Kidderminster Turntable
Fund raising to install the turntable began in the summer of 1991. The turntable was connected to the SVR network on 31 July 1994, with the 6 ton steam crane and match truck being the first items of rolling stock to be turned, followed by one of the Ruston diesel shunters. Installation was completed in time for the turntable to feature in that year's autumn steam gala. Visiting locomotive 60103 Flying Scotsman was turned on Friday 23 September as a prelude to the gala in a christening ceremony carried out by Lady Lucinda Lambton, although LMR 600 Gordon had already managed a turn on 9 September during an earlier 'Thomas' event. Other visitors 6024 King Edward 1 and 60009 Union of South Africa were turned on the Saturday and Sunday respectively. A further six months of work was then undertaken to complete the project.[5]
During the run up to installation a number of the large and small cast iron pads that support the ring rail were found to be missing. Patterns were made at the SVR's pattern-shop from original drawings and replacements were cast. With the SVR Charitable Trust more recently wishing to add some additional connections to the turntable the pattern set for the larger ring rail pads was refurbished at the Pattern Shop at Bridgnorth to allow further pads to be cast.
The turntable is driven by a vacuum motor, powered by the locomotive being turned. Two large vacuum reservoir cylinders can be evacuated in advance by a vacuum fitted locomotive to allow carriages or non vacuum fitted locomotives to be turned. In the event of no vacuum source being available, a cranking handle is provided.
Ownership of the Kidderminster turntable was transferred from the Turntable Fund to the SVR Charitable Trust on 15 September 2009.[6]
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Other turntables
Another turntable ex-Whitchurch was already in the SVR’s possession in the 1990s, originally intended for installation at Bridgnorth[3]. This turntable is no longer at the SVR, reportedly now being in Mallaig, Scotland.
A third turntable was acquired in 1998 ex-Bristol (Bath Road). Pending a decision on where it should be installed, it was moved into storage at Eardington where it remains. It will become the Bridgnorth Turntable as part of the Bridgnorth Development Project. This is a 65ft 3in Ransom Rapier turntable built in 1957[7].