Angry railway chefs vowed yesterday to fight to save their jobs on a restaurant carriage service which faces the axe.

Arriva Trains Wales’s flagship north-south route between Cardiff and Holyhead has served breakfast and dinner to first-class passengers since classic locomotive-hauled trains were reintroduced to the line in 2008.

Now Arriva has announced the service will be scrapped — and blamed the Welsh government for cutting its funding.

But rail union RMT warned that staff livelihoods were at risk from the political crossfire.

In an open letter to Labour Welsh transport minister Edwina Hart, RMT reps warned of a “very significant impact” and a possible knock-on effect on passenger numbers.

And the union suggested extending the restaurant service to standard-class passengers, meaning extra revenue and fry-ups for all.

“RMT is appalled at this latest attack on rail catering services coming shortly after First Great Western proposed the axing of its own travelling chef service,” said RMT general secretary Mick Cash.

“The union will not stand back while our members’ jobs and futures are caught in the middle of a financial row as the company seeks to lump the blame on the Welsh Assembly.”

Restaurant cars were once a regular feature of Britain’s trains but few now remain, with First Great Western set to axe its popular Travelling Chefs next month.

Arriva’s franchise is up for grabs in 2017 — and Welsh ministers have pledged to consider a “not for profit” option.