Turntable Area

 This layout was originally only intended to be a shelf layout to showcase the locos and to be able to show them off in  layout surroundings rather than a plain shelf in a showcase. Eventually if you have a showcase the number of locos soon surpasses the available shelf space.

The design was to have loco servicing to suit both steam and diesel although at this stage only two NSW steam locos exist that being a Trainorama 32 class that has been weathered and sound equipped and a Eureka 60 class garratt also sound and weathered.

It was always intended to have a turntable for the layout and the search for a suitable one was started.

Area for a turntable??

The horse was put before the cart and the baseboard width was guesstimated to accommodate a suitable turntable. It looked big enough when the strainer from the kitchen was placed on the board. It wasn't urgent to have a turntable straight away knowing a hole can be cut in when it turned up.

The great find

Now way back when we used to have things called model railway exhibitions a visit to the Castle Hill exhibition way back in 2019 and it was on the Sunday a visit to the second hand stall revealed this Fleishmann turntable still available. These generally go for around $600+ so for only $175 I took a chance and hoped for the best when I got home. Finally a turntable was obtained for the loco area but when it was taken out of the box and placed on the layout there was a virtual overhang around one edge, not really suitable for storing locos on. This turntable also included an extra box of add on tracks which can increase capacity by replacing the plain grey segments with ones containing rail. So a super bargain.

Test fit for the turntable

As the photo above shows either the turntable is too big or the layout is not wide enough. It was decided to add extra width to the board so the turntable can be surrounded by tracks.

Loco storage area expanded

The only way to provide extra space was to add on more timber to widen the existing baseboard. This was fairly simple to achieve. The hole was cut for the turntable to sit into and although not a perfect circle was cut, the edge covered up any blemishes. There would be two entry roads onto the turntable.

The turntable finally settled into the baseboard

Turntable is connected up to the loco roads.

The photo above shows the additional baseboard width attached. The gap will be filled and the raw timber painted to match the rest. It was not critical to paint the baseboard but it gives a uniform surface to work with and also helps when the ballast is applied the ply board won't absorb as much water.

All storage roads in place.

As can be seen in the above photo with the additional baseboard width now twelve roads for loco storage have been provided. The two roads that run straight across the turntable will be utilised for the 60 class garratt storage as the loco is too long for the turntable but all other locos can fit and will be able to use and of the other roads. Some roads that are longer will be able to hold up to two locos.

Frog juicer fitted under to reverse turntable polarity

First locos try out the table

So basically the turntable is in place, the storage roads are wired up and ready to go. This area will be revisited in the future for more work to be carried out but for now it all works.