Will do, thanks. [Sorry- HS?]

But isn't that what a customer service person would expect? They seemed to be coping ok when I rang the station last year.

Presumably there are still the same number of inquiries, but now they are all going to the same number.

Well, would you believe it - I got back to Reading this evening and the lights were still on my bike

My faith in human nature is restored. Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Cheers
John

The number wasn't generally available from what I remember - you had to ask for it. Anyway, this apparently wasn't the problem - it was 'security'.
Even they couldn't have rung I was told - they could only have sent a 'radio message'.

But yes - I could have tried that if I'd known I wouldn't be able to ring them myself.

I've already posted ('can't phone station' in 'Across the west'), so apologies. Anyway...

I've been commuting between Reading and Bath for over 2 years now, although only 3 days per week. Choosing between car and train was a no-brainer really - with advance tickets and using the split-at-Didcot trick it currently costs me ^24.30 per journey. This works out at about 15p per mile at an average of over 70mph, and when you add this to the fact that I get about 2 hours' work done on the train, or alternatively can just nod off, it's no contest.

The service is pretty good.- the 125s are reasonably comfortable and quiet, and only get busy on the leg between Chippenham and Bath, although I've never had to stand.

Overall I'm a happy customer

Cheers
John

Hi,

I commute between Reading (platform 4 ) and Bath 3 days a week, cycling to Reading station and leaving my bike there. This morning I got to Bath and realised I'd left my lights on the bike. It's not the first time I've done this, and in the past I've rung the station and a nice member of staff has gone out, taken them off, and looked after them until I got back.

However, today when I rang the FGW^▸ (First Great Western) 0845 number to get the Reading station number, I was told that no stations have a direct number any more for security reasons, and that only the Police can contact them directly in an emergency.

So I have to keep my fingers crossed and hope that either:

• the thieves have a day off, or
• someone else takes the lights off and hands them to security (something I've done in the past)

I know it's my own stupid fault, but I do wonder what the problem is with stations having their own number 

John