No Chiltern trains will run between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 10 or 17 October in an RMT strike. Most London trains still run.

No Chiltern Railways trains will run between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 10 October or Saturday 17 October. Members of the RMT union are striking on both days.

The rest of Chiltern’s network is barely touched. The operator says more than 93% of its services will run as usual, and the normal number of trains will run into and out of London Marylebone. So most Leamington journeys to London, Banbury and Birmingham go ahead.

What changes on both Saturdays

Chiltern’s industrial action page, updated on 2 October, lists every change. The same changes apply on both days:

  • no services between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa all day
  • the 6.44am Stourbridge Junction to London Marylebone will start at Banbury
  • the 8.19am Stourbridge Junction to London Marylebone will start at Birmingham Moor Street
  • the 6.02pm London Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction will end at Birmingham Moor Street
  • the 7.32pm London Marylebone to Stourbridge Junction will end at Banbury

Two of those long-distance trains matter in Leamington. The 6.44am from Stourbridge starts at Banbury, south of Leamington, so it will not come through town. The 7.32pm from Marylebone stops at Banbury, so it will not reach Leamington either.

The other two still run between London and Birmingham Moor Street. Only their Stourbridge ends are cut.

On 10 October only, many London trains will also call at Wembley Stadium for the Girlguiding Big Gig at Wembley Arena.

If you use the Stratford line

Chiltern says customers travelling to or from stations between Hatton and Stratford-upon-Avon can use West Midlands Railway trains via Dorridge at no extra cost. That is a longer way round, so allow extra time.

Tickets cannot be moved to another day. Chiltern says the impact is too limited for that.

Advance tickets can be refunded without a fee if the booked train is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled. Anyone holding Advance tickets for an outward and return trip can get a fee-free refund or change for any unused leg if either leg falls on a strike day.

Stations and ticket offices will be open as normal. Passengers who have booked assistance on an affected train should call Chiltern’s customer relations team on 03456 005 165, option 3 and then option 3 again.

Why the RMT is striking

The dispute is about the first stage of East West Rail, the new line between Oxford and Milton Keynes that Chiltern will run. It is not about Leamington’s own services.

The RMT announced the strikes on 29 September, after its members voted for action against driver-only operation on the new line. The union says the company refused to guarantee the safety-critical role of a second person on board. Its general secretary, Eddie Dempsey, said: “RMT will not accept the watering down of safety on the rail network.”

Chiltern’s interim managing director, Tony Baxter, said every East West Rail service will carry two people, the driver and a colleague looking after passengers. He said Chiltern has run most of its trains with the driver controlling the doors “for decades”, and that the plan brings more than 100 new permanent jobs.

Both sides say they are open to talks. If the strike is called off, Chiltern would be expected to update its industrial action page first.

What it means for you

  • Travelling to London or Birmingham on 10 or 17 October: check your train in a journey planner. Chiltern says the changes are already loaded. Unless you planned on the 6.44am from Stourbridge or the 7.32pm from Marylebone, you should be unaffected.
  • Travelling between Leamington and Stratford-upon-Avon: there is no Chiltern train on that line on either Saturday. From the stations between Hatton and Stratford, use West Midlands Railway via Dorridge on your Chiltern ticket.
  • Going to a match or show: the Coventry Building Society Arena also has an event-day road closure on 10 October. Our Leamington roadworks and travel page carries it, along with this week’s road closures.

For timetables and fares on an ordinary day, see our guide to Leamington train times to London.

Sources