[eddscott]

Things are moving on a pace with the creation of my layout. I've got all the loft boards I need donated from a friend which has saved me a tidy sum and I'm starting to hunt for some rolling stock.

There seems to be a fair amount of old Lima stock on fleebay for very little cash. I assume the detail levels aren't particularly high (although I understand the Class 59 I recently purchased is old Lima tooling in a Hornby box??) but I thought of purchasing a few and use then as guinea pigs for practising my DCC conversion skills on them. I'll be using DCC on my layout via an NCE powercab.

One thing I have to mention which I will add to my blog if I win them is that I found some old Lima Texaco fuel tankers which say Milford Haven on them - I live next to Milford Haven and the local refineries are why my layouts frieght section will be a refinery

 

[dwb]

One feature of older Lima stock, I have no experience of anything post 1982 or so, is the very deep flanges on the wheels. If you stick to code 100 track there is no problem but if you use code 75, and I think you have considered this option, then the flanges will literally run along the sleepers.

David

 

[34C]

If you are going to buy second hand Lima, then only pay a very low price commensurate with the poor motors, dirt attracting wheels, and less than exciting finish.

I would suggest a hands on comparison between something new and good from Bach, Hornby or Heljan and the equivalent Lima item. Personally given the quality of what is now on offer I wouldn't have Lima (or Hornby's lightly worked over reissues) on my layout if it was given me free, but YMMV.

 

[61215 billy carver]

hi , apart from motor issues if your using code 100 track they are a good starting point.the class20 is a good molding bogie molding far better than baccy.class 31 still holds its own in the molding stakes .class 37 another good molding .and class 47 likewise .if you add extra wieght and pickups they are reasonable runners . dcc wise no plug so have to solder decoder in sme good tuition on this site . try one you,ll be happy at the saving . billy

 

[eddscott]

QUOTE (34C @ 4 Sep 2008, 09:24) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>(or Hornby's lightly worked over reissues)

Is it a question of research to ascertain which are these "reissues"? Am I right in saying the Hornby Class 59 is ex-Lima? its the first of (hopefully) many to my fleet.

 

[34C]

QUOTE (eddscott @ 4 Sep 2008, 12:10) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Is it a question of research to ascertain which are these "reissues"? Am I right in saying the Hornby Class 59 is ex-Lima? its the first of (hopefully) many to my fleet.
It is. Hornby have replaced the lima motor bogie with one of their own design. Hornby have done what I think is a sub-standard job, and the UK model railway press has failed to give them the hard time they deserve for it. Let me explain.

UK model railway items have generally technically lagged behind European mainland and US items. This has been a contributuing factor to the relatively small size of the hobby in the UK. The excellent quallity 'off-the-shelf' in Europe and the US retains far more adult interest, simply because people appreciate the quality. I had decided to do US HO, since UK RTR was so poor, despite UK railways being my 'true love'.

In respect of bogie diesel models, Bachmann on entry to the UK market, introduced the centre motor twin bogie drive in UK prototypes after it had been long available elsewhere. The superiority of this mechanism over any single motor bogie type is very marked, and it got a good reception from railway modellers. A friend drew my attention to this, and it quickly became apparent that Bachmann were intent on delivering something much better than what had previously been typical.

It may only be coincidence, but then Heljan entered the UK market, using the same style of drive. Favourable reception.

Hornby, finally, get with the programme. They off-shore production, and their first bogie diesel effort has the centre motor drive and much else. Not perfect, but easily the best diesel model offered to the UK market up to that point. Things are looking up!

Lima from a whole slew of causes, go bust. Marvellous, clears the market for superior competitors. Hornby subsequently buy the assets.

Then ex-Lima employees working in a new company called Vi-Trains introduce a centre motor drive class 37, from an Italian manufacturing site. Lima had always had the know how, and now prove it is fully possible to make this drive down to a competitive price for the UK market, using a European manufacturing base!

Hornby start selling models based on the purchased Lima tooling. They have spent money on designing replacement power bogies, instead of designing replacement centre motor drives. Since a wholly new centre motor type can be designed and built at a competitive price in Europe, it must be fully feasible in China. It is quickly apparent that these models have poor traction, so the old expedient of traction tyres are deployed, a pime cause of track dirt and unreliability. Totally unnecessary, back to the bad old days.

Hornby are perfectly entitled to run their business as they see fit: but I am going to vote both with my wallet and voice against this very poor decision. Good quality will grow the market; going back to what was inadequate twenty years ago, risks shrinking it.

 

[eddscott]

I didn't know any of that.

Interesting stuff. Thanks 34C

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I apologies if this is unhelpful or already said as I am largely skim reading due to being away for a fortnight. Hornby have released, or are about to release the following Lima models (there may be more that I miss due to not having time to really search stuff):

37, 43 (HST), 47, 59*, 73, 101, 121, 156.

* The model of 59005 released by Hornby uses the wrong body design, the Lima releases all had the correct headlight arrangement. Also some of the earlier Hornby releases of 59s and 73s had no traction tyres which means they have poor performance.

I have a vast collection of Lima stock and to be honest with a little work on a few they are absolutely fine on my layout, although I am looking at replacing some of the chassis with newer Hornby ones due to motors wearing out, but by and large, I have no probs with them.

 

[eddscott]

I've got 59 102 - Village of Chantry in ARC livery. The wheels are all metal. Theres no tyres on them. I'm a good deal away from a first run on my layout so won't have a chance to comment on performance for a while.

Also, rather than start a new thread I have recently picked up these wagons:-

The ARC wagons are to match the ARC 59, the tanker because Milford Haven is only down the road and I can hear the refinery train at night.

Anyway, I saw on fleebay a while ago someone selling a load of the ARC wagons but they had different bogies fitted. I assume they were more detailed (they were also cast metal) and they had Kadee couplings. Does anyone know what these aftermarket bogies were and where I could get them from?