Cheating in n gauge

[ParkeNd]

This question is not about cheating - it is about covering up cheating. You will be cheating only in the eyes of those who buy locos and cut the fronts off and replace it with a jamily painted mess because the curve of the fire box door is a bit off. Those folks will catch you anyway.

Better in my experience of life in general to use an openly visible "visitor" than try to initiate a deceit that you won't believe, most won't notice, and the purists may spot but not accuse you of two crimes - the loco and the number.

[davecttr]

Playing with model trains is all about the suspension of disbelief. If any element of your layout is good enough for you that is all that is important. Modern N-gauge models are beautiful and detailed but I still don't mind at all running Farish HST's and Mk 3 coaches. I don't need lights and sound as well. They look the same to me as more detailed Dapol ones when viewed from a couple of feet away. If I wanted a loco to look at and admire I would buy a 00 or 0 gauge.

[Newportnobby]

Interesting idea and I have thought about renumbering a Britannia as 71000 Duke of Gloucester for a number of years.  The issue is the Duke's tender which is unique I believe.

Paddy

The Duke was slightly longer, was heavier (due to the tender capacity of 10 tons of coal against the Brits 7 tons), had a double chimney and Caprotti valve gear.
The power classification was therefore 8-P against the Brits 7-MT and the Clans 6-MT

Dapol have a high sided tender on the 9F which you could get away with.  I do not believe Dapol have released a Britannia with that tender though.  Did any Brits have a double chimney s?

Paddy

Not according to my 1964 Observers Book, Paddy.
70045-70054 had curved sided BR1E tenders though)

[Dr Al]

To me I don't understand why you wouldn't just buy the correct kit from Langley? I believe pretty much all the Standard tender locos are either available ready to run or as kits from Langley.

It's not clear which 4MT you want - the 4MT 2-6-0 is available from Farish, the 4-6-0 can be built from a Langley kit on a Farish Black 5 chassis. There is no 3MT tender loco currently available, so not sure what you are thinking of converting. For 4MTs, a little care and the Langley ones'll sit nicely next to it's RTR brothers:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/44361-standard-4mt-portrait/

The Clan does not have the same boiler as the Britannia, so would probably stand out as just being a Britannia that has been numbered wrongly.

Cheers,
Alan

[Stevie DC]

I guess this entirely depends on the modeller. Personally, I like my locos to be as closure to accurate as possible, hence why I now do most of my modelling in CAD and have it 3D printed. As a result, the biggest problem I face is finding suitable chassis to put my creations on - I've not yet found a self contained power unit with a scale 7'3 by 9' wheelbase that can easily accept difference sizes of wheels (usually from other manufacturers). Sometimes a body can sit for years before something suitable is identified and acquired.

Would I renumber a Dapol A3 to represent an original Gresley A1 in 1930's condition? No, not without removing the superheater covers on the smokebox and moving the reversing level and steam pipe to the other side of the loco (I've not plucked up the courage to do this yet!). Some would see this as almost rivet counting but for me it is noticeable and would make the model somehow inferior to the original if not changed.

The Farish 4MT would make an excellent starting point for conversion into a 3MT - as has been pointed out earlier in this discussion the loco chassis is near identical. However, I personally would want to at least address the difference sizes (and shape) of boiler and therefore also the taller boiler fittings. Comparing the drawings of the 3MT and 4MT side by side these are the most noticeable differences between the two classes and for me gives them their character. Again, I would make the same point about the Clan - the boiler is noticeably smaller.

However, this is to be your model and your layout, you should decide if this is a compromise you can accept - remember rule one always applies!