I think of my collection(s) as (1) giving me pleasure in collecting and playing with them, and (2) supplanting my pension when I sell them.  Selling also offsets buying costs!

I'm also quite a heretic because if you look at the prices you can get non-moving models for, they are close to similar prices we expect for the powered DC versions we use, so I adopted the view that with Dapol tender drive locos (Schools class in particular) I was buying a static model for a diorama that sometimes worked. That attitude has certainly helped keep my blood pressure down.

Bob G

Quote from: Browning 9mm on January 02, 2026, 11:19:29 AMoften cheaper to buy new when needed, rather than pay D& G to repair. one of our washing machines some years ago cost more in spares to repair than a replacement, but they insisted in repairing rather than replacing.

It's only the motor that has stopped working, and its only 3 years old. I used to work in the environmental sector where one of the biggest gripes used to be the longevity of white goods.
The service engineer is coming on Monday (10 days after he was booked to come) and all he's going to do is look at it! TBH I'd like it to be repaired!

Bob

often cheaper to buy new when needed, rather than pay D& G to repair. one of our washing machines some years ago cost more in spares to repair than a replacement, but they insisted in repairing rather than replacing.

oh great, only six weeks till the sky is full of airborne fire bombs.
remember one landing on one of the buildings before I retired, no match for a fire extinguisher, but fields could catch fire, or cattle get entangled in the wire and pater when they landed.
perhaps a new wave of channel crossers, not dinghies, airborne

I absolutely agree with the suggestions to start with baby steps with a known good kit. Something like a Fourdees 009 loco which are known to fit Bachmann chassis well and can be painted and finished to a good standard by a newcomer.

Or there are lots of rolling stock kits from the N Gauge Society to cut your teeth on for very low cost.

The 444 kit could be worked up to as your confidence grows - and it'll be much cheaper if you can do it yourself.

Just adding a link to the listing for the 444, makes life easier to refer to it

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=177732211831

Yes I've read before about 3D prints which maybe re-sized from another scale or just drawn up according to the prototype dimensions, and not specifically tailored to make use of RTR parts such as a powered mechanism.   This is nothing new, some of the old white metal loco kits of the 60s/70s/80s required an existing chassis to be hacked about to fit. 

That doesn't mean it's impossible to produce fine model but requires a lot of experience, a wide skill set and a lot of workbench time.   People with such skills all had to start somewhere with simple models and so can you

Quote from: GWR_XC on January 02, 2026, 05:51:39 AMUnfortunately I do not have the skills or confidence to attempt such a task as building/painting a project like this

How do you know that? If you try, you might surprise yourself.
I didn't think that I had the skills until I tried, and when my club bought a 3D printer I found that what I could make was way beyond my previous dreams.

Why not try something simpler (and cheaper) as a start - maybe something that is designed to fit on a specific chassis, possibly an 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 shunter?
 

I just had a look at the eBay listing and it says that it isn't designed for any particular chassis which is worrying. That will mean that fitting a chassis will be part of the project and that's if you can find one with the correct bogie pivots and wheelbase but it mate by possible like the 350 or something.

But this is a HUGE job. The glazing will be a real headache because because there's no provision for it.

There are very few people in the hobby who can even fully build and paint a model like this, and those who can don't do it professionally or offer their services.

Rob as mentioned is a fantastic painter but you'll have to ask him whether he can take something like this on.

Franky there are a lot of 3d printed designs that are for sale but just aren't comprehensive enough to actually get built. Not designed for any chassis, no glazing, no decals, often poorl designed as shapes. It's not good.

But this will cost you many hundreds of pounds even if you can find a builder, just to make you aware. Sorry to be a downer ! I do hope something comes up.

Will.

With the utmost respect, if you are worried about your abilities that much, you really are jumping in at the deep end!

I've been in this game since 1957, and would never think of attempting a project like that!

Best of luck, though.

Unfortunately I do not have the skills or confidence to attempt such a task as building/painting a project like this

As much as I really like N gauge & the model railway hobby - I'm out of my depth as it is with basic modelling so much so I do not even have any form of layout yet despite having everything required to build one for the last 10+ years

It's quite pitiful really and what I have attempted in the past is rather embarrassing when I attempted to build a plastic model station kit

That being said, I'm determined to learn and stick with it and hopefully get some form of layout going this year but I doubt I will ever reach any skill level to attempt to build/paint a class 444


Yes I do already have the class 450 in SWT blue livery - don't have the newer SWR livery though - it's just a pity no body does a ready to run model of the class 444 and I would be very surprised if it ever happened just like the class 442 unfortunately

Revolution trains have been amazing though as at least they are bringing high quality EMUs to market such as the electro stars at some point which is exciting

Also I did hear back from Charlie regarding the class 444 and class 350 and you are correct njee20 the class 350 would work if some how the chassis could be extended as they are too short