sej Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Does anyone know the size of the turntable that was at Ongar station/? Possibly 45ft? Cheers Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 I'd guess the Great Eastern Railway Society have a list of 'tables in their archives. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted December 17, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 17, 2022 Did Ongar have one? The map I'm looking at shows a 50' at Epping but nothing at Ongar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabato Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Did Ongar ever have a turntable? The GERS publication of sectionalised official track plans for 25 December 1919 does not show a table for Ongar. The nearest was at Epping, of 50ft length. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adanapress Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 In the days of the steam shuttle service Epping (over the bridge from the Central Line terminators) to Ongar the stock was auto fitted Push-Pull type. (see the relevant Ian Kirk Model with warning bell.) I don't recall seeing a turntable at Ongar. An anecdote from the late 1940s/early 50s that same period more or less, a De Havilland Vampire jet taking off from North Weald runway, had a flame out, and crashed into a shallow cutting on the line. and a train nearby derailed a bit 'due to the blast' , but this may be local 'urban legend' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 There was originally a turntable at Ongar for the locomotive to run around and also be turned to run forward first. Very common on the GER and others. Most disappeared about the turn of the century as more "modern" engines didn't need to be turned to work front end first. https://trainstanksandplanes.com/epping-ongar-railway-150th-anniversary/ Jason 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 17, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 17, 2022 (edited) 30 minutes ago, Bucoops said: Did Ongar have one? The map I'm looking at shows a 50' at Epping but nothing at Ongar. It's there on a 25" map published 1920: https://maps.nls.uk/view/104193441 EDIT It doesn't show the rails, so maybe just the pit by then but the 1896 map does show the rails https://maps.nls.uk/view/104189999 Edited December 17, 2022 by melmerby 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted December 17, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 17, 2022 12 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said: There was originally a turntable at Ongar for the locomotive to run around and also be turned to run forward first. Very common on the GER and others. Most disappeared about the turn of the century as more "modern" engines didn't need to be turned to work front end first. https://trainstanksandplanes.com/epping-ongar-railway-150th-anniversary/ Jason 4 minutes ago, melmerby said: It's there on a 25" map published 1920: https://maps.nls.uk/view/104193441 Interesting - that might help narrow down the date it was removed - that 1920 map was updated in 1915, and the 1919 GE system map shows it not in place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 17, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 17, 2022 Just now, Bucoops said: Interesting - that might help narrow down the date it was removed - that 1920 map was updated in 1915, and the 1919 GE system map shows it not in place. I've edited the post as it doesn't show any rails but the previous map does. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted December 17, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 17, 2022 8 minutes ago, melmerby said: I've edited the post as it doesn't show any rails but the previous map does. Perhaps just the pit by 1915 then :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 (edited) “Some 40ft in diameter” according to GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY ENGINE SHEDS PART ONE - Stratford, Peterborough and Norwich Locomotive Districts (CHRIS HAWKINS AND GEORGE REEVE). Given that it was removed in the early twentieth century that might be as precise as can be ascertained - hopefully there is a historical record somewhere. The book has a list of turntables as at 1900 and 1932. Ongar is confirmed as 40ft in the 1900 entry (and had gone, of course, by 1932). Apparently a decision was taken to remove it in 1917, by which time it was long out of use (replaced by an arrangement of points, the turntable had been relegated to the end of a spur). The actual date of removal is unrecorded, but had gone by 1920 (though, as noted, it was absent from the 1919 system maps). Edited December 17, 2022 by EddieB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted December 17, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 17, 2022 3 hours ago, melmerby said: It's there on a 25" map published 1920: https://maps.nls.uk/view/104193441 EDIT It doesn't show the rails, so maybe just the pit by then but the 1896 map does show the rails https://maps.nls.uk/view/104189999 My suspicion is that the 1896 layout has been changed from the original layout, where the turntable would have acted as a sector plate for the run-round loop. With the introduction of tank engines, it would have been found more convenient to install the points seen on the 1896 plan, so that the turntable didn't have to be moved every time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 I found a few like that. The one I always liked is the arrangement that was at Snow Hill, GWR. https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh1679.htm https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh70.htm If you made a model of that many would think it was made up! Jason 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 44 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said: I found a few like that. The one I always liked is the arrangement that was at Snow Hill, GWR. https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh1679.htm https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh70.htm If you made a model of that many would think it was made up! Jason I preferred the traverser at Moor Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 17, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 17, 2022 9 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said: I preferred the traverser at Moor Street. Two traversers, one of which I have replicated for my terminus. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 19 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said: I preferred the traverser at Moor Street. I was going to post that but then thought I would start bragging as I've got a model of 4600 that always seems to be posed on it! https://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrms1735.htm Bought partially (very well) built and a non runner. It may have survived a drop as it was a bit bent at the front end and on the RHS rear, mainly the steps and the cab was a bit off kilter. Can't take any credit myself as all the difficult bits were done. Still needs a bit more work doing to finish it. Not a fan of the wire couplings the builder has fitted, but they'll stay for now as I haven't got suitable coaching stock for it yet as it was scrapped before the Hornby non corridor stock was built. Would love to know who the builder was as he's done a fantastic job. Gibson kit if anyone is wondering. Bought as I've never seen one available previously so thought I would take the plunge. I doubt any of the RTR boys would make one! Funnily enough after I bought it another one virtually the same appeared on the Hattons website. I wonder whether it was the same builder? Or is it a case of they all look the same! https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklistdatabase/720071/alan_gibson_4600ag_gwr_4600_class_4_4_2_tank_locomotive_kit/stockdetail Sorry for the GWR diversion. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 7 hours ago, EddieB said: “Some 40ft in diameter” according to GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY ENGINE SHEDS PART ONE - Stratford, Peterborough and Norwich Locomotive Districts (CHRIS HAWKINS AND GEORGE REEVE). Given that it was removed in the early twentieth century that might be as precise as can be ascertained - hopefully there is a historical record somewhere. The book has a list of turntables as at 1900 and 1932. Ongar is confirmed as 40ft in the 1900 entry (and had gone, of course, by 1932). Apparently a decision was taken to remove it in 1917, by which time it was long out of use (replaced by an arrangement of points, the turntable had been relegated to the end of a spur). The actual date of removal is unrecorded, but had gone by 1920 (though, as noted, it was absent from the 1919 system maps). Oh goodie! More books added to the list. 😀 I do like a book on engine sheds and those seem to have passed me by. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green too Posted December 18, 2022 Share Posted December 18, 2022 10 hours ago, Steamport Southport said: ... Or is it a case of they all look the same! ... Now, we've been here before - BUT - it's a Great Western loco, therefore ......... 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sej Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 Thanks for all the interesting replies! I'm hoping to set the layout around 1915, and really want to have the turntable. 40ft sounds good, I'll probably make it to fit whichever small tender locos I'm keen to run...and I've got the engine shed book on order! Thanks again Simon 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Bucoops Posted December 18, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 18, 2022 Sounds like a great idea for a layout - hopefully you can share progress on here :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sej Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 Thanks, I hope to! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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