Do I have to sit in my reserved seat?
If you have an Advance ticket, you should sit in your reserved seat, especially on busier services.
If you have a flexible ticket (such as an Off-Peak or Anytime ticket), there’s no obligation to sit in your reserved seat. You could even travel on a different train altogether (just be sure to check the restrictions on your ticket first). But remember – your original reservation won’t be valid on a different service – so it’s safest to keep to the service you booked if you want a seat!