I have been doing a text search on train travel through this site(we have never traveled by train before)and have noticed several people mention the need for a reservation. We will be purchasing a flex pass and traveling over one of the bank holidays. We will be traveling from the airport to Bath. Renting a car in Bath to travel through N. Wales. Taking a train from N. Wales to Edinburgh- Edinburgh to York-York to London(this last trip to London will be on the Monday bank holiday) Would reservations be recommended and how/when would we make these.

Thanks

You can find the answers to your questions on the National Rail website, http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/info/fs_info.htm

From Friday to Monday on the bank holiday weekend trains will be fairly full, and you need to make reservations. You need them also on any Friday afternoon or evening. Otherwise I think you have no need. But the official advice on http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/info/fs_info.htm is this

Trains For Weekends Away
Most long distance services after 1400 on Fridays and on Saturday mornings, also trains arriving in London on Sunday evenings and Monday mornings can be extremely busy.
Customers are advised to reserve seats in advance if planning to travel at these times.

Travelling at Peak Holiday Periods
Trains are usually extremely busy immediately before and after Bank Holidays and in some cases access to trains is only by reservation and/or boarding pass. Customers are advised to reserve seats as early as possible.

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You might investigate the BritRail/Drive pass mixing car and train days. Train reservations in UK are often free, especially on lines to Scotland and back. In first class you won't need them, second class can be quite full - really a world of different in classes in UK, second class often dirty, with refuse strewn about, tiny seats that are hard to get in or out of for some folks. First class is plush and typically you get free food and drinks, especially on Virgin trains. Make your reservations in UK or you'll pay $11 per seat reservation here. In second class a tip, before sitting down see if the seat is not lose so that when you sit down you and the seat slide down to the floor. This has happened to me more than once and on some trains many seats have been vandalized and do so. First class is really the way to go in the UK.

SueBee:
We have traveled by train from London to Wales to Edinburgh and back to London. Twice. We made arrangements on www.thetrainline.com. We enjoyed hefty discounts by booking early. For example, Edinburgh to London segment cost GBP50.
John

This past May, we purchased tickets in
Aberdeen for the following trips, all a few days apart: Aberdeen to Edinburgh, Edinburgh to York, and York to London. Total was 54 GBP each, quite reasonable, I think--we travelled 2nd class and were quite happy with the service and coaches. Just realize that stowing large luggage can be a huge
problem on a crowded train. The agent at Aberdeen station worked for quite awhile to get the best prices for us and this price was better than if we had purchased a pass of any kind. Check into all the options before purchasing passes to anything.

Recently purchased round trip London/Edinburgh for 36GBP via web using www.qjump.com