Do HSTs have air conditioning?

[Muzer]

I can't seem to find any information about this online, and I almost never have the opportunity to travel in them. I initially assumed they didn't, and a ride on a FGW HST which had no air con in the carriage in which I was (or if it did, I couldn't feel it!) seemed to confirm this. However, I've seen references to (for example) some Mk 2s having air con, which are presumably older than the Mk 3s on the HSTs, so perhaps I was wrong? Can anyone confirm or deny this for me?

 

[HSTEd]

They all do have air con, what is more likely is that it was simply broken on this particular vehicle.

 

[Muzer]

Ah, that's great, it must have been. I went in it because it was their "entertainment" coach - however, it was only a short journey (I decided to go an alternative route back to Southampton from London ) and there was nothing interesting there. I tried to use the moving map but it kept going back to the menu and didn't have enough zoom settings. It wasn't too bad without air con, though it wasn't as hot as it has been recently.

 

[broadgage]

Yes, all HSTs have air conditioning, not perfectly reliable by any means but usually working.
It is self contained in each coach, so if not working in one vehicle it should be in another.

In general, a coach without a reasonable number of opening windows HAS to be air conditioned or conditions would be intolerable on a hot day.
HSTs only have opening windows in the vestibules which would be totally insufficient.

 

[sarahj]

I have been told that the AC units on a 442 (and thus poss by default, on a mk3) were bought off shelf, ie units designed for static use on buildings, which is one of the reasons they dont work very well.
Note: this was heard from a driver, who heard it from a engineer, so knowing the railway grapevine, could be just 'hot air'.

 

[asylumxl]

Note: this was heard from a driver, who heard it from a engineer, so knowing the railway grapevine, could be just 'hot air'.

*bahdoomtish*

To add to the topic as people have said they do. I can't say I've ever been on a FGW HST MK3 without the AC working and that's a lot of times.

 

[ValleyLines142]

I have been from Bristol Parkway to Cardiff on a HST which had no air con working and the conditions were absolutely unbearable.

However, all other times (I commute daily on FGW HSTs), they are fine.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

All intercity stock since Mark 2e (c1974, just prior to HST) has had aircon.
Prior to that only the Pullmans had it.
NSE/Regional had to wait till the late 80s (class 442/166/158).

 

[CC 72100]

Ah, that's great, it must have been. I went in it because it was their "entertainment" coach - however, it was only a short journey (I decided to go an alternative route back to Southampton from London ) and there was nothing interesting there. I tried to use the moving map but it kept going back to the menu and didn't have enough zoom settings. It wasn't too bad without air con, though it wasn't as hot as it has been recently.

The entertainment coach (D) does tend to be hotter mind, as those screens generate a fair bit of heat. Wouldn't like to be in there in the middle of a hot day with no air con!

On the other hand, they make nice hand-warmers in winter

 

[Marklund]

All intercity stock since Mark 2e

2d.
The 2c came with ducting for air con, but was never retrofitted with it.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

2d.
The 2c came with ducting for air con, but was never retrofitted with it.

I knew I would get that wrong...
2e had the smaller windows.

 

[sprinterguy]

2e had the smaller windows.

So do the mark 2ds, in keeping with all the air-con fitted mark 2s.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Apologies for being completely off topic here but were some Mk2F's fitting with automatic internal doors similar to the Mk3's?

 

[455driver]

Yes, they were refurbished in the late 80s (I think) and had the floor mat operated doors fitted.

 

[RichmondCommu]

Yes, they were refurbished in the late 80s (I think) and had the floor mat operated doors fitted.

Thanks Mr Driver, I was pretty certain that this was the case. Cheers

 

[455driver]

I was going to put "no" and make you think you were going mad but decided against it!

 

[krus_aragon]

Apologies for being completely off topic here but were some Mk2F's fitting with automatic internal doors similar to the Mk3's?

The MkII's in the original rake used for the Gerallt Gymro North-South Wales services are one recent example.

 

[Buttsy]

Often people don't think the air con is working as it's a bit warm when actually it is working, but at a slightly higher temperature than some people find comfortable. As there were complaints on XC services that teh air con didn't work in voyagers, it was turned to cold so now you often need a coat on XC even though it's a hot day!

 

[jimm]

On a sunny day you will certainly know if you are sat in an HST trailer where the a/c has failed. It gets hot! The system might have not the fridge-like qualities of more recent kit but the blast of heat as the sliding door opens if the a/c system has packed up is pretty obvious.

Despite what has been said about sliding vestibule doors on Mk2fs, they had a number of features adopted from the HST prototype and in common with the production Mk3s which followed them down the line at Derby the MK2fs were fitted with these doors from new, as I can remember encountering them on ECML expresses in the mid-1970s. Most of them also had the same seats and seat covers as those fitted in Mk3s when they were built.

 

[cjmillsnun]

On a sunny day you will certainly know if you are sat in an HST trailer where the a/c has failed. It gets hot! The system might have not the fridge-like qualities of more recent kit but the blast of heat as the sliding door opens if the a/c system has packed up is pretty obvious.

Despite what has been said about sliding vestibule doors on Mk2fs, they had a number of features adopted from the HST prototype and in common with the production Mk3s which followed them down the line at Derby the MK2fs were fitted with these doors from new, as I can remember encountering them on ECML expresses in the mid-1970s. Most of them also had the same seats and seat covers as those fitted in Mk3s when they were built.

Agreed, the Mk2fs did have the pressure operated sliding doors and the IC70 seats from new.

 

[Temple Meads]

You can usually hear the air con humming away in the HST coaches, although it can be one of those noises you only really notice when it isn't there!

I was told that if a HST carriage has to operate in service with broken air con, then the interior sliding doors must be isolated in the open position, and the droplights opened. Is this correct?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

On a sunny day you will certainly know if you are sat in an HST trailer where the a/c has failed. It gets hot! The system might have not the fridge-like qualities of more recent kit but the blast of heat as the sliding door opens if the a/c system has packed up is pretty obvious.

Am I the only one who deliberately sits in the ones with failed air conditioning?

 

[jimm]

You can usually hear the air con humming away in the HST coaches, although it can be one of those noises you only really notice when it isn't there!

I was told that if a HST carriage has to operate in service with broken air con, then the interior sliding doors must be isolated in the open position, and the droplights opened. Is this correct?

May be, but frankly makes precious little difference.

 

[Flamingo]

I was told that if a HST carriage has to operate in service with broken air con, then the interior sliding doors must be isolated in the open position, and the droplights opened. Is this correct?

It is recommended but not mandatory, in the middle of winter people get upset if we do this...

 

[Temple Meads]

It is recommended but not mandatory, in the middle of winter people get upset if we do this...

Makes sense

Thanks for the clarification