LMS Route: Rugby to Wolverhampton
LMS Route: Rugby to Leamington
LMS Route: Rugby to Tamworth
LMS Route: Rugby to Leicester
LMS Route: Rugby to Market Harborough

Rugby Shed: lnwrrm1038

Ex-LNWR 4-6-0 'Prince of Wales class' No 5711 stands on the turntable which is being aligned with the exit track ready for departure on 2nd April 1929. The art of balancing the locomotive was difficult to achieve especially when the turntable was only a little longer than the locomotive. As seen above No 5711 has its tender hard up to the end of the 55' diameter turntable whilst there is only a few feet free in front of its bogie. This would have meant the locomotive would require far more effort to turn the locomotive than if it had been balanced evenly across the turntable.

The rails of both the track and turntable would have to be aligned perfectly and the locomotive driven very slowly to allow the rails of the turntable to drop in line with those of the exit road. Number 5711 was built at Crewe works to order 5458 in April 1919 and remained in service until April 1935 when it was withdrawn for scrapping at Crewe works.

back