Trains were cancelled on many routes yesterday as drivers and other train crew chose not to work Sunday shifts, which are often not part of duty rosters.

Great Western Railway warned that there would be fewer main line trains between London, South Wales and Plymouth, and that branch line trains were also at risk of being cancelled.

The operator said: ‘Scheduled engineering work in Oxfordshire and the Severn Tunnel means more train crew than normal are required to run train services, while sickness and England reaching the final of the Euros likely to reduce the number of colleagues available for overtime shifts.‘

Similar problems affected West Midlands Trains, Island Line and Northern, where passengers were warned that there would be no service on some lines in north west England and Cumbria.

Northern has also warned of more problems on the coming Sunday, although it has not given a reason.

Northern said: ‘Short notice cancellations are expected in the North West on Sunday 21 July 2024 – please check before travelling.

‘Services on some routes in and around the North West may be subject to disruption and very short notice cancellations.

‘We encourage everyone to plan ahead and check journeys before travelling, particularly last trains of the day which may be earlier than usual and may be cancelled at short notice.’

There have been efforts in recent years to modernise the contracts of railway employees, so that they cover a seven day week and no longer give Sundays a different status.