High Level 94xx hits the bigtime!...

[High Level Kits]

In Hornby magazine issue 123 (September 2017) which is now out, there's a fine article on the 94xx in which someone has done a tidy job mating the High Level chassis with a Wills Finecast body.

 

The second photo shows what can be done with a Lima body on the same chassis.

 

Either one's a winner - Lima bodies are available on Ebay for a few quid, or you can breath some new life into the old whitemetal kit, which is basically a sound model. Both chassis have custom gearboxes and can take a huge motor, which is hidden in the boiler space, as is the High Level way.

 

 

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

Given how much the Bachmann one is likely to cost when (if) it appears, this looks like a really good option.

[Horsetan]

Given how much the Bachmann one is likely to cost when (if) it appears, this looks like a really good option.

 

A decent chimney, safety valve bonnet and a couple of other bits, and it's pretty much job done.

[timbowilts]

If you are going to put a decent chassis under a Lima 94xx body please open out the cab opening!

 

Tim T

[High Level Kits]

If you are going to put a decent chassis under a Lima 94xx body please open out the cab opening!

 

Tim T

The mechanism does not protrude into the cab so you could do that, and fit a fully detailed cab interior.

[28XX]

There is a list of compromises in the article, most of which are fixable, except perhaps the over-wide firebox (required for the Lima pancake I assume) which would be tricky to corrrct.

[High Level Kits]

The High Level chassis kit was designed to fit the forthcoming Bachmann 94xx, based on the best information available to us at the time. When this was delayed, Jim Smith-Wright decided to see what could be done to fit one to a Lima 94xx and at the same time, Tim Shackleton used a High Level chassis with a Wills Finecast whitemetal body kit.

The Wills kit is a good 50 years old, and the Lima body dates back to the 1970s. Inevitably there will be compromises because expectations were different back then. However if you don't mind doing a bit of work then either route can produce an excellent result. How far you take it – fitting a fully detailed cab interior, for instance – is very much down to the individual modeller. Some will be happy to go the whole hog, others will accept a few compromises as the price for getting a good-looking and comparatively inexpensive 94xx model up and running.

[tomparryharry]

I'd reckon a SEF 94xx would haul a few wagons or two. When I'm better, I think I'll pester you for a chassis kit. I've still got an old kit lurking about here.

 

I do like the look of that.

 

Ian.

[hayfield]

The High Level chassis kit was designed to fit the forthcoming Bachmann 94xx, based on the best information available to us at the time. When this was delayed, Jim Smith-Wright decided to see what could be done to fit one to a Lima 94xx and at the same time, Tim Shackleton used a High Level chassis with a Wills Finecast whitemetal body kit.

 

The Wills kit is a good 50 years old, and the Lima body dates back to the 1970s. Inevitably there will be compromises because expectations were different back then. However if you don't mind doing a bit of work then either route can produce an excellent result. How far you take it – fitting a fully detailed cab interior, for instance – is very much down to the individual modeller. Some will be happy to go the whole hog, others will accept a few compromises as the price for getting a good-looking and comparatively inexpensive 94xx model up and running.

 

 

The Southeastern Finecast kit has had the Wills body revised but still uses the Triang/Hornby Jinty chassis. BUT there are so many Wills kits available second hand at low prices many having Romford wheels fitted, so for the price of a set of Markit wheels you could have a donor body and wheels for the Highlevel chassis.

 

These kits usually are dismantled quite easily and if any parts are either missing or broken replacements are available from Southeastern Finecast along with the additional parts (cab details) from the revised kit.

 

On the other hand unmade Wills kits again come up quite regularly, again at quite competitive prices 

[High Level Kits]

The High Level chassis helps bring out the potential of the Wills and Lima bodyshells. The heavy Finecast body with a big Mashima will certainly pull a lot, as will the Lima model if it’s stashed it with weight.

The plastic body, used for the stand model, is very user-friendly to work with, coming to bits easily to allow improvements. Other than the firebox being too wide, is pretty accuate with the only major flaw being the flimsy rear mounting Lima used, which has been taken care of using etches.