Abstract: In an opposed flow high pressure section, intermediate pressure section steam turbine (10), an annular section divider (142) is located axially between the high pressure section (HP) and the intermediate pressure section (IP), and substantially eliminates conventional inner shell sections. Thus, the turbine has only a single outer shell to which the blades of the turbine stages outside the divider 142 are operatively sealed. The section divider (142) incorporates partial arc steam admission chambers (150); supports a nozzle plate assembly (146); and includes integral steam packing (156) to seal the rotor interface.