a viable option, creating a "complex ticketing issue" where the app's guidance conflicted with the inspector's interpretation.
4. National Rail Conditions of Travel (Rule 13.1): As the route was provided by an accredited journey planner, I was entitled to travel on that service. The inspector failed to apply discretion or recognize the validity of the route provided by the ticket retailer.

Evidence Attached:

• Image 18 & 22: Showing my "Anytime Day Return" and the "Any Permitted Route" condition.
• Image 9 & 11: Showing the retailer's confirmation that the 16:52 service was valid.
• Image 10: Showing the retailer's admission of the app's routing discrepancy.

I request that this notice be cancelled immediately as no fare was evaded and I was following the routing instructions of a licensed ticket retailer."


I wanted to give you an update on this and am attaching what they said in the appeal.

Thank you all for your help.

You might want to take down (or at least edit) the letter from the Appeal Service as it shows your name and address, which you might not want to share with all of the internet.

But if you do take it down, then people here may be interested in the operational part of the letter (i.e. ignoring the boilerplate before and after):

The transport user is required to show on request a valid ticket. However, on this occasion I acknowledge that difficulties were experienced.
On assessment your appeal has been approved and this case is now closed.

 

[John R]

Well done to @arrrmaa for getting the appeal accepted, and thank you for letting us know.

But that explanation as to why the appeal has been accepted seems to be a real cop-out, and doesn't admit that the railway was at fault in issuing it.

 

[blimmo]

You might want to take down (or at least edit) the letter from the Appeal Service as it shows your name and address, which you might not want to share with all of the internet.

But if you do take it down, then people here may be interested in the operational part of the letter (i.e. ignoring the boilerplate before and after):

From what I've seen that is all they ever say for successful appeals. Apparently they have decided that "difficulties were experienced" is sufficiently general that they can just write it for anything.

 

[SuspectUsual]

From what I've seen that is all they ever say for successful appeals. Apparently they have decided that "difficulties were experienced" is sufficiently general that they can just write it for anything.

It also helpfully avoids creating any real precedent doesn’t it

 

[arrrmaa]

Just attaching edited version

 

[AlterEgo]

It also helpfully avoids creating any real precedent doesn’t it

Yes, they've become very guarded in the last few years due to this forum.

It was ascertained that the ticket was valid after all, so this explanation from them doesn't even make any sense.

 

[philthetube]

I would be inclined to contact them now with a letter Stating that as

west Midland railway usually charge £100 for investigation work, you feel that you are owed similar,

I won.t get you anywhere but would be fun trying and they would have to be very careful replying so as not to set a precedent which could be used against them by others who have been charged a fee on top of owed fares.

 

[ChilliSauce]

I would be inclined to contact them now with a letter Stating that as

west Midland railway usually charge £100 for investigation work, you feel that you are owed similar,

I won.t get you anywhere but would be fun trying and they would have to be very careful replying so as not to set a precedent which could be used against them by others who have been charged a fee on top of owed fares.

Perhaps the OP should now open a formal complaint with WMR directing their complaint at the individual who in effect wrongly issued the PF .. Might be Intresting to see if WMR do accept they were at fault.