Bristol Temple Meads — Local services in Bristol

This station is a shambles.

Me and my friend who is a wheelchair user had to change over here to get to Taunton. We were assured by a staff member who'd called through to Bristol that we would have assistance when getting off the train to get a ramp out. We pull into the station, no one is there. My friend had to throw himself our of his wheelchair and onto the platform, otherwise we would've ended up in Wales with Cardiff as the next stop.

We went to the information desk to sort assistance for the next train and told the guy what happened and he said "oh, well sorry about that" and then continued as if it meant nothing. We were told where to go and a wheelchair space was booked for our next train and was told to just "mill about" on the platform and the assistance person would find us. They didn't. We were 20 minutes early for our train and we had to search around for him because we weren't told where to go, and then force our way through the crowd to get on our train. They don't count how many wheelchair spaces there are on each carriage when booking seats, so when we got there, they're trying to get 2 wheelchair users AND a rollator, AND 2 pushchairs all through one door and into 2 wheelchair spaces. It was absolutely manic. Never have I experienced such disorganisation in my life. And what makes it worse, is my friend said this has happened to him multiple times before.

You need to stop classifying Bristol Temple Meads as an accessible station,...

Historic architecture treated badly.

We passed through here off peak on a sunny day for a day trip so perhaps not the typical customer for this station. Trains were all on time and clean and tidy.

The approach to the station building itself is impressive and the original design has not been hidden away. Flower displays and lights in keeping with the architecture brighten the approach to the main entrance.

There’s a well laid out but rather small display on the left as you walk towards the station detailing a little about Brunel. It’s worth a quick read.

Unfortunately, the outside front is as good as it gets.

Inside, it’s easy to get around the station and there are places to buy food and travel essentials during normal shop hours. Sadly, too many of the original features in the walkways are hidden behind unsympathetic modern marble façades with gaudy plastic decorations in the centre of the walkway.

Wander around to the back entrance and the neglect becomes evident. The splendid brickwork is marred by clumsy wiring, anti pigeon spikes and modern signage.

Little effort has been made to accentuate the original grandeur of the place. One old shed looks like it’s a car park devoid of any atmosphere.

OK to use as train station but it’s a poor example of how to treat an...

Bristol Temple Meads train station is the very first place I ended up when I first moved to Bristol in 2008 to work.

Being a country boy, the big city was a little bit frightening, especially when the first things that greet you are the old royal mail sorting office and people being arrested in the train station.

Over the years I've used BTM more times than I can count to get me from Bristol back to Dorset and to get me to other places, I've mostly got fond memories but did find the lack of rubbish bins (not a problem anymore) irritating.

My first year in Bristol i would travel back and forth quite a lot and even named a footless Pigeon "Stumpy" Old Stumpy used to hang around the station and despite having no feet still managed to survive. Poor old stumby has probably been dead for years now but I do so enjoy feeding it.

As train stations go, I quite like Bristol Temple Meads... Just not during the rush hours as other passengers are just plain rude.

Station staff have always been friendly and...