Turntable

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Wed Feb 17, 2016 2:03 pm

Hi All

I have been asked by the permanent way dept to build a turntable.
It will be from a lazy susan and sheet metal.
The big question is - what diameter do I need

I know a RH Garratt is 532mm over buffers, but what about wheelbase as the buffers can overhang the turntable

Steve

Snailrail · Post by **Snailrail** » Wed Feb 17, 2016 5:15 pm

I make the total wheelbase about 393mm. So add to that whatever you consider a safe margin either end.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Wed Feb 17, 2016 7:12 pm

Thanks Brian

So I will go for 18inch Metal disc on a 12 or 14inch Lazy Susan
anyone got any good plans or photos?

Steve

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:07 pm

I made a pair for my latest layout. I fixed a yard of track to a piece of timber and screwed it to the top of a 12-inch lazy susan.

I cut out a 3ft circle from the baseboard and used cross-pieces underneath to secure it in position a couple of inches below the baseboard top.

The base of the lazy susan was fixed to the centre of the cut-out. The ends of the track board were supported on blocks of wood faced with plasticard. These acted as friction pads, sliding on a pair of rails around the perimeter.

This is a picture:

http://tinyurl.com/jpzuhmz

Originally I had the board ends supported on bogies which ran on the track, but the radius was very tight and the bogies tended to derail.

Derek

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:58 pm

Thanks derek
That's a great turntable and layout.
Mine will be outdoors so I need to stay away from wood
Steve

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Wed Feb 17, 2016 11:42 pm

Here's mine...

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:40 am

I like that Tony.

What's it made from?

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:59 am

tom_tom_go:116318 wrote:I like that Tony.

What's it made from?

A piece of steel for the base, with brass sheet and angle making up the sides. Four wheels from a model car make the "runners" in each corner.

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:29 pm

Thanks Tony that's gives me a few ideas

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:30 pm

Forgot to say... On my last railway it used to sit on a 2ft x 2ft paving slab with the pivot in the middle of the slab. It was the easiest way of providing a flat concrete surface!

On my current line, as per the picture, there was no room for a slab so I poured and levelled a suitable concrete base for it.

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 2:52 am

Tony, where'd you get the little brass wheel for the gas regulator on your Fowler? That looks quite good. I have one of Gremlin's little levers on mine- if I had one of those little wheels, I would put that on the gas regulator, and use Gremlin's lever as a steam regulator handle. I'd be able to fit a little man in the cab without amputating one of his legs if I did that.

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Sat Feb 20, 2016 10:44 am

Keith S:116361 wrote:Tony, where'd you get the little brass wheel for the gas regulator on your Fowler?

The brass wheel is actually for the boiler blowdown valve. It came from Blackgates Engineering about 25 years ago!

The gas valve is the black plastic knob to its rear, which is original as-supplied Roundhouse of the time.

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Mon Feb 22, 2016 11:22 pm

Oh. I didn't even notice the black knob. Well I like the wheel, anyway!

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