Train strike in Birmingham: New Street open - but 75% services not running on Thursday & Saturday

Network Rail has advised rail passengers to undertake only “absolutely necessary” travel on Thursday and Saturday (18 & 20 August) since unions will be on strike.

It will affect all routes in the West Midlands, North West and Cumbria and only 20% of the usual number of trains will be running.

In Birmingham, there will be only 10 departures per hour from New Street Station whereas normally 40 trains depart on average.

Services will only run on the route between Lichfield - Birmingham - Bromsgrove / Redditch, according to National Rail. No other West Midlands Railway services will be running.

The trains that will be running will start later from 7:30am and finish earlier by 6.30pm (you can see the full time table

Who is striking on Thursday and Saturday (18 & 20 August)?

RMT and TSSA unions will be conducting strikes on the two days and the days after strike action will also be affected.

So, passengers are encouraged to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before traveling.

Avanti West Coast said passengers with tickets for 18 to 21 August can claim a full refund from their point of purchase.

East Midlands Railways has suspended seat booking on all its trains for those dates.

West Midlands Railway Timetable for 18 & 20 August

First trains

• Birmingham New Street- Northampton (calling at all stations except for Adderley Park, Stechford, Lea Hall, Hampton-in-Arden and Canley): 07.34
• Birmingham New Street – Birmingham International (calling at all local stations): 08.17
• Birmingham International – Birmingham New Street (calling at all local stations): 07.42
• Northampton – Birmingham New Street (calling at all stations except for Lea Hall, Stechford and Adderley Park): 07.38
• Birmingham New Street – Crewe: 08.03
• Birmingham New Street – Wolverhampton (all local stations): 08.07
• Wolverhampton – Birmingham New Street (calling at Smethwick Galton Bridge only): 07.32
• Wolverhampton – Birmingham New Street (calling at all local stations): 07.50
• Crewe – Birmingham New Street: 07.51
• Birmingham New Street – Redditch: 07.53
• Birmingham New Street – Lichfield Trent Valley: 07.36

Last trains

• Lichfield Trent Valley – Birmingham New Street (all stations): 17.24
• Lichfield Trent Valley – Birmingham New Street (all stations except for Chester Road, Erdington and Gravelly Hill): 17.52
• Bromsgrove – Birmingham New Street: 17.29
• Redditch – Birmingham New Street 17.42
• Birmingham New Street – Crewe: 17.04
• Birmingham New Street – Wolverhampton (all local stations): 18.00
• Birmingham New Street – Wolverhampton (calling at Smethwick Galton Bridge only): 18.07
• Crewe – Birmingham New Street: 16.53
• Wolverhampton – Birmingham New Street (all local stations): 17.48
• Birmingham International – Birmingham New Street (calling at all local stations): 17.42
• Northampton – Birmingham New Street (calling at Long Buckby, Rugby, Coventry and Birmingham International): 17.38
• Birmingham New Street – Northampton: 17.14
• Birmingham New Street – Birmingham International: 18.10

Full timetable is available at West Midlands Railway.

What did Network Rail say?

Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s North West and Central region managing director, said: “It saddens me that we are again having to ask passengers to stay away from the railway for two days this week due to unnecessary strike action, when we should be helping them enjoy their summers.

“We have made a good and fair pay offer but, with the exception of our TSSA management grades who accepted the deal, our unions are refusing to put it to a ballot to let our employees have a say, and sadly that means more disruption on the rail network.”

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. BirminghamWorld is Birmingham’s latest news website, championing everything that is great about our city - reporting on news, lifestyle and sport. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going.