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Turntables.

Discussion in 'Everything Else Heritage' started by Mandator, Sep 11, 2020.

  1. Mandator

    Mandator Part of the furniture

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    Visited Hounslow today to deliver roofing materials to a 60/70s concrete construction that is being renovated and was directed to drive into a basement unloading area. To my surprise, built into the floor, was a turntable (out of use) designed to turn lorries. I assume it was used to enable lorries to be directed onto bays, and to be turned around in the limited space available.
    Certainly Asda and Waitrose use them at some RDCs and one was used at Kings Cross.

    I am also led to believe that the Midland Bank on Threadneedle Street had one to allow bullion vans to be directed onto a lift inside the bank, though I stress this is apocryphal.
    This got me wondering what other locations utilised turntables for purposes other than railway use.
    Huddersfield had one for turning trolleybuses and I believe there was one on a canal for turning barges.
    Of course car showrooms use them for displaying cars but I am talking more commercial or unusual applications.
     
  2. RLinkinS

    RLinkinS Member

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    I have been told that the Curious Brewery in Ashford has one for turning lorries. St Barts hospital had one in the 1970s for turning ambulances

    Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk
     
  3. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    There is actually one in College Road, Framlingham (near the fish & chip shop) at the front of someones house that is used to turn their car! It was only installed there a few years back after they built a house on what was the old town gasworks site, but solves the problem of reversing on to what can be a busy road.
     
  4. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    There was one many years ago for turning trolleybuses in Christchurch.

    Cheers, Neil
     
  5. 46223

    46223 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    I remember delivering to a large building in Manchester city centre when I was on the HGVs which had a turntable in the loading area as you had to drive in, not reverse, and once in there was no chance of turning round or reversing out again. I can't remember exactly where it was as it's nearly 50 years ago!
    I also remember there was a chap in Rossendale in the 1960s who, I think, applied for planning permission to build a garage at the side of his house.
    The council refused as they said it was dangerous to reverse both in or out of a drive as his house was on a bend in a main road. He solved the problem by having a turntable installed in his drive. Permission granted!
     
  6. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    Bluenosejohn likes this.
  7. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    The railway turntable at Bath Road was used the turning lorry’s during the 1980’s. I’ve seen a photo of 46443 using it and showed the positioning markings on there for the lorry’s to use it.
     
  8. Wenlock

    Wenlock Well-Known Member Friend

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    Way back when I lived in Gravesend, I recall there was a service area behind some shops with a turntable, I think it was at the top of Queen St.

    I also once (only) made a collection in central London where I was instructed to drive in through some doors, which then closed behind me. If I recall correctly the room then turned so that my van could be loaded at the rear before driving out forwards. I think it may have been Coutts.
     
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2020
  9. LesterBrown

    LesterBrown Member

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    The side loading River Severn car ferries turned cars 90 degrees on a turntable to position them
     
  10. Mandator

    Mandator Part of the furniture

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    I wonder if they might have been more common at banks than we realise? Certainly solves a security issue. Drive in through security doors, unload, turn and out. Faster and less conspicuous than a bullion van trying to manoeuvre in public.
     
  11. Johann Marsbar

    Johann Marsbar Well-Known Member

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    There was one used for Baltimore & Ohio buses at the Jersey City terminal station of the Jersey Central RR. It was the terminus for B&O trains as well, and buses were used as an onward connection to Manhattan.
    The photo linked to below shows a bus being turned on the turntable there at the western end of the train shed.
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/wavz13/4061450743/in/set-72157622579761251
     
  12. Mandator

    Mandator Part of the furniture

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    I looked on You Tube and there are several manufacturers making turntables for cars and lorries. I would make my own knowing how much these products are likely to cost!
    Made my own winch system to get my Mustang (too wide in the body to open the doors once inside) into my garage. Actually surprised that there is not a greater call for something similar as cars these days are so corpulent.:)
     
  13. Mandator

    Mandator Part of the furniture

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    Hello Johann!:)
     
  14. howard

    howard Member

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    The Jersey Eastern Railway station site at St Helier became a bus depot and had a turntable, fitted after the railway closed I think. There is also a small turntable in a front garden in La Moye, Jersey. It’s on the busy A13 and allows cars to be driven in and out forwards rather than backing in or out.
     
  15. K14

    K14 Member

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    There used to be one off Paul Street, Taunton, in the yard that backed onto the old County Hotel. Now infilled, but the outline remains:

    ttable.jpg
     
  16. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    My brother, now sadly passed away so I can't check details, used to work for accountants in the city of London - somewhere off Bishopsgate, I think. At the end of the mews/courtyard where his office was located in a rather grand building was a small turntable. From it's age it was thought to be intended to turn coaches or other horse drawn vehicles. The young accountants my brother worked with were able to drive their MGs or whatever onto it at an angle, brake hard, and the momentum would turn them round to face the way they came. It saved trying to make a three point turn in a very limited space. My brother tried it in his Ford Popular when I was with him, but he didn't get it right and I had to push it round.

    SteveB
     
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2020
  17. drnick

    drnick New Member

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  18. 61648

    61648 Member

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    The Skye Ferry surely deserves a mention here.
     
  19. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

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    In the BBC4 programme last night "Spitfire"
    There was a clip of a plane on a turntable.
     
  20. DismalChips

    DismalChips Member

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    Could be the Precinct Centre/Manchester Business School on Oxford Road, right in the middle of the University district. There certainly was one there, although the building has been extensively refurbished in the last few years, so I don't know if it still exists. They've added more retail space than before (as is the way with new buildings) so I would be surprised if it wasn't.
     

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