St Blazey turntable back in action for Flying Scotsman

Grade II* listed, the St Blazey turntable is an important part of Cornwall’s industrial heritage, but many feared that it would never operate again. 

Thanks to MPower, on April 30, 2023, Flying Scotsman’s Centenary year, the turntable was ship shape and in good working order, so that 60103 could be turned for The Royal Duchy return journey. 

Now removed from the Heritage at Risk Register, the turntable will facilitate steam on Cornwall’s railways including our Royal Duchy trains this year, which will run again in July, August and September, and into the future.

Planning began in October last year when we approached MPower to ask if the turntable could be made ready by April 30 for world famous 60103 Flying Scotsman.

MPower rose to the challenge! 

Refurbishment works
A social enterprise dedicated to providing training for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), MPower agreed to drive the refurbishment forward. Between February 16 and April 30, 2023, the main turntable repairs were completed on budget in the remarkable time frame of ten weeks.

The turntable ‘bridge’ section was lifted using large jacks, allowing the main carriage components to be removed by crane and dispatched to local contractors for grit blasting. Once that was complete, the fabrication and riveting teams wasted no time in stripping and rebuilding the carriages with large amounts of new steel and around 300 new rivets. Further steel and riveting work was required on the main bridge section.

Cranes returned to St Blazey in late March to reassemble the main turntable components. These were followed by the drive unit, walkways and remaining ‘small’ components. New track was welded and installed on the turntable by the Network Rail track team on April 21, followed by a full function test using a modern diesel loco, a 126 tonne Class 66. This was the key when it was clear that the turntable would be ready for its illustrious guest, Flying Scotsman, just a week later.

Volunteers and contractors alike worked long shifts to finish the turntable repairs and prepare the site to make it safe for visitors, along with hundreds of hours spent behind the scenes.

Throughout April, Network Rail’s volunteer teams also spent four weeks working their way through repairs required to bring the access track from the Newquay Branch to the turntable up to a suitable standard for steam locomotives.

On the big day, April 30, when gleaming Flying Scotsman arrived, the turntable performed faultlessly!

Kelly Osborne, The Railway Touring Company’s MD, said, “Congratulations to MPower and Network Rail for spearheading this initiative to ensure that Flying Scotsman could be turned at St Blazey. The turntable refurbishment is excellent news for steam operations and opens up opportunities to run more steam hauled trains on Cornwall’s railways.

“It is particularly tremendous that MPower used this project as an opportunity to provide valuable work experience for trainees with Special Educational Needs and for 18-25 year olds Not in Employment Education or Training.

“Well done and many thanks to all those who sponsored this project and to those who worked hard to make it happen.” 

Thanks must go to the many involved including:

• Network Rail
• DB Cargo
• Special Educational Needs trainees on the Cornwall Rural Communities Charity ‘Work your Way’ internship programme
• 18-25 and Not in Employment, Education or Training trainees on the Eden Project/Real Ideas Organisation ‘Game Changer’ programme

Grant funding from:

• Par Bay Big Local/Community Trust
• Local Trust
• The Railway Heritage Trust
• Historic England
• European Regional Development Fund
• Cornwall Council

The following companies provided physical ‘in-kind’ support to MPower:

• Network Rail
• DB Cargo
• Taziker
• Quattro
• Ground Control
• GPX Engineering
• NuPlan Surveys
• Helston Trailers and Machinery
• All Connections Electrical
• Kevin Robinson Graphic Design
• T&J Bullen Property Services
• Euro Tool Hire Master Skip Hire

MPower are also grateful to its four main Cornish engineering Contractors:

• Macsalvors Cranes
• Blast Clean and Coatings
• Mike Davies Fabrication
• Sam Henwood Engineering
  

For more information about MPower and this incredible project visit: www.mpowerkernow.org.uk