My son went to a birthday brunch with his friends family, 6 of them in total. They could not get tickets at the only ticket machine at an unmanned station (low moor) the mother was paying for them and says her card wasn't accepted at the ticket machine. There was no conductor or any staff on train. When they arrived at Leeds they went straight to the internal ticket office to purchase the tickets, as they were buying the tickets some staff came up and told the staff member selling them the tickets that they couldn't sell them after the journey and that they needed to be issued with penalty fare notices that they could then appeal. On appeal its been rejected, the mum did the appeal for all 6 of them she is continuing to appeal, my worry is if fine is not paid in next 5 days now then what will happen ? I on principle feel he shouldn't be accepting a fine, I also worry if he pays there will be a black mark so to speak against him incase of any future problems. Can u appeal for 2nd and 3rd times without fine increasing and further action being taken ? He is only 16, was wearing a suit and with a multi generation family for a birthday brunch, they are being treated as though they are criminals yet they were trying to pay at earliest opportunity. Please can anyone advise ? Thankyou lindsey