Apologies if this is in the wrong section.

My planned layout includes a turntable, primarily to turn Pacifics. With the Peco -55 being too short, what other options are there? I've seen the Fleischman (spelling?) but at £285?? I'm not so sure, especially if it would need bashed to look more like a UK 'table. What other models to folks employ?

Failing that, how easy is it to scratch build one for the purpose?

As always, all help and/or advice gratefully received.

Many thanks

Scotty

There's an Atlas/Walthers one that's designed for US locos, so is longer. The Atlas stuff is generally fairly cheap too.

http://www.osbornsmodels.com/atlas-2790-code-80-turntable-with-7-12--diameter-deck-3130-p.asp

If it's a UK pacific, they seem to fit on the Peco turntable (I've got one and even my Fleischmann pacifics fit on it).

Hi Zwilnik.

Peco quote the deck length as being 151mm, and my A1 is 153 buffer to buffer, with the wheels being 5mm inside that each end I guess so it will fit. I'm just concerned that it might look a bit daft being squeezed in.

I'll have a look at TINGS to see if there's any on display with Pacifica being turned.

I did see the Arnold one, but it had the well planked over?

Yup it's a US style one (and a budget one) so it's a bit simpler.

Having looked again, maybe the NB-55 would work. I'll have to study photos of Pacifics on 'tables.

Thanks for the replies Zwilnik.

Plenty of turntables were very tight. Some of the locomotives even ended up designed to just fit existing turntables because making them larger was often not an easy option. Same happens on heritage railways now.

This lot may be helpful

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1049870@N20/pool/

As the photo of Braunton being turned at Bath Green Park shows there wasn't always a lot of room

The turntable at Bath Midland station could just about take the West Country and 9F locos. Great care would be taken to position them accurately, otherwise the buffers could come into contact with coal wagons parked on the nearby coaling line. From that I'd say that having a turntable that was 'only just' big enough would be very realistic.

Excellent replies, thank you all so much for your help!