OO/HO turntable with unusual deck frame (edit: SOLVED)

[sir douglas]

At the Doncaster show i got this turntable deck from a second hand stand, i got it because the deck frame looked like an O gauge loco chassis.

 

but once i got it home and measured it, the frame sides are 31mm apart, at least 3mm for o gauge, more oddly is the construction, more oddly are the stretchers which were integral to the sides and half etched for bending and the centre stretcher has the pivot hole which suggests it was supposed to be a turntable

 

i say in past tense because i already stripped it down and cut off these stretchers and cleaned the sides up to one day use as an O gauge chassis

Edited February 15, 2023 by sir douglas

[SouthernRegionSteam]

I was fortunate enough to photograph this lovely Irish narrow gauge layout a while back - based on the County Donegal Railway. It also featured such a turntable, and I remember the owner saying it was indeed an old frame from an engine or tender (sorry, I have a terrible memory and can't remember which it was, nor what gauge the loco was that the frame was taken from). Perhaps the turntable you bought is thus something like this:

 

Edit: I may be wrong, but I believe it was installed after the railcars were introduced as they were too long for the original turntables (which fed the platform and loop). Presumably the re-use of the frames was a cost-cutting measure. Note also that the turntable track extends over the 'basin' - it's a tight squeeze!

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by SouthernRegionSteam

[sir douglas]

thanks for that, i looked up "county donegal turntable and found it was at Killybegs so then searched "Killybegs turntable" and found this https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/10658-turntables/, it looks exactly the same with the woodwork and brass railing stanchions, so it must be that Backwoods kit

 

https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/uploads/monthly_2021_10/CDR_Killybegs_turntable_2.jpg.4813841c39e6623a65827314e2006487.jpg

Edited February 15, 2023 by sir douglas

[SouthernRegionSteam]

Oh, yes, apologies - should've mentioned it being Killybegs! That would've saved on some research on your part... glad it's cleared the question up, anyway!

[sir douglas]

it was only a few seconds of searching anyway

[JeffP]

Fascinating stuff.🙂

[Michael Hodgson]

Ingenuity on this forum mever ceases to amaze.

You're the first person I've heard suggesting a OO turntable as being an ideal basis for rebuilding as an O gauge steam loco!

[sir douglas]

i thought it was OO or HO based on the track on top but its actually O scale