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Bridgnorth Turntable

5,259 bytes added, 13:12, 30 April 2019

→‎Access and future use: revised planning application approved

Following the successful installation of [[Kidderminster Turntable |ex-Fort William turntable at Kidderminster]] in the mid-1990s, SVR News for spring 1997 announced a project to install a second turntable at Bridgnorth. The first turntable purchased by the SVR ex-Whitchurch in the 1970s had been intended for his purpose, but this would have been propelled by hand and was only 60ft in length. The decision was therefore taken to seek a more suitable turntable. The [[Turntable Fund]] began raising funds for the "Bridgnorth Turntable Fund". The difficulty of finding a suitable location at Bridgnorth was noted at the time, possible sites considered including the end of the head-shunt adjacent to Pan Pudding Hill, an area beyond and adjacent to the Boiler Shop, or south of the station beyond the advanced starting signal.<ref>SVR News 122, “Bridgnorth Turntable Project” (John Giles)</ref>

 

==The turntable==

The turntable eventually acquired by the Turntable Fund is a Ransom Rapier 65'3" standard-pattern over-girder turntable, electrically powered. It was originally installed in 1957 as one of two originally installed turntables at Bristol (Bath Road) depot<ref>SVR News 56</ref>. Following the end of steam in 1960 the depot retained one turntable which was later used to turn road vehicles on the cramped site. At least one SVR locomotive also used the turntable after that time, [[46443]] having been photographed being turned in June 1985 during the ‘GW 150’ events in the Bristol area.<ref name=SVR126>SVR News 126</ref>  The Bath Road depot closed in 1995.In late 1997 the turntable was placed in the hands of auctioneers for sale by private treaty. It was inspected by the SVR and found to be in excellent condition, while site access would allow its removal by road. An offer was made to the auctioneers in October 1997 and the bid was accepted in February 1998, aided by a successful [[:Category:SVR fundraising lotteries|SVRA (Kidderminster Branch) raffle]] and fund-raising campaign.<ref name=SVR129>SVR News 129</ref>

==Removal and storage==

It The turntable was removed stripped down by a team from Bridgnorth, with help from members of the SVR’s Bristol Branch, during the closed depot last week of March 1998. It was lifted by a 160 ton crane on 2 April 1998 for eventual installation at and transported overnight by road to [[BridgnorthEardington]], where it was placed in storage awaiting installation at Bridgnorth. <ref name=SVR126/>  This film shows the turntable's removal from Bristol and Transport transport to [[Eardington]].

<youtube>3Hnh0LJC_Qc</youtube>

The Another report in SVR News for spring 1999 noted that the next phase of the project would require further fundraising. Several sites were still being studied, "''none of which would be simple or cheap''".<ref name=SVR129/>  Since that time the turntable remains has remained in store at Eardington in the station yard. The now-defunct SVR South Eastern Branch had in the past conducted some maintenance to prevent further deterioration. In Summer 2018 the Fund, assisted by the [[Eardington|Friends of Eardington Station]], cleared away the undergrowth and painted the main deck of the turntable: it was noted some smaller components have disappeared.<ref name=SVREP062018>SVR Express Points June 2018</ref> The turntable is still owned by the [[Turntable Fund]]<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/bridgnorth-development| GM's announcement on SVRLive, 25 September 2018]</ref>.

==Planned relocation to Bridgnorth==

It is planned In November 2016 the SVR published a prospectus for a £2.5m share issue to be installed as part of the second stage in raise funds for the [[Bridgnorth#Bridgnorth_Development_Project | Bridgnorth Development Project]]. In July The turntable is planned to be installed as part of Phase 2 of the Project. The share issue was successful; in addition by November 2017 The [[Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust Ltd]] had raised about £38,307 for the development£18, around a half of it 000 as restricted gifts for restoring the turntable.<ref>[https://www.svrlive.com/svrct-bridgnorth-project 'Bridgnorth Project - another way to give your support', SVRLive, 28 November 2017]</ref>

===Access and future use===The originally proposed location for the turntable is shown in the plan below. Part of the site formed the exit road from the overflow car park. Phase 2 of the Bridgnorth Development Project included additional car parking with a re-routed exit road, completed in December 2018. Planned access by locomotives would require two reversals, speculating that its future use is was unlikely to involve regular turning of locomotives between trainsduring normal service.

[[<gallery>File:Bridgnorth turntable plan.png|200px|thumb|left|Site plan from application Planning Application 16/00156/FUL including the showing originally proposed location of turntable, situated to the South-East of Hanbury Cottage]]<br/gallery>

By Summer 2018 the SVR was looking at "possibly more practical locations".<ref>SVR News 202 Summer 2018, p. 15</ref> with test bores have been carried out to assess the suitability of a site adjacent to the [[Bridgnorth Loco Works|loco shed]] at Bridgnorth.<ref name=SVREP062018/> A project team for the specification of the West side Project was intended to tender for this phase during the summer of 2018.<ref>SVR NBI 16 March 2018</ref> A revision in its location however meant that this element of the plan was required to be resubmitted to the planning department of Shropshire Council.<ref>NBI published on SVR Forum, September 2018.</ref> The revised planning application was published by Shropshire Council Planning on 12 March 2019. Field slopes would include reinforced earth techniques, works will also entail slight relocation of some of the retaining walls around Hanbury Cottage. These will be constructed in reinforced concrete, but clad from reclaimed bricks taken from the existing retaining wall. The water column will also be relocated as part of the works to facilitate the operation of the railway.<ref>[https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/local-hubs/bridgnorth/2019/04/05/severn-valley-railway-unveils-fresh-plans-for-new-bridgnorth-turntable/ Shrposhire Star, 5 April 2019] (retrieved 6 April 2019)</ref> Approval of the revised planning application was granted on 30 April 2019.<ref>[https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/ Shropshire Planning] Ref:19/01151/FUL</ref>

<gallery>

File:Bridgnorth turntable planning application 11.18.png|200px|thumb|left|Site plan showing proposed location of turntable November 2018 (David Symonds Associates)

</gallery>

==See also==

[[Kidderminster Turntable]]<br>

[[Bridgnorth#Bridgnorth_Development_Project | Bridgnorth Station redevelopment plans]]

==References==

<references/>

==Links==

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Bath_Road_depot Bristol Bath Road depot on Wikipedia]

*[https://www.svrlive.com/bridgnorth-development Bridgnorth Development on SVR Live]

*[http://www.tt.rhrp.org.uk/ts/turnInfo.asp?Ref=66 Ex-Bristol Bath Road Turntable on Railway Heritage Register On-Line]

     ==Links==[https[Category://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Bath_Road_depot Bristol Bath Road depot on WikipediaSVR fundraising lotteries]]

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