Emergency plans for next week's 48-hour rail strike were being drawn up by train bosses today after union leaders stormed out of showdown talks aimed at ending the bitter pay dispute.

The regional rail network now looks certain to shutdown next Thursday and Friday - and commuters were warned by the union that further strike action is on the way.

Negotiations between Arriva Trains Northern and the Railway, Transportation and Maritime Workers' union, which represents conductors, broke down yesterday.

After walking out of the meeting, Stan Herschel, the RMT's regional officer, branded Arriva bosses "bullish and dictatorial" - and confirmed members were set to back more industrial action in their fight for improved wages, on February 5 and 6.

Arriva countered by condemning the planned strikes as "intolerable" and confirmed it was in talks with Metro - the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive - and the Strategic Rail Authority in a bid to minimise the disruption.

Mr Herschel said Arriva had put the latest offer to the union on Tuesday, with a message that they must "take it or leave it" within 48 hours.

"I told them that their ultimatum was unacceptable, that they have worsened their position, and that they have shown no willingness to reach a settlement," he said. "I told them the arranged strikes would be going ahead as planned and that I would be seeking approval to sanction further strikes today. As far as I'm concerned I am available for talks at any time, but I will not attend a meeting with management who are going to be bullish and dictatorial."

Today Arriva said it was "very disappointed and concerned" at the outcome of the meeting, and urged the RMT to rethink the offer.

A spokesman said. "It will be intolerable if Arriva's customers have to suffer from industrial action taken in pursuit of a totally unreasonable demand."

He said workers' wages compared "very well" with those of other train operating companies, with conductors earning an average of £20,000 per year, taking into account commission and overtime. "Arriva has made a very fair offer, which would have raised the basic pay of conductors to £16,763 from £15,500 - taking comparable earnings to around £21,500.

Councillor Ann Ozolins (Lib Dem, Idle), a member of the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Authority, said "I think the timing of this dispute is really bad and I would urge the union to think of their own members' jobs and the effect this action might have on passengers in Bradford and elsewhere in the district."