Cancellations ahead of the next round of national rail strikes will begin on Friday afternoon, with disruption continuing until Thursday 10 November.
Members of the RMT union working for Network Rail will strike on Saturday 5, Monday 7 and Wednesday 9 November. In addition, staff working for 14 train operators – including the main intercity rail firms – will walk out on 5 and 9 November.
The first cancellation as a result of the national strikes is the 5.30pm Grand Central from Sunderland to London.
The stoppages are part of a series of long and bitter disputes over pay, job security and modernisation.
The walk-out by 5,000 Network Rail signallers means half the rail network is closed, with a much-reduced service on the remainder. Non-union members will enable a service to run between 7.30am and 6.30pm across about half the network.
Around 20 per cent of trains are expected to run, mainly on key intercity lines plus suburban lines around London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and southern Scotland.
Many operators will still run a service, but it will be much reduced – and will operate only between 7.30am and 6.30pm.
Engineering work is reducing some intercity services on the East Coast and West Coast main lines.
Passengers are being urged “to only travel if necessary” on the strike days, and are warned of disruption on the following days – Sunday 6 November, Tuesday 8 November, and Thursday 10 November – as workers return to duties.
But thousands of trains will run, with Advance tickets on sale for strike days at low fares. Between York and Edinburgh, for example, a large number of seats are available for under £25 one way.
The Independent is building up a picture of which trains will run – listed clockwise from the East Coast main line.
LNER
Doncaster to Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Advance tickets are on sale.
On the Monday and Wednesday strike days, trains will also run south of Doncaster to London King’s Cross.
Lumo
No trains are currently bookable on the London-Newcastle-Edinburgh route, but the rail firm says: “We will seek to operate as many of our services as possible.
“We are suspending sales of Advance tickets for the affected services in order to minimise the number of people disrupted.”
Grand Central
All trains cancelled, as well as the 5.30pm from Sunderland to London King’s Cross on Friday 4…
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