Heat on trains - What class is the warmest?

[AlanFry1]

There are currently threads on hot trains and air con - and it got me thinking... what is the warmest class of train you've encountered?

I'd have to say 317, 455, 319

 

[ATW158Xpress]

What about 158’s and 166’s on GWR

 

[RichJF]

Class 465 can get very stuffy in winter.

 

[JohnMcL7]

What about 158’s and 166’s on GWR

158's were my first thought, they often replaced the 170's on the route I used to go on in Scotland and while the 170's were fine the 158's were roasting. I didn't actually realise until I read on here recently they were meant to have air-con.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Probably any train without opening windows or aircon.

 

[Smitham]

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

 

[HLE]

Class 153.

Don’t the 158’s have air con?!

 

[ATW158Xpress]

Class 153.

Don’t the 158’s have air con?!

Most units don’t even work since the gas that used to supply the air con is banned. So alternative gas supply usual is not efficient at going its job.

 

[samuelmorris]

Very anecdotal, not sure any statistical studies will have been carried out to get a proper answer to this question. In my case it's one car of a 377/5 where the A/C was stuck on full heat on a midsummer's day, I would guess it to be in the 50-55°C mark on there. Certainly travelling in that carriage for more than a few minutes would result in people being hospitalised. Mercifully the adjacent vehicle was working properly.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Class 70s?

 

[Sickandtired]

158's were my first thought, they often replaced the 170's on the route I used to go on in Scotland and while the 170's were fine the 158's were roasting. I didn't actually realise until I read on here recently they were meant to have air-con.

Is that edinburgh -dunblane/alloa by any chance? 16:47 to dunblane from Edinburgh park is 2 carriages, at festival time, one window does not open and like a sardine packed sauna.

 

[Sickandtired]

Is that edinburgh -dunblane/alloa by any chance? 16:47 to dunblane from Edinburgh park is 2 carriages, at festival time, one window does not open and like a sardine packed sauna.

Should have said is the dreadful 158 class.

 

[JohnMcL7]

Is that edinburgh -dunblane/alloa by any chance? 16:47 to dunblane from Edinburgh park is 2 carriages, at festival time, one window does not open and like a sardine packed sauna.

No I was getting on at Dundee to go to Edinburgh so I assume the train was coming from Aberdeen. It was meant to be a 170 but was often swapped for a 158 as I was told the Glasgow-Edinburgh line was the priority so if they had problems, our allocated 170 would go there and we'd get a 158. The 170 was fairly busy with all the people but the two car 158 was just jam packed usually at least to Kirkcaldy and unsurprisingly roasting hot inside. I guess any train that's busy without a functioning cooling system is going to be like that.

 

[Eccles1983]

142.

You have a dilemma, stop the heat entering the saloon and risk overheating at least one engine and limping along, or leave it alone and boil all and sundry.

 

[Skie]

Anyone who has been in the cab of a Merseyrail train will know the switch that has two settings: Off and Hellfire

Somehow the builders of the class 507/508 managed to harness the full fury of Hell in their heaters. Standing by the doors and your ankles are melted by the vents built into the partitions and the brave ones who sit down dont fare any better as most seats have the brimstone spewing devices directly below them. Powered only by the most damned of souls, they pump out more heat than a small sun and never relent.

 

[Bletchleyite]

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).

 

[greyman42]

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.

 

[InterCity:125]

What about 158’s and 166’s on GWR

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?

 

[class387]

1992 Stock

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

Clearly this thread is intended as a whingefest about ineffective or non-existent air-conditioning. But what about winter time? Which stock stays nice and snug and which becomes an igloo? For the former I nominate Pendolinos, the latter 142s.

 

[InterCity:125]

The 166s are fine for temperature in winter, less so in summer.

 

[bramling]

Clearly this thread is intended as a whingefest about ineffective or non-existent air-conditioning. But what about winter time? Which stock stays nice and snug and which becomes an igloo? For the former I nominate Pendolinos, the latter 142s.

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.

 

[Buggleskelly]

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

 

[Bletchleyite]

In winter I prefer something older with strong electric heating - Class 319 etc, or Merseyrail 507 as mentioned above.

 

[InterCity:125]

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.

 

[samuelmorris]

Very seldom have issues with old stock heating - in summer I usually chase modern stock like an enthusiast for the A/C but in winter I'm far more content to settle for 321s, 315s and the likes.

 

[465 Forever]

I was frequently microwaved on Southeastern 508s during the summer when commuting Tonbridge to Edenbridge.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was frequently microwaved on Southeastern 508s during the summer when commuting Tonbridge to Edenbridge.

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.

Riding on a GTR 313 recently (in very hot weather) I was pleased to see they have not committed that particular travesty.

 

[kevconnor]

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.

 

[bramling]

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.

Riding on a GTR 313 recently (in very hot weather) I was pleased to see they have not committed that particular travesty.

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.