Heat on trains - What class is the warmest?

[Bletchleyite]

The 313s did have them in olden times, however the restrictors were removed soon after the seats were replaced - which would have been late 90s under WAGN. Can’t remember the score with the 3x units which retain original seating.

That would tally with the purpose of the restrictors being to stop seat cushions being lobbed out (the originals were very easy to unclip) - though that said Merseyrail fitted restrictors I think after the original seats were removed.

 

[Mikey C]

The warmest class of train I've ever encountered during summer was of the Networker variety heading into either Charing Cross or Cannon Street on a hot summers day a few years ago, no aircon whatsoever and stifling on board. Other contenders include 1992 stock and the 315's.
For the winter, the most comfortably warm trains I've come across are the GA 360's

I find many tube trains, and especially the 1992 stock warmer than many of the National Rail trains mentioned due to the lack of opening windows (other than the end door windows), and with the 1992 stock the ineffective cooling fans and massive windows that create a greenhouse effect inside when the on the open sections of the Central Line, especially as they slightly curve into the roof, perfect for letting the sun in.

 

[mushroomchow]

Not sure if this is meant to refer to stuffy trains in Summer, but stepping onto a 158 on a cold winter's day is like walking into a mobile sauna. So many layers to strip.

 

[infobleep]

I always thought the 455s stayed surprisingly cool in summer. The hopper windows are quite good at moving air through.

I personally find them hot and when a fast line traj goes past, it often shuts 9 of the 10 windows on one sidendue to the air pressure.

 

[Ethano92]

I personally find them hot and when a fast line traj goes past, it often shuts 9 of the 10 windows on one sidendue to the air pressure.

I'd have to agree. I just ran up a flight of stairs to make one and I regretted it. It was unbearably hot so I had to get off at the next station. You don't even really get a breeze, it's just an oven. Im now on a 700 taking the long way into London, at least it has air con

 

[InterCity:125]

Im now on a 700 taking the long way into London, at least it has air con

How are the ironing board seats?

 

[samuelmorris]

There comes a point where the temperature is so extreme that ironing board seats are much less discomfort. Days like today are certainly one of those times!

 

[bramling]

There comes a point where the temperature is so extreme that ironing board seats are much less discomfort. Days like today are certainly one of those times!

Depends. Last night I went home on 2x365s which were boiling whilst waiting at King's Cross (didn't help that the ball vents weren't working), but once moving the train cooled down very quickly, and the movement of air was very much preferable to air conditioning. So swings and roundabouts, although had the ball vents been working it probably would have been fine all-round.

By contrast I happened to travel in on a 700 today and found that much too hot.

 

[cactustwirly]

365s are pretty nice in winter - very effective heating although there is some variability depending on where one is sitting. Have some windows open, especially wedged half open with a piece of screwed up newspaper, even on pretty cold days and it actually circulates the warm air rather nicely whilst at the same time feeling fresh. Miles better than air conditioning IMO. The 365 isn’t too bad in hot weather either, the only weak point is when not moving.

There are certain classes where air conditioning simply needs to be ditched and opening windows substituted. 158s and 166s are the most obvious examples - useless air conditioning which has been the case for many, many years, yet not enough opening windows. And locked windows are no use without staff there to unlock them, unless there happens to be someone with a T key around. The 387s aren’t too wonderful either, very stuffy and airless. 700s are just about okay, although a bit airless for my liking, and have the weakness of no openable windows if the air conditioning fails.

Must admit to not really being a fan of air conditioning. Rarely if ever use it on my car, and tend to prefer trains with opening windows. However like many things no doubt a lot depends on personal preference.

The 387s have very effective air con IME, most of them are like fridges.

 

[prod_pep]

50x were fine in summer until the window opening restrictors were fitted. OK, a lot of seat cushions used to get lobbed out, but that's not an excuse for not having adequate ventilation.

The silly thing about this is that they didn't fit the window catches until the 2002-05 refurbishment, when the original seats were replaced by ones with cushions much harder to remove. A rather pointless addition overall which contributes to nothing more than frying passengers in the summer.

It is worth mentioning though just how good the heaters are in some of the 507/8s. As someone who feels the cold, I'm glad of the toasty warmth on board in the winter. That said, the heaters do receive a lot of complaints on Twitter for being too strong so I'm clearly not a reliable gauge.

 

[Deepgreen]

The 166s on GWR have notices on the windows asking to inform a member of staff “in the event of a air con failure”
What if the air con didn’t work in the first place?

They actually say; "...in the unlikely event of air conditioning failure...", making the message laughable anyway. Even 'J' keys often don't work these days as the once square holes have become rounded through use/abuse.

 

[fowler9]

142's. Apparently the engine cooling system permanently runs through the heating system so the heating is on right through the summer. If the train isn't moving you get cooked.

 

[Surreyman]

The "oven" award must surely go to the Class 166, with its alleged "air conditioning" and "sealed" windows (which fortunately my house key can open; I received a round of applause the last time I did it).

Substituting 166s with 165s on the North Downs line is actually an improvement in hot weather!

 

[bahnause]

Sometimes I wish I could skip a train and wait for the next one with working air con. I had cosy 43.3C in the cab today. The air con was moving around the hot air, but was not cooling at all

 

[greyman42]

I’m still convinced the 142’s have their own internal microclimate which are a magnification of the outdoors.

Chilly outside, arctic tundra inside
Damn and drizzly outside, monsoon season inside
Mildly warm outside, dante’s Inferno inside.

Yes I agree. The cold is probably something to do with the 2 inch gap between the doors and the floor and they are terrible for condensation when it rains.

 

[Parallel]

The 166s on GWR have notices on the windows asking to inform a member of staff “in the event of a air con failure”
What if the air con didn’t work in the first place?

What is amusing about the 166s is that most units have ‘In the unlikely event of an air conditioning failure’ and someone has gone around with a marker pen and scribbled out ‘un’ on some notices

The 166s are dreadful for summer. Also, the hoppers being opposite each other on select windows creates a weird motion air flow thing, like if you have both windows open on the back of your car and nothing else. Also rows of 3+2 mean everyone is just sat squished together, getting hotter.

158s aren’t pleasant either in summer. Give me a 150 or 153 any day!

 

[InterCity:125]

Give me a 150 or 153 any day!

Except days they’re required to run at 40+ mph

 

[vlad]

Class 153.

In my opinion a 153 with the windows open is cooler than a 175 with the air conditioning on.

 

[wimbledonpete]

455s on SWR are horrific in hot weather - barely a breath of air gets through, especially on the /9s that seem to have particularly tiny windows. The ex-508 trailers in the /7s are probably the best bet.

 

[LLivery]

I don't find the 455s that bad as their windows allow decent air in. The SE Networkers (was on one today) are ridiculously hot. The windows on the units with the original motors bearly open. I've not experienced that kind of heat on the national network other than on the 377s with failed aircon (which seems to be at least one car on every flipping set).

Edit: a MK4 without aircon in this weather is horrendous too.

 

[infobleep]

I find when I'm on a 450 that some carriages are very hot and others not so. Is that due to the number of people formally inside the carriage, who have just got off?

Will a carriage with first class, standard class and the toilet be cooler than one that is just standard class with no loo?

 

[185143]

In my opinion a 153 with the windows open is cooler than a 175 with the air conditioning on.

175s tend to have cold spots. I was almost shivering on the way back from Cardiff the other day!

 

[Bletchleyite]

175s tend to have cold spots. I was almost shivering on the way back from Cardiff the other day!

True of 170s as well, I think it's quite common of units which have roof mounted aircon units but don't have the ducting designed particularly well to properly spread the air out.

 

[158722]

Not a UK example, but the temperature inside my coach on yesterday's 1630 Lisbon to Porto InterCity reached 47c... The AC starts to fail to reduce the heat once exterior temperatures get much about 36c and since wednesday, we have had temperatures in the region of 44-45c over much of the country. When temperatures are that high, it goes beyond being uncomfortable and into dangerous territory.

 

[cactustwirly]

The 165s are brilliant in the winter with really effective heating.
But traveling on the branch lines isn't very comfortable, in the summer.

 

[InterCity:125]

Does anyone know how to 139s do in cold/hot temperatures?

 

[Fincra5]

Probably the 313 I drove yesterday, that came out of the depot to replace a failed unit. It had been sat in the sun all day with every window closed. NICE.

 

[Ethano92]

I find when I'm on a 450 that some carriages are very hot and others not so. Is that due to the number of people formally inside the carriage, who have just got off?

Will a carriage with first class, standard class and the toilet be cooler than one that is just standard class with no loo?

I've noticed that too. The temperature of each carriage on SWRs Desiros vary more than any other train I've been on. Some are icy cold then the next almost feels like it has the heating on. Even at Waterloo when each carriage has been empty for quite some time

 

[Agent_Squash]

The warmest train I’ve ever been on was When the three car train was cancelled and so about a hundred of us had to pile into an one car class 156 with no air-con.

Do you mean a class 153?

 

[gallafent]

The 165s are brilliant in the winter with really effective heating.

Hmm, it really takes quite a long while to get going in my experience though. Taking a train shortly after 0500 from Oxford, which is on its first service at the day and has only just been switched on, during last winter, was ……… cold. Something that blows the air around can get the cabin to a decent temperature far far faster …