TRAINS which run on lines across Cumbria have been described as a "national disgrace" which leak when it rains.

A new investigation has found the average age of trains owned by rail company Northern is 27 years, putting them in the top six of the UK's oldest rolling stock.

The Northern franchise, which was transferred to Arriva in April, operates its infamous Pacer trains on lines including Carlisle to Barrow, Carlisle to Newcastle and Carlisle to Leeds.

The trains have come in for strong criticism over the years which was brought to a head when under the franchise agreement Arriva, owned by German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn, was told it must withdraw the ageing stock.

Ed Cox, director of think-tank IPPR North, said: “It is little wonder that Britain lags behind other developed nations when commuters pay through the nose for decrepit trains.

“Northerners in particular will be familiar with Pacer trains which leak whenever it gets wet. This is a national disgrace and just not what you'dsee in Germany, France or Japan, or even down south.”

Arriva, which has the Northern franchise until 2025, has already signed a £490m contract for 100mph trains to replace the Pacers to be built by CAF in Spain for delivery by October 2018.

Other companies which operate services into Carlisle fare better than Northern with the age of Scotrail trains averaging 20 years old and Virgin Trains West Coast, 11.

TransPennine Express trains, which operate services between Carlisle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Manchester Airport, are the newest in Britain at just nine years old on average.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) claims passengers are “paying through the nose for decrepit trains” while public transport campaigners said there is a “postcode lottery” for train quality.

The ORR said older trains can result in less comfortable journeys, poorer reliability and worse performance than modern versions, although it also noted that older rolling stock can be refurbished.

Mr Cox added: “To make journeys cheaper, cleaner and greener, areas outside the capital must be given Transport for London-style powers to raise money to invest in transport and take back control over spending decisions.”

The Rail Delivery Group, representing train companies, said it expects the average age of Britain’s trains to drop to 16 years by 2019 due to the introduction of more than 4,500 new carriages with a capital cost in excess of £7.5 billion.

Lianna Etkind, public transport campaigner at the Campaign for Better Transport, said the current age of trains “exemplifies the lack of public and passenger involvement” in the network.

She went on: “More people than ever rely on the railways, they contribute a bigger percentage to running costs than ever, they pay more for their tickets than ever, and yet there is a postcode lottery in the kind of trains they are served by.

“We need a strategy from the Government which involves passengers and the wider public in decision making, makes clear what their future plans are on things like electrification and clarifies the roles of the rolling stock companies, the train operators and the Government in paying for updated rolling stock.”

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “We are delivering the biggest rail modernisation programme for over a century and will be rolling out more than 5,000 carriages over the next four years which offer more seats, wi-fi and air conditioning."