Size Matters ?

[ThePurplePrimer]

Today my membership pack arrived and I have started to have a look at some of the info available and I am now also reading the 'Track' book again that I bought a while back.

 

Now I am starting to wonder what I might like to do.

 

I like the green period diesels and can see I could buy these from GF or Dapol and 'just' drop in 2FS wheelsets. Now of course these are 148 scale.

 

I think I am quite happy to run those on the 2FS track and I am sure it will look just fine. Then I need coaches so GF again.

 

The problem starts when I start to think about wagons. The association seems to do some nice wagon kits and chassis but surely these will be the wrong scale when put next to my other stock ?

 

What do most of you do about this conundrum ?

[StuartM]

If you're using GF locos and GF coaches and GF wagons, then they will all be in proportion to one another.

The difference in size between 2mm and n is negligible when it comes to stock, unless you want absolute fidelity or ultra finescale.

The only place where it really matters is the track and wheels.

[Guest bri.s]

I've just joined aswell and thinking on doing the same with the drop in wheel sets although I don't think you can get them for Dapol loco's just GF

 

As for the wagons I fancy having a go at quite a few kits ,my thinking is as long as I keep the 2mm ones away from the n gauge ones so they're not in the same train or on scene together I think it would be fine

 

Brian

[queensquare]

I wouldn't worry about it. I happily run converted RTR wagons scratch built and kits built from both 2mm and N gauge society kits all together and nobody has ever noticed - see my latest post on the 2mm workbench thread. The size difference is negligible and anything built to an accurate 1:148 will look fine with 2mm stock. The problem arises with things like the older Peco wagons which tend to be a bit clumpy and are often stretched for a one size fits all chassis. Many of the older N gauge society kits also suffer from being made to fit Peco chassis.

 

Jerry

[ThePurplePrimer]

Thanks for the replies

 

Good to know that people are relaxed about it.

[Donw]

IN some cases you will find that the N gauge stock is a bit high. I seem to remember Pete Matcham lowering the body on his class 37 to great effect.  Using wheels scaled to 2mm size can be used under 1:148 bodies. It gives a little extra clearance in splashers and looks ok. 

Don

[PatB]

I wouldn't worry about it. I happily run converted RTR wagons scratch built and kits built from both 2mm and N gauge society kits all together and nobody has ever noticed - see my latest post on the 2mm workbench thread. The size difference is negligible and anything built to an accurate 1:148 will look fine with 2mm stock. The problem arises with things like the older Peco wagons which tend to be a bit clumpy and are often stretched for a one size fits all chassis. Many of the older N gauge society kits also suffer from being made to fit Peco chassis.

 

Jerry

 

Probably best avoid the truly gigantic Lima/WrennN 16T mineral wagon* then .

 

 

*Which, I am given to understand, was a 4/7 scale replica of the already inaccurate Triang 00 offering because whoever did the drawing/toolmaking hadn't grasped that the UK used 4mm scale vs Contineental 3.5 mm scale.

[Chris Higgs]

If you're using GF locos and GF coaches and GF wagons, then they will all be in proportion to one another.

The difference in size between 2mm and n is negligible when it comes to stock, unless you want absolute fidelity or ultra finescale.

The only place where it really matters is the track and wheels.

 

Or perhaps coaches, don't put two coaches of different scel together when they should be exactly the same height. Then you will notice. WIth wagons it is hardly an issue.

[Chris Higgs]

IN some cases you will find that the N gauge stock is a bit high. I seem to remember Pete Matcham lowering the body on his class 37 to great effect.  Using wheels scaled to 2mm size can be used under 1:148 bodies. It gives a little extra clearance in splashers and looks ok. 

Don

 

This probably has less to do with the scale, more with the fact that diesel models in all scales typically have ther bodies mounted too high, so they can go round trainset curves. When Heljan did thier 4mm DP2, they made the mistake of not doing this, with the result that a lot of their buyers ended up with something that fell off the track on the corners.

 

Chris

[DavidLong]

Chris Higgs, on 23 Jan 2016 - 09:20, said:

This probably has less to do with the scale, more with the fact that diesel models in all scales typically have ther bodies mounted too high, so they can go round trainset curves. When Heljan did thier 4mm DP2, they made the mistake of not doing this, with the result that a lot of their buyers ended up with something that fell off the track on the corners.

 

Chris

 

I think that says more about the 'layouts' that people build than it does about Heljan's designers. If there was a way to wean N gaugers off their love of 9" radius curves the world would be a far better place.

 

David

[CF MRC]

I think it's disgraceful the way people mix up these scales. Everyone knows that 2mm finescale has a purity of mind and action that is missing from all other scales. People who mix up their locos and rolling stock in N & 2mm scales should be banished, and as for those that use grossly different scales on the same layout...there is just no hope for them.

 

Disgusted of Copenhagen.

[DavidLong]

CF MRC, on 23 Jan 2016 - 12:40, said:

I think it's disgraceful the way people mix up these scales. Everyone knows that 2mm finescale has a purity of mind and action that is missing from all other scales. People who mix up their locos and rolling stock in N & 2mm scales should be banished, and as for those that use grossly different scales on the same layout...there is just no hope for them.

 

Disgusted of Copenhagen.

 

Ah yes. Beware the 2mm Taliban!

 

David

[Donw]

This probably has less to do with the scale, more with the fact that diesel models in all scales typically have ther bodies mounted too high, so they can go round trainset curves. When Heljan did thier 4mm DP2, they made the mistake of not doing this, with the result that a lot of their buyers ended up with something that fell off the track on the corners.

 

Chris

 

I didn't make it clear that I meant high for 1:148 something made to a true 1:148 scale should be fine.

Don

[Caley Jim]

Ah yes. Beware the 2mm Taliban!

Following Model Rail Scotland a few years back, at which their reporter spoke with me on the Roadshow stand, the STV website report called us the 'Wee Frees' of the modelling world.  We were quite proud of that, but I guess that the connotations will be lost on those not familiar with the denominational intricacies of Scottish Presbyterianism!

 

Fundamentalist of Biggar

[ThePurplePrimer]

I am really enjoying this thread - thanks

 

Reminds me of watching The Clangers as a kid

 

I can't understand what you are saying but I am enjoying it anyway :-)

[ThePurplePrimer]

Based on the replies I am thinking of going for GF Diesels and GF Mk1 coaches and 2FS association wagon kits and pretending they are all to the same scale - if I don't tell myself I bet I never notice.

[Caley Jim]

Reminds me of watching The Clangers as a kid

 

They're back on again!  Grandparenting duties have their compensations!!

 

Based on the replies I am thinking of going for GF Diesels and GF Mk1 coaches and 2FS association wagon kits and pretending they are all to the same scale - if I don't tell myself I bet I never notice.

 

Shhhh!!  That will be our little secret!!

 

Jim

[Izzy]

While I haven't had any size issues mixing the latest design Farish wagons with 2mmSA built ones I would suggest avoiding mixing Farish and 2mm coaches in the same rake, where I have found the differential to be quite noticeable.

 

Izzy

[Donw]

While I haven't had any size issues mixing the latest design Farish wagons with 2mmSA built ones I would suggest avoiding mixing Farish and 2mm coaches in the same rake, where I have found the differential to be quite noticeable.

 

Izzy

 

If you choose to model turn of the century GWR the coach roofs were up and down more than the FTSE index.

Don

[Yorkshire Square]

This probably has less to do with the scale, more with the fact that diesel models in all scales typically have ther bodies mounted too high, so they can go round trainset curves. When Heljan did thier 4mm DP2, they made the mistake of not doing this, with the result that a lot of their buyers ended up with something that fell off the track on the corners.

 

Chris

I've always found that having corners in your track to be a recipe for disaster...

[Argos]

I have a conundrum at the moment.

 

A while ago I bought a Graham Hughes Caley 498 tank kit off ebay.

The body was duly built and some 8mm drivers were purchased from shop 3 (the prototype has 4ft wheels).

 

The drawing was then photo-reduced to 2mm and the chassis planned out.

Here the problem arose, the chassis drawing was too short.

Ah! I the kit must be 1:148  thinks I, so I rescaled the drawings to 1:148, unfortunately the chassis was still too small.

It appears the kit is over-scale (to fit the proposed N gauge mechanism?).

To make the wheels the same scale as the body I would need 10mm drivers.

 

As a result I am unsure what to do, have a N+ loco and chassis which may make the loco obviously over-scale as against other 2mmFS kits,or a 2mm chassis (using the wheels bought) and over scale body.

Anyone else faced a similar problem?

[nick_bastable]

I have a conundrum at the moment.

 

A while ago I bought a Graham Hughes Caley 498 tank kit off ebay.

The body was duly built and some 8mm drivers were purchased from shop 3 (the prototype has 4ft wheels).

 

The drawing was then photo-reduced to 2mm and the chassis planned out.

Here the problem arose, the chassis drawing was too short.

Ah! I the kit must be 1:148  thinks I, so I rescaled the drawings to 1:148, unfortunately the chassis was still too small.

It appears the kit is over-scale (to fit the proposed N gauge mechanism?).

To make the wheels the same scale as the body I would need 10mm drivers.

 

As a result I am unsure what to do, have a N+ loco and chassis which may make the loco obviously over-scale as against other 2mmFS kits,or a 2mm chassis (using the wheels bought) and over scale body.

Anyone else faced a similar problem?

how would 9mm drivers and adjusting the axle hole up by 0.5mm work , I suspect the use of  a n chassis causes the issue with pizza cutter flanges 

[Chris Higgs]

I have a conundrum at the moment.

 

A while ago I bought a Graham Hughes Caley 498 tank kit off ebay.

The body was duly built and some 8mm drivers were purchased from shop 3 (the prototype has 4ft wheels).

 

The drawing was then photo-reduced to 2mm and the chassis planned out.

Here the problem arose, the chassis drawing was too short.

Ah! I the kit must be 1:148  thinks I, so I rescaled the drawings to 1:148, unfortunately the chassis was still too small.

It appears the kit is over-scale (to fit the proposed N gauge mechanism?).

To make the wheels the same scale as the body I would need 10mm drivers.

 

As a result I am unsure what to do, have a N+ loco and chassis which may make the loco obviously over-scale as against other 2mmFS kits,or a 2mm chassis (using the wheels bought) and over scale body.

Anyone else faced a similar problem?

 

Ah, the good old days when you needed a rubber ruler to measure N gauge stock. A lot of models were designed to fit the GF GP tank chassis, with prototype accuracy just a nice to have. This includes the GF 94XX which is much too big.

 

My advice would be to choose another prototype, building this one will just nag at you until the end of time...

 

Or perhaps its possible to hack the body about to make it more to scale (at least to 1:148)

[Hendreladis]

I have a conundrum at the moment.

 

A while ago I bought a Graham Hughes Caley 498 tank kit off ebay.

The body was duly built and some 8mm drivers were purchased from shop 3 (the prototype has 4ft wheels).

 

The drawing was then photo-reduced to 2mm and the chassis planned out.

Here the problem arose, the chassis drawing was too short.

Ah! I the kit must be 1:148  thinks I, so I rescaled the drawings to 1:148, unfortunately the chassis was still too small.

It appears the kit is over-scale (to fit the proposed N gauge mechanism?).

To make the wheels the same scale as the body I would need 10mm drivers.

 

As a result I am unsure what to do, have a N+ loco and chassis which may make the loco obviously over-scale as against other 2mmFS kits,or a 2mm chassis (using the wheels bought) and over scale body.

Anyone else faced a similar problem?

Jim Watt seems to have used the kit as a basis for Connerburn years ago so it must be do-able:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61066-scottish-locomotives/page-8

[Caley Jim]

Jim Watt seems to have used the kit as a basis for Connerburn years ago so it must be do-able:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61066-scottish-locomotives/page-8

I did indeed. I used a Skinley drawing and don't recall having any major issues other than having to narrow the cab/bunker to scale width. IIRC the sandboxes were in slightly the wrong place. As an aside, I always build the chassis first as it is so much easier to check the fit of the body as you build it.

 

Jim