Great Western Coffee Shop

Just tried to book advance tickets for next weekend and the FGW website is down for maintenance (upgrading reservations system) What can this mean? Why can't they provide another portal?

Rubbish. I shall now book with another train company

*EDIT: All train service websites are undergoing essential maintenance if trying to book a ticket (FGW, Trainline and Arriva)
 FFS. I can understand maintenance on the tracks but not to be able to access any website!

And not even an alternative bus service provided, at least Network Rail can not be blamed for this engineering works.

All web retailers link into the National Reservations System and it is this that is undergoing maintenance. There was plenty of advance notification out there, but if you'd not been online until this morning you'd be unaware I guess. It is also not possible to book Advance tickets or seat reservations at stations. Anytime and Off Peak tickets remain available from all outlets but you cannot book an accompanying seat.

The ticket office at Tiverton Parkway was also closed this morning I wonder if it's related?

Ok. So I know this sndvyou now this. So why dud I just listen for an hour to an xc guard apologising profusely for no reservTions on his vomiter but he has no idea why the website is down. Had to enlighten him. So all the old fashioned reservations should be ok but new electronic trains......

As the reservation system is not working today all the paper reservation labels FGW use for today and tomorrow (Sat & Sun)were printed off yesterday (Fri). I presume the download version XC use, weren't/couldn't be done in that far in advance.

TVP has had some strange hours recently with their office - from what I could gather when I was there (just before they closed  :S ) it's down to staff shortages.

Of course, that's not to say that this time round it was different :)