Railway Assistance - anyone else use it?

I have mobility issues. Trains seem to all have very high steps up into their carriages. I can, just about, get myself up those, but cannot also take up even the smallest case.

I have used Railway Assistance on several occasions, and found that the people doing this are alway cheerful, helpful and really great.

Last time I used them I was very worried about one particular transfer between trains at a largish station but with only nine minutes between arrival and departure. On the day, the arriving train was actually late, and when I was met off that train I had more or less given up any idea of being able to get the connecting one (which would have meant an hours wait). As I got off the train I said to the Porter - 'suppose that means I will not get my connection'. 'Course you will, luv', he told me 'don't you worry'. As we got in the lift another elderly lady rushed in saying she was trying to stay close to us as she needed the same train. He immediately took her case in his other hand and told us both to follow him. Indeed, we were both helped onto that train and both our cases taken up for us.

However, today have run into a problem, trying to book for journey to London next weekend. My main train is now half an hour later than time printed on ticket (due to problems as Salisbury. Fair enough, but I still wanted to catch the same first train as (A) I had already booked the mobility bus to take me to the station for that, and (B) the next train only gives a very short transfer time at a largish station.

I prefer to make these bookgs by phone, nor on line. But the people at the other end of the phone could not understand that I still wanted that earlier train indeed, kept insisting it did not exist, even though I had checked that it did just minutes before speaking to them. ALl they were doing were typing in my second (main) train and could not see outside the box that I did not want the one that was now down to connect to that.

I did eventually manage to contact GWR Railway assistance, and with a clear english speaking voice at the other end of the phone managed to get it sorted out. He soon found the earlier train that I had originally been booked onto and understood the reasons I wished to keep to that, even though it would mean a longer wait at Bristol for the main London train.

First time I have had such severe problems with trying to book this assistance. Think they are trying persuade us all to do this on-line now and not use the phone. I could hardly understand the first three operatives I got through to.