Small turntable

[Petbal]

I am contemplating modifying my end to end terminus layout by adding a turntable however space is at a premium and I need something that I can both fit in and will look right. Here starts a problem - all the ready available tables / kits are far too large. I am looking to something no bigger than (say) a 60 foot (24mm) table. This will be adequate to turn an 0-6-0 or possibly a mogul tender loco- not obviously the Flying Scotsman plus two tenders which appears to be the province of the commercial productions. This leads me to contemplate scratch build. I am presently researching ideas and have for example surreptitiously explored the kitchen utensils for a suitable size well -(Teflon coating might be a problem!) - don’t tell my wife!  Ideas/ comments anyone?

[Ben Alder]

These are 16.5mm gauge.

 

http://www.kitwoodhillmodels.com/brands/On30.html

[sjp23480]

Petbal,

 

London Road models do a  42' and 50' versions of a Cowans Sheldon turntable.  Etched kits with pre formed wells, can't comment on their construction as mine is still waiting to be built!  

Steve

[Steamport Southport]

Have a look at South Eastern Finecast.

 

http://www.sefinecast.co.uk/Contents.htm

 

http://www.sefinecast.co.uk/Turntables/Turntables.htm

 

 

 

Jason

[Gordon A]

60ft in 4mm is 240mm not 24mm.

 

Gordon A

[Nearholmer]

Depending upon how much money you want to spend, and how much accuracy to UK type, or alternatively adaptation, you want to put in, Fleischmann certainly used to make a small-ish H0 turntable. I had one about 15 years ago, and it was superb - fully motorised, perfect indexing, a really high quality piece of kit. I think it was 225mm diameter.

[Londontram]

2 hours ago, Ben Alder said:

These are 16.5mm gauge.

 

http://www.kitwoodhillmodels.com/brands/On30.html

 

Richard I've just been looking at the link you put on and was most impressed but I'm a little confused by the scale. 

 Do you know if the term on30 definitely refers to OO (HO) 16.5mm scale?

 The 9 inch deck version would seem to suit my needs very well and the price is attractive as well.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Londontram
Correct spelling mistakes

[spikey]

FWIW, here's the link to the post I put up last year outlining the build of my own small low-budget turntable, which still constantly surprises me by working well when required...

 

 

Edited October 27, 2019 by spikey

[JZ]

11 minutes ago, Londontram said:

 

Richard I've just been looking at the link you put on and was most impressed but I'm a little confused by the scale. 

 Do you know if the term on30 definitely refers to OO (HO) 16.5mm scale?

 The 9 inch deck version would seem to suit my needs very well and the price is attractive as well.

On30 is 30" gauge in O scale. However it runs on 16.5 mm track. This one may suit your needs better, http://www.kitwoodhillmodels.com/hon3-hon30-65ft-durango-turntable/. Contact them and see if they would supply the deck for 16.5mm gauge, they are very accommodating. I have built one of these and they are a dream to put together.

[Londontram]

Space is really a premium and was hoping the 9 inch 20 cm would do 26 cm is pushing it just a tad to much but I'll have a play around with the space I have to see what can be done thanks

[Compound2632]

6 hours ago, Petbal said:

I am looking to something no bigger than (say) a 60 foot (24mm) table. 

 

That's a large turntable.

 

The Midland Railway had a great many 42 ft turntables that remained in place until BR days at places where they were adequate - they could turn any 0-6-0 or 2-4-0 tender engine; a 50 ft turntable could turn any engine except for the big 4-4-0s and 4-2-2s with bogie tenders. 

[ejstubbs]

8 hours ago, Petbal said:

This leads me to contemplate scratch build. I am presently researching ideas

 

You could consider going "old skool" and modifying the ex-Airfix, now Dapol turntable as exemplified by David C Broad in Halsey's original layout thread:

 

 

[sjp23480]

When I spoke to Kingwood about their turntables for 00 scale (as opposed to HO) they recommended this one http://www.kitwoodhillmodels.com/ho-65ft-turntable/

[andytrains]

Matalsmiths do  42/50/60/70 ft Cowans Sheldon turntables in 4mm scale in kit form. Also GWR types.

See http://www.midrailcentre.com/4mm-scale-00-em-p4#anchor

[JZ]

7 hours ago, sjp23480 said:

When I spoke to Kingwood about their turntables for 00 scale (as opposed to HO) they recommended this one http://www.kitwoodhillmodels.com/ho-65ft-turntable/

I think this is the same as the H0n3 one, but with decking for standard gauge. 65' in H0 = 54' in 4mm scale.

This is my H0n3 version powered by a 3v DC power source and a cheap voltage regulator from eBay.

 

When I get back from work, I'll get a photo of an 00 loco on it.

[JZ]

So this is a 4F sitting on my turntable, with a 4mm figure standing next to it to show the height of the railing.

[daltonparva]

The small Fleischman one that a previous poster mentioned do occasionally come up on eBay, but it uses the n- gauge base which is a lot easier to come by. I used one and altered the deck top for oo gauge, (Playcraft ramp/bridge section is handy for this) and if I remember correctly it scales out at 45 foot, which was a size the Midland Railway used in their roundhouses (my future layout, if I ever get my finger out), and is just right for 0-6-0's.

[Compound2632]

5 hours ago, daltonparva said:

45 foot, which was a size the Midland Railway used in their roundhouses 

 

According to C. Hawkins and G. Reeve, LMS Engine Sheds Vol. 2 (Wild Swan, 1981), the only 45 ft tables on the Midland were at Malvern and Marple. The standard size was 42 ft; by 1876 46 ft was being used for new roundhouses, most sheds had one 50 ft table by the late 1890s, several got 55 ft tables between 1899 and 1902. The first 60 ft table was at the new Saltley No. 3 shed in 1900. The 50 ft turntables were needed for the larger 4-4-0s, hence Hawes Junction had one, with its famous stockade. This is the turntable at Leeds Wellington station, which I believe is a 46 ft example:

 

 

NRM DY 1011, released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) licence by the National Railway Museum.

[Londontram]

17 hours ago, JZ said:

So this is a 4F sitting on my turntable, with a 4mm figure standing next to it to show the height of the railing.

Now that looks ok about the right size and well proportioned so which one is this again?

[daltonparva]

Piccy's of aforementioned Fleischmann 'n'-gauge turntable undergoing '00' treatment, the deck measures 185mm (46'3"), close enough for 46' Midland tables for me, (didn't check my LMS Sheds books before previous posting).

Edited October 29, 2019 by daltonparva

[Londontram]

40 minutes ago, daltonparva said:

Piccy's of aforementioned Fleischmann 'n'-gauge turntable undergoing '00' treatment, the deck measures 185mm (46'3"), close enough for 46' Midland tables for me, (didn't check my LMS Sheds books before previous posting).

Again this looks good too. At least both of them are a more realistic size.

 I only want to turn tank locos and the odd 0-6-0 not the flying Scotsman and its two tenders

[Jim49]

JZ many thanks for uploading your video clip showing 453 being turned,  I have a part finished version of Kitwood's Durango turntable which, like you, I intend to use as British outline.

I use a small battery pack to turn the table as shown in the attached photos but currently only have a simple on/off switch to operate it so stopping the table in line with the exit/entry track is a bit of a performance. Could you please tell me a little more about the voltage regulator you use on your turntable. Also, when lined up to the exit track, what do you use to hold the table in position and stop it moving out of line?

 

Many thanks

 

Jim

 

[JZ]

11 hours ago, Londontram said:

Now that looks ok about the right size and well proportioned so which one is this again?

http://www.kitwoodhillmodels.com/ho-65ft-turntable/ This is the one for H0/00 gauge.

 

5 hours ago, Jim49 said:

JZ many thanks for uploading your video clip showing 453 being turned,  I have a part finished version of Kitwood's Durango turntable which, like you, I intend to use as British outline.

Mine is the H0n3 version. I have given up British outline for the time being.

 

This is the voltage regulator, This one. Powered by a 3v DC power pack and using a DPDT switch for reversing. At the moment, mine is yet to be fixed into place, but the hole it sits in is pretty snug, so will probably just use a single pin.

Edited October 29, 2019 by JZ
clarification

[Jim49]

JZ, thanks for your reply but when I click onto the link you supply it takes me back to Kitwood's home page. I am looking for a simple variable control to  regulate the speed of the turntable to allow me to line it up exactly with the exit track.

 

Thanks

 

Jim

[ColinK]

If you go down the Kitwood turntable route, make sure you follow the instructions very carefully and do a dry run before applying glue. I managed superglued a couple of parts the wrong way up.  Learning from my mistakes a friend has built one and it looks good and turns well.