Yamanote-Sen KuMoHa 103s with AC?

[Welshbloke]

With the news that Kato are re-releasing the old Kokuden 103 Series I'm planning to buy at least one more of them, this time a green one. One question though, were these ever retrofitted with aircon on the Yamanote? I know about the prototype aircon fitted 103 Series but that had KuHas at the outer ends, and the only photos I can find of KuMoHa 103s in Yamanote green just have the standard round vents on the roof.

 

I can find photos of every other colour of KuMoHa 103 with the roof pods, just nothing for the Yamanote-Sen.

[Sacto1985]

I believe some Yamanote Line 103's had air conditioning retrofits but the newer 205 Series train sets that started service in 1985 were fitted with air conditioning from the start.

[bikkuri bahn]

The Yamanote Line 103 series stock, other than perhaps some trial units, never ran in formations with driving motor units, always with driving trailers, so the answer would be no. There have been aircon-equipped kumoha 103 units in the green color (uguisu-iro) run on other lines, I believe for example the Kawagoe Line as recent as the early 2000's.

[Sacto1985]

I think if the 103's had lasted longer on the Yamanote Line, they would have gotten an air conditioning retrofit like those we saw on the Osaka Loop Line 103's. But since they were being replaced by the then-new 205 Series train sets from March 1985 on, these Yamanote Line 103's never got the A/C retrofit. I remember the summer of 1985 riding on an older 103 trainset and sweltering and then later that day riding on a new 205 trainset and nearly freezing to death (figuratively).

[Welshbloke]

At least some later versions definitely had AC, I have the Kato version and there are plenty of prototype images with the roof pods clearly visible. I did wonder whether the original 103s had been used there as while Kato's publicity material says "Yamanote" next to the green one I can't find many images of KuMoHa 103s in that shade of green at all, which would fit with them only running on another route.

[Socimi]

An air-conditioned prototype 103 entered service on the Yamanote Line in 1970, after succesful testing, the retrofitting of AC started in 1973 and was completed in the mid 1980s (at some points coinciding with the cab raising reconstruction to make space for the analogue ATC equipment).