Great Western Coffee Shop

Due to one of the platform staff at Slough being extremely wary of reservations on HSTs I always try to reserve a bicycle space. However recently I have had two occurences where this has proved nigh on impossible using the GWR app and the GWR website.

On Monday I tried to book a bike space using the mobile phone app for a train departing in 4 hours time to Cardiff (from Slough via change at Reading) this proved impossible, I assumed due to lack of time or it being a non-direct train. I then had to go into the ticket office at Slough to explain and in fairness the ticket person managed to get me one for the next HST service despite it not being a minimum of 2 hours as per the GWR rules.

Then tonight I have tried to book a bike reservation from a train on Mon 17th Jul from Slough to Cardiff via the website but it said no reservations were available for this outward journey. Its a bit of a bummer considering the bike reservation on my journey from Cardiff to Slough on Fri 14th Jul was accepted with no problems.

I'm glad most GWR staff are not too strict upon the HST bike rule during off-peak services, but it only takes one jobsworth to potentially ruin my travel plans and see the possibility of my rather plush bike being stolen as I am forced to leave it at a station for days upon end.

Have you reported this via twitter to @GWRhelp? What answer/info did you get? Suspect problem with connections where HST on TV section not the likely 'best' connection?

Hi. I have e-mailed them twice about it but am yet to receive any reply. (been waiting a month from initial enquiry)

 Don't really do twitter but do they respond if I do?

Usually do, in my experience.

Presumably there is already the maximum number of bikes booked on to the 17th,

In my experience services on a Monday lunchtime/ afternoon rarely have (m)any bikes on them

I once tried to book a bike on a service from Reading to BRI. No spaces, I was told. Must be some event on, they said. Eventually it turned out to be quite a different reason; there were no trains running that day due to engineering works! Somehow no one was able to tell me this.  ::)