Turntables can be found all over the Island of Sodor. They help engines and rolling stock in turning around in the opposite direction, the same way they came or another direction. They are primarily used by tender engines so that they can turn around the right direction of their train, as reversing at a high speed is dangerous for them. Tank engines, however, are not required to use them as they have no trouble reversing at any rate at all.
James once spun around on a turntable at a fast pace due to the high winds, and some Troublesome Trucks once pushed Oliver down a turntable well. Gordon also had three mishaps with a turntable, one where he was not keeping his balance when he was in a bad mood and could not make it turn, another where he moved forward in an attempt to jam it while it was turning, only to get himself stuck in a ditch and once the Tidmouth Sheds' turntable froze trapping Gordon inside.
On some occasions, the engines have held meetings around turntables, such as when discussing how to pay Class 40 back for insulting them. The Fat Controller has stood upon Duck while on the turntable to address the engines when announcing special events, such as when a little girl wrote asking the engines to visit her and the best dressed station on Sodor, which was Maithwaite.
Known Locations[]
- Arlesdale
- Arlesdale End (formerly)
- Arlesburgh West
- Blue Mountain Quarry
- Crosby
- The Great Railway Show Yard (Mainland)
- Harwick
- Knapford Yards
- Knapford Sheds (formerly)
- Shunting Yards
- The Steelworks (Mainland)
- Sodor Dieselworks
- Sodor Ironworks
- Sodor Search and Rescue Centre
- Sodor Steamworks
- Tidmouth Yards
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Transfer Yards
- Ulfstead Castle
- Upper Brendam
- Wellsworth (formerly)
- Chinese Railway Sheds (China)
- Indian Railway Sheds (India)
Merchandise[]
- Wooden Railway (discontinued)
- Capsule Plarail
- Thomas Town (discontinued)
- Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
- TrackMaster (discontinued)
- Hornby (discontinued)
- Bachmann
- Take Along (discontinued)
- Take-n-Play (discontinued)
- Adventures (discontinued)
- Collectible Railway (discontinued)
- Motorized Railway
- New Block
- ERTL (discontinued)