A 40,000-ton Nelson becomes an early fast battleship

What would a 40,000-ton Nelson-class battleship look like?

Broadly similar in armament, but faster - probably above 25 knots and potentially near 28 knots.

Britain would probably preserve the class's basic all-forward armament and spend the extra displacement on speed. A lower or rearranged forward turret could lengthen useful machinery and fuel spaces. The design goal would rise above 23 knots, perhaps reaching 26 to 28 knots. That would make the ships early fast battleships and could materially alter later interceptions of German surface raiders such as Gneisenau.