Great Western Coffee Shop

I had an advance ticket from oxford to birmingham international for the 5ish train today from Reading. 

I have been laid up with flu that morphed into pneumonia so needless to say I wont need the ticket (although I'm still dragging myself to the Rammstein gig).  This cost me 38 quid.

I also needed an advance for Monday - same journey - as seeing Rhod Gilbert at the town hall. 

So I went to the ludlow ticket office who informed me advances were non refundable non changable.  I said "I'm sure they are changable at the cost of ^10".  But no - if they are, Ludlow ticket office cant do them.

I assume any ticket has to be changed before the train its booked for departs, c'est no?

So here I am back home, on a conference call, no time to get to the nearest proper station and I had to fork out a full ^20 for the advance on Monday when it should only have cost me a ^10 change fee.

Two things.  1. I guess I'm ****ed with regards to getting any money back?

2. Is there any reason why a privately run station (which is why I like to try to buy my tickets there if possible) could not do an advance ticket change?

From the FGW website:  http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=289

"You can make changes to your travel plans up until the departure time shown on your ticket. Changes may only be made if the origin and destination stations stay the same."

Ts and Cs from National Rail:
Changing the time or date of travel
Changes to time or date of travel must be arranged before departure of the first reserved train printed on the ticket, after which the ticket has no value and a new one must be purchased. You will need to present the ticket(s) and reservation(s) when you request a change.
Changes to tickets cannot be made on-board the train. If you board a train without a ticket and reservation for that service, a new ticket must be purchased. Depending on the Train Company you are travelling with, you may be liable to a Penalty Fare if you board the train with an invalid ticket.

The origin, destination and Train Company or route shown on the ticket(s) must remain the same.
The difference between the price paid and cost of the next suitable fare for your journey is payable, plus a ^10 administration fee per person, per single ticket for each change to a journey. If you change to a train on which a cheaper fare is available, the difference will not be refunded.
Refunds
Your ticket is non-refundable.
If the train you purchased a ticket for is cancelled or delayed by more than 60 minutes, special arrangements will be made to accommodate you on another train (although a seat cannot be guaranteed). If, as a result, you decide not to travel, a refund will be offered on completely unused tickets and you will not be charged an administration fee.

Can't see why you were refused a change of ticket as the route and operator would have remained the same, I think you're entitled to a tenner back from the agent that runs Ludlow station. On the bright side, at least the ticket prices weren't the other way round!

Sorry to blab on, but was the original ticket for First class advance? Seems awfully high at ^38!
With a split at Banbury you could've got the following walk up tickets:

OXF-BAN anytime day single:^8.70 or off peak day single: ^4.90
BAN-BHI anytime day single: ^10.90
Total: ^19.60 or ^15.80

OXF-BAN first anytime day single: ^15.00
BAN-BHI first anytime day single: ^24.50
Total: ^39.50

XC staff helping passengers save money??

Whatever next!!!!

The penny pinching managers wouldn't be best pleased ;)

Well this is more a friendly banter situation, turn up on my train without a ticket and it's a whole different ball game! FA would be ok tho with her season to Oxford if she wanted to buy a split ticket on board! She doesn't bait me with XC slagging!

Yes it was a first class advance - I don't do cattle class :-)

I've done that before and yes - I will ask for an oxford to Brum ticket first with a YP rail card and if you say no - hey - you don't ask you don't get!  I've never once argued with a XC guard LOL= although I have to say, they are the only ones ever to not sell me one. Arriva, Virgin, LM and MOST FGW (we all know the one or two who used to work the cotswolds line who wouldnt - god help the staff who work for him now) all pass with flying colours