Heat on trains - What class is the warmest?

[61653 HTAFC]

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.

The generally larger loading gauge on the continent allows for better air-con usually. It's also more worthwhile fitting it if the climate needs it for more of the year. The old 1900s wooden-framed EMUs on the Cerdagne line in French Catalonia have no aircon, though they do have open-top carriages. The enclosed cars get sweltering in summer as the linespeed is so low that there's no wind. Those units are now mostly replaced by Stadler GTW units which are air-conditioned.

One advantage of the more generous loading gauge is that it's also easier to fit aircon to old stock that didn't have it from new. The ČD loco-hauled stock on the Prague-Cheb route is an example, and when I rode the route (in October last year) it was working pretty well in the middle of an unexpected heatwave... Though perhaps too well, as I was on a late arrival in/early departure from Prague and it got pretty chilly. I was definitely glad of the 40p coffees from the trolley!

 

[dk1]

Coach H (amongst others) was over 45 degrees on the 14:00 Up Intercity from Norwich Friday afternoon. This vehicle is the TSOB & the buffet staff set up a static 1st & Standard trolley in the disabled area of the adjacent FOD. Amazingly no disabled customers required this facility throughout its return journey.

 

[Malcolmffc]

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.

The 455s have a design flaw which causes any open windows to slam shut when a fast train passes. This makes them particularly hellish on SWR where this scenario occurs all the time.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Do you mean a class 153?

Most likely, but AIUI it was *nearly* the 156s that were converted to single car...

 

[cactustwirly]

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 …

I haven't been on one that early.
But they're very nice on cool winter evenings

 

[kevjs]

Anyonw know why the air conditioning on East Midlands trains 158s works well while sat in the station waiting to depart, but when train then gets warmer and warmer till it stops again. Was doing it on the Norwich to Liverpool one on Friday, and alternated between toasty and lukewarm on a short formed Liverpool to Norwich on Saturday . Feels like it's turned off while accelerating (which it does frequently when stuck behind a freight train)

 

[michael74]

I remember as a teen on the Class 101 from Bidston to Wrexham, nice and toasty on a winter's morning, unless the driver forgot to switch it on (1st train of the morning) then when telling him and the compartment filling with the stench (and sometimes the smoke) of diesel.

 

[GW43125]

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

Bloody awfully!

I was on one on World Cup Semi day and pretty much melted into the seat. It wasn't fun.

 

[LLivery]

The 455s have a design flaw which causes any open windows to slam shut when a fast train passes. This makes them particularly hellish on SWR where this scenario occurs all the time.

I've had that on the SWR units, but very rarely on Southern which are the ones I use most often. It is very annoying.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I've had that on the SWR units, but very rarely on Southern which are the ones I use most often. It is very annoying.

It's more to do with the aerodynamics off the Desiros than anything else. I've never seen it happen when a 158 / 159 overtakes a 455, and it never happened that I saw in slam door days either when the VEPs / CIGs came flying past.

 

[js1000]

319s used to be great in winter when they were on the Thameslink services. I don't know if they are the same on Northern services.

The 319s are horrible in this heat at rush hour. Worst unit I've come across.

 

[33021]

Central line - LU

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Hopper windows generally aren't great for ventilation even at speed. Droplights would be better but obviously have the disadvantage that some will stick their heads /arms out, with occasionally messy results.

 

[mallard]

The worst heat on a train I've experienced was in a DB-owned sleeper carriage on a train from Rome to Munich in summer 2015. According to the guard (?) on the train, this was due to the Italian locomotive not being able to provide (enough/the right kind of?) power to run the air conditioning. Absolutely swealtering, even with the window open (and that of course made it too noisy to sleep well), especially in the top bunk where I was.

Later in the same trip, I travelled on an ICE that had failed aircon in one carriage, which the staff proceeded to completely seal off and remove passengers from, despite the train being rather full... Something that would never happen in the UK!

 

[nlogax]

Judging by the aircon-less 450 I experienced out of W'loo lat night..450s. Unbelievable. It must have been six or seven degrees warmer onboard than outside. Not one of us crammed into the carriage wasn't dripping with sweat from our heads, noses, chins etc. One guy alighted at Surbs looking like he'd had a bucket of water thrown over him..shirt was translucent. I've never experience anything like that in a British train before.

 

[InterCity:125]

Later in the same trip, I travelled on an ICE that had failed aircon in one carriage, which the staff proceeded to completely seal off and remove passengers from, despite the train being rather full... Something that would never happen in the UK!

Indeed on the first class 800 from Bristol when the air-con started dripping water the only reaction from the train crew was to sometimes tape it off with black and yellow tape.

 

[Kite159]

I find the 376s on South Eastern being particular sweat boxes when the weather is hot, the windows are too small to get decent air flow

 

[K.o.R]

I have taken quite a shine to the 313s here on the south coast with all their hopper windows open. Lovely and cool even on the hottest days, though rather noisy.

I'll take a train that is too cold over a train that is too hot any day. There's a limit to how much clothing one can remove.

 

[Dren Ahmeti]

If you have to do the North Downs run from Reading-Redhill-Gatwick Airport in a 166, may [enter preferred deity here] help you!

On the other hand, boarded a refreshingly cool 800 at Paddington after having become an icicle on an SE 375 (which was from Tonbridge, and diverted via Beckenham Spur!)

 

[Spartacus]

Hottest I’ve been on with things working as intended are the Mk2 seats on the Caledonian Sleeper during the summer when you first get on, everyone’s opening windows, taking off as many clothes as they dare and still sweating! Coldest are the same at 3am! Open windows, few clothes and cold sweat!