Railcard Minimum Fares

[whole diary]

[Brucey]

Is it possible to excess a railcard discounted ticket to one without the discount?

I cleverly broke my journey up into three parts, but now need to take a service one hour earlier.  The restrictions are all valid still, but it doesn't become 10am until the third fare

This is what I bought (all CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day'))):
CSA - SAL ^12.00 (min fare paid)
SAL - WMN^» (Warminster - next trains) ^4.15
WMN - CFN^▸ (Clifton Down station) ^6.40

Unfortunately, the train leaves SAL at 0940.

Any suggestions or will I just have to buy a full price SAL-WMN CDR?

Also, did we ever decide whether a FOSS^▸ (Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover) rover was valid when a SVR/CDR is valid?  I need to make this journey another two times this week, both at 0839 from Cosham so a rover would be considerably cheaper and give a third day to go rovering properly.

[JayMac]

Can't say for definite on the excess, but I think it's possible. Paging Ollie!

Also, can't say for definite on the use of a FOSS where a corresponding CDR^▸ (Off Peak Day Return [ticket type] (formerly 'Cheap Day')) is available. There's nothing in the public domain that states use on a train where a CDR is valid is allowed. Although that allowance is made for the FOSW in the info given by NRE^‡(resolve).

My feeling is, it should be allowed. Seems unfair to penalise someone with what is, in essence, an off-peak ticket and prevent them from using a train which allows off-peak travel. Either ask before boarding or be prepared to state your reasons for believing it should be valid - in a friendly way. Worst case scenario would be a UPFN^▸ (Un Paid Fare Notice (used on XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)))) (don't pay an excess) and that should be able to challenge successfully. That's what I'd do. YMMV^▸ (Your Method/Mileage May Vary). 

[Brucey]

I've spent so long looking at various combinations that bignosemac's signature sums up the state of my head.  Plus I've already spent more money than I needed to as I just realised this would be much cheaper:
3x CSA-ESL without railcard ^7.00 each
1x FOSS^▸ (Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover) Rover ^26.40
Total ^47.40

But then logic suggested that I should get Friday's appointment shifted to Thursday and get them both done on the same day, saving me another 5 hours of travelling.  So I now only need one fare.  The cheapest seems to be CSA-NLS at ^23.75.

But I still have the minimum fare dilemma for tomorrow's SAL-WMN^» (Warminster - next trains)

[ChrisB]

I would expect you to be able to excess the discount.....

[readytostart]

My personal action if someone doesn't have their railcard (and I'm in a good mood) is to do a change of ticket type excess, effectively excessing the difference between the discounted and undiscounted ticket, however I'd recommend that you do it at a booking office before travelling.

[Ollie]

Can confirm it is possible to excess a ticket in order to take off the railcard.

[Chris from Nailsea]

My personal action if someone doesn't have their railcard (and I'm in a good mood) ...

Hmm. I've met 'readytostart', and I can't imagine him being in anything other than a good mood. 

Which just goes to show the benefit of being polite to the staff - they are then much more likely to give you the benefit of any doubt ... 

[Brucey]

Ticket was excessed without any fuss at the ticket office.  Although the guy behind the counter was a bit shocked with my request of "could you remove the railcard discount from this ticket" (can't be something they experience often!)

[readytostart]

Ticket was excessed without any fuss at the ticket office.  Although the guy behind the counter was a bit shocked with my request of "could you remove the railcard discount from this ticket" (can't be something they experience often!)

Honesty is the best policy, it catches us railway staff off guard!