Members of Aslef at nine train companies will walk out for 24 hours, crippling large parts of the network, with major parts of the country having no available services.

Train firms have warned customers to expect busy carriages and unexpected delays as reduced services will run throughout the day - while large swathes of the country will lose access to the rail network until Sunday.

Football fans, tourists and holidaymakers are among the tens of thousands of passengers whose plans will be ruined by Saturday's industrial action. 

Coldplay fans were also warned to expect severe disruption if they planned to attend the Grammy award-winning band's sellout show at Wembley Stadium this evening.