New ways to keep the Tube cool

The Evening Standard has a story on a new method to keep Tube passengers cool that Transport for London(TfL) is trying out. London’s Underground trains and stations can get very hot and humid in the summer months and TfL is spending around £150million on research and development of ways to ease the conditions for passengers.

With most Underground lines too old and narrow to have air conditioning equipment fitted the latest idea is to install refrigeratred blocks of ice under seats to cool the air in the carriage. The technique hasn’t been used before and is on trail at the moment. It involves the refrigerated tanks of ice being switched off when the train goes underground allowing the melting ice to absorb heat, and air is cooled by being pumped over the ice and circulated through the carriages. When the train goes overground the melted ice is refrozen again.

TfL says if the technique is successful it will be installed on all trains on the Piccadilly Line, good news for visitors because this line runs from Heathrow through the heart of central London to Cockfosters on the northern outskirts. If it works it won’t be fitted until next year but at least they’re trying something to improve the travelling conditions on the Tube.