Cool Tubes for the Olympics?

London Underground (LU) says it will have the first of its air-conditioned trains running by 2010.

Long-suffering passengers enduring overcrowding have complained that the summer months are stifling deep under the UK capital’s streets, but ambitious plans unveiled by LU today (24 June) could see the introduction of cooler trains in time for the Olympics.

Recently-elected London Mayor Boris Johnson said: “It always perplexed me that boffins could produce mobile phones the size of a credit card, yet passengers would emerge dripping with sweat from Tube trains that lacked air conditioning.

“That is why I am chuffed to bits that plans are afoot to finally put these systems on Circle, District, Hammersmith and City and Metropolitan Line trains. Cooling the Tube does though, remain a major challenge, especially on deeper lines such as the Northern and Piccadilly, where we will continue to strive for a solution to the problem.”

The London Underground is the world’s oldest metro system and was built before air conditioning came into use. Additionally, tunnels were only built with enough space for trains, which means little room for air-conditioning units on the cars and nowhere to release the heat.

As an interim measure this summer, LU will install around 40 portable industrial fans at key stations to improve air-flow. The Victoria line will also see upgrading work start on ventilation shafts to double capacity, while it will continue to use its ground water cooling scheme at Victoria Tube station.

Hot and uncomfortable

“Cooling the Tube is a major and long-term challenge,” said LU managing director Tim O’Toole. “We sympathise with our customers; in the summer it can get hot and uncomfortable on the Tube.

“A large number of ventilation shafts and fans, which had previously been allowed to fall into disrepair, are being brought back into service. We have renewed 50 such fans so far.”

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