Turntables

The 1898 turntable at Marylebone was positioned north of the station, to the east of the GCR running lines, between them and the Met lines. It appears on early track diagrams and I am quite sure I have seen reference to it, possibly in George Dow's 'Great Central', that it was around 55 to 60' diameter. There was a small MPD at Marylebone on opening, which closed after a few years and its duties and allocation were moved to Neasden.

The date 1937 is significant in that Gresley pacifics and V2s were cascaded to the GCML at around that time and these locomotives were significantly larger than anything that had run into Marylebone previously. John M C Healy's book 'Echoes of the Great Central' has a photo in it of Leicester Central around 1938 with Mallard on shed, the caption being that she'd run there 'to test the new 70' turntable'.

Is it not possible therefore that the original Marylebone turntable was also taken out of service around that time, and a new 70' turntable built to replace it?- and the larger diameter meaning it wouldn't fit in the original location, hence why it was moved to the west side of the GC/ LNER lines just beyond the platforms?- and hence it being this 'new' 1937 table which survived and was moved to the West Highland?

 

Never underestimate the ability of HE (or EH as was) to get things wrong and for the DCMS to swallow it. Let me give you my pet example. In around 1982 I had to process an application for LBC to move a grade II listed statue from one side of a public square to another. It had been listed in 1977 and the description said more or less what was on the plinth, erected 1886, local philanthropist, MP etc. However, I knew that it had actually been erected at that spot in 1972 because I had dealt with the planning application for the redesign of the square. It had spent the first 86 years of its "life" about 1.5 miles away. I had the documentation to prove it which was all sent off to the Government Regional Office and Listed Building Consent came back after about three weeks. As far as I know the official list still gives the impression that it has been where it is since 1886!