West Midlands Trains Industrial Action July/August 2026

[johncrossley]

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

They are relying on its captive market, people without cars. It's such a shame that the railway can get away with anything and passengers keep coming back. There is no incentive to improve, so that people with cars leave them at home from time to time.

 

[dk1]

They are relying on its captive market, people without cars. Its such a shame that the railway can get away with anything and passengers keep coming back. There is no incentive to improve, so that people with cars leave them at home from time to time.

Fair enough but to agree that anyone striking or otherwise is going to get a P45 is nothing short of lunacy.

 

[800002]

I did it difficult to deacribe in any other way than "The ultimate controller (DfTO and by extension, DfT) turning a blind eye to the effects on the fare paying passenger and its potential long term impact. All the while aiming to drive down the fixed costs of delivery and stifling growth while simultaneously ignoring the largest factors of cost within the business".

 

[Trainfan2019]

Great. Another Friday where I'm stuck for travel. No LNWR Stafford to Crewe via Stoke and high chance of EMR cancellations due to hot weather/too many trains needing repairs at the same time then.

The thing I don't get is that when there is strike action and I claim delay repay, it's costing more to the company(s) striking than if they weren't striking. No trains = no passengers = no tickets sold on the day but delay repay is paid out for services that don't operate.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

it's costing more to the company(s) striking than if they weren't striking.

They don't have to pay the staff that are on strike, which is quite the saving, nor any expenses for fuel (or electricity) for trains that aren't moving.
And not everyone will claim delay repay, especially for LNWR/WMR which is one of the more annoying delay repay portals (Northern's being much nicer).

 

[SCDR_WMR]

They are relying on its captive market, people without cars. It's such a shame that the railway can get away with anything and passengers keep coming back. There is no incentive to improve, so that people with cars leave them at home from time to time.

I think you'll find the majority of rail users also have cars, they choose to use trains for various reasons.

Industrial action is nothing new. Even these 24hr walkouts by TSSA are nothing compared to what has happened since 2020 with RMT and to a lesser extent ASLEF.

 

[johncrossley]

I think you'll find the majority of rail users also have cars, they choose to use trains for various reasons.

Industrial action is nothing new. Even these 24hr walkouts by TSSA are nothing compared to what has happened since 2020 with RMT and to a lesser extent ASLEF.

Are you saying that strikes don't make any difference to car usage?

 

[Cross City]

Are you saying that strikes don't make any difference to car usage?

It's negligible.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Are you saying that strikes don't make any difference to car usage?

Regular train users tend to resume train usage once IA ends.

Current rail usage shows that usage hasn't deminished, it has in fact grown, over the years regardless of any industrial action.

 

[centraltrains]

Bit frustrating as a passenger that no details of progress or resolution attempts are being published to gauge the issue more deeply.

 

[50010 Monarch]

The previous TSSA strikes in the last few weeks have wiped out the WMR service on my local line through Stourbridge.

Can anyone shed any light as to what happens with the drivers and guards when such action takes place. Do they report for duty as usual, do nothing for their shift and go home, or do they not need to report at all?

 

[Watershed]

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

If you already held tickets when the industrial action was announced, why would you pay extra? You are entitled to alternative transport and/or ticket acceptance to get you to your destination.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jul 2026 ==

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?

There should still be services from Hemel Hempstead that would allow you to make the outward journey.

You'd be entitled to be re-routed at the earliest opportunity if the expected arrival delay is at least 61 minutes. Whether that's the case will depend on the exact connections your itinerary current involves.

 

[74A]

Don't wish to sound controversial but why cant trains run normally. You need a driver , guard and signaller to run a train. Or is it part of the TOC safety case they need people in control watching the service.

 

[Hairyspotter]

Don't wish to sound controversial but why cant trains run normally. You need a driver , guard and signaller to run a train. Or is it part of the TOC safety case they need people in control watching the service.

That's exactly what you need.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jul 2026 ==

The previous TSSA strikes in the last few weeks have wiped out the WMR service on my local line through Stourbridge.

Can anyone shed any light as to what happens with the drivers and guards when such action takes place. Do they report for duty as usual, do nothing for their shift and go home, or do they not need to report at all?

The other grades aren't on strike so they will be expected to attend for work as usual. I can't say what they'll do once there if there isn't the ability to run trains.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

The previous TSSA strikes in the last few weeks have wiped out the WMR service on my local line through Stourbridge.

Can anyone shed any light as to what happens with the drivers and guards when such action takes place. Do they report for duty as usual, do nothing for their shift and go home, or do they not need to report at all?

Friday morning will be pretty much normal service until 12 when the strike starts, then it will be heavily reduced and then nothing late evening.

Train crew book on as normal, many will be on their normal working diagrams, some will have hastily ammended diagrams and some will sit spare due to cancelled diagrams.

The same will happen on Saturday but in reverse - early diagrams cancelled or heavily amended, late diagrams mostly as normal.

So whilst there will be more train Crewe sat spare than usual, the majority will have part of full diagrams. Frustratingly on Saturday, there will be train crew booking on, sitting doing nothing for 4 hours and then doing the last part of their diagrams.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2026 ==

Don't wish to sound controversial but why cant trains run normally. You need a driver , guard and signaller to run a train. Or is it part of the TOC safety case they need people in control watching the service.

Control are, for want of a better word, in control of the whole operation of running trains. There will be a single hand in the ROC rather than 5 or 6 which is why services are heavily reduced.

 

[Trainfan2019]

They don't have to pay the staff that are on strike, which is quite the saving, nor any expenses for fuel (or electricity) for trains that aren't moving.
And not everyone will claim delay repay, especially for LNWR/WMR which is one of the more annoying delay repay portals (Northern's being much nicer).

Yes, that's a good point about wages and fuel actually. Must admit I typed my post in a rush and didn't think about those.

I find WMR delay repay process ok really (via website).

Back to the industrial action though, why is the minority Stoke route always one of the routes with no service? Even a couple of trains for the early morning and late afternoon/evening peak would be better than nothing. What prevents this happening or is it just a case of prioritising only big city routes e.g Liverpool to
Birmingham?

 

[trainophile]

Yes, that's a good point about wages and fuel actually. Must admit I typed my post in a rush and didn't think about those.

I find WMR delay repay process ok really (via website).

Back to the industrial action though, why is the minority Stoke route always one of the routes with no service? Even a couple of trains for the early morning and late afternoon/evening peak would be better than nothing. What prevents this happening or is it just a case of prioritising only big city routes e.g Liverpool to
Birmingham?

Surely it's not delay repay when all services are cancelled due to strike action? I've contacted Trainsplit about my ticket which includes Birmingham to Hereford on 31st, and they are processing a refund. Even if you can cobble together an alternative route as I've had to do, surely you'd need to buy a new ticket as I've done, and claim a refund for the unusable one?

 

[Trainfan2019]

Surely it's not delay repay when all services are cancelled due to strike action? I've contacted Trainsplit about my ticket which includes Birmingham to Hereford on 31st, and they are processing a refund. Even if you can cobble together an alternative route as I've had to do, surely you'd need to buy a new ticket as I've done, and claim a refund for the unusable one?

When there is/was industrial action like the other Friday on LNWR and WMR, there is a 'strike action ' button present during the delay repay process online. The part where you have to say if your train was delayed, cancelled, missed stop etc.

During the long running RMT strike the other year the same process was in place. I don't know if it's the same for all train operators then and during this latest strike action.

I have a smart card season ticket so these are different refunds to normal tickets. Plus, I haven't got an alternative train route to get to Crewe.

 

[A S Leib]

Tickets for London Northwestern Railway services dated Friday 31 July or Saturday 1 August will be accepted on Wednesday 29 July, Thursday 30 July, Sunday 2 August or Monday 3 August instead.

https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/industrialaction

As ever, it neither seems fair nor logical that there's no ticket acceptance for the following Saturday – people making leisure journeys who can only do so at weekends isn't a small group – or for the lack of mention of ticket acceptance for mixed TOC journeys.

 

[SCDR_WMR]

https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/industrialaction

As ever, it neither seems fair nor logical that there's no ticket acceptance for the following Saturday – people making leisure journeys who can only do so at weekends isn't a small group – or for the lack of mention of ticket acceptance for mixed TOC journeys.

If I remember correctly, on the previous strike action days, there has been ticket acceptance organised but this information wasn't released into the public domain on very late (possibly arranged not advertised)

 

[Speed Whiskers]

Based on previous strikes, are there likely to be any LNR trains between Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street in the afternoon?

I've a promo off peak single (£7.50) for Friday 31 July from Birmingham International to Liverpool and if there are no LNR trains my options seem to be to buy a new ticket via Chester with TfW (£27.85) or via Crewe with Avanti (£38.52).

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Based on previous strikes, are there likely to be any LNR trains between Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street in the afternoon?

I've a promo off peak single (£7.50) for Friday 31 July from Birmingham International to Liverpool and if there are no LNR trains my options seem to be to buy a new ticket via Chester with TfW (£27.85) or via Crewe with Avanti (£38.52).

Yes there were some, 1tph.

 

[Speed Whiskers]

Yes there were some, 1tph.

Thanks for this - I shall wait for the strike timetables to be issued before booking any new tickets.

I remember the days when 1tph was the standard for Liverpool-Birmingham

 

[Watershed]

https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/industrialaction

As ever, it neither seems fair nor logical that there's no ticket acceptance for the following Saturday – people making leisure journeys who can only do so at weekends isn't a small group – or for the lack of mention of ticket acceptance for mixed TOC journeys.

Certainly logic doesn't really seem to come into it when deciding what ticket acceptance to arrange, or indeed publish.

If the anticipated delay is over an hour you are entitled to have your ticket changed to a date of your convenience free of charge. It is unacceptable that the industry implies you need to get a refund and rebook if you want to exercise this right.

Based on previous strikes, are there likely to be any LNR trains between Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street in the afternoon?

I've a promo off peak single (£7.50) for Friday 31 July from Birmingham International to Liverpool and if there are no LNR trains my options seem to be to buy a new ticket via Chester with TfW (£27.85) or via Crewe with Avanti (£38.52).

Yes there will be.

Even if there were not, you should not refund your original ticket or buy a new ticket, as WMT would be obliged to make arrangements for you to still be able to travel.

Should they fail to do so, every other operator in a position to assist you (i.e. Avanti, XC and TfW who are still running services) would be obliged to help you reach your destination under condition 28.2 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel. In practice that would require them to accept your ticket.

 

[Speed Whiskers]

Thanks for the information about keeping my original ticket.

This webpage appears to be showing trains for the last strike - https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/industrialaction
If a similar service runs, it looks as though I will be able to get to Liverpool without too much disruption to my original plans.

A significantly reduced service will be in operation on the London Northwestern Railway network on both Friday 10 July and Saturday 11 July due to strike action by members of the TSSA union.

Timetables for both days are now live on journey planners. Passengers should check journey planners for the latest information before travelling on these dates.

Friday 10 July 2026

A limited service will be in operation on the following routes only:

• Birmingham – Liverpool – 1 train per hour
• London Euston – Crewe – 1 train per hour
• Birmingham – London Euston via Northampton – 1 train per hour
• Milton Keynes – London Euston – 1 train per hour
• Watford Junction – St Albans Abbey – 1 train per hour

No trains will run past 7pm, with final departures significantly earlier as follows:

• Birmingham New Street - Liverpool Lime Street - Final Departure 15.34
• Liverpool Lime Street - Birmingham New Street - Final Departure 16.33
• Liverpool Lime Street - Crewe - Final Departure 17.33
• Birmingham New Street - Crewe - Final Departure 17.34
• London Euston - Crewe - Final Departure 15.46
• Crewe - London Euston - Final Departure 14.13
• Crewe - Milton Keynes Central - Final Departure 16.13
• Birmingham New Street - London Euston - Final Departure 15.06
• London Euston - Birmingham New Street - Final Departure 16.26
• Birmingham New Street - Northampton - Final Departure 17.06
• London Euston - Northampton - Final Departure 17.26
• London Euston - Milton Keynes Central - Final Departure 17.09
• Watford Junction - St Albans Abbey - Final Departure 17.14
• St Albans Abbey - Watford Junction - Final Departure 17.35

The following routes will have no service on Friday 10 July:

• Marston Vale Line (Bedford - Bletchley)
• Stafford-Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent

Saturday 11 July 2026

A limited service will run on the following routes only:

• Birmingham – Liverpool – 1 train per hour
• London Euston – Crewe – 1 train per hour
• Birmingham – London Euston via Northampton – 1 train per hour
• Milton Keynes – London Euston – 1 train per hour
• Watford Junction – St Albans Abbey – 1 train per hour

Services will start later than usual from 7am. Early morning services will not run.

The following routes will have no service on Saturday 11 July:

• Marston Vale Line (Bedford - Bletchley)
• Stafford-Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent

Alternative Options

If you hold a ticket for travel on a train which has been cancelled you can return it to your place of purchase for a full refund. No administration fee will be charged.

Alternatively, tickets dated Friday 10 July or Saturday 11 July could be used on an alternative West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services on Thursday 9 July, and remain valid up to and including Tuesday 14 July (and until 04:29 on Wednesday 15 July).

This applies to customers completing their rail journeys wholly with West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway, as well as to journeys to, from or via these operators involving other connecting train operators.

Ticket acceptance is in place with Avanti West Coast on the following routes, from 16.00 until the end of service on Friday 10 July:

Birmingham-London Euston
Birmingham-Crewe-Liverpool
Crewe-London Euston (via Trent Valley)

There is no confirmed ticket acceptance with Avanti West Coast on Saturday 11 July.

 

[Watershed]

At least that announcement publishes the ticket acceptance which is in place with Avanti. Depending on when you leave that might be a better option.

 

[50010 Monarch]

Friday morning will be pretty much normal service until 12 when the strike starts, then it will be heavily reduced and then nothing late evening.

Train crew book on as normal, many will be on their normal working diagrams, some will have hastily ammended diagrams and some will sit spare due to cancelled diagrams.

The same will happen on Saturday but in reverse - early diagrams cancelled or heavily amended, late diagrams mostly as normal.

So whilst there will be more train Crewe sat spare than usual, the majority will have part of full diagrams. Frustratingly on Saturday, there will be train crew booking on, sitting doing nothing for 4 hours and then doing the last part of their diagrams.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Jul 2026 ==


Control are, for want of a better word, in control of the whole operation of running trains. There will be a single hand in the ROC rather than 5 or 6 which is why services are heavily reduced.

Thanks for the response.

 

[Speed Whiskers]

At least that announcement publishes the ticket acceptance which is in place with Avanti. Depending on when you leave that might be a better option.

The webpage has been updated and currently suggests there will be 2 tph between Liverpool and Birmingham, but there is no mention of ticket acceptance with Avanti.

Industrial Action

www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

A significantly reduced service will be in operation on the London Northwestern Railway network on both Friday 31 July and Saturday 1 August due to strike action by members of the TSSA union.

Timetables for these dates are being confirmed. Please keep checking this page for further updates.

Friday 31 July 2026

A limited service will be in operation on the following routes only:

• Birmingham – Liverpool – two trains per hour
• London Euston – Crewe – one train per hour
• Birmingham – London Euston via Northampton – two trains per hour
• Milton Keynes – London Euston – two trains per hour
• Watford Junction – St Albans Abbey – one train per hour
• Stafford – Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent – one train per hour

No trains will run past 7pm, with final departures significantly earlier as follows:

• Birmingham New Street - Liverpool Lime Street - Final Departure 15.34
• Liverpool Lime Street - Birmingham New Street - Final Departure 17.10
• Liverpool Lime Street - Crewe - Final Departure 17.33
• Birmingham New Street - Crewe - Final Departure 17.34
• London Euston - Crewe - Final Departure 15.46
• Crewe - London Euston - Final Departure 14.13
• Crewe - Milton Keynes Central - Final Departure 16.13
• Birmingham New Street - London Euston - Final Departure 15.06
• London Euston - Birmingham New Street - Final Departure 15.56
• Birmingham New Street - Northampton - Final Departure 16.36
• London Euston - Northampton - Final Departure 17.24
• London Euston - Milton Keynes Central - Final Departure 17.24
• Watford Junction - St Albans Abbey - Final Departure 17.15
• St Albans Abbey - Watford Junction - Final Departure 17.36
• Stafford - Crewe - Final Departure 18.11
• Stafford - Stoke-on-Trent Final Departure 17.43
• Crewe - Stafford - Final Departure 17.52
• Crewe - Stoke-on-Trent Final Departure 16.33

The following route will have no service on Friday 31 July:

• Marston Vale Line (Bedford - Bletchley)

Saturday 1 August 2026

A limited service will run on the following routes only:

• Birmingham – Liverpool – two trains per hour
• London Euston – Crewe – one train per hour
• Birmingham – London Euston via Northampton – two trains per hour
• Milton Keynes – London Euston – two trains per hour
• Watford Junction – St Albans Abbey – one train per hour
• Stafford – Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent – one train per hour

Services will start later than usual from 7am. Early morning services will not run.

The following route will have no service on Saturday 1 August:

• Marston Vale Line (Bedford - Bletchley)

Alternative Options

If you hold a ticket for travel on a train which has been cancelled you can return it to your place of purchase for a full refund. No administration fee will be charged.

Alternatively, tickets dated Friday 31 July or Saturday 1 August can be used on an alternative West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway services from Wednesday 29 July, and remain valid up to and including Monday 3 August.

This applies to customers completing their rail journeys wholly with West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway, as well as to journeys to, from or via these operators involving other connecting train operators.

 

[Bletchleyite]

The webpage has been updated and currently suggests there will be 2 tph between Liverpool and Birmingham, but there is no mention of ticket acceptance with Avanti.

Industrial Action

www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

That looks like near enough a full service on the LNR branded routes aside from the Trings and the Marston Vale. i guess they've managed to get close to full Control cover but only for two shifts hence the early finish.

 

[Watershed]

The webpage has been updated and currently suggests there will be 2 tph between Liverpool and Birmingham, but there is no mention of ticket acceptance with Avanti.

Industrial Action

www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk

The previous quote did mention Avanti ticket acceptance. You'd still be perfectly entitled to rely on that as it was published.

One of the many ridiculous anti-passenger notions circulating in the industry is that you can withdraw published ticket acceptance and thereby pretend it never existed.