Trains operated by South Central have an average age of 29 years, making the fleet the third oldest of any rail operator in the country.

Although new trains are ready and waiting they are not being used because the rails cannot power them.

The revelation was unearthed by Lewes MP Norman Baker in a Parliamentary question.

It came as the Government's Strategic Rail Authority revealed it does not have enough money to go ahead with planned upgrades.

South Central languishes near the foot of the table of 25 rail operators, beating only Island Line and Virgin South-West.

The top firms have fleets where the average age is just two years.

Mr Baker said: "The current rolling stock is very old, much of it dating back to when The Beatles were number one with She Loves You and television was black and white.

"At last new trains are coming though but we need to end the farce whereby they are left sitting in sidings because there is inadequate power on the rails to take them.

"The delay has so far been down to a complete failure in thinking by Railtrack, the train operating company Connex and the Deputy Prime Minister, the three groups who were in charge when the trains were ordered."

Mr Baker said: "I get the impression there are far too many people in the rail industry who couldn't run a bath never mind a railway."