I'm fully conversant with the issues surrounding OSIs/continuation validations and can sympathise, perhaps even empathise with your situation. FCC are already well aware of the potential for problems as there was a significant case at Finsbury Park where they attempted to prosecute someone who had not committed an offence at that point. As a result, there are now 'impossible to miss' instructions detailing the validation process at that station. What is the current state of play with you and FCC? I seriously suggest you get a TRIM Journey Status Report from TfL's Oyster Helpline as you will need it. I've been through a similar situation myself and through extensive research of the technical side of Oyster, found the JSR to be the most important instrument in proving my innocence. Unfortunately I don't have all the time in the world to assist until early February due to impending exams, although I will alert someone with a highly commendable knowledge of the Oyster system, who may be able to help further.

The machine in the ticket office had the ability to load the following discounts onto any Oyster Card; New Deal, 5-10, 11-15, 16+ FTE, 18+, Bus & Tram, Elite Athlete and Priv. Thus it's always best to check the photocard as it's very easy for someone to get hold of a card with a dodgy discount. Not worth the consequences for saving a few £s if you ask me.

Well done for winning, but how much have you lost in time and administrative costs? It's not that hard to ensure you hold a valid ticket, I suggest you communicate this idea to your friend and don't get involved in future!

In the past, the handheld reader has given its own interpretation (not always a strictly complete account) of what a passenger has done, which means that it sometimes omits bits of information which will most certainly show on a Trim JSR. Whether this is still the case, I don't know - the technical problems may have been fixed.

From my own personal experiences of using one for revenue protection purposes, I beg to differ, but that is my own personal stance.

If you forget a season ticket, you are supposed to either buy a ticket for the day that will be refunded, or be issued with a Penalty Fare, which will be struck off once you appeal with evidence of holding a season ticket. If you decide against respecting the official process, then perhaps you need to accept the charges. It's in place to help reduce fraud, as any ticketless traveller could claim that they had "forgotten" a season ticket that doesn't exist.

Did you start your journey at Elephant & Castle NR, or did you make an ealier Underground trip that day that ended at Elephant & Castle? Through my thoroughly extensive research of the Oyster system, I can confirm that each journey history shows different versions of what happened. The ways of obtaining the history are as follows; 1. Oyster journey statement (LUL FasTis) 2. Oyster journey statement (NR FasTis) 3. Journey history shown on LU Passenger Operated Machines. 4. Online PAYG journey history. 5. Handheld Movie device. 6. PDF Statement sent by Oyster Helpline team. 7. Bus Wayfarer usage statement. 8. Newsagent xPert usage statement. 9. TRIM Journey Status Report. 1-8 are dumbed down "user friendly" versions designed to make it easy for the user to understand what has been done. At best, they're all crap at accurately showing the details of a more complex journey, as bits are lost in translation when the simplfication alogrithims kick in. The only one which accurately shows everything is the TRIM JSR. Handheld readers are too complex for some RPIs to understand. I personally used one during my time in the ticket office and revenue protection. The stations shown are compressed into 6 or 7 characters, similar to the National Rail TIPLOC location directory. Sometimes it's difficult to tell what station the passenger has come from. Often this is only accompanied by a number like 4.30 which signifies that a maximum entry fee has been deducted. Again, some RPIs who are clueless take this as evidence that a traveller has been "penalty fared" when in fact, the maximum fee by default is deducted when touching in, only refunded when the card is touched out properly. Although in the majority of cases, Oyster issues are down to passenger error, I feel members should excise caution in shooting down posters who think something might have been amiss. I'm happy to support anyone who may have been the victim of a technical error and/or an RPI who unjustly penalised them, because I've been there, done that and got the recission by IRCAS to uphold the sanction to boot.

I did actually get Penalty Fared for that because I had insufficient credit to cover the unexpected overcharge. The NXEA RPI didn't care what I had to say about it and the RPI's Manager at NXEA, after I had written it, felt that he was correct to issue the Penalty Fare and it was fair that I as the passenger was penalised.I also worked in Revenue Protection issuing Penalty Fares. I was issued with a handheld Oyster reader and I can confirm that they can malfunction and not show where a customer has touched in. The system is complex and riddled with errors but oddly is consistent, so somebody who is intelligent enough to understand the system will be able to decipher whether or not the customer did touch in.

The system is riddled with errors unfortunately. I had the misfortune of being "done" by a NXEA RPI for not touching in with my Oyster Card. In actual fact, I did touch in successfully, only 18 minutes earlier. A Trim printout was able to prove that I did and I used it as evidence against the decision to uphold the sanction. It turned out that the cause of the confusion was owing to the fact that several short trips linked by OSIs are treated as one long trip and thence the price and time limits are applied for that one long trip. So Forest Hill - Manor Park Wanstead Park - Woodgrange Park Forest Gate - Liverpool Street was treated as a Forest Hill - Liverpool Street journey. Of course, the hour or so allowed for that is not enough for the route I took and thus I was charged two maximum fares (~£9) when it should have cost closer to £5.50. Of course, a normal passenger should not be expected to know that beforehand and TfL were sympathetic and helpful, although IRCAS and NXEA had different opinions on that matter. So I'm potentially sympathetic - dan2011, could you please post a coherent account of exactly what happened? If it was more than 8 weeks ago, you need not bother as I won't be able to help.

Hmmm, my journey history is surprisingly showing two incomplete journeys, although I touched in and out. These took place on New Years Eve. The journeys were London Bridge LU to Canning Town (barrier at both ends) and West Silvertown to London Bridge, again I definitely validated at both ends. I received an automatic refund for the first journey, but not the second. Presumably TRIM shows the correct validations were made, although the online history just shows it as two incomplete journeys. I advise to OP to follow the advice I gave above.

A Trim printout will show all validations, if the validation was unsuccessful then it will state why. If down to an issue within your control, such as having insufficient credit or not ensuring it connected properly then I don't see how it will help you.

Seen a Staff Travelcard with boxes and in capital letters on the front, just under the boxes it says "DATES MUST NOT BE ALTERED OR OVERWRITTEN." It doesn't get any clearer than that. Sorry but I'm completely out of sympathy here, you have no one to blame but yourself.

It's gone. After 8 weeks, any data recorded is disassociated from the card used and can only be used for reference/statistical purposes.

Look, each case needs to be treated on its own, individual merits. Our poster implies that they walked past an open ticket office, mistake No.1. They then state that the conductor "did not come." Now if the ticket really was worth £2.00 as the OP said, I wouldn't expect the journey to be long enough to reasonably expect a conductor to have made their way through the entire train, some of them are up to 8 coaches long. So that's two opportunities where the OP made no effort to buy a ticket and only "approached" a member of staff where presumably it was not possible to continue without passing them. I have my own disputes going on with EMT, but the circumstances are not the same. I genuinely had no opportunity to buy a discounted staff ticket, yet the conductor demanded the full fare from me, as well as having several disputes with conductors on the train who refused to accept the valid tickets I was using.

EMT have a notoriously strict policy when it comes to ticketing and to be fair, it is advertised in print. You turned down two opportunities to buy a ticket so they're quite within their rights to initiate actions against you.

The Off Peak Day Returns from both Peterborough (FCC Only) and St. Neots carry exactly the same restriction for northbound travel; An Off Peak Day Return from Peterborough (Any Permitted) carries this restriction for northbound travel; The restriction is set for all trains departing London in the evening peak (which is nothing to do with "peak trains" and everything to do with the official restriction text) and clearly stipulates that it's irrelevant where you get off the train. I sympathise that the poster is counter intuitive but believe me, it's not worth arguing the toss with FCC. For argument's sake, say there's a 16:23 King's Cross to Peterborough service run by FCC. The FCC Off-Peak Day Return may be used as it's off peak for the purposes of that ticket, as defined by the restriction text. However, the Any Permitted ticket is invalid, because off-peak ends at 15:54 with that ticket. A similar situation existed at Euston with travel to Milton Keynes on London Midland and Virgin. However, in recent months, the restrictions were harmonised, presumably as customers were confused.

I'd starkly say that a Peterborough - London Terminals FCC Only Off Peak Day Return has the restriction that I posted above, making use to Knebworth between 16:30 and 1901 inclusive, prohibited. Any other advice would be at least technically incorrect.

I just don't go by publicity. It's there to help the traveling public because like I said, restrictions are complex and most people wouldn't have a chance of getting to grips with them. There's nothing that can be done about it - look at the size of the UK railway network and the amount of stations - there are millions of possible permutations of tickets. Restrictions are set to tailor supply and demand, that's why there are hundreds of the things. Go to National Rail and type in the journey details. You need to find a train which is likely to be in an off peak period. So always use 12:00 as the time of travel and 20:30 as the time of return. The most restrictive walkup ticket I know (the seasonal Virgin Super Off Peak, not currently on sale) has a restriction of something like "only valid on trains timed to depart between 11:30 and 13:10 and after 20:10. The screen with all the prices comes up. Locate the service(s) with the cheapest prices shown in the yellow box, then click the radio button next to one of them. The blue box headed "tickets" towards the bottom right hand corner will show you have selected 1 x Adult - Off-Peak Day Return £12.10 for example. Click on the ticket type shown in that blue box - in this case, Off Peak Day return. This takes you to the "Ticket terms & conditions" page. You need to scroll right down to the bottom to the "restrictions" section. You need to locate the hyperlink that says "view the specific 'Validity Code' applicable to the journey plan that you have selected." There, you'll find the restriction.

A CDR is an Off Peak Day Return. Formerly known as a Cheap Day Return. I'm led to believe that each restriction is available on the National Rail website, subject to overcoming the obfuscation. I paraphrase it from the ticket machine software. Examination and understanding of restrictions can lead to significant savings. As can a rudimentary understanding of the history of privatisation and the laws/conditions governing ticketing. However, it's considered bad practice to publicise loopholes and anomalies for obvious reasons. Restriction codes are a headache to the majority of human beings and if you read one wrong and act on it, you can face harsh penalties. For people like me, restrictions are great fun. Terrible, I know. Restrictions are a headache because to use them effectively, you need to become conversant with the terminology. To become adept with it, you will need to learn to love three letter acronyms. You will also soon find that staff who don't love their job know naff all about restrictions and you will often find yourself arguing your case with stubborn staff who think your off peak ticket is not valid, even when it is. For an easy life, stick with the publicity!

I don't go by "publicity." It's too simplified and often inaccurate. There are many instances where off peak tickets may be used on "peak" trains. Knebworth to London CDR: Outward: Valid by any train leaving Knebworth at or after 09:43. Return: By any train. Peterborough to London CDR FCC ONLY: Outward: Valid by any train leaving Peterborough at or after 08:46. Return: Not valid on any services which are scheduled to depart London Kings Cross, London St Pancras International, Moorgate or pass through London St Pancras International between 16:30 and 19:01 (inc), regardless of where you join or leave the service. Easement: You may use the 16:40 ex KGX if going to Peterborough only. Yes, you may break your journey at Knebworth on the latter ticket. No, this does not mean that it assumes the restriction on the Knebworth CDR. You're forbidden from using any train which leaves King's Cross between 16:30 and 19:01 inclusive. This is the restriction on the ticket, break of journey is an additional privilege and doesn't make any difference to the actual restriction.

Each ticket has its own restriction. The restriction does not automatically change to that of a ticket with a different origin/destination, unless there's an easement.That ticket (assuming the FCC Only version) is not to be used on any train leaving King's Cross between 16:30 and 19:01. It doesn't matter how far you're going, you could be going to Knebworth, Huntingdon, Hertford North or Harringay. It doesn't matter, the restriction for that particular ticket specifically forbids travel on any train leaving King's Cross between those times.

Very sweeping statement - many people make mistakes, paying more when they could have paid less. For example, I used to see people at Euston holding Anytime Return tickets to places like Manchester and Liverpool with a railcard discount - but the corresponding off peak ticket has no time restrictions either.

Hi, I have one successfully appealed Penalty Fare Notice and one successfully appealed Unpaid Fare Notice which IRCAS were dealing with. I'm not sure about what part of London you're from - perhaps Theydon Bois, or similar? Round my parts, there are plenty of buses including 24hr night buses which run at least every half hour in the small hours. There are two train stations with frequent services. No, I don't always get a seat but the system gets me moving and I'm rarely late for work as a consequence. Compare that with my outbase in the East Midlands, where the nearest train station is a 45 minute walk and there is one bus which doesn't always turn up and can be packed to the rafters, resulting in the hourly train being missed. If you think London has an "appalling" transport system, you must be on some form of crack. You say London has "one of the worst public transport systems I have ever experienced" Please do tell where you've experienced better. If we don't hear from you again, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Best wishes, A very proud Urbanite.

A staff pass is a wonderful privilege to have. Especially if you get free journeys and don't work for the railways. The very least anyone with one of these passes should do is ensure that boxes are filled in neatly and correctly. It is my belief that every railway ticket issued must tell you where to find the T&Cs related to the use of the ticket. I'm a Priv holder and on the reverse side, it says "The use of this card is subject to the Conditions of Issue and Use which can be found at www.atoc.org/rst, and to the National Conditions of Carriage." It is up to you whether or not you choose to read those conditons but either way, you are bound by them if you use the card. Within the conditions of use, available here, it says in black and white; Can't help you I'm afraid.

I don't disagree with a single word in that post unfortunately and the intimation of the possibility of an appropriate railcard not being shown has turned out to be correct. The Forces Railcard and the Network Railcard have different entitlements and therefore, can't be used interchangably irrespective of the price being the same.