Hi everyone, I have a question please, is it ok to deal with this matter while i'm away, like replying for the letter and the negotiation without being physicaly here, as i have a friend who can check the post for me and send me the letter.

Thank you

Hi MUFC1878, could you please send me the letter you wrote to the northern rail, as i am on a similar sitiuation.

Thank you everyone for all your replies and for the very useful information you have provided. I will post again when I get the letter.

honeybee13 : that was an answer to your question of how i'm going to pay on my way back, as I said from the start that I thought its ok to pay on my way back, and I was wrong because i was stopped. Lets say that I get out of the station without being cought, and on my way back I told them that I want to pay now because the office was closed and the man who sells the tickets didn't come down the train, whould they refuse and stop me then?

do you think that if I told them on my way back that I didn't pay at the start of my journey becouse the office was closed and no one on the train and I would like to pay now will they refuse and stop me?

sorry if you don't mind me asking, what PS and psml means please.

do you think there is a chance for me to settle this down out of court? I don't mind paying a fine just to get out of this. You can't imagine how stressful I am.

My journey started from hag fold, as I said I don't know about these machines before and the train station system, I thought its ok to pay on my way back, as I ag going back to the original place, yes i can read signs but i was assuming l'll buy a ticket on my way back and i don't have to do it now.but i never ever heard or seen these machines as i just used trains about five times.

I was paniking and as English not my first language, I don't understand most of what he said,just to give you an idea,this is the first time I hear of this company,I didn't even understand northern rail, i just signed but he didn't give me anything to read. My journey started from Hag fold.

Yes I signed, it was like a small note book but I didn't even know what was written.

Thank you everyone. If I get charged with (intending to avoid payment of fare), are there still any chance for me to settle the matter by offering to pay a fine without going to court? or automatically after being charged with this I have to go to court? and does that mean I'm going to have a criminal record for sure?

Thank you so much and sorry for asking too many questions just wanted to know what to expect and what the possible outcomes are in order to prepare myself for all the possibilities.


Consumer dude : thank you for your reply and yes you are right, so I should try not to think too much untill I get the letter, but it is very hard though. Old-CodJA : thank you for your reply There was no self-service ticket machine at the station (where I started my journey from) , even these machines ,if you believe me, I haven't used them before and I don't know they are exist at all untill the incident happened.

honeybee13 : thank you for your response. Do you know please how long will take for me to receive the letter? and is this letter will say if they are going to send me to court or not? Thank you

Consumer dude : thank you for your response I stopped at Manchester vectoria station,it wa very big station, and as I said because of no experience and in my mind I assumed that its ok to pay on my way back, I was just about two steps away from the gate to exit the station when the two men stopped me, they were not wearing uniforms. What is the difference between stopping me and cought me? Thank you

Thank you for your replies. Are there anything I should do before receiving the letter? Is it a good idea to phone them at this stage to apologise and offer to pay a fine? I am thinking of going back to the train station and find both men who cought me they might tell me what they wrote about me, because at that time as a result of the shock I can't remember what they have been saying. Could you tell me would that be a good idea or not please. And about the lawyer do you think I need one as just writing the letter costs £300. Thank you

Hi everyone and thank you for your responses. Stigy, could you please tell me, what the railway byelaw(18.1) and railways Act 1889 are. Where can I read more about them? Just wanted to ask, do you think this being my first time is going to help in any way? I feel really down, because if I tell them my version of what happened, I will appear as if I'm lying, because they will not believe that there is a person does not know these rules, but I really don't, so what should I say to let them beleive me and agree to settle this out of court. The other problem is the English is not my first language, and I can't write to them in a way that will explain exactly what happened, as I read on other threads that the outcome will depend on how they see the incident after reading my letter. I contacted a lawyer and told me that writing the letter will cost me about £300. I have no idea if this is the normal cost or not.

I am new to this forum, but I really need your help and advice please. My journey started from A where was the booking office closed at 19:10 heading to the destination B. First I do not have any experience with trains and train stations before as I always use the car, and this is about the fifth time I use the train as I’m visiting a friend who lives in another city in England for two weeks. All first times when I used the train were in the morning and I buy the tickets from the booking office, this time which was in the evening the booking office was closed and a lady there told me I can buy a ticket on the train, but the man who sells the tickets was not there . I got off the train, and as I don’t know the train station system, I thought its ok to buy a ticket on my way back, and because I had no opportunity to buy one from the booking office and on the train and I don’t know that there are ticket machines, its ok to do that, it sounds stupid but this is the truth. On my way out from the station two men stopped me, had my name and address, asked me questions ,told them the truth that I thought I can buy a ticket on my way back, and I asked them if I can pay at that time but they refused and told me to wait for a letter from Northern Rail. Until that time I don’t know how series it is, until I searched on the internet. By the way this is my first time and I never been in trouble with law before. I am really worried if this will go to court and I am willing to pay any fine just to get out of this. What should I do? And what should I write to them after receiving their letter? Please help me, I'm panicking. Any help would be much appreciated!! Regards