New TRAIN strikes January Avanti West Coast NOW SUSPENDED + MORE

UPDATE - these strikes have been called off whilst a new offer from employers is put to staff.

yay

Meanwhile the situation on Northern goes from bad to worse. The conductors have rejected a temporary 6 month deal on rest day working, while a permanent solution was devised.
So the Sunday timetable starting in 2 days time will last for 1 week before new reduced Sunday timetables start on 22 December.
But we also currently have severe weekday issues as well with rosterered staff not turning up for work on the day.
Hooefully that latter issue is just for their Christmas shopping so will go away in the New Year, but I'm not holding my breath.

Spoke too soon- the senior conductors on Avanti West Coast have REJECTED the deal.

They are to strike on 31 December, 2 January and then every Sunday from 12 January to 25 May.

Updates on the New Year strikes should become available over Christmas

that's (currently) at

• Tuesday 31 December
• Thursday 2 January
• nothing then for 10 days
• Sunday 12 January
• Sunday 19 January
• Sunday 26 January
• Sunday 2 February
• Sunday 9 February
• Sunday 16 February
• Sunday 23 February
• Sunday 2 March
• Sunday 9 March
• Sunday 16 March
• Sunday 23 March
• Sunday 30 March
• Sunday 6 April
• Sunday 13 April
• Sunday 20 April
• Sunday 27 April
• Sunday 4 May (the day before the Early May Bank Holiday)
• Sunday 11 May
• Sunday 18 May
• Sunday 25 May (the day before the Late May Bank Holiday, also known as Spring Bank Holiday)

The job title of those striking is Train Manager.

as it stands now. Stay tuned for any further changes.

Note that Avanti have now suspended ticket sales for the affected dates until service plans are confirmed (that is all Sunday dates from 12 January up until and including 2 March, plus the two new year dates.)

EDIT- In the law of unintended consequences Trans Pennine Express have withdrawn their west coast timetable and tickets for those Sundays (presumably to prevent overcrowding), on the east coast TPE and LNER still have advance fares, but on the highest possible tier, more than double what the fares should be.
Have just found that out by chance when trying to book a journey to Glasgow or Edinburgh for one of the Sundays in February. What I can't do, I can't do.

UPDATE RE- The 31 December and 2 January Strikes-
The broad plan is-
During the strike action on 31 December, the timetable will be significantly reduced due to the impact of engineering work on top of industrial action. We plan to run three trains per hour to and from London Euston: one to each of Birmingham, Manchester and Preston (with a limited service extending to Glasgow). Trains to and from Manchester and Preston are going a different route to normal, avoiding engineering work in the Crewe area. We’ll also run one train every other hour between Liverpool and Crewe.

On 2 January, we plan to run three trains per hour to and from London Euston: one to each of Wolverhampton (via Birmingham), Crewe and Manchester. We’ll also run a limited service between Glasgow and Preston.

Due to engineering work on this date, there were no planned Avanti West Coast trains to Liverpool, with replacement buses running instead. Due to the industrial action, our trains aren’t able to run via the planned diversionary route through the North West into Scotland.

On both dates, trains will run during limited hours, with the first train of the day departing Euston around 8am and the last train of the day from Euston departing before 5pm.

The significantly reduced timetables on 31 December and 2 January will mean North Wales, Blackpool and Edinburgh have no Avanti West Coast services. On 31 December only, there will be no Avanti West Coast trains to or from Macclesfield and on 2 January only, there’s no Avanti West Coast service to or from Warrington Bank Quay or Wigan North Western. [so no through Euston to Glasgow trains- use Northern or Transport for Wales Crewe to Manchester, then Northern or Transpennine Manchester to Preston; Northern, East Midlands Trains or Transport for Wales to Warrington, Northern to Wigan, or the East Coast route for north of Carlisle] Other semi fast trains from London to Crewe are run by London North Western (LNWR).

Avanti have now published their timetables for 31 December and 2 January.

31 December
Southbound- Glasgow to Euston all stations except Lockerbie to Crewe then Euston at 0736 and every two hours to 1335 (last train). On hours with no ex Glasgow others will run Preston to Euston from 0716 to 1616 (last);
Manchester to London 0755 and hourly to 1455 (last)
Liverpool to Crewe only (change into an ex Glasgow or Preston for Euston) 0713 and each two hours to 1513 (last)
Birmingham to Euston 0721 and hourly to 1621- the first two only start back from Wolverhampton
Northbound
0719 and every hour to 1429 (last) Euston to Preston, certain services until 1329 (last) extending to Glasgow
0743 and every hour to 1443 (last) Euston to Manchester
0816 and hourly to 1614 (last) Euston to Birmingham - the last two extending to Wolverhampton
0848 and two hourly to 1657 (last) Crewe to Liverpool (connecting out of Euston to Preston or Glasgow trains)

This is the entire Avanti service that day

2 January
Southbound-
The only services are-
Rail Replacement Coaches Wigan North Western and Warrington Bank Quay to Crewe between 0600 and 2145 (after the 1450 bus connections to London are on LNWR)
Rail Replacement Coaches Liverpool to Crewe between 0620 and 2120
Hourly Train Manchester to Euston 0815 to 1515
Hourly Train Crewe to Euston 0855 to 1655
Hourly Train Wolverhampton to Euston 0845 to 1645
Glasgow to Preston- hourly 0838 to 1240 then last at 1434
Northbound-
Rail Replacement Coaches Crewe to Warrington and Wigan between 0610 and 2130
Rail Replacement Coaches Crewe to Liverpool between 0830 and 2230
Hourly Train Euston to Manchester 0847 to 1550
Hourly Train Euston to Crewe 0903 to 1655
Hourly Train Euston to Wolverhampton 0803 to 1610
Preston to Glasgow- hourly 0941, 1141, 1242, 1339 and 1541 (Later trains and to and from Lockerbie and Edinburgh use TPE trains)

For Preston to Wigan North Western use the hourly Northern Blackpool North to Liverpool services.

For North Wales use Transport for Wales from Crewe or Wolverhampton.

Train times and tickets for Avanti services on Sunday 12 January
are now available.
The only trains running are-
Northbound
every two hours between 1208 and 1755 Carlisle to Glasgow
every hour 0847 to 1612 Euston to Preston, first stop Crewe
every hour 0919 to 1618 Euston to Liverpool
every hour 1049 to 1615 Euston to Manchester
every hour 0952 to 1659 Euston to Birmingham, last two extending to Wolverhampton
(Preston to Carlisle buses run hourly 0940 to 2150 calling at Penrith ONLY (Lancaster and Oxenholme served by TPE and Northern Rail buses)
Southbound
every two hours between 0934 and 1535 Glasgow to Carlisle
every hour 0859 to 1600 Preston to Euston, last stop Crewe
every hour 0934 to 1543 Liverpool to Euston
every hour 0920 to 1555 Manchester to Euston
every hour 0924 to 1621 Birmingham to Euston, first two starting back at Wolverhampton
(Carlisle to Preston buses run hourly 0935 to 2135 calling at Penrith ONLY (Lancaster and Oxenholme served by TPE and Northern Rail buses from Preston)
Sunday 19 January is identical. Also note that LNER are running a reduced service on the East Coast from Kings Cross with extended journey times due to engineering work.

On 26 January and 2 February the issue is compounded by the East Coast having NO trains between Peterborough and Kings Cross- bus replacement to Bedford for St Pancras.

However note that we have booked engineering work between Preston and Carlisle on both dates- so trains between those stations will be bus replacements in any event- meaning no Glasgow/Edinburgh to Euston through trains via the West Coast.

Caledonian Sleeper services on the Friday and Sunday nights are diverted to and from Euston via the East Coast

UPDATE- The Strikes on 19 and 26 January ONLY are now SUSPENDED for further talks to take place.

Services will run as normal on 26 January (EDITED). However due to scheduled engineering work between Stafford and Rugby a reduced service will still run, with all services diverted non stop via Portobello Junction, Bescot and Birmingham International in the West Midlands- the standard diversionary route when the Trent Valley lines are closed.

London North Western services to Crewe that day are not running North of Rugby with bus replacements in place.

Avanti have now said that, due to the short notice, they cannot restore the full timetable on 19 January, but extra trains may be added at very short notice if possible.

Later dates may still happen if the negotiations do not succeed.

lets keep a thought