Welcome to the oven/overheated/no I mean air conditioned FGW train

[whole diary]

[johoare]

I just knew, as it was so warm already, and I had to be in London on time so couldn't miss the 8.34 from Maidenhead.. that the train they would send.. would be an (not not not ) "air conditioned" one..

By the time I got off at Paddington (ten mins late by that point) I felt very very ill and I commute practically every day and don't feel that way usually..

Why do all other trains companies, that I am aware of, manage to run proper length trains with air con that works.. Why can't FGW^▸ (First Great Western) do the same?

[ChrisB]

Glastonbury may account for short-forming?

As for heating.....pass!

Btw - I'm sitting in Paddington's 1st class lounge waiting for the sleeper (why does everyone board an hour before leaving? Are they going straight to bed? In this heat?), and yes, you've guessed...... The heating is on, blowing almost full pelt. Maybe thats why theyve boarded? :-)

[johoare]

Glastonbury may account for short-forming?

As for heating.....pass!

Btw - I'm sitting in Paddington's 1st class lounge waiting for the sleeper (why does everyone board an hour before leaving? Are they going straight to bed? In this heat?), and yes, you've guessed...... The heating is on, blowing almost full pelt. Maybe thats why theyve boarded? :-)

This train has been short formed for at least a couple of years.. I think (and I know I could check on here as I'm sure it was posted) that the extra carriages were sent somewhere to help trains that couldn't cope with leaves on the line.. I guess that isn't the case now a couple of years later.. But if FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are going to run short trains.. They needs to give us ones with lots of openinig windows.. please..

[gpn01]

I just knew, as it was so warm already, and I had to be in London on time so couldn't miss the 8.34 from Maidenhead.. that the train they would send.. would be an (not not not ) "air conditioned" one..

By the time I got off at Paddington (ten mins late by that point) I felt very very ill and I commute practically every day and don't feel that way usually..

Why do all other trains companies, that I am aware of, manage to run proper length trains with air con that works.. Why can't FGW^▸ (First Great Western) do the same?

Maybe there's an argument that ticket inspectors (Revenue Collection Officers?) sometimes travel on the trains and therefore the carriages should be subjects to HSE^▸ (Health and Safety Executive) requirements regarding "reasonable" working temperatures?  Could be a way of forcing the issue to ensure that maximum temperatures aren't too high.

[LiskeardRich]

even with air conditioning working, air conditioning normally cant cope with more than a 5C reduction, with outside temps around 28-29, air con will bring it down to 23-24C which is still uncomfortably hot.
also remember crowded with people wil make it seem warmer than it is, probably taking it back up 2-3C at least

[inspector_blakey]

Maybe there's an argument that ticket inspectors (Revenue Collection Officers?) sometimes travel on the trains and therefore the carriages should be subjects to HSE^▸ (Health and Safety Executive) requirements regarding "reasonable" working temperatures?  Could be a way of forcing the issue to ensure that maximum temperatures aren't too high.

It's an interesting thought but the HSE legislation is very vaguely worded and only applies to "indoor" environments; there is a minimum temperature of 16C defined for environments where work is mainly sedentary, with 13C where physical effort is required. Otherwise everything seems to be couched in terms of making 'reasonable' efforts, leaving aside that I suspect a train would not be defined as an 'indoor' working environment.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/faqs/temperature.htm

[bobm]

Btw - I'm sitting in Paddington's 1st class lounge waiting for the sleeper (why does everyone board an hour before leaving? Are they going straight to bed? In this heat?), and yes, you've guessed...... The heating is on, blowing almost full pelt. Maybe thats why theyve boarded? :-)

My usual plan with the sleeper is travel up from Reading and board just after 22:30, have a couple of G&Ts and get to bed before the service leaves. I find it easier to nod off while it is still in the platform and thus have a better night's sleep.

[johoare]

even with air conditioning working, air conditioning normally cant cope with more than a 5C reduction, with outside temps around 28-29, air con will bring it down to 23-24C which is still uncomfortably hot.
also remember crowded with people wil make it seem warmer than it is, probably taking it back up 2-3C at least

But I've been on other train companies trains on very hot days.. And their air conditioning works...I do think the 8.34 definitely needs it's lost carriages back as then there would be less people in each carrigage which would help.. Meanwhile, as I said before...until they do that or assuming they don't...then they need to run a train with opening windows on that service

[Andrew1939 from West Oxon]

Many other TOCs^▸ (Train Operating Company) have much more modern rolling stock. You have to remember that HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s are around 30 years old and at the end of a normal train working life so failures on all parts of the trains are more likely. Fortunately that is not too often because of the relative simplicity of HSTs compared with modern stock where there is more to go wrong. As far as I am aware the only other FGW^▸ (First Great Western) trains that had air conditioning at one time is the 166 Turbo fleet that FGW inherited. The air con on 166s was installed very much as an afterthought to the original 165 spec and has never been successful due to the difficulty in servicing the kit.

[johoare]

It wasn't the HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) I was talking about sadly.. They are a treat if I get to get one of those..As far as I know the air con does work on those.. it was a 166 I was on the other day

[Electric train]

I really think FGW^▸ (First Great Western) should give up on the aircon on the 166's and replace the windows with the ones similar to the 165's at least they get cool when they are on the move and even when stationary in the heat the 165's do not become stifling.  Being in a 166 in the recent heat is akin to locking a pet in a car and leaving the windows shut, you would get locked up for doing that!!!

[IndustryInsider]

Let's at least give this new A/C system being installed on the 166's a chance before we sharpen our knives!  As far as I know it's only installed on the one unit at the moment (217 or 218 I think?), but if you believe management rumours it is performing much better than the practically defunct current system.  I am a sceptic about this, but there is a chance that this summer will be the last where 166's are so stiflingly hot!

[ChrisB]

I'm pretty certain that I've heard Management say there's a delay on the fitting as they aren't completely happy with the trial....

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, that's right, but it was a power supply issue leading to the system tripping out I believe, rather than an issue with the actual effectiveness of the system - which is of course the important thing long-term.

[ChrisB]

Indeed, that was the gist of the conversation - thanks for jogging my cells...