South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

johoare

Hero Member

Posts: 2818

South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« on: June 25, 2009, 23:38:49 »

Today I got a South West train from Bracknell to London... I have posted before about FGW^▸ air conditioning not working on the turbos and have put it down to doors opening directly into the carriage negating the apparent hard work of the air con.

I now know that this is not the problem. The problem is that the air con on FGW turbo trains does not work properly (as I suspected a long time ago)

My train stopped at over 10 stations today. At all times it felt very very cool inside despite it being warm outside and us stopping and train doors opening a lot. I didn't look to see if there were any opening windows but if there were, none were open.. which is because no one needed to

So.. it can be done.. Just not by FGW on the local turbos for some reason.

Oh and I really liked the Southern trains (after a change at Clapham junction) which told you, both inside and out, electronically, which carriage you were in.. e.g. "you are in carriage 4 of 8".. brilliant for those announcements about short platforms and where you should be on the train..


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smithy

Hero Member

Posts: 471

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2009, 08:24:18 »

several reasons for this

SWT^▸ have got a large fleet of desiros that are fairly new and well looked after,plus there are no opening windows so A/C has to be maintained.also siemens look after them so if there are problems SWT probably fine them.

the 158/9 fleet have had a lot of money spent removing the ancient A/C system in favour of the modern Liebherr one and again it is looked after properly,SWT have a large fleet so have scope to stop sets for repair.add to this vast majority of these units start and finish at salisbury rather than being outstabled so faults do not keep building up like with FGW^▸ .

basically FGW run on bare bones so are unable to stop too many trains for repairs plus A/C has never been very important to FGW in my opinion unless it is the pride of the FGW fleet (hst) then things do get stopped and repaired.


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johoare

Hero Member

Posts: 2818

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2009, 08:27:11 »

Yes I agree.. especially on the turbo's.. FGW^▸ obviously aren't that bothered by air con.. But then why don't they just go back over time to trains with windows that open and no air con. It's so much more pleasant..

Yesterday I travelled up to London about 5pm on a train with opening windows. It was quite warm outside but the train was nice and cool...

About 23.30pm when it was much cooler outside I had the delight of travelling on two different air conditioned turbos to get home and they were horrible and hot...

FGW either needs to go with air con on turbos and make it work or get rid of it totally..I vote for getting rid of it..


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IndustryInsider

Data Manager
Hero Member

Posts: 10451

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2009, 12:59:06 »

It appears even the usual token efforts in Spring to get the a/c on the 166's working as best they can has been knocked on the head this year. I've yet to sit down on one where I thought that it was working properly yet this summer.


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Chris from Nailsea

Administrator
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Posts: 19558

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2009, 22:47:51 »

Bad news for those travelling on trains with ineffective air conditioning this week, possibly: from the BBC^» British Broadcasting Corporation - home page),

Quote

Week-long heatwave set to hit UK^▸ (United Kingdom)

A heatwave is to hit the UK bringing soaring day and night time temperatures and thundery showers throughout the week, the BBC's weather unit have said.

In London the temperature will rise steadily from about 29C on Sunday to about 32C by the end of the week.

In the rest of the UK temperatures will climb from about 22C on Sunday to about 29C on Friday.


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Btline

Hero Member

Posts: 4782

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2009, 22:49:29 »

I'll be avoiding the Tube tomorrow - I'll walk!


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Electric train

Transport Scholar
Hero Member

Posts: 4531

The future is 25000 Volts AC 750V DC has its place

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2009, 07:49:46 »

Lets face it the heating on the 165/6 is next to useless in the really cold part of the winter, the windows on the 165 do not close properly and get blown open when a train passes. The aircon on the 166 is a total farce and has never been that effective. FGW^▸ do treat their customers who use the 165/6 like cattle (although cattle have better protection under the law when being transported). The 165/6 interiors are absolutely disgusting the floors have a lot of dirt in the corners, window ledges have a lot of grubby marks the fleet need a deep clean especially as on the face of it the "refresh" does not seem to be happening.
FGW can maintain a fleet in a reasonable condition the HST^▸ 's are generally very clean


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tramway

Hero Member

Posts: 617

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2009, 11:24:07 »

Quote from: johoare on June 27, 2009, 08:27:11

Will swap your Turbo for the 2 car 150 that did the 1730 Cardiff/Pompey run last night.


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The Grecian

Sr. Member

Posts: 176

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2009, 18:11:43 »

A lot of the FGW^▸ 158s still have ropey air-con. It's fine when the train's moving and the windows are open, but if you get stopped for a few minutes it can get pretty uncomfortable.


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smithy

Hero Member

Posts: 471

Re: South West trains show how air conditioning should and could be done

« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2009, 17:43:50 »

Quote from: The Grecian on July 03, 2009, 18:11:43

A lot of the FGW^▸ 158s still have ropey air-con. It's fine when the train's moving and the windows are open, but if you get stopped for a few minutes it can get pretty uncomfortable.

agreed they seem to have dropped like flies of late,seen loads with windows open.

they should of gone for the same system as SWT^▸ then they might of stood a chance of it working when needed.


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