Heaters on trains...

[Mcr Warrior]

:roll: Are supposedly always on in the summer, never work in the winter, and can't be adjusted by the train crew.

Is any of the above actually true? (And does it vary from unit to unit?)

 

[driver9000]

Train crew are unable to control the temperature. The most we can do on the trains I sign is turn the fans off and open the windows.

The heating on DMUs such as sprinters and pacers is fed by the engine coolant which is passed around the heater matrix using the waste heat to warm the saloon and cool the water. We can't stop the water passing through the pipes.

 

[The 158 Man]

On the Class 185s Traincrew cannot control the saloon temperatures. They are set on the depot by maintenance staff and cannot be altered unless they go back to the depot.

 

[driver9000]

On the Class 185s Traincrew cannot control the saloon temperatures. They are set on the depot by maintenance staff and cannot be altered unless they go back to the depot.

Same on the 175 and 180 although I can monitor the temperatures on the TMS. I'm sure 22x and 390s along with most other HVAC fitted stock is the same. Ours are supposed to maintain it at 22c.

 

[BestWestern]

Yup, on the ex-BR stock it's all pretty simplistic I'm afraid :roll: We frequently have to 'control' the temperature on 158's by swithing off the, ahem, "air conditioning system" and opening the four hopper vents provided in each car. This helps a bit. Sort of. The 143's have a saloon heater switch which controls the blowers, wheras on the 150's the same function is controlled simply by isolating a circuit breaker switch in the cab, which isn't helpful when a Driver or Guard sees the circuit breaker switch is 'Off' and reinstates it without thinking....oops!!

 

[The 158 Man]

Same on the 175 and 180 although I can monitor the temperatures on the TMS. I'm sure 22x and 390s along with most other HVAC fitted stock is the same. Ours are supposed to maintain it at 22c.

Same with our 185s. Bit daft really.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

The air con can be adjusted by train crew on class 168s, though it only has three settings "summer" "normal" & "winter"

Also, unless I am mistaken the AC unit which is in the cab of 168s (and possibly any of the turbostar family of trains) also pumps air into the part of the saloon nearest the cab door. So sit there on a very hot day.

 

[Zoe]

opening the four hopper vents provided in each car.

That is only useful as long as passengers don't close them again. I have been on trains before on hot days where people have closed the windows.

 

[Essexman]

I got on a Pendolino at Carlisle on Monday in which people in coach E had been moved as no air con & 100 degrees leaving London. Guard had just got it fixed when I got on, so plenty of seats & nice & cool.

And I wne tup & back to Glasgow on sleeper Sunday / Monday, with superb air con in the cabin. Lovely and cool even in the very hot weather. (but often I find sleeper temperature control is a bit iffy)

 

[driver9000]

That is only useful as long as passengers don't close them again. I have been on trains before on hot days where people have closed the windows.

On a 158 if a passenger tries to shut the hopper it simply falls open again. A carriage key is needed to lock it and keep it closed.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Is it true that a certain valve (?) from the class 142 units was removed that was connected to a radiator that now can cause very cold conditions in winter and very hot conditions in summer? I remember a member of the train crew making a brief comment about this some time ago.

If these units are to stay in service until 2019, surely some replacement part can be installed

 

[driver9000]

There used to a be water stop cock under one of the seats in the 150s but it was removed many years ago.

The 142s have the heater in the roof, there is no water cock for the pod (the water pipe runs up one of the handrails by the outer end doors). For the 142 heaters there are 2 switches in the cab that will turn the fans off. MerseyRail and ATN 142s did away with the roof pod heater, the MerseyRail sets gained thermostat valves to control the water flow to the floor level heaters but even these stay hot for some time after the water has been turned off. ATN sets gained a box heater but this has no thermostat and can only be turned off.

One of the biggest drawbacks is that the heating is part of the water flow for the engine coolant - the waste heat is used to warm the saloon and it is 'topped up' by an auxiliary burner which runs on diesel. If you cut off the coolant route, you are cutting off a method of cooling the water and this could lead to engines reverting to idle when they get too hot and affecting the running of the train and it's timekeeping. What they really need is a massive reworking of the heating and cooling system set up, but with an end date in sight actually having something done is another story.

 

[valenta]

The Tyne and Wear Metro is seeming nutorious for having the heating on in hot weather, has happened to me several times in the past few weeks.

 

[142094]

The Tyne and Wear Metro is seeming nutorious for having the heating on in hot weather, has happened to me several times in the past few weeks.

More than likely due to the fact that it'll be sorted at Doncaster, so most things seem to be being left if it is not urgent.

 

[O L Leigh]

The Cl317/5 and Cl317/8 units have a pressure ventilation system that simply draws in air from outside and circulates it through the coach. Therefore if it's hot outside the air blown in will also be hot. This is exacerbated where a unit has been sat in the yard all day in the full glare of the sun, as the ducting (along with almost everything else) heats up which only serves to add more heat to the already hot air being drawn in from outside. You just can't win with those units.

However, the original questions are correct. The thermostats are set at the depot and the heating has just two settings, high and low. If a coach gets too hot all we can do is trip out the breakers.

O L Leigh

 

[Solent&Wessex]

The air con can be adjusted by train crew on class 168s, though it only has three settings "summer" "normal" & "winter"

.

The Class 170 units are the same. In extreme weather of any sorts I much prefer working the 170s to the 185s as we can regulate the temperature on the 170s. Unlike on a 185. We can also reset the HVAC easily which normally solves most faults, and if really cold there is a code you can type in which overrides everything and puts it into maximum heat regardless of saloon temperature.

 

[lookingforit35]

Class 465 and 375 are my regular modes of transport.

465: No aircon, although some have "forced air" nozzles above the windows. As recent as last week, the heating units at floor level have been blasting away which has been ahem "challenging". I always assumed the driver or conductor had some degree of control but reading other comments here it seems not.

375: Fully airconditioned, but variable in quality - perhaps down to maintenance? I often walk through a few carriages to find a cool spot as there can be quite a difference in temperature between carriages (and even in parts of the same carriage). Bizarrely, one occassionally finds the small sealed "window" where the dot matrix indicator is absent has been forced open, perhaps some passengers are dim enough to not realise that this doesnt actually help the cooling system. On refelction, when newly introduced the aircon was far more effective which leads me to think maintenance might be an issue.

 

[wintonian]

I was on a 450 at Surbiton/ Woking on Wednesday when someone suddenly worked out how to turn on the heating.

 

[Kneedown]

the same function is controlled simply by isolating a circuit breaker switch in the cab, which isn't helpful when a Driver or Guard sees the circuit breaker switch is 'Off' and reinstates it without thinking....oops!!

It depends on which of the two MCB's has been tripped. It's no problem if you trip the "Saloon Fans" MCB, but unfortunately a few of our Guards like to trip the "Heat Control" MCB as well which can cause severe engine damage through overheating, so i always reset that one and have words.

 

[lookingforit35]

Makes me slightly nostalgic for the old 423s. Heating on in summer? Never mind, everyone simply opened the windows to create a powerful cooling breeze.

Mind you, the reverse applied in winter. Where internal door handles were removed "for safety reasons", passnegers needed to open the window and reach down to the outside handle. Guess how many bothered to close the window.............?

 

[The_Stig]

On 380's the driver has the ability to adjust the saloon temperature slightly.

 

[Hydro]

I was working the inspection coach this week, and it has a rather novel air conditioning system. Open two droplights either side to create a through draft.

Both full open: On (Max, secure all loose paper and poorly fitting hats)
One open, other half shut: On (2/3 power)
Both half open: On (half power)
Both shut: Off (No police dogs allowed inside)

Adjusting the opening of both can give an infinite variability of air flow. People with sensitive ears must apply ear plugs if full power is being applied through tunnels.

 

[BestWestern]

I was working the inspection coach this week, and it has a rather novel air conditioning system. Open two droplights either side to create a through draft.

Adjusting the opening of both can give an infinite variability of air flow. People with sensitive ears must apply ear plugs if full power is being applied through tunnels.

Earplugs?! And miss out on all those fantastic 31 and 37 sound effects?! "Beep beep beep - beep beep beep..... Hello Driver? Full pelt through the tunnels please...."
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It depends on which of the two MCB's has been tripped. It's no problem if you trip the "Saloon Fans" MCB, but unfortunately a few of our Guards like to trip the "Heat Control" MCB as well which can cause severe engine damage through overheating, so i always reset that one and have words.

Oh yes, must get the right one! Most of our 150s have had some 'advice' about that felt tipped onto the bulkhead! :roll:

 

[GoByThameslink]

The 319s are the same as most ex BR stock - either 'on' or 'off' - and only the Depot can change this, and I think they have to dismantle parts of the heating system to do it - nothing as simple as a switch!

 

[12CSVT]

If only we could go back to the good old MK1s - where passengers could control the heaters in seconds by turning a knob to 'on' or 'off'. Simple but effective.

 

[CarterUSM]

On 380's the driver has the ability to adjust the saloon temperature slightly.

3 degrees centigrade either way I was told. They seem to be at a comfortable temperature at the moment.

 

[silentone]

The heating on in Summer is something everyone assumes when the train is hot. Just imagine getting into your car after it's been sat in the sun, no air circulation and no windows open.... it's exactly the same!

I've been astonished lately at some people, insisting we turn the air con off as they are too cold (often because they are sitting below the vent). Turn it off and they'd be roasted alive.

 

[lm321412]

The air con can be adjusted by train crew on class 168s, though it only has three settings "summer" "normal" & "winter"

I want to know what season "normal" is