RMT union strike over East West Rail safety concerns: Chiltern timetable for 10 and 17 October

The RMT union strike over East West Rail safety concerns runs from 00:01 to 23:59 on Saturday 10 October 2026, when Chiltern Railways Train Managers walk out for 24 hours. Chiltern has now published its strike-day timetable. It says more than 93% of services will run, but four long-distance services will cover only part of their routes and there will be no Chiltern trains between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa, according to the Solihull Observer.

A second strike is planned for Saturday 17 October 2026. The RMT says the action follows Chiltern’s refusal to provide guarantees over the safety-critical role of a second person on board proposed East West Rail services. Tony Baxter, Chiltern’s interim managing director, says every East West Rail service will have two people on board.

Which Chiltern services change on 10 October

The Solihull Observer reported that Chiltern’s timetables for both strike days have been uploaded to journey planners, with more information on the Chiltern Railways website. Chiltern said the normal number of trains will run into and out of London Marylebone. Four long-distance services between Stourbridge Junction and London Marylebone will be shortened, and the company said there will be no Chiltern services between Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington Spa on both days.

In practice, anyone who planned to catch the 6.44am from Stourbridge Junction will need another way to reach Banbury, because that train will not start until it gets there. The same applies in reverse for the 7.32pm from Marylebone, which stops at Banbury rather than running on to Stourbridge Junction. The Solihull Observer report does not say whether the four shortened services repeat on 17 October, so check Chiltern’s journey planner for that date.

Chiltern also said many trains to and from London Marylebone on 10 October will call at Wembley Stadium, to help customers reach the multi-show Girlguiding Big Gig at Wembley Arena.

What Chiltern says about the strike days

Mr Baxter said Chiltern was disappointed that RMT members had voted for industrial action over how it intends to run the first stage of East West Rail between Oxford and Milton Keynes. He set out the company’s position directly:

"Every East West Rail service will have two people on board — the driver, and a colleague looking after passengers: checking tickets, helping people who need assistance, and on hand to assist with any issues."

Mr Baxter said Chiltern had run most of its trains with the driver in control of the doors for decades, safely and as approved by the independent rail regulator. He said the plan would create more than 100 new permanent jobs at Chiltern, with no changes to the roles of existing colleagues. He added that Chiltern remained committed to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.

That sits against the RMT’s claim that driver-only operation threatens the current Train Manager roles. The sources do not say whether the colleague Chiltern describes would hold the Train Manager role or a different one, and that gap is where the two accounts part.

Who is affected by the RMT railway strike

The action involves RMT members who work as Train Managers for Chiltern Railways. Each strike runs from 00:01 to 23:59 on its date, so both Saturdays are covered in full. The two strikes are seven days apart, making 48 hours of action in total.

Chiltern’s figure of more than 93% means that, for every 100 timetabled services, fewer than seven would not run as planned. The company has not given the total number of services, so Reported.News cannot say how many trains that represents. The RMT’s statement does not say how many members will walk out.

The union has named three picket lines for the first strike day, each staffed between 07:30 and 12:00 on Saturday 10 October 2026. They are at Birmingham Moor Street Station, at Stourbridge Junction opposite The Seven Stars on Brook Road, and at Banbury Station on Station Road. The RMT has not stated any picket lines for Saturday 17 October.

What the union says about East West Rail safety

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said the driver-only operation proposed on East West Rail represented a significant risk to safety. He said it also threatened the current Train Manager roles at Chiltern. The union’s central demand is a guarantee that a second person will remain on board. The RMT did not publish the ballot result or turnout in its statement.

Mr Dempsey said members had voted in favour of action by a wide margin:

"RMT members have voted overwhelmingly to take a principled stand against the watering down of safety on the rail network."

He added: "It is time that Chiltern management took our members concerns seriously." The Solihull Observer reported that the union remains available for meaningful talks with the company. The RMT’s published statement does not respond directly to Chiltern’s assurance on two people on board.

Why East West Rail is at the centre of the dispute

According to The Independent, East West Rail was due to open more than a year ago. It has been delayed by additional works at Winslow station and by an earlier RMT dispute over drivers operating the train doors. The same question of who controls the doors and who staffs the train now sits behind this strike.

The Independent reports that the vote opposed driver-only operation intended for the new route, which will link Oxford to Milton Keynes at a cost of £7 billion. Once the works are complete, East West Rail will directly connect Oxford and Cambridge by train for the first time in decades. The full route is hoped to be finished by the mid to late 2030s, and the first stage between Oxford and Milton Keynes is the one Chiltern is preparing to run.

What happens next

The first strike runs from 00:01 to 23:59 on Saturday 10 October 2026, with picket lines manned from 07:30 until noon. The second strike follows on Saturday 17 October 2026 if the row is not resolved, according to Greatest Hits Radio and The Independent. The RMT’s own statement lists both dates. Nothing in the sources points to further dates, but the union could announce more if the dispute continues.

For passengers, the practical steps are simple. Check Chiltern’s journey planner or website for the timetable on each Saturday, especially if you use the four shortened Stourbridge Junction services or the Stratford-upon-Avon to Leamington Spa route. Allow extra time, and consider moving non-essential journeys to another day. If you hold an advance ticket, check the operator’s policy on changes and refunds, as neither the RMT nor Chiltern statement covers it.

Chiltern has said it is committed to working with the RMT, while the union wants a guarantee on the second person on board. Any agreement on what that role involves would be the most direct way to end the action.