NORTHERN rail expects to run less than a third of its normal services during a second strike by RMT members this Saturday.

The company said it expected to run 822 trains, which would cover many routes and stations, but all services would be busy and customers should give themselves extra time to travel if possible.

Last month about 40 per cent of the company’s normal timetable operated during a previous 24 hours of strike action.

The renewed industrial action will hit racegoers travelling to the Grand National in Aintree, Liverpool.

The last Northern service is scheduled to leave Lime Street station at 6.30pm, before the showpiece race meeting is over.

Paul Barnfield, regional director for Northern, said: “We are doing everything we can to keep customers on the move on the day.

“Unfortunately planned strike action will severely limit our services, with the majority of the trains that we do run operating between 9am and 5pm.

“All of Northern’s services will be limited and we ask customers to plan their travel carefully.”

The RMT claims Northern has reneged on guarantees over the future role of guards.

It fears they will be removed should driver-only trains be introduced.

The union said that 11,000 people to date had signed a petition calling for guards to be retained, while support had also come from a number of councils in the region.