GWR Route: Banbury to Wolverhampton

GWR Route: North Warwickshire Line

Birmingham Snow Hill Station: gwrbsh2617

Ex-Great Western Railway standard 65 foot over-girder turntable supplied by Ransomes & Rapier of Ipswich (GWR Drawing No 167) at Birmingham Snow Hill. The shallow pit reduced construction costs and was considered safe enough not to require boarding over, but the Engineering Department's Instructions (para 511) specifically required that adequate lighting must to be provided. According to the GWR Drawing, Ransomes & Rapier did not supply; the 100 lb per yard track rails, the 80 lb per yard turntable race rail or the 3 inch timber decking, which was to be preserved with carbon tar. The width between the parallel girders was 15 foot, 9 inches and planked with a timber decking to allow staff to walk alongside a locomotive (this had not been possible with previous designs and an escape ladder had to be provided in the middle). This photograph was taken on 21st March 1963 looking north towards Hockley.

Robert Ferris

back