On Friday, I was travelling from Penmere (Cornwall, Falmouth) to St Austell. On my first train, I got checked for my ticket, nothing new. They then proceeded to ask for my railcard which I went to show. However, my railcard app was logged out, rather peculiar because that never happens. I tried logging it back in, but to no avail none of my password variations were working. I attempted to request a password reset, but no emails were coming through. I'm not sure if the signal was effecting this.
The conductor then asks "do you have a railcard" and I plead that I do, because I know I do. I even asked if they didn't believe me that I'm okay with purchasing a new ticket without the railcard discount. Instead they got me to fill out a form, regarding a lot of information about me and recording me visually and through audio whilst doing this. They even read out the rights to remain silence, anything you do say can be used in court etc! Which got me spooked a bit. However they said I'll get a letter in the mail from my train company stating I'll just have to show evidence of my railcard, which I thought was fine. I can do that.
Got home today. Sorted out the whole password debacle. I log in to see "Card Status: EXPIRED", which ran out on the 16th April 2024. I had no idea that my railcard expired. I don't take the train that frequently, so it wouldn't be a thing I check often, but even so I thought I would've got an email regarding it being expired or for it to be soon expired before the date.
Anyone know what the procedure will be after this now? I'll confess to my mistake, but will that mean I'll get fined because I didn't actually have a valid railcard? After frantically Googling, I've seen that this is a serious criminal offence, and I really don't want this on my criminal record for an honest mistake. The railcard discount only saved me £2.95 (Original ticket costs £8.60, with a railcard £5.65), and I went onto my GWR app and the last ticket I bought before this was before my railcard had expired, so it's not like I have been skimming loads of tickets. I know a rail company may not see it like this, but this has got me a bit worried now, because I don't want a minor mistake like this to be on my record permanently
The conductor then asks "do you have a railcard" and I plead that I do, because I know I do. I even asked if they didn't believe me that I'm okay with purchasing a new ticket without the railcard discount. Instead they got me to fill out a form, regarding a lot of information about me and recording me visually and through audio whilst doing this. They even read out the rights to remain silence, anything you do say can be used in court etc! Which got me spooked a bit. However they said I'll get a letter in the mail from my train company stating I'll just have to show evidence of my railcard, which I thought was fine. I can do that.
Got home today. Sorted out the whole password debacle. I log in to see "Card Status: EXPIRED", which ran out on the 16th April 2024. I had no idea that my railcard expired. I don't take the train that frequently, so it wouldn't be a thing I check often, but even so I thought I would've got an email regarding it being expired or for it to be soon expired before the date.
Anyone know what the procedure will be after this now? I'll confess to my mistake, but will that mean I'll get fined because I didn't actually have a valid railcard? After frantically Googling, I've seen that this is a serious criminal offence, and I really don't want this on my criminal record for an honest mistake. The railcard discount only saved me £2.95 (Original ticket costs £8.60, with a railcard £5.65), and I went onto my GWR app and the last ticket I bought before this was before my railcard had expired, so it's not like I have been skimming loads of tickets. I know a rail company may not see it like this, but this has got me a bit worried now, because I don't want a minor mistake like this to be on my record permanently