Category:Turntable, workshop and preparation bay sidings, National Railway Museum, York

English: Images of the railway sidings that feed the turntable, workshop and locomotive preparation bay of the National Railway Museum in York.

These sidings are situated to the north of York railway station, on the west side of the East Coast Main Line. These museum sidings share an ECML connection with the Siemens train maintenance depot. They are all visible from trains passing on the ECML, as well as from the northern most platform areas in the station.

The rail entrance to the Siemens depot & museum sidings is via a northbound spur 53°57′42.97″N 1°5′52.2″W / 53.9619361°N 1.097833°W / 53.9619361; -1.097833 off the Loco Line that runs from York platforms 9/10/11 to the north, parallel with the ECML Down Fast line.

Following the entrance spur north, the access to the museum's sidings is then through reversing down a southbound spur 53°57′43.92″N 1°6′1.06″W / 53.9622°N 1.1002944°W / 53.9622; -1.1002944 using a set of points almost beyond the northern end of the Siemens maintenance shed. This southbound spur (which also incorporates a run-around loop) branches to various places, depending on the ultimate destination. From west to east, the branches meet the buildings at the following points:

• North face of the Grand Hall (for access to the turntable)
  • 53°57′39.53″N 1°5′48.49″W / 53.9609806°N 1.0968028°W / 53.9609806; -1.0968028 Western track
  • 53°57′39.71″N 1°5′48.08″W / 53.9610306°N 1.0966889°W / 53.9610306; -1.0966889 Eastern track
• Roller door at the corner of the Grand Hall east wall and Warehouse north wall (for access to the workshop)
  • 53°57′38.44″N 1°5′44.86″W / 53.9606778°N 1.0957944°W / 53.9606778; -1.0957944
• Roller doors in the north wall of the warehouse
  • 53°57′38.59″N 1°5′44.66″W / 53.9607194°N 1.0957389°W / 53.9607194; -1.0957389 Western
  • 53°57′38.71″N 1°5′44.4″W / 53.9607528°N 1.095667°W / 53.9607528; -1.095667 Centre
  • 53°57′38.82″N 1°5′44.16″W / 53.9607833°N 1.0956°W / 53.9607833; -1.0956 Eastern
• Locomotive preparation bay
  • 53°57′38.94″N 1°5′43.83″W / 53.9608167°N 1.0955083°W / 53.9608167; -1.0955083

The two tracks outside the Grand Hall feed into separate roads on the turntable inside the hall (meaning they curve out before converging slightly toward the centre of the turntable). This area outside the hall also serves as a car park, so there's no trackbed to speak of. As well as access to the turntable, trains are often posed here for photo opportunities, and the eastern track also features a historic signal gantry with two semaphore arm type signals. As a third use, they are is often used to park main line locomotives while being serviced (coaled, oiled).

The workshop door is used for access to the workshop. While it enters the Grand Hall as one track, inside in the south east corner of the hall it splits into three. These then meet internal roller doors in the south wall of the hall, separating the hall from the workshop inspection pits. These tracks also act as additional spaces to display rolling stock exhibits.

The three tracks up to roller doors outside the warehouse store a variety of stock, both restoration projects and other items inbetween workshop visits, as well as being somewhere to park the support coaches of visiting locomotives.

The locomotive preparation bay is used to service locomotives between main line trips, and also has an inspection pit. Note that for turning purposes, due to the presence of the engineer's triangle 53°57′23.52″N 1°5′53.03″W / 53.9565333°N 1.0980639°W / 53.9565333; -1.0980639 to the south of York station (accessed via the Loco Line), locomotives being serviced don't need to use the turntable inside the Great Hall (which is often occupied by exhibits or visiting stock on display).