Rail passengers have been warned to expect a vastly reduced serviced and full carriages with more train strikes due to take place tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday.
Members of the RMT union are due to go on strike on March 16 and 18 as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
Train company Avanti West Coast has urged passengers to check before travelling and warned services will be slashed on strike days.
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John Leach, assistant general secretary of the RMT, told the PA new agency: “We are in this until we win – we are not going away.”
Union officials involved in the disputes across the country on Wednesday - budget day - warned that industrial action would continue throughout spring, and into summer, unless they were resolved.
Avanti West Coast will operate an amended timetable on strike days, meaning fewer trains and few stops on services that survive. The two 24-hour strikes will result in Avanti operating a third of its normal timetable.
With fewer services running and a significantly reduced operation, trains could be busy, and customers are advised to check details before setting off for the station.
Those who intend to travel are urged to plan ahead, expect disruption, and check the details of their last train home. Customers who choose not to travel are able to claim a refund.
As part of its strike contingency plans, Avanti West Coast will run one train per hour between Euston and each of Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, and Preston (with a limited number extended to Carlisle). Macclesfield train station will be closed.
These trains will operate during limited hours, with the first train of the day departing Euston just before 8am and the last train of the day from Euston departing mid-afternoon. The significantly reduced timetable will mean North Wales, Shrewsbury, and Blackpool have no Avanti West Coast services on the strike days.
As a result of engineering works, there are no direct trains to Scotland. Rail replacement services to both Glasgow Central and Edinburgh are available from Carlisle, in addition to a number of Scotrail services via Dumfries.
Trains the day after the strikes will start later and are likely to be be 'extremely busy', according to Avanti. Tickets dated for March 16 and 18 can be used the day before the date on the ticket, or up to and including Tuesday 4 April.
Barry Milsom, executive director of operations and safety at Avanti West Coast, said: "Yet again our customers will have to a face a further disruption to their plans due to this unnecessary strike action.
"I can only thank our customers again for their patience and understanding and urge the RMT and work with us to modernise working practices and develop a railway fit for the 21st century.
"On 16 and 18 March, we will be running a significantly reduced timetable and our customers are advised to check before they travel.”
Due to the different signalling system in use on some parts of the West Coast Main Line, which is more resource-intensive to operate, Avanti say they are unable to stop trains at Stoke-on-Trent and Macclesfield which will not be open.
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