ail industry bosses and union group Insult are expected to hold formal talks next week over a strike that paralyzed large parts of the UK network on Saturday.
Steve Montgomery, president of the Rail Delivery Groupand Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan confirmed that talks would continue after the 24-hour action.
Picket lines were set up in the UK, including Ashford, London, hullManchester and Liverpool amid disputes over jobs, pay and conditions.
Aslef members at nine train companies walked out on Saturday morning, leading to closures, cancellations and reduced services at the train station.
Aslef said striking drivers haven’t had a pay rise in three years.
They have received support from other unions, such as Unite, and Labor MPs Dawn Butler and Barry Gardiner in their action, representing Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, LNER, London Overground, Southeastern and West Midlands. trains.
Mr Whelan said he was “astonished” at the turnout in London, where dozens of people stood in front of King’s Cross, Euston and Paddington stations in central London and Willesden Junction in north-west London, waving banners and placards in 33C heat.
Picketers told the PA news agency that members appear alternately on different sites, while organizers set up their lines near shady areas and offered water and refreshments to keep people cool.
Mr Whelan told PA: “I’ve gotten hundreds of photos from all over the UK from Ashford to Hull, Manchester, Liverpool to numerous places where we see picket lines of 20-30 people.
“I would also like to thank all those other trade unionists and civil society members who have supported us today – trade councils, other unions, local groups.
“This seems, unlike other transportation strikes, (something that) people are getting, they understand it’s all sectors, all workers, all (doing) something because of the cost of living crisis.”
He added that he is eager to resolve the issues members face and “return to his day job”.
Montgomery described the planned formal talks as a “very good step forward”.
He told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme: “It’s important that we sit down and start having meaningful discussions about how we can look at reforms so that we can then offer our staff a pay rise. It’s real.” important that we seize this opportunity and hopefully try to avoid further strikes and get some result in this situation.”
The union is also voting drivers at Chiltern Railways, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express to strike, with the results coming later this month.
Members of the RMT and TSSA unions will go on strike on August 18 and 20, while industrial action will be taken on August 19 by the London Underground and London bus drivers.