WMR not paying Delay Repay for train too crowded to board

[ABB125]

Back in November, I intended to take a train operated by WMR. However, when it turned up (late), it was 3 cars, not 6 and already full and standing. Needless to say, not very few people at the station managed to board it! The next train (10 minutes later) was also short-formed (and delayed), and again too busy to board, leaving a large number of passengers still on the platform (including myself). The following train was delayed to such an extent that the one due after it actually arrived first (and was on time!). Fortunately this had 6 coaches, so hoovered up all the waiting passengers. However, by this time I was around 40 minutes late.
WMR's delay repay system has "train too busy to board" as an option, which is what I clicked on. My claim was rejected, because "Our Delay Repay scheme applies to journeys where there has been a delay of 15 minutes or more. We have checked your journey and on this occasion, we could not find a delay of 15 minutes or more". This is technically correct, but ignores the fact that my journey was delayed (if not the train I had been intending to catch).
I appealed, and this morning (nearly 2 months later) my appeal was rejected, because "Our Delay Repay scheme applies to journeys where there has been a delay of 15 minutes or more. We have checked your journey and on this occasion, we could not find a delay of 15 minutes or more". So exactly the same reason, suggesting that they didn't read any of the information I provided in the appeal (which was primarily an acknowledgement that the individual trains were not delayed (much), but that I wasn't able to physically get on due to short-forming, and that they may like to check control logs/CCTV footage etc for proof of this).

Any suggestions for what I should do now? There's no "re-appeal" option on their website. Is it time to get the notoriously customer-focussed () Ombudsman involved?

(For context, the amount I'm claiming is less than £1, but I'm doing it on principle. I also have another claim submitted for earlier this month for exactly the same reason, but as of yet I have had no response (other than "your claim is being processed by one of our team for additional quality checks").)

 

[methecooldude]

You'll probably get more luck with WMRs customer service

 

[Watershed]

I would contact their customer services and submit a complaint. Clearly you do have a valid claim - the inclusion of a "train too busy to board" option in the Delay Repay form is a tacit admission of this.

Ordinarily I would have said there is no point in taking it to the Ombudsman. But in this case, if the response to your complaint is unsatisfactory you may as well do so - you're hardly going to be going to Court over £1. Of course, if the boot were on the other foot, the railway wouldn't hesitate to prosecute you!

 

[ABB125]

I'll contact customer services and see what they say.
If nothing else, it'll be costing them far more in admin time than if they just paid my claim!

EDIT: complaint now submitted! Let's see what happens...

 

[SCDR_WMR]

I can only imagine the reason it was dismissed out of hand were that the train(s) you didn't board weren't reported as 'full and standing' by the SC. Something which should have been the case.

 

[ABB125]

Unsurprisingly, my other Delay Repay claim for earlier this month has also been rejected, so I've appealed that as well. I expect it will simply be rejected again though.

As and when I get a response to my complaint, I'll provide an update here.