Scalefour Society Jubilee Layout Challenge Announcement

[Portchullin Tatty]

2026 will mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Scalefour Society and the 60th anniversary of the inauguration of the P4 standards. As part of its celebrations to mark these milestones, the Society will be running a layout building challenge to culminate at Scaleforum in September 2026.

 

The full rules are outlined in the rules available from the links below but the key criteria for eligible layouts are that they are to be to a scenic footprint of not more than 18.83sqft, built to P4/P87 or equivalent standards and only need the expenses of two people to exhibit it. There are no restrictions on era, locale, form of traction, nature of operation or prototype gauge but the layout must include at least three turnouts.

 

Burntisland, winner of the 18.83 Challenge in 2005

 

To stimulate interest in P4 modelling and to allow a wide range of possible participants, the challenge will be open to members of the society, non-members and groups alike. Furthermore, there will be no restriction from using the presently available ready to run P4 locos or the newly introduced British Finescale P4 trackwork.

 

Portchullin Winner of the D&E Challenge in 2008

 

The winners of the challenge will be determined by a public vote to occur as part of Scaleforum 2026. To encourage both experienced entrants and those that have less experience of P4 modelling, there will be a pair of awards; the first for the best layout from any entrant and other for the best layout by any entrant who has not built a layout to P4 standards previously. Each will be awarded a trophy and a prize of £200

It is intended that the development of layouts being constructed as part of this challenge will be shown by the entrants on the society and other forums, plus within the pages of the Scalefour News and other magazines.

 

Humber Dock, 18.83 Challenge 

 

The Society have organised a number of successful layout building challenges in the past with many of the entrant layouts subsequently becoming well-known on the exhibition circuit, forums and in hobby magazines. This challenge is intended to continue this to expand the number of exhibitable P4 layouts, promote P4 modelling and provide a stimulus to modellers to produce or finish layouts as well as to have some fun along the way!

 

Birmingham Moor Street, D&E Challenge

 

Persons or groups who are interested in knowing more about this challenge or submitting an entry should either go to www.scalefour.org/jubileechallenge or contact the organiser at jubileechallenge@scalefour.org