RAIL passengers could face another year of decades-old trains on the Inverclyde lines, the Tele can reveal.

Class 314 carriages, which were built nearly 40 years ago, have been running on ScotRail services between Gourock, Wemyss Bay and Glasgow Central since late 2016, much to the annoyance of commuters.

They were drafted in to replace modern Class 380 models — after they were diverted away to Edinburgh for driver training.

The old carriages were due to be removed in the spring but the Tele now understands they could be staying put until 2019, leaving paying passengers travelling on stock built in 1979 with no toilets, heating or wi-fi internet.

Train operators ScotRail had initially hoped to return more modern trains to the Inverclyde lines by May this year but that plan now looks to have been derailed because of a delay with the delivery of new Class 385s currently being constructed by Hitachi.

Greenock & Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan asked transport minister Humza Yousaf when the newer stock will be re-instated locally during an exchange in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Yousaf told him: “The member will be aware that we are investing heavily in class 385 trains for the Inverclyde routes.

“There will be about 234 carriages in the 70 trains, which will gradually be introduced across the network.

“Having seen the new 385s in the Newton Aycliffe plant, I can say that they are fantastic rolling stock.

“In order to make allowances and allocations, drivers need to go through training.

“When we have a sufficient number of new 385s, they can be introduced and we can phase out and replace the older class 314 trains that run on the Inverclyde routes at the moment, and we can also free up more class 380 trains.”

A mix of old and more modern trains are in operation on the Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines but passengers have been left fuming about the 1979 models, which have been described as ‘uncomfortable, dirty and noisy’.

Nowhere else in the country had new trains removed to accommodate the driver training programme.

Mr McMillan said: “I’ve been receiving increasing correspondence on ScotRail so during general questions on Thursday I asked transport minister Humza Yousaf about when the newer rolling stock will be fully re-instated on the Inverclyde lines.

“The minister mentioned Hitatchi’s delay in delivering the newer trains but assured me he will provide me with an up-to-date progress report.”

A ScotRail spokesman told the Tele: “The majority of services between Glasgow and Inverclyde are operated by modern class 380 trains.

“The use of class 314 trains on this route remains a temporary measure, and they will be withdrawn from the ScotRail network as soon as we are in a position to do so.”