Got caught at a station without a ticket? whats going to happen?

[starrrdoll]

I recently boarded at preston station to find my details being taken down because I hadnt baught a ticket on the train. I'm finding the whole situation quite frustrating as I believe it's not my fault I don't have a ticket. The station I board at has NO ticket booth, it's just a tiny station with a little shelter, when I boarded the train it was absoloutley packed, you know when the train is so packed you can't move? Absoloutle sardines, luggage and people everywhere. Anyway I waited for the ticket conductor to come round, as they usually do and I usually buy my ticket, but no one did. I couldn't even look around for them because I couldn't move! Anyway they've sent me a letter asking me to explain myself...if I tell them what happened what do you think will happen to me? Surely they can't take me to court, that is the worst possible thing I can imagine as I have never had any run ins with the law before please help!

 

[ANorthernGuard]

I recently boarded at preston station to find my details being taken down because I hadnt baught a ticket on the train. I'm finding the whole situation quite frustrating as I believe it's not my fault I don't have a ticket. The station I board at has NO ticket booth, it's just a tiny station with a little shelter, when I boarded the train it was absoloutley packed, you know when the train is so packed you can't move? Absoloutle sardines, luggage and people everywhere. Anyway I waited for the ticket conductor to come round, as they usually do and I usually buy my ticket, but no one did. I couldn't even look around for them because I couldn't move! Anyway they've sent me a letter asking me to explain myself...if I tell them what happened what do you think will happen to me? Surely they can't take me to court, that is the worst possible thing I can imagine as I have never had any run ins with the law before please help!

Give a clear and honest account of what had happened, give times/service etc etc and you should be ok who took your details?

 

[starrrdoll]

i can't remember which time train i boarded, it was literally months ago it happened, they hadnt got back to me so i completley forgot about it, but i know the date i boarded. The person who took my name, adress ect was a guard at the station. what do you think the most likely scenario to happen to me will be?

 

[ANorthernGuard]

i can't remember which time train i boarded, it was literally months ago it happened, they hadnt got back to me so i completley forgot about it, but i know the date i boarded. The person who took my name, adress ect was a guard at the station. what do you think the most likely scenario to happen to me will be?

just be honest and offer to pay the fare, I am sure nothing more will come from it. (IMHO) of course

 

[MidnightFlyer]

What station did you board at?

 

[SickyNicky]

Hi starrrdoll and welcome to the forums.

Can I just clarify the situation you found yourself in to see if I've got it right? You boarded a train at an unstaffed station with no opportunity to buy a ticket? The guard didn't get round to you to sell a ticket on the train because it was rammed?

When you got to Preston, did you then board another train without first going to the ticket office to buy your ticket, or were you actually challenged at Preston?

Thanks.

 

[Old Timer]

i can't remember which time train i boarded, it was literally months ago it happened, they hadnt got back to me so i completley forgot about it, but i know the date i boarded. The person who took my name, adress ect was a guard at the station. what do you think the most likely scenario to happen to me will be?

To clarify, please, as the facts are not quite clear.

You were uanble to buy a ticket at your originating station - Yes ?

When you say "booth" do you mean a ticket office or a ticket machine ?

You were uanable to buy a ticket on the train from your originating station - Yes ?

You then presumably boarded a second train at Preston station - Yes ?

Now this is where there is a whole lot of detail missing, please can you explain in more detail, and clearly, what happened after getting onto the second train.

Can you also say why you did not buy a ticket at Preston station ?

Can you also be clear in what the letter is saying ? Is it asking you for an explanation or is it a notice that you are to be Prosecuted ?

 

[ainsworth74]

Can you tell us what the journey was (don't worry about the times just the stations are important)?

 

[starrrdoll]

nope i did not board a second train at preston, i got off at preston and i was unable to buy a ticket because the guards we're blocking the ticket booth/machine there. at my station there are no ticket machines or booths selling tickets just to clarify (unable to buy ticket). my journey was cark to preston btw. the letter i recieved was asking for an explanation as to why i did not have a ticket.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
sorry i worded it confusingly, i say i boarded at preston, i didnt, what i meant was i was getting off at preston.

 

[Old Timer]

In which case as ANorthenGuard said earlier you would need to simply explain that in writing.

Can you be more specific about what happened at the barrier, as I am sure that the staff there would know Cark did not have ticket issuing facilities and may well have been aware that the train was full and the Guard had been unable to go through.

 

[starrrdoll]

erm i can barely remember, this was months ago, bear in mind, i told him no one came to me on the train, and because i panicked i did not tell him about cark having no ticket machine or booth, or that the train was busy, so if i explain that in writing do you think i will be ok? he said that i would be recieving a letter to explain what happened fully.

he also said i would be charged for the ticket. but nothing about a fine...

 

[150222]

If what you said is correct and you were fully prepared to pay on board then they should have let you buy at the station. If the journey was Cark to Preston then it was most probably a first transpennine express train. Tell them truthfully what happened and as ANORTHERNGUARD said just offer to pay the fare. (Unless you have already paid!)

 

[starrrdoll]

the trains cark to preston vary, they can either be first transpennine or northern rail, i have written on the letter that im fully prepared to pay the ticket, as it is a journey i often take and usually do buy one! i'm just hoping they don't fine as it is through no fault of my own i couldn't buy a ticket also when you get off the train at preston, the ticket booths are at the oppsite end of the station, the guards were waiting for me so i had no chance to make my way across there and buy one!

 

[CaptainHaddock]

The key point here is why didn't the OP go straight to the ticket office or one of the ticket machines on arrival at Preston. Obviously it's not her fault that Cark has no ticket buying facilities nor that the guard didn't come down the train selling tickets, but to leave the station without paying is still as far as I'm aware a criminal offence.

The other thing that doesn't add up is how the OP has received a letter so surely a member of staff must have taken her name and address at some point in her journey. Why, at this point, did she not buy her ticket?

 

[starrrdoll]

i don't know why he didnt just let me buy one, he just said i'd be charged for the ticket through a letter.

also ive already noted the train guards wait on the platform so i wasnt able to make my way across to the ticket booth.

 

[Old Timer]

erm i can barely remember, this was months ago, bear in mind, i told him no one came to me on the train, and because i panicked i did not tell him about cark having no ticket machine or booth, or that the train was busy, so if i explain that in writing do you think i will be ok? he said that i would be recieving a letter to explain what happened fully.

he also said i would be charged for the ticket. but nothing about a fine...

It sounds as if you have been subject to a Ticket Irregularity Report, as the person who checked you was not satisfied by your explanation. It does not sound as if there is any consideration to charging you with any Offence.

May I suggest that when you have finished your letter, that you send a PM with a copy to Yorkie (one of the staff here), as well as DaveNewcastle who advises on such matters, BEFORE POSTING IT, simply so that they can check out that what you have written is OK and will not cause you a further problem. It is most important that the correct wording is used you see.

 

[starrrdoll]

thanks for the advice, do you think this is an appropriate explanation?

The journey i travelled on the 4th of November 2011 was Cark to Preston. The station at Cark has no ticket machine or booth so I was unable to purchase a ticket. During my train journey the train was extremely busy and no conductor came so I could not purchase a ticket. The guard at Preston station informed me that I would be charged for the cost of the ticket via this letter. I realise now I should have simply asked to buy the ticket from the guard but I panicked and assumed I would be charged through this letter. I am happy to pay the cost of the single ticket from Cark to Preston as I usually always pay for my ticket. I apologize for any inconvience caused.

 

[Brucey]

Not sure what others think, but I would change some of the wording to get straight to the point. No apologies as you've done nothing wrong.

This is what I'd write (assuming the facts are all correct):

On the 4th November 2011, I travelled from Cark to Preston on the xx: xx Northern/TPE[delete as applicable] service. You will note that Cark has no ticket issuing facilities. The train was busy and therefore the conductor was unable to reach me during the journey. I alighted at Preston where I intended to purchase my ticket for the journey made. On exiting the platform area, I was challenged by a member of staff from [insert name of company here]. They took my details, which has resulted in your letter to myself. I therefore enclose £x.xx as payment of the fare due and trust this matter has now been resolved.

 

[Old Timer]

thanks for the advice, do you think this is an appropriate explanation?

The journey i travelled on the 4th of November 2011 was Cark to Preston. The station at Cark has no ticket machine or booth so I was unable to purchase a ticket. During my train journey the train was extremely busy and no conductor came so I could not purchase a ticket. The guard at Preston station informed me that I would be charged for the cost of the ticket via this letter. I realise now I should have simply asked to buy the ticket from the guard but I panicked and assumed I would be charged through this letter. I am happy to pay the cost of the single ticket from Cark to Preston as I usually always pay for my ticket. I apologize for any inconvience caused.

I think it is a good explanation but I think there may well be ways in which some slight changes could be made to assist in getting the outcome you require.

As I suggested, send a Private Message to Yorkie and DaveNewcastle with that text in it and they will help you with the final wording.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

However I would not recommend being unthuthful in it!

 

[yorkie]

thanks for the advice, do you think this is an appropriate explanation?

The journey i travelled on the 4th of November 2011 was Cark to Preston. The station at Cark has no ticket machine or booth so I was unable to purchase a ticket. During my train journey the train was extremely busy and no conductor came so I could not purchase a ticket.

This makes perfect sense so far....

So you then made your way to the ticket office to buy a ticket, right?

The guard at Preston station informed me that I would be charged for the cost of the ticket via this letter.

Guard at Preston? Presumably this would be an revenue protection officer/inspector. I think more information is needed about where this staff member was stood, and what was said. I would expect the conversation to go like this:

"Hi, I'd like to buy a Cark to Preston ticket please"
"Sure, single or return?"
etc...

If it didn't then I'd be curious to know why.

I realise now I should have simply asked to buy the ticket from the guard

Not a guard, but yes.

but I panicked

In what way? what happened?

and assumed I would be charged through this letter.

Doesn't make sense to me.

I am happy to pay the cost of the single ticket from Cark to Preston as I usually always pay for my ticket. I apologize for any inconvience caused.

usually always? which is it? and what are you apologising for?

 

[Chester025]

What I don't understand is how did you get caught at Preston?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

G4S man the main entrance at times, as well as, more commonly, the footbridge from p1/2.

 

[Lampshade]

What I don't understand is how did you get caught at Preston?

Unless it arrived on platform 1 and 2, but Barrow services use 4 and 6.

 

[lyesbkz]

i got off at preston and i was unable to buy a ticket because the guards we're blocking the ticket booth/machine there

also when you get off the train at preston, the ticket booths are at the oppsite end of the station, the guards were waiting for me so i had no chance to make my way across there and buy one!

This makes a lot of sense to me, are people reading this? It feels like a lot of the questions people are asking could be answered by this!

 

[Lampshade]

Sounds like Virgin had a revenue block on, though they should have just sold a ticket then and there.

 

[tony_mac]

I imagine that they simply believed that 50-60 minutes on a train was enough time to buy a ticket.

They would not have know that the train was so full that the guard couldn't get through it.

 

[Bungle73]

I wouldn't have given any details. The fact that there were no ticket issuing facilities at your starting station should have been enough for them.

 

[alanf]

i can't remember which time train i boarded, it was literally months ago it happened, they hadnt got back to me so i completley forgot about it, but i know the date i boarded. The person who took my name, adress ect was a guard at the station. what do you think the most likely scenario to happen to me will be?

November the 4th 2011 wasn't literally months ago! I'm not having a go at you but it does sound iffy.I don't know the layout at Preston so couldn't comment about any other aspect of this

Alan

 

[snail]

I'm getting confused about what happened here. These two statements appear to conflict:

i got off at preston and i was unable to buy a ticket because the guards we're blocking the ticket booth/machine there.

when you get off the train at preston, the ticket booths are at the oppsite end of the station, the guards were waiting for me so i had no chance to make my way across there and buy one!

I don't understand what you mean by "the opposite end of the station". There are six places you can be caught by ticket inspections at Preston:
- on the overbridge to Platforms 1-2 (semi permanent)
- on the platform
- in the subway
- at the exit opposite the Fishergate centre
- outside the main entrance/ticket office (all occasional)
- at the car park exit on platform 7 (rare)

If it was the bridge exit the excuse of not having a chance to buy a ticket is very thin as you have to turn away from the ticket office to get there. Claiming the train was packed from Cark to Preston could also be challenged as it usually clears at Lancaster then fills up again.

Yorkie and others are much better qualified than me to advise you on what to say in response to your letter but make sure it's consistent and truthful.