Garden Railway Forum

I have got to the stage now where I need to install a turntable onto the indoor section of my line.

I wonder if anyone has built a turntable on their layout and can show me some photos of how they went about doing it. I've fiddled with a few ideas but there is no point re-inventing the wheel! I have been eyeing up some extruded Aluminium sections for the the bridge, but just wanted to see what else people use.

For reference, the turntable will be around 15" diameter.

Hi there steamyjim, I have been working on a prototype which might be of help. Sorry I am not at my computer at the moment but I could send you some photos and give you some construction tips later. Meanwhile take a look at my website at
www.mvlbridges.co.uk/news/4548014062
Best wishes
Michael

MVL Bridges:98855 wrote:Hi there steamyjim, I have been working on a prototype which might be of help.  Sorry I am not at my computer at the moment but I could send you some photos and give you some construction tips later.  Meanwhile take a look at my website at
www.mvlbridges.co.uk/news/4548014062
Best wishes
Michael

I do like this

Your rack railway bridge is in place on the K&NWLR, but we´re still waiting for the corresponding locomotive .....

MVL Bridges:98855 wrote:Hi there steamyjim, I have been working on a prototype which might be of help.  Sorry I am not at my computer at the moment but I could send you some photos and give you some construction tips later.  Meanwhile take a look at my website at
www.mvlbridges.co.uk/news/4548014062
Best wishes
Michael

Me too!! Any idea when they may be commercially available?

I was thinking of a turntable in the future. I was going to try with a O gauge clockwork tinplate turntable and remove the tin track and fix sm32 track in its place but wasnt sure how well it would work but as you can buy rough ones for a few pounds i will give it a try..

I've seen turntables which have been based on Lazy Susans - those turntable thingies you stick in the middle of a table and serve nibbles, nuts and pickles from....................

Terracotta pot plate thing, drilled through with a bolt in the middle, piece of ply-wood with appropriate hole and rounded ends, track nailed on top. Done!

This is mine. It is made from various metals (!) and is rotates on a central pivot surrounded by a 3 inch diameter washer for support. Each end has two model car wheels attached (they're just visible) for support. The whole lot sits on a concrete disc with the wheels running on the concrete surface.

MDLR:98882 wrote:I've seen turntables which have been based on Lazy Susans - those turntable thingies you stick in the middle of a table and serve nibbles, nuts and pickles from....................

I must admit Brian when I ponder life's mysteries how you serve your nuts has never been up there but thanks for sharing
A turntable is on my list of to do jobs once I finish work at the end of April. I would like it running in a pit and have wondered about using a large plastic bowl cut down to either act as a pit or use it as a mould for concreting. Rotation, probably lazy susan type bearing and probably a removable centre for winter. Aim high!

Thank you all for the suggestions!

Tony - I think I will go for one in the style of yours. How long is the bridge on yours?

steamyjim:98924 wrote:Tony - I think I will go for one in the style of yours. How long is the bridge on yours?

It is on its second railway now, and on my first it sat on a 2ft x 2ft paving slab, so I reckon about 1ft 10in. Roundhouse list the Fowler as 530mm long, which equates to 1ft 9in.

Brian, I also like to rotate my nuts!... The aforementioned 'Lazy Susan', x 2. They were snapped up on eBay for £2.60 with a turntable in mind. The larger one is 20" across!! Each has 6 or 8 nylon bearings between the inner and outer ring and after a squirt of WD40 they spin like good 'uns'!

Not sure if you are going to the 16mm show this weekend, if you are look out for the stall selling all types of tools and modelling gadgets. he sells a manual turn table for around a £5 (may have increased since last year) they are designed for model making, spray painting etc,. but they are very strong and robust, I can stand on mine (I'm a good 14 stone) and twist around so any weight from the engines we use would not be a problem, the bottom half could be set into the base while the top half is level with the track. the top can be made to any size to suit your railway, there is one on ebay if you need to see one
,just key in "modelling turntable" and go down the list.

freelander

Another very simple idea is to acquire an old larger type microwave complete with turntable ring and plattern, Central drive spigot bearing, base plate and central drive unit. Unfortunately not usually wider than 13" diameter unmodified, but all of the bits are then available to get a unit set up and running and usually available free of charge from the recycling centre. Tried six engineering bricks on the unit out in the shed and found no appreciable problem with weight. Stainless steel baseplate too so no worry about rusting. Mine is going on a raised line and so servicing will be a doddle. Positional start/stop without overrun still has to be solved but I am working on about half way down the project queue.