S2 E28 Starting in P4 | Bexhill West Model Railway |British Finescale Turnout Kit

[@chrisburton9645]

You make it look easy. I'm hoping to get to scaleforum 2024 anyway . .

[@smallrails6831]

Great work and channel.

[@dinmorejunctionmodelrailway]

Some fine work there James.

[@BexhillWest]

It’s a nice kit, hats off to the designer.

[@nick-c]

I've built quite a few of these now, in OO-SF, they really are a gamechanger for accurate geometry trackwork. They can be curved by cutting some of the tags between the timbers, although the base can be quite fragile - which is why it's very important to file the ends of the rail, as it's easy to break the chairs if you're not careful. If you use the offcuts from the first kit for the short rails on the next you soon end up with plenty of spare rail too...

[@petertownsend8276]

Hi James. Thanks for another excellent video. I have been using the 2mm Finescale version of these kits for a while now. I have built 20, all operated by your servo point actuators, and they are a fabulous product. The only thing that I have found is that it is important to add a tiny amount of superglue to the wing rail chairs once they are in place. Otherwise, they tend to slide out of position when cleaning the track. Pete.

[@peterjhillier7659]

Dear James, what another excellent 'how to' Video, always look forward to your Films. This appears to crack one the major hurdles for a lot of Modellers who wish to turn to P4, when standard HO Gauge Track is compared to P4 Track it makes you realise just how out of Gauge it is for OO Gauge Modelling, ie 3.5mm/ft for Track 4mm/ft for the Engines and Rolling Stock.

[@nickrails]

Great video! Up until now I'd assumed building your own points was the preserve of brain surgeons, airline pilots, and members of the special forces - however I now strongly suspect I could assemble one of these kits. The pre-shaped rail sections are genius.

[@BexhillWest]

These are so easy to assemble. A perfect introduction to building something a little more sophisticated by hand later.

[@BexhillWest]

Exactly, I’m starting to get the hang of it, and am still very much a beginner.

[@nickrails]

If I end up building a P4 layout I'm blaming/crediting both of you 😀

[@rdrhouse]

may i suggest when you're soldering in the thin wire strips accross the rails, just tin one rail and solder the wire on that one rail. Then solder the furthest rail away and when cool solder the centre rails

[@MichaelHenfrey]

Hi James, Fantastic little kits ( was reading the article about them in the latest mag) arguably probably needs a couple of insulated fishplates where it goes into the knuckles to save it shorting when the rail expands and touches it (if it's wired that way) Certainly a very quick and easy way of starting out in P4. Cheers, Michael

[@BexhillWest]

Hi Michael, I agree. I had the same thought. I didn't fit them in the video because I wanted to follow the instructions, but I have subsequently fitted them. An additional benefit is that they help to hold the closure rails securely too. All the best, James

[@davidorf3921]

Hi James, perhaps the name should be Bexhill Test ?

[@BexhillWest]

Thanks David, That’s a great idea. 😀

[@JohnTarbox]

It would appear that having the rails pre-machined made the turnout much easier to assemble. Have you given any thought to what sort of jig one would need to make if one wanted to machine their own rails at home?

[@BexhillWest]

Hi John, I've given lots of thought to mechanising the process, but it's so quick to file them by hand. I have considered doing them as a batch with a surface grinder and a sine plate, but I tend to file them up during my tea breaks at work, carefully categorising them into a purpose made tray. I've probably got enough switch blades and point rails to last me a life time. :) All the best, James

[@peterhearsum6620]

Hello James . Thank you for the tutorial on the turn out could you please inform me of the thickness of the sleeper base. Best regards Peter

[@BexhillWest]

Hi Peter, the timbers are 1.6mm thick. Thanks for watching, James

[@lassunsschaun6859]

Turnout kit; depending on the specific point mechanism the two sleepers next to it might be to short 🤔 23:50-24:55 "this little thing" -> "Marshlink modular P4 diorama frame" followed by a identification tag like "JW01" or "WJ01" or "BHW01" 😉, then bigger written in the next line what it shows for example "Little Huddlehurst" 😏

[@manda60]

Wonderful video. I've been dabbling in P4 for a while, and I think I'd better get a couple of these turnouts. If I can ask, what make and model is that Wonderful little vise you use?

[@BexhillWest]

It's a Eclipse Instrument Vice, and it's brilliant. They're quite pricey to pick-up, but worth every penny in my opinion. James

[@manda60]

@@BexhillWest Thank you! I will seek one out. It looks amazing.

[@pgriffithsulster]

What are you using to cut the rail with please? Like the curved tweezers.

[@BexhillWest]

Xuron rail cutters to cut, then a file to clean up.

[@robertstrainset6556]

Hi, Not in to P4 at all as you can probably tell by my channel name but this is whats good about our hobby it can be whatever you want to make it yours, but have commented on this as I did find it interesting but no not for me but a title for the forum demo how about TWO PATHS just a thought. Cheers Robert.

[@rdrhouse]

are these kits made with cant on the rail, or just vertical rail

[@suttonlane3816]

Hi James great video if your doing a tutorial on the point and using it in the layout you could call it What’s the point

[@BexhillWest]

That's a great idea, I find myself asking that question regularly. :) Best wishes, James

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

THE PROBLEM OF REALISTIC TRACK RADII ON A MODEL LAYOUT !!! There's one problem with a product like this. In reality pointwork was built to fit the location, not to a preconceived radii ! Meaning virtually every point was unique !! The next problem is that in 4mm no track should be less than 5ft radius !!! Simply because large locos such as Pacifics or even Class 45 Diesels required normally a minimum radius of 4.5 Chains, which is 264 ft, times four to convert to 4mm scale = 1056mm which is a minimum of 3ft 4in radius on the layout. And that only allows a maximum speed of 4mph WALKING PACE !!!!!! Hence decades ago at Pendon tests were done to discover the minimum radius that would allow Corridor Coaches & Tender locomotives to run fluently, once the gaps between vehicles were reduced to the realistic distance. And 5ft was found to be the minimum if you wanted to avoid "spurious" derailments !! Indeed even on EM or Commercial OO gauge the MINIMUM of 5ft radius, massively reduces derailment issues on the assumption that your pointwork is built to exactly the right tolerances !