It didn't cause chaos but thousands of commuters were inconvenienced by strike action on Northern rail services today.
The row between Merseyrail and Northern and the RMT Union revolves around plans to remove guards from trains and make trains driver-only-operated and has moved north from the long-running action taken against Southern.
Northern said its plan to run 980 services, or around 40% of its normal timetable, during the industrial action worked well and services would be back to normal on Tuesday.
There were no trains in the Colne Valley or along the Penistone line.
Paul Barnfield, regional director at Northern, said: “By 12.30pm, 448 trains had arrived at their destinations, helping customers get to work in major towns and cities across the north.
“Our plan is working well and we have even been able to run a few more morning rush hour trains than originally planned.
“On behalf of Northern I would like to thank our customers for working with us today and altering their travel plans. I would also like to thank all of our people who have worked so hard to run our trains today.
Among those affected were Jamil Hussain, a 48-year-old welfare rights worker from Lockwood.
He said: “I work in Wakefield and to get there I had to get up half an hour earlier. I’m going to have to catch a train to Dewsbury and then a bus to Wakefield.
“It’s very disruptive, I hate it. It’s quite soul-destroying. I don’t know all the ins and outs of the strike but it’s not helping.
“I do have a car and I could have used it today but I am very environmentally conscious and only use it for leisure and shopping.”
Also affected was Carl Tinson, of Holmfirth, who works as a digital NHS worker in Leeds.
He said: “It’s got me on my bike.
“Instead of getting the train from Brockholes to Huddersfield I got on my bike and left it at Huddersfield before catching the train to Leeds.”
Hairdresser Shannon Greaves, 20, from York, said: “Strike, what strike? I was not aware that there was a strike but I do need to be on time for work.”
Raman Sankakan, 47, from Greenfield, Saddleworth, was heading to Newcastle.
He said: “Because of the strike there was no local service from Greenfield to Huddersfield so I had to get a taxi costing £15 to Stalybridge and get to Huddersfield from there.”
RMT relief regional organiser Craig Johnson said: “There will almost certainly be further strikes if there’s no movement from the companies concerned.”
