STRIKING workers on the Caledonian Sleeper service staged picket lines at stations across the country after they began a 48-hour strike that means there will be no overnight cross-Border trains before Christmas.

Travellers who had booked tickets were offered refunds for the cancelled services at Inverness, Fort William, Aberdeen, Glasgow Central, Edinburgh Waverley and London Euston stations, from where the service departs.

Talks broke down on Monday at the Acas conciliation service between the RMT union and operators Serco. The dispute is over alleged defects on the rolling stock.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “The poor service to passengers, in conjunction with the company’s failure to address the issues raised by RMT representatives and officials in talks right up to the wire late last night, reached the point where the union decided enough is enough and left us with no option but to put on industrial action before someone is injured.

“Serco never had any intention of taking the talks process seriously and have treated staff and public with complete contempt.”

Peter Strachan, managing director of Caledonian Sleeper, said they had every intention of working to resolve the dispute.

He added:  “I am extremely disappointed we have not been able to do so, given the many and varied issues

they have raised have either been resolved or are in the process of being resolved through a robust and detailed repair and maintenance plan.”