FinetraX P4 A6 Turnout Kit

Just being inquisitive, at Scaleforum last year (2024) I purchased one of FinetraX's A6 turnout kits marketed through the Scalefour stores. On Rospeath Lane, there is one off-scene turnout within Cassette Board Two. My thought was that if this plastic turnout kit came together well but didn’t look as good as the plywood-built turnouts, I could use it on Cassette Board Two. If, on the other hand, I make a 'pig’s ear' of it, then I'll have to build a plywood or copperclad replacement.

On first inspection, it didn't look too bad. The crossing V is not assembled, which, for the price of the kit, I shouldn't have been surprised. The switch blades look very reasonable and the moulding of sleepers and chairs looked nice and crisp. I began working on it.

Being impetuous, I installed the stock rails first… then quickly realised I had no idea how to build the V. At this point I did what I should have done at the start and downloaded the instructions off British Finescale's website. The instructions are excellent running to thirteen A4 pages including many explanatory images. They walk you through each step of constructing the turnout, simply and effectively.  Unfortunatelly, as these P4 kits are not available direct from British Finescale, nor is the appropriate template. Instead I downloaded the EM gauge version as a guide.

The first step is to construct the V, followed by the check rails. Both tasks require cutting one of the three rails to the required lengths, adding slight bends where needed, and threading them through the chairs on the base. I had slight difficulty in getting the knuckle of the V in the correct place on the base. Eventually, after a little fettling, everything fell into place.

The  FinetraX P4 A6 turnout after 1 hours construction along side a  GWR old-type 15ft heeled switch 1:6 turnout under construction.

Before installing the stock rails, two pins are pushed through the supplied tie bar and placed on the base. The stock rails are then threaded through the chairs, making sure they go over the tie bar. At this juncture in the build, with only the switchblades to install, I realised it had taken me less than one hour to put it together.

Later the following day I found a spare few minutes to continue. That is all it took to fire up the soldering iron, trimmed the switchblades to the correct length before fixing them to the tie bar with a spot of solder. Job done, turnout complete.

I have heard/read negative comments about the tie bar included in the kit. In my opinion, for someone who is new to Scalefour, nervous about building their own track, the tie bar is simple and works. For more experienced modellers who have constructed their own track, it will not be a problem to use a tie bar of their choice.

It's a shame I didn't accurately record how long it took to construct this turnout. At most, I think it took just over two hours, including downloading and reading through the instructions, then searching for and finding the EM gauge template.

In my opinion these kits are an excellent option for someone who would like to try their hand at P4 but put off due to having to construct turnouts. Currently, there are only four kits available through the Scalefour stores: left and right A6, left and right B7.

Complete P4 A6 turnout alongside an EM Guage A5 template

Unlike EM gauge turnouts, which can be purchased directly from British Finescale—allowing someone to try before committing to the EM Gauge Society—P4 versions require joining the Scalefour Society or finding a show where the Scalefour Society’s trade stand is present. This raises the question: is the Society missing an opportunity to attract newcomers, or is this simply the result of a commercial agreement with British Finescale?

First turnout

It's taken me far too long to complete this turnout, I just lost my way a little over the last couple of months. What spurred me on to get it completed it is setting a deadline of the end of January to have it installed. The hope was also to have it installed complete with turnout operating unit...

Well, it's not installed as yet but I'm pleased that it is finished and looking OK when laid in position on the layout.

On my previous layout, Tredethy Wharf, I didn't build any turnout with Stretcher Bars. I think as it was my first time constructing P4 track I didn't what to complicate the build any more than I had to. I was just please the turnouts came out OK without them. Don't think I received any verbal comments them being missing either. Since then I've promised myself that any subsequent turnout I build will have included them. I'd researched a few different solutions and thought Masokits looked good. Though marketed by Masokits as tiebars, I believe they are stretcher bars, but what do I know....

The instructions are very easy to follow, I especially liked the comment "Luvverly 'inin't", it made me smile.

In case anyone is wondering, the grey slide chairs I've used on the turnout are GWR 2 bolt chairs available from Modelu.

So, I have just ten 1:6 turnouts left to build. I've set myself the difficult target of early July to have them all built with some installed. A bit of a tall order but it needs to be done if the September deadline is to be met.

January update - First turnout

I'd begun to construct the repair shop/turntable turnout when coming back to it there seems something was not quite right with it. Eventually when postioning the nose of the V over the template I realised it was in the wrong position relative to the sleepers.

The first attempt which Templot described as a half-diamond

When looking at the turnout in templot it seemed Ok but it was described a 1:4.5 half-diamond with 41" curves worryingly it stated that the switch blades were unknown. I'd no idea how I'd created this turnout or how it had morphed into a half-diamond. So rather than spending time trying to discover why the printed template  was different to what I was seeing in Templot I decided to redraw the turnout as a  1:5 turnout with GWR 10ft heeled which enabled me to increase the curve slightly to 42".

The replacement 1:5 turnout under construction

So, since Workington show, progress has been slow then over Christmas and the New Year it  stagnated. The hope now is this turnout will be completed and installed by the end of the month. After which I'll progress onto one of the many 1:6 turnouts either on the approach to the running shed or coal sidings..

Workington Show (Solrail) 2024

Again, it was a great experience, and congratulations are due to all the organisers and helpers for putting on such a warm and friendly show. There seemed to be a good turnout of the public, along with many Scalefour members. For me, three layouts that made the biggest impression where; Bruntisland, Alston and Tarring Neville.

Burntisland must be one of the standout modelling projects of our time. A near scale model of the location in a period that entailed all items to be either scratch built or built from kits designed by the crew involved in its construction. It is a phenomenal piece of historical modelling.

Alston is just a brilliant piece of observational modelling with a thoughtful composition of buildings from the actual town framing an accurate rendition of the station at the front in 2mm.

For me, Tarring Neville brought a couple of novel ideas to the show, firstly being able to view the layout from three sides, secondly using cable to hold up the proscenium, giving a clear view from one end. It also was a fine piece of composition with scratch built OO track giving an interesting track plan along with well-placed and built buildings with supporting scenery all in 5’ x 2’. I really admire people that can produce an evocative layout that is interesting to watch all in a small place.

The Workington show (Solrail) was a big event for Rospeath Lane. It was the first outing when I had all components to pack in the car. Two scenic baseboards, two trestles, the support beams along with a good proportion of rolling stock and it all fitted in the car with space available for a toolbox along with small overnight bags. All the planning has been worthwhile…

There are some minor modifications required to the support structure. The proscenium does dip in the middle and the support beams sag a little on the right. Apart from that, it was good to meet many Society members for the first time as well as others I'd met previously. It was especially interesting to talk to two members who have also taken the plunge and entered the Jubilee Challenge.

So now I know it will be a doable project transporting the layout structure in one car with two passengers. I can press ahead with building turnouts and the control panel.

Lighting

Again, I'm possibly getting ahead of myself thinking about lighting for Rospeath Lane. Though I've also been thinking I might need some sort of light for the SolRail exhibition in a week's time. 

The ultimate aim is to introduce a little atmosphere into the layout by having lighting with which I'll be able to replicate a day from dawn to dusk. So, as a start, I've purchased 5M of CCT LED strip lighting with a temperature range of 2700 to 6500 Kelvin. If I'm understanding the description correctly, I'll be able to control the lighting temperature while also controlling the brightness of these LEDs. My belief is the colour temperature at dawn is around 2000-3000 Kelvin, rising to midday at around 6000 Kelvin, then decreasing back to 2000 Kelvin for sunset. 

These LEDs are relatively cheap to some that are available and as such might not give the best result. Even so they should help to prove the concept and allow me to experiment while construction of the layout continues. Just hope they arrive in enough time to be installed for SolRail.

Trees - general thoughts

I’ve always found identifying trees very difficult, even though spending all of my youth growing up in a small rural village then as an adult enjoying many walks in the varied countryside. On my book shelf there are a couple of books on trees which have skeleton diagrams of the different types.  I find using these diagrams alone to identify a tree in winter is impossible as no tree is the same shape even in the same species.  Some suggest that you can identify a tree by observing the colour and structure of its bark. Again, I could not master this technique.  So tree identification is one area of knowledge in which I’m embarking to improve.

The reason which has prompted me to educate myself in identifying trees is the dissatisfaction I have with the trees on Tredethy Wharf.  All trees on Tredethy Wharf are just generic tree like shapes with no perceivable representation of a particular species. The location I have placed Rospeath Lane means I’ll have to try to represent an area of damp/marsh/scrub land at the front with the ground rising at the back towards farmland. To help portray these different areas, I feel there should be ground cover and trees which would thrive in these different habitats. To carry this off will mean any tree will need to look like a particular type with supporting ground cover.

To this end I started to research which trees which are common to Cornwall. So far discovering that Alder and Silver Birch are good candidates for the damp area at the front of the layout along with ferns and wetland grasses. Whereas Ash, Elm and Oak trees with Gorse, Holly for hedging along with grass and brambles for ground cover would be possible for the back of the scenic area.

This post and time spent on thinking about scenics would seem to be too early in the layouts development. My thought is if I know which species of trees I need for the layout I can select certain trees and photograph there structure during the autumn winter months. Then, as the seasons progress take further photos as reference. While out walking the dog I've been identifying and taking note of local trees and there would seem to be a number of Ash, Oak, Beech and Sycamore trees locally. I’ve already identified one Ash tree which I'd like to base an model on. Also our neighbours have a large area of woodland in which they have many Silver Birch and apparently one Alder. 

Possible Ash tree to base a model on