Are you entitled to a refund?published at 15:59 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
First Great Western tweets, external: If you are unable to travel today because of the strike action, you may be due a refund on your ticket, external
Summary
First Great Western (FGW) operated a revised timetable with limited capacity
FGW says it needs to modernise, no compulsory redundancies
Strike action due to continue on Friday
Updates on Thursday 9 July 2015
Are you entitled to a refund?published at 15:59 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
No replacement buses during strikepublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Chris Ellis
BBC News OnlineFirst Great Western (FGW) has said there will be no replacement bus services during the 48-hour strike.
A spokesman told the BBC there was "not enough buses available to offer a viable replacement service".
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers said 2,000 employees from across the network were striking. However, FGW said it was too early to tell how many had taken industrial action.
Northern rail strike cancelledpublished at 15:28 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Andrew Humphrey
BBC Local LiveThere has been no indication that the RMT's 48-hour First Great Western strike will end prematurely, but they have been forced to call off action after Northern Rail threatened to sue the union.
Members of the RMT voted to take industrial action in July over a number of issues including zero-hour contracts.
Northern Rail took legal advice and said the ballot was "unlawful". The RMT blamed "legal loopholes" for the cancelled strike.
The view from Temple Meadspublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
The Bristol Post tweets, external: First Great Western insist sixty per cent of their trains are running on time. You can read more here, external.
Image source, Bristol PostRailway strike: Platform viewspublished at 15:10 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Neil Gallacher
Correspondent, BBC South WestI've been asking passengers in Plymouth what they make of the rail dispute between First Great Western and the RMT union.
Paul Palmer from Newton Abbot said: "It just means my meeting's late, I had a nine o'clock I had to cancel and rearrange, just means everything gets pushed back... it's inconvenient, you've got to plan your day around it and going home tonight will be the same as well."
Commuter Julie Hamlyn said: "It is quite annoying but I do empathise because I think one of the issues is the guards, if they withdraw them then it's a health and safety risk."
Twitter reaction to the rail strikepublished at 15:02 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
The First Great Western rail strike has led to people taking to social media to pass on stories from their journeys, vent their spleen and voice their support for the strikers.
Sally admits on Twitter, external: I'll regret saying it as I've got to go to London this evening, but I wouldn't have noticed there was a train strike on this morning! #fgw
Chris Down tweets, external: Power to the strikers. I'm not inconvenienced but if I was I would walk ride or crawl to support em. #workersrights #railstrike #tubestrike
PR expert Paul Garbett observes on Twitter, external: Huge marketing fail from @FGW - who are still running their 'Be a Great Westerner' ads on the radio in the South West despite #railstrike. The company responds: I'm afraid we didn't have time to pull the advertising at this short notice. Jess
Sarah Lowden Jones comments, external: Lovely quiet train from Maidenhead to London Paddington. On time too #fgwstrike
'Faster, more frequent rail journeys'published at 14:54 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Chris Ellis
BBC News OnlineThe strike by First Great Western (FGW) staff is over plans to dispose of guards and buffet cars on FGW's new Hitachi Inter City Express trains.
Image source, FGWMark Hopwood, FGW's managing director, said: "These brand new trains have been designed to deliver more seats, and faster, more frequent journeys - but we can't deliver those if they are operated in the same way as the trains we run today, which were built in the 1970s.
"We have already made assurances about job security and commitments to increase the number of staff on board Super Express Trains, and I am happy to repeat those today. No-one working on board these trains will lose their jobs because of our proposals, in fact we need at least 100 more, not fewer staff on board to deliver our plans."
Rail strike: 'No idea and no delay'published at 14:45 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Ben Moore
South TodayThere was some disruption for commuters heading to London from Reading this morning with half of the fast trains cancelled, but most people did not notice any delays.
This lady said: "I have no idea why they're striking - it was a couple of minutes late but no effect at all."
Silver linings of the rail strikepublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Shane McCracken tweets, external: Thanks to the RMT and rail strike, this is the office this afternoon:
Image source, Shane McCrackenCardiff rail picket linepublished at 14:24 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Matt Pengelly
Local LiveUnion supporters have been manning the picket lines in Wales as part of the dispute with First Great Western over plans to dispose of guards and buffet cars on the new Hitachi Inter City Express trains.
Greg Harrison, branch secretary for the RMT in Cardiff, said: "First Great Western wants to introduce new trains but there's the possibility that those trains will be running without a qualified guard which we believe has serious safety implications in the event of an accident.
"The fact of the matter is that on a nice summer afternoon on a nice straight platform with a train full of perfectly behaved passengers that [driver operated doors] might work. But late at night, early in the morning, when the weather conditions aren't great, relying on the camera the driver may not be able to see all the doors." The train company rejects the union's claims.
Problems with London linkspublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Oxford MailRail strikes on First Great Western trains are causing delays and disruption for passengers travelling to London from Oxford, reports the city's Mail newspaper, external.
Eleventh-hour crisis talks to prevent RMT union members taking industrial action yesterday broke down and the effects of the strike are starting to show.
FGW has said a reduced number of trains for rail passengers travelling from Oxford to London Paddington will operate, but with delays and cancellations to be expected.
'Manager-run skeleton service'published at 14:08 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Chris Ellis
BBC News OnlineFirst Great Western claims more than 60% of services are "operating as normal" despite hundreds of staff going on strike.
Image source, PAHowever, Mick Cash, from National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, said: "These figures are pure fiction. The company has been forced into wholesale shutdowns, with a manager-run skeleton service in some areas, due to the strike action as passengers will confirm. It does no one any favours driving more people onto dangerously overcrowded trains.
"The solution to this dispute isn't manufactured figures and PR stunts it is serious talks addressing the core issues that have forced our members to strike."
Rail disruption for sport fanspublished at 14:00 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
BBC SportCricket fans are being warned of disruptions to services if they plan to watch England vs Australia in Cardiff.
Image source, Chris QuinnThe 07:15 and 08:15 BST services from London Paddington to Cardiff will arrive in time for the 11:00 start on Friday 10 July, First Great Western posted on its website., external
There are limited services returning from Cardiff to Bristol Parkway and London Paddington at 17:55 and 19:25. There will be no direct services to Bristol Temple Meads. Services are expected to be "extremely busy" and FGW has recommended customers to make alternative travel arrangements where possible.
Branch line casualty of strikepublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Chris Kelly
BBC NewsOne of the casualties of the strike is branch lines such as the Severn Beach line in Bristol.
At Clifton Down station, the platform is more or less deserted, but a nearby railway car park is completely full with commuters taking advantage of the lack of trains.
Information boards say there are no trains today and pressing the information button - that should connect you with an advisor - just repeats "please hold" over and over.
Authors caught in rail strikepublished at 13:42 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Matt Pengelly
Local LiveThe impact of the rail strike is being felt at the Penzance Literary Festival, external in west Cornwall.
Three authors - Rachel Joyce, Richard Smith and Dan Metcalf - have been unable to make it to the festival, but organiser Joy Salisbury said the problems were having 'minimal effect" adding: "We don't let little things like a train strike stop us from being wonderful in sunny Cornwall."
'Aisle be back'published at 13:34 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Hilary G Enthusiasm tweets this picture, external from the 05.53 service from Plymouth to Paddington, saying: Train is empty. Thank you everyone who got up an hour early! #fgw
Image source, Hilary G Enthusiasm2,000 FGW employees on strikepublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Chris Ellis
BBC News OnlineFirst Great Western (FGW) staff are striking over plans to dispose of guards and buffet cars on FGW's new Hitachi Inter City Express trains
Industrial action began at 18:30 BST on Wednesday and is expected to last for 48 hours
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers said 2,000 FGW employees were on strike
Services between London, the West and South Wales have been reduced by more than half and some suburban rail services cancelled, external
Tens of thousands of commuters have been facing severe disruption on the network
The strike coincides with a separate, 24-hour stoppage on London Underground, which has closed the entire Tube network
Non-FGW routes 'busier'published at 13:13 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
South West Trains tweets, external: Hi, our trains are not affected by the strike action and will be running to normal timetable, may be busier than normal
The latest rail journey advicepublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Matt Pengelly
Local LiveThe train company First Great Western has updated its online strike advice page, external.
Image source, FGWFGW managers say more than 60% of services are operating as normal but passengers are advised to check their journey, external before they travel.
Tamar Bridge running wellpublished at 12:57 British Summer Time 9 July 2015
Neil Gallacher
Correspondent, BBC South WestThere had been concerns the reduction in train services in Devon and Cornwall due to the FGW rail strike could cause problems on the roads.
The Tamar Bridge Manager David List, one of those people who really gets to see whether road traffic levels have increased or not, tells me there have been no significant increase in vehicle flows across the bridge this morning, comparing levels with the same time last week.
The team at BBC Travel South West, external say the roads have been marginally busier, but that could be down to a number of minor incidents rather than rail commuters taking to their cars.