THE strike by First Great Western workers will mean cancellations and disruption to trains over the bank holiday weekend.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at the company walk out for three days from midnight today in a row over new trains.

The union is in dispute over new Hitachi high-speed trains which it says will hit jobs and on-board catering and picket lines are expected at major stations.

The RMT said it has not been given assurances over job protection for engineers, is opposed to driver-only operation, and disagrees with the proposed removal of buffet/restaurant car facilities.

The union said it has received assurances from Virgin that guards would continue to be responsible for door operation on the East Coast on the same new trains that FGW is introducing.

General secretary Mick Cash said: "Despite strenuous and continuing efforts by our negotiators we have not been able to secure the kind of progress we hoped for in the key areas of jobs, services and safety for us to reach an agreement.

"As a result we have no option but to push ahead with the action planned for this weekend.

"The fact remains that if it is good enough for East Coast, using the same trains, to meet the very basic assurances sought by this trade union then it is good enough for First Great Western as well.

"We congratulate our members for their rock-solid support for the strike action last month and last weekend and we know that they remain united and determined as we continue with our campaign on these crucial issues. RMT remains available for talks."

A FGW spokesman said: "The RMT says this is about protecting jobs, services and safety. But in truth they've had a series of concessions on the table for over a month that won't see a single member of train staff lose their jobs, means more services not less, and is based on a method of operating trains that has worked safely across the UK rail network for decades. So if those three issues are dealt with, you've got to ask what this is really about.

"It looks very likely that after this weekend the RMT will have once again unfairly disrupted our passengers, the economies of the communities we serve, and will have asked every one of their members to go without a week's worth of pay when they've already got what they asked for."

No services will run between Severn Beach and Bristol Temple Meads, between Looe and Liskeard, Newquay and Par, Falmouth and Truro and Plymouth and Gunnislake during the strike.

Reading to Gatwick services will operate hourly and terminate at Redhill. Extra shuttle services will be laid on between Reading and London on Monday because of the Reading Festival.