Turntables.

Visited Hounslow today to deliver roofing materials to a 60/70s concrete construction that is being renovated and was directed to drive into a basement unloading area. To my surprise, built into the floor, was a turntable (out of use) designed to turn lorries. I assume it was used to enable lorries to be directed onto bays, and to be turned around in the limited space available.
Certainly Asda and Waitrose use them at some RDCs and one was used at Kings Cross.

I am also led to believe that the Midland Bank on Threadneedle Street had one to allow bullion vans to be directed onto a lift inside the bank, though I stress this is apocryphal.
This got me wondering what other locations utilised turntables for purposes other than railway use.
Huddersfield had one for turning trolleybuses and I believe there was one on a canal for turning barges.
Of course car showrooms use them for displaying cars but I am talking more commercial or unusual applications.

 

I have been told that the Curious Brewery in Ashford has one for turning lorries. St Barts hospital had one in the 1970s for turning ambulances

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There is actually one in College Road, Framlingham (near the fish & chip shop) at the front of someones house that is used to turn their car! It was only installed there a few years back after they built a house on what was the old town gasworks site, but solves the problem of reversing on to what can be a busy road.

 

There was one many years ago for turning trolleybuses in Christchurch.

Cheers, Neil

 

I remember delivering to a large building in Manchester city centre when I was on the HGVs which had a turntable in the loading area as you had to drive in, not reverse, and once in there was no chance of turning round or reversing out again. I can't remember exactly where it was as it's nearly 50 years ago!
I also remember there was a chap in Rossendale in the 1960s who, I think, applied for planning permission to build a garage at the side of his house.
The council refused as they said it was dangerous to reverse both in or out of a drive as his house was on a bend in a main road. He solved the problem by having a turntable installed in his drive. Permission granted!

 

Rev Timothy Phillips, who built a revolving garage on an old Turntable at Boston Lodge

 

The railway turntable at Bath Road was used the turning lorry’s during the 1980’s. I’ve seen a photo of 46443 using it and showed the positioning markings on there for the lorry’s to use it.

 

Way back when I lived in Gravesend, I recall there was a service area behind some shops with a turntable, I think it was at the top of Queen St.

I also once (only) made a collection in central London where I was instructed to drive in through some doors, which then closed behind me. If I recall correctly the room then turned so that my van could be loaded at the rear before driving out forwards. I think it may have been Coutts.

 

The side loading River Severn car ferries turned cars 90 degrees on a turntable to position them

 

I wonder if they might have been more common at banks than we realise? Certainly solves a security issue. Drive in through security doors, unload, turn and out. Faster and less conspicuous than a bullion van trying to manoeuvre in public.

 

There was one used for Baltimore & Ohio buses at the Jersey City terminal station of the Jersey Central RR. It was the terminus for B&O trains as well, and buses were used as an onward connection to Manhattan.
The photo linked to below shows a bus being turned on the turntable there at the western end of the train shed.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wavz13/4061450743/in/set-72157622579761251

 

I looked on You Tube and there are several manufacturers making turntables for cars and lorries. I would make my own knowing how much these products are likely to cost!
Made my own winch system to get my Mustang (too wide in the body to open the doors once inside) into my garage. Actually surprised that there is not a greater call for something similar as cars these days are so corpulent.

 

Hello Johann!

 

The Jersey Eastern Railway station site at St Helier became a bus depot and had a turntable, fitted after the railway closed I think. There is also a small turntable in a front garden in La Moye, Jersey. It’s on the busy A13 and allows cars to be driven in and out forwards rather than backing in or out.

 

There used to be one off Paul Street, Taunton, in the yard that backed onto the old County Hotel. Now infilled, but the outline remains:

 

My brother, now sadly passed away so I can't check details, used to work for accountants in the city of London - somewhere off Bishopsgate, I think. At the end of the mews/courtyard where his office was located in a rather grand building was a small turntable. From it's age it was thought to be intended to turn coaches or other horse drawn vehicles. The young accountants my brother worked with were able to drive their MGs or whatever onto it at an angle, brake hard, and the momentum would turn them round to face the way they came. It saved trying to make a three point turn in a very limited space. My brother tried it in his Ford Popular when I was with him, but he didn't get it right and I had to push it round.

SteveB

 

Our closest Waitrose had one put in when it was built about 15 years ago.

https://www.movetechuk.com/SecondBritishTurntableHGVAccessTurntableforWaitrose_478.html

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The Skye Ferry surely deserves a mention here.

 

In the BBC4 programme last night "Spitfire"
There was a clip of a plane on a turntable.

 

Could be the Precinct Centre/Manchester Business School on Oxford Road, right in the middle of the University district. There certainly was one there, although the building has been extensively refurbished in the last few years, so I don't know if it still exists. They've added more retail space than before (as is the way with new buildings) so I would be surprised if it wasn't.