Next week Minehead will witness the sight of an authentic 65 foot long, 50 tonne locomotive turntable being craned into place as part of a £6m Somerset County Council regeneration project.

The event will signal the fulfilment of a long term ambition to bring the turntable to Minehead after it was recovered from Pwllheli in North Wales in 1977. It will be craned into place during the morning of Monday 11 February by specially designed equipment that has travelled from West Bromwich for the highly complex task.

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When complete it will form part of the Mart Road development, which will also deliver modern workspaces for businesses, retail opportunities and a 110-space car park. There will also be a café and the facility for different events to be held at the site, such as farmer’s markets and trade fairs.

The design of the site will include a viewing area for the turntable, which will enable visitors to see close-up the spectacle of 165-tonne locomotives being moved by just two people.

The installation of the turntable will represent a significant step forward for the regeneration project, which is funded by Somerset County Council, South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), European Regional Development Fund and West Somerset Railway.

Plans for the scheme gained overwhelming support from local residents and businesses. It aims to support the expansion of the West Somerset economy by providing jobs, encouraging investment and boosting tourism.

(JM)