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

[whole diary]

[willc]

The main problem lies with the design of the coaches, there should be internal doors to create a better enviroment for the aircon unit. not sure if the chiltern sets have that modification.

No, it doesn't. The main problem lies with the design of the air conditioning system, which is why it is being replaced - after almost 20 summers of suffering for passengers. Rather than being an integral part of the original design (like the Class 158), the air conditioning had to be fitted in somehow, when the 166 was created out of the 165 as something of an afterthought. Result, a less than ideal design, with less than ideal performance.

[IndustryInsider]

And to add to Willc's post, if you have windows that passengers can open it's doomed to failure no matter how good the system is.

[broadgage]

And to add to Willc's post, if you have windows that passengers can open it's doomed to failure no matter how good the system is.

Agree.
I believe that all new or refurbished trains should be equiped with ample opening windows for when the A/C fails, and in the case of electric trains for when the power goes off.
These windows should be secured shut normaly and be only openable by staff with a carriage key or other suitable means.

[ChrisB]

And to add to Willc's post, if you have windows that passengers can open it's doomed to failure no matter how good the system is.

Agree.
I believe that all new or refurbished trains should be equiped with ample opening windows for when the A/C fails, and in the case of electric trains for when the power goes off.
These windows should be secured shut normaly and be only openable by staff with a carriage key or other suitable means.

The 166s were - you can see the square key sockets on the windows.
But the staff were lazy in that they couldn't be bopthered to lock em / unlock 'em - so once unlocked, they stayed that way, and ignorant passengers kept opening the windows on boarding immediately, rather than allowing the aircon to work.

[inspector_blakey]

Erm, not strictly true ChrisB.

The 166s were originally fitted with locking handles on the windows, which were secured with a plastic seal in what was ultimately a futile attempt to dissuade passengers from opening the windows except for "emergency ventilation". Lots of these handles have now been yanked out, leaving a square socket that looks like it's for a T-key - a T-key will indeed work in them but that's not how they're supposed to work. I think the allegation of staff laziness is unjustified here.

Since the 166s were designed for DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)), the emergency ventilation windows need to be operable by passengers since there's no conductor with a T-key to walk through and unlock them as there would be on a 158 or similar unit, and in the event of a train failure the driver has bigger fish to fry than wandering through the train opening the windows...

[ChrisB]

Hmmn - when they were first introduced, those handles were locked shut. I'm sure I remember them being opened...

Also, Chiltern's 165s don't have opening windows & they're DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard))....do they? don't *think* so.
The 168s definitely don't, so it's not a required option

[IndustryInsider]

inspector_blakey is spot on with his summary there.  Plastic tags were used to disuade people from opening them but were not much of a deterrent (as used again recently with the trial unit - to a similar lack of success).  Handles have always been fitted to them since delivery - there is no secondary locking system that staff can use.  It wasn't a required option, but due to their use on DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) routes, for the reasons blakey describes, the decision was taken when they were manufactured to design them that way - a decision regretted ever since I should imagine.

Lessons were learned, and air-con system reliability and design improved, to an extent that when Chiltern purchased their 168's there were no opening windows.  When Chiltern refurbished their Class 165's about five years ago, and air-con was fitted, all the opening windows were removed.  A shame that FGW^▸ (First Great Western)'s refresh didn't go as far as that with their 165's, and if they don't do anything with the windows on the 166's when the air-con is replaced then all their efforts will be totally futile.  As I've said before, I hope that's not the case!

[super tm]

If they were confident enough that it would work they could replace the handles with a T key opening lock.  Thats what the 158's have and the windows can only be opened by the traincrew

[IndustryInsider]

Yes, that might be the best option.  Many drivers would be happy to open/shut them at times during their schedule where time would allow it, and even if not there are very few (if any) 166 diagrams that don't, at some point during the day, run on the non-DOO^▸ (Driver-Only Operation (that is, trains which operate without carrying a guard)) routes.  Any problems could then be sorted out by the Train Manager.