West Midlands Trains Industrial Action July/August 2026

[trainophile]

Is there any danger of this strike action being repeated the following weekend? I suppose anything is possible, but it would be good if they would let us know.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Is there any danger of this strike action being repeated the following weekend? I suppose anything is possible, but it would be good if they would let us know.

Highly unlikely I'd have thought. I'd would have meant the union telling the company of additional dates before this one had taken place, no matter what discussions are taking place behind the scenes.

 

[spp]

Only the 19:13 and 20:13 Liverpool to Birmingham were cancelled? Bad enough though.

The 19.33 was cancelled if travelling further south than Crewe, and with no connections to Birmingham other than waiting the hour later service there was no point going to Crewe.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jul 2026 ==

Local Watford paper is reporting strike action on London North Western trains. What is this all about?

LNW trains are West Midlands trains effectively. Same company

 

[CHAPS2034]

anyway I looked at Saturday instead of Friday, and have now discovered it’s RRBs from Shrewsbury to Hereford all weekend. Great timing for the strike.

Very unfortunate weekend for the Hereford CAMRA branch as they have organised their beer festival from Friday - Sunday. The issue with this industrial action and the engineering work on the Marches will no doubt dent their attendance.

 

[harz99]

Very unfortunate weekend for the Hereford CAMRA branch as they have organised their beer festival from Friday - Sunday. The issue with this industrial action and the engineering work on the Marches will no doubt dent their attendance.

Yep, we were planning on going from Brum on Friday, but with no viable alternative way of getting to and from, that's 2 less attendees.

 

[birchesgreen]

Yep, we were planning on going from Brum on Friday, but with no viable alternative way of getting to and from, that's 2 less attendees.

Potentially Cross Country to Worcestershire PW and then GWR to Hereford? Bit of a faff though.

 

[harz99]

No, too many changes and too early a start if wanting to get there in time for midday opening (to get a seat inside), same on return, plus likely standing on trains as they will be extra busy.

 

[Russel]

Potentially Cross Country to Worcestershire PW and then GWR to Hereford? Bit of a faff though.

I wouldn't risk going that way given how relaxed XC are about cancelling the Cardiff services.

 

[dk1]

I wouldn't risk going that way given how relaxed XC are about cancelling the Cardiff services.

To be fair they do then add SSOs to Voyager services.

 

[CHAPS2034]

No, too many changes and too early a start if wanting to get there in time for midday opening (to get a seat inside), same on return, plus likely standing on trains as they will be extra busy.

The festival organisers put this message out this morning...

TRAVELLING TO BEER ON THE WYE BY TRAIN? DON'T PANIC! Latest update 06/07/26
We've had a few people asking about the planned West Midlands Railway cancellations on the Friday and Saturday of the festival, so here's the good news...
You can STILL get to Beer on the Wye!

Although West Midlands Railway won't be running services between Birmingham, Worcester and Hereford during the festival due to an industrial dispute, there are plenty of alternative travel options that will get you here for a fantastic festival weekend.

Great Western Railway services WILL be running between Worcester, Great Malvern, Ledbury and Hereford on both Friday and Saturday.
To Hereford (Friday and Saturday)
• Depart Worcester Foregate Street at 12:00 or 14:00
• Great Malvern at 12:12 or 14:12
• Ledbury at 12:25 or 14:25
• Arrive Hereford at 12:44 or 14:43
Back from Hereford
Friday: 22:00
Saturday: 20:20
These are larger trains too, so there should be plenty of room on board.

Coming from Birmingham on Saturday?
No problem! Simply catch the 10:42 or 12:42 Plymouth-bound service from Birmingham New Street, change at Worcestershire Parkway, and you'll arrive in Hereford at 12:44 or 14:43. Returning is just as straightforward by catching the 20:20 from Hereford and changing at Worcestershire Parkway.

Coming from Shrewsbury? (Saturday and Sunday)
Train services on Shrewsbury - Ludlow - Hereford are being replaced with coaches which have aircon, toilets and fully accessible.
Normal train weekday service on Friday

Travelling between Ledbury and Hereford?
Don't forget DRM's 476 bus service runs regularly throughout the day, with the last Saturday bus leaving Hereford Bus Station at 23:15.

Coming from South Wales? (Saturday and Sunday)
Train services between Newport - Hereford are being replaced with coaches which have aircon, toilets and fully accessible.
Normal train weekday service on Friday

And if your plans are flexible, Sunday services return to normal, making our relaxed Family Fun Sunday another great option.

So don't let the rail disruption put you off! There are still plenty of ways to reach the riverside, enjoy some incredible beers and ciders, fantastic live music, delicious food and another unforgettable Beer on the Wye weekend.
We can't wait to welcome you!
#beeronthewye #travel #trains

 

[VT 390]

I wouldn't risk going that way given how relaxed XC are about cancelling the Cardiff services.

To be fair they do then add SSOs to Voyager services.

And most northbound Plymouth to Edinburgh/southbound Manchester to Bristol Voyager services are booked to call anyway.

 

[Russel]

And most northbound Plymouth to Edinburgh/southbound Manchester to Bristol Voyager services are booked to call anyway.

How long has that been the case?

It's been a while since I've done that route.

 

[Watershed]

How long has that been the case?

It's been a while since I've done that route.

A couple of years, I think 2022 or 2023.

 

[VT 390]

How long has that been the case?

It's been a while since I've done that route.

A couple of years, I think 2022 or 2023.

It was more recently in the May 2025 timetable.
They did call some Voyager services as Special Stop Orders or as amended timetables before this (such as when there were XC strikes only affecting Turbostar routes).

 

[CHAPS2034]

Anyone using the Marches southbound to get to Hereford instead of WMT will be delighted to know that a 67 has sat down somewhere just south of Leominster on 1V37 (0830 MAN-CDF) and the following three southbounds (at least) have been cancelled.

 

[moogal]

To be fair to them, looking at services passing through my local station, they do at least seem to be running 12 cars on the Euston-Northampton-Brum services that are running, which is better than we got in the hot weather cancellations the other week.

 

[trainophile]

Anyone using the Marches southbound to get to Hereford instead of WMT will be delighted to know that a 67 has sat down somewhere just south of Leominster on 1V37 (0830 MAN-CDF) and the following three southbounds (at least) have been cancelled.

According to NRE my 14:22 from Chester is en route from Holyhead, how far it gets remains to be seen.

Oh how I miss the TfW Journey Check page.

 

[dk1]

Travel around the Midlands and North West is also being further hindered by a lack of traincrew on Avanti. As of early afternoon there are 28 full cancellations and several services terminating short of destination.

 

[harz99]

Glad we didn't try to reach Hereford and went to London instead, although that wasn't straightforward either, we came back on the 1710 from Euston which was late leaving due to late inbound, had a coach D which was inferno temperature (risk to life warning) and a variety of mixed messages about 1st declassification, but eventually got us to Brum about 30 late.

 

[OliverH68]

Further action announced for Friday 31st July & Saturday 1st August.

Industrial Action

www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

 

[trainophile]

Further action announced for Friday 31st July & Saturday 1st August.

Industrial Action

www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

So I guess the revised offer wasn't accepted? What's the chances of it being called off again? Drat, I'm affected again.

 

[800002]

And with City playing thier friendly at home, it could get quite interesting.

 

[trainophile]

Another £27 down the swanee to make sure I can get home on the Friday.

 

[Russel]

Another Friday where I'll have to rearrange my office days then...

No doubt the rest of the week will see the usual Trent Valley disruption and skip-stopping to make up time, I can see why people are so attached to their cars.

 

[david1212]

....... I can see why people are so attached to their cars.

..... or if for leisure rather than work or essential just don't go out at all so not only does ' the railway ' loose so do heritage, pubs etc.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

..... or if for leisure rather than work or essential just don't go out at all so not only does ' the railway ' loose so do heritage, pubs etc.

If those industries are being heavily affected then they should get in touch with their MPs given the government have completed control over this industrial action. The DfT need to allow TOCs to sort it out on their own. Refusal to meet similar terms to the RMT or ASLEF is what is causing this.

 

[johncrossley]

Nobody will be getting a P45.

They will if people stop using the trains because they can't be trusted. You can't plan a trip in advance if there's a chance of strike action within the next two weeks. Boycott these train companies.

 

[A S Leib]

I have advance tickets from Hemel Hempstead to Nottingham via Tamworth for next Friday, and from Mansfield Worksop to Luton via Nottingham and Kettering for the same day. Presumably my options are seeing if EMR would let me use the outbound ticket from St. Albans instead, or having all of the tickets I've bought moved to a different day?

 

[trainophile]

My booked Advance journey on Friday 31st is initially XC then WMR on split tickets, splitting at Sheffield. Going to see if Trainsplit will refund the second ticket as I can still use the first one, having sorted an alternative route at my own expense. It would offset the loss a little.

What a [expletive] muddle.

 

[dk1]

They will if people stop using the trains because they can't be trusted. You can't plan a trip in advance if there's a chance of strike action within the next two weeks. Boycott these train companies.

No they won’t. That is ridiculous. This is the railway and trust me, it does not happen.