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Chronicle Live
National
Simon Meechan

December 13/14 rail strike and how it affects trains to and from Newcastle and around North East

Rail workers who are members of the RMT union will strike over four days this week.

The first 48-hour strike will hit train services across Britain on Tuesday December 13 and Wednesday December 14. RMT members who work for infrastructure manager Network Rail and 14 train operating companies will go on strike.

The 14 companies include four that run trains through Newcastle: LNER, Northern, CrossCountry and Transpennine.

Read more: Tyne Wear Metro Pelaw to South Shields reopening date and why it was delayed

Grand Central and Lumo both operate trains in the North East, with Grand Central connecting Sunderland to London and Lumo Newcastle to Edinburgh and London. Grand Central and Lumo staff are not striking, but services are affected by Network Rail staff walking out and staff who work for train operators that run stations on their route.

The strike will also lead to Metro services being suspended between Pelaw and South Hylton as Network rail staff who operate signals in the Sunderland area are going on strike, although Metro staff are not.

A second 48 hour strike is due to follow on Thursday December 17 and Friday December 18.

December 13 and 14 RMT train strikes in the North East

Four of the main train operators who run trains through Newcastle and other parts of the North East have staff taking part in the strike, while two more, along with the Metro, will be affected due to Network Rail staff striking.

Northern

There will be no Northern trains in the North East on Tuesday December 13 or Wednesday December 14.

Northern is only operatring reduced services between Liverpool and Manchester Airport; York and Leeds; Ilkley and Leeds;Skipton and Leeds; Leeds and Sheffield and Bradford and Leeds.

There will be no Northern Trains to Newcastle from the likes of Carlisle, Hexham, Morpeth Sunderland and Seaham.

https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/strikes

Transpennine Express (TPE)

No Transpennine Express trains through Newcastle and other parts of the North East on Tuesday December 13 or Wednesday December 14. TPE services will go no further north than York.

https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/strike-action

CrossCountry

Severely reduced service with just five trains all day southbound from Newcastle and four northbound.

https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/disruption

LNER

LNER will operate a significantly reduced timetable on Tuesday and Wednesday, with just 10 trains from Newcastle to Edinburgh and 10 trains from Newcastle to London Kings Cross.

https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/Industrial-action/

Lumo

Three trains northbound from Newcastle to Edinburgh and three southbound to London instead of the usual four on both Tuesday December 13 and Wednesday December 14

Lumo says: "Whilst Lumo colleagues were not balloted as part of the RMT campaign and are not included in plans for any strike action, the industrial action will involve Network Rail staff who operate signalling systems and other Train Operating Companies colleagues who manage facilities at stations. Lumo will seek to operate as many of our services as possible, although we anticipate some disruption to our services."

https://www.lumo.co.uk/plan-your-journey/industrial-action

Grand Central

No Grand Central trains to or from Sunderland on December 13 and December 14. Three trains in either direction between Northallerton and London.

https://www.grandcentralrail.com/strike-information

Tyne Wear Metro

There will be no Metro service between Pelaw and South Hylton on Tuesday December 13 or Wednesday December 14, including all Sunderland stations, due to Network Rail staff striking.

Nexus says: "Tyne and Wear Metro employees are not taking industrial action, but there will be an impact on Metro services operating between Pelaw and South Hylton because this stretch of line is part of the national rail network which is owned and managed by Network Rail.

"If Network Rail does not have enough people at work to operate signals then train services cannot run.

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