This view along the turntable road may seem vaguely familiar to anyone who is knowledgeable about the Settle and Carlisle. The double-post telegraph pole
helps as it is very much like those on the windy stretch around Garsdale.

indentThere is a wonderful true story about the original turntable at Garsdale which, I trust, those who know will forgive my repeating here.
indent Garsdale station is on a ten mile almost flat stretch of the S&C; in other words at the top of "The Long Drag" as the 13 mile 1 in 100 climb was known. In the early days even expresses needed "pilot" engines to help and these were turned at Garsdale for the return journeys to Hellifield, Leeds or Carlisle sheds.
indent One day long ago, in particularly stormy weather, an engine was being turned when the wind caught it and kept it moving round. As the tender came round the wind caught that too. Soon the thing was spinning like a top and in the fiercely strong winds up there in the mountains it took a great many buckets of sand thrown in the well to bring it to a halt. The Midland therefore erected this unusual (although not unique - there was at least one more in Scotland), wind break of old sleepers around it and the structure has been duly celebrated ever since!