Do any of the main terminals have anything close these days?
could also in theory use the st pancreas domestic HS1 platforms but yea dont think any mainline turntables exist anymoreFrom Paddington, West Ealing or Greenford can be used. The option of just going out and back round the Greenford Branch became unavailable when the route up the "New North Line" from Old Oak Common was severed as a result of work for HS2.
Yeah, that was kinda my pointIt would be interesting to develop the thread into what is the shortest route you can take nowadays to turn a loco at the London terminals and other major stations. For instance, for Waterloo, I would say leave the main line at West London Extension Junction, reverse at Latchmere SW Junction, back up into Clapham Junction and then reverse again and proceed back into Waterloo. But that must be one of the easier ones.
I think only Steam Locos fitted with LZB and TVM could be turned at St Pancras. There are lots of loops a loco could run round on the Southern Region to change direction.could also in theory use the st pancreas domestic HS1 platforms but yea dont think any mainline turntables exist anymore
That depends on whether or not the signalling permits the necessary movements. It was used up to about 1980, but that was before the chord was closed, and subsequently reopened.There's a triangle at Chester, and steam charters to Holyhead turn the loco at the triangle at Valley.
There's also a triangle at Wavertree, Liverpool using the olive mount chord, but I'm unsure if that's ever been used for turning a loco
There's a triangle at Chester, and steam charters to Holyhead turn the loco at the triangle at Valley.
There's also a triangle at Wavertree, Liverpool using the olive mount chord, but I'm unsure if that's ever been used for turning a loco
That depends on whether or not the signalling permits the necessary movements. It was used up to about 1980, but that was before the chord was closed, and subsequently reopened.
Until it went out of action, they used the triangle at Allerton / Speke Jn.
More recently, they had to use Earlestown triangle, which can involve almost 15 miles of tender-first running (each way)
Do any of the main terminals have anything close these days? Say a steam train runs into Euston, how far does it need to travel to be pointing back north?
Isn't there a triangle at Norton Fitzwarren on the WSR? Usually used to turn any main-line approved loco that has worked a train onto the WSR & will work it back home. As for London area, there's a triangle junction just before Stratford station that could turn a whole top & tailed train. (Channelsea curves?)Any visitors to West Somerset Railway can now turn on a turntable at Minehead.
Euston to Willesden Jn (Acton Branch) REVERSE to Acton Wells REVERSE to West London Jn to Euston ?
About 15 miles ?
Not sure if it's signalled though.
For Anglia you have the Stansted triangle or Ely West Curve, all of which have been used to turn kettles. On the GE side there is the Manningtree triangle which could also be used.
Closer to “town” there’s the High Meads Loop at Stratford, but this doesn’t face Liverpool Street which would necessitate another shunt. I’m no longer au fait with the signalling arrangements, but one option would have been to run the steamer backwards via Stratford into Orient Way CS, one trip around the High Meads Loop back to Orient Way CS to turn the loco and then back to town via Stratford again.