Siding to nothing

THERE’S a point where old becomes vintage and in trains, that can be a great thing.

But for day-to-day commuters, the reality is far from romantic.

New research shows Scots are putting up with some pretty outdated rolling stock.

It’s just as well the sleeper trains go slowly. At an average 41 years old, they are the oldest in Britain. Cross-border operators such as Virgin use rolling stock with an average age of 30. ScotRail are in the middle at 20 years.

Most of the creaking old trains run in England, particularly the north.

And while we’ve put up with more than our fair share of rubbish service here, there does seem to be light at the end of the train tunnel.

New and improved ScotRail trains are promised over the next two years. They are supposed to be longer, faster and greener.

Frankly, anything more than getting from A to B on time is a bonus.