Penalty Train Fare - HELP!

[VenalWinfrey]

Can anyone help me with the following?

This morning I received a �20 penalty notice at Charing Cross station. My weekly travelcard on oyster expired this morning and I forgot to update it. I guess I have no real excuse, however I do have previous receipts and obviously bank stations showing the charges going out. Is it worth writing to the rail company to appeal, just explain that I am not a fair dodger, that I just forgot in the morning rush, and would they consider waiving/halving the fee? I believe I have a little credit on the oyster too and thought this might be okay, but they told me that they do not accept pre-pay there.

Failing the honest route (!) does anyone know of a good excuse that might get me off?!

Hehe thanks all for your help. No big deal, but given that I use the system every day and would have had to get a ticket later today, I'd really rather not pay the �20 on top of the �33.40 it costs already. Out of interest, does anyone else think the travel charges are insane?

Thanks once again.

[Octavius]

Try to appeal on the basis that you were unaware that pre-pay Oyster was not accepted on this journey as normally you have a season ticket on this occasion you believed that your prepay credit would cover the journey.

It is a viable claim, although any payback is not guaranteed but you may receive �20 less the cost of the journey.

[Floella]

The rail fares are a joke, and look like they are about to be increased even further.
I wouldn't bother trying to appeal, as they are very unsympathetic.
My daughter usually buys her ticket on the train each morning, one day the collector didn't come round so at the end of her journey she approached a ticket collector at the station to buy a ticket. He issued her with a ticket for the return journey, and a �20.00 penalty notice.
We had no luck with our appeal, even tho she wasn't a fare dodger and she approached him to buy a ticket.
But good luck if you do appeal.