THE RMT rail union has been told to resume talks after a day of disruption caused by strike action at the region’s biggest train operator.

Many railway stations appeared quieter than usual with Northern only able to run 40 per cent of its normal timetable.

Nonetheless Northern, which is operated by Arriva, said its contingency plans, which included using more than 100 trained managers to carry out on-board duties, had “worked well”.

Buses also replaced trains as the company strove to keep passengers moving with a temporary timetable.

At Darlington’s Bank Top station there was little sign of any industrial action with no RMT picket line to be seen.

Passengers were philosophical about the strike – which centres on the possible introduction of driver only trains – and seemed to taking it in their stride.

Mick Deverdick said: “It’s just one of those things, there are some trains just fewer of them.”

Angie Ferguson said: “I’ll still be able to get to where I want to go today, but it is a bit of an irritation.”

Paul Barnfield, regional director at Northern, said: “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.”

RMT members at Northern joined union colleagues working for Southern Railway and Merseyrail in walking out for 24 hours in separate disputes.

Northern will hope to avoid being dragged into a dispute as lengthy as that on Southern rail services, where RMT members took their 30th day of strike action in the past 12 months.

It said the industrial action was “premature” and there was lots of time to talk and agree how to modernise its services.

Theresa May’s official spokesman said the Prime Minister was “disappointed ...that once again the RMT are disrupting passengers across the country”.

He said: “These strikes are unnecessary. The RMT should return to talks and help deliver the high-quality rail services that passengers deserve.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said the action could have been avoided had Northern not back pedalled from earlier pledges to retain guards.

He said: “RMT’s action on Northern is absolutely rock solid and determined as our members ‎fight for passenger safety and the retention of the guard on Northern Rail services.

“Northern should listen to their staff, listen to the public and recognise that there is no case whatsoever for axing the guard from their trains.”