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When did first Lima release each of it's models?


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I've just been watching Sam's Trains Youtube channel where he recently reviewed the Hornby re-release of the Lima 101 dmu. He was commenting about how the detail standards weren't as good as modern models or even that great for when Hornby released it (2007 I think) and I was struggling to remember exactly what year Lima first released it. It got me curious as to exactly what year each of their models were released, especially those that are still in the Hornby range so can anyone remember the years?

 

 

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Not sure about individual models/classes but funnily enough I unearthed a pile of old catalogues the other week which made for fairly interesting viewing:

 

1984/85 catalogue: first appearance of Class 20

1985/86 catalogue: first appearance of Class 37, 73, 253 (IC125), first Class 87 in Inter-City livery

1987/88 catalogue: first appearance of Class 40, 47, more Class 37, 73, 87.  It also looks as though Lima went crazy that year for Mk I, II, III coaches in Blue/Grey, Inter-City, Network South East.

 

So that would make the Class 101 post-1988, whereby I have no further catalogues it seems beyond this point.  :)

 

 

Edited by YesTor
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My 11th birthday in November 1984 saw me getting my first trains - a Lima InterCity 125 in BR blue. I think that might have been out only recently as Your Model Railway at the time reviewed it, pointing out the fault in that the InterCity 125 lettering was black. Didn't bother me, I loved it and the miles that must have done!!

 

At the same time a trade in of old toys with a colleague of my Dad's yielded some more stock - Lima MK1's and a class 117 DMU which as they were preowned must have predated that.

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I bought my first 117 in late 1981 when they had just been released and I'm fairly sure the 20 arrived in the shops in 1985 as I bought my first one at the STAR swapmeet in Cardiff when I was working in South Wales.

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8 hours ago, YesTor said:

Not sure about individual models/classes but funnily enough I unearthed a pile of old catalogues the other week which made for fairly interesting viewing:

 

1984/85 catalogue: first appearance of Class 20

1985/86 catalogue: first appearance of Class 37, 73, 253 (IC125), first Class 87 in Inter-City livery

1987/88 catalogue: first appearance of Class 40, 47, more Class 37, 73, 87.  It also looks as though Lima went crazy that year for Mk I, II, III coaches in Blue/Grey, Inter-City, Network South East.

 

So that would make the Class 101 post-1988, whereby I have no further catalogues it seems beyond this point.  :)

 

 

I have a catalogue for 1980/81 (and a price list dated 1 January 1980) and that was a big year for new models.

 

Existing models

 

J50

94XX

Prairie 45XX

King

Class 09

Class 33

Class 55 Deltic

Class 52 Western

 

Listed as New - I think the Crab was some years later & maybe the V2?

 

Crab

V2

Class 42 Warship

GWR Railcar

Class 117 DMU

Class 87

 

Prices varied from 11.50 to 23.99!

 

1981/82

 

Added the Class 50 and GWR Parcels railcar.

 

1982/83

 

Added the HST

Edited by kevinlms
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The Lima HST first appeared in summer of 1982 as I  distinctly remember showing it to friends in Derby which will have been when I worked there. I bought the set which had two power cars and two coaches. I am pretty sure that the Class 20 was summer 1984 as I was working at York and can remember testing my green one on a York model railway club layout. My first Lima model was the J50 which I got whilst at school so that will have been the mid late 70s (1976?)

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29 minutes ago, 47401 said:

The Lima HST first appeared in summer of 1982 as I  distinctly remember showing it to friends in Derby which will have been when I worked there. I bought the set which had two power cars and two coaches. I am pretty sure that the Class 20 was summer 1984 as I was working at York and can remember testing my green one on a York model railway club layout. My first Lima model was the J50 which I got whilst at school so that will have been the mid late 70s (1976?)

Yes, the 20 could have been 1984 as I worked in South Wales from early 83 to the end of 85.

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I remember the V2 being in the catalogue, I wonder what model the used for it as obviously it never was released.

In the same catalogue there were some nice looking semaphore signals which also weren't released

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If I recall correctly, the class 101 was first produced by Lima in the mid-90's, I think around '95-'96.

It's one of Lima's better bodyshells, although the early examples had the moulded on RF pod and post-refurb bodyside vents used for the earlier liveries. It was really let down by using the existing underscale bogies for the 117.

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The HST was first announced about 1980. The original mock up actually used Hornby power cars and Jouef coaches. The 87 was circa 1982, about the same time as the Class 50. They were definitely out before 1984 as I'd virtually stopped buying modern at that point.

 

 

Still waiting for the V2 announced in 1980....

 

The mock up was a kit version. Nu Cast?

 

I'll dig out Ramsay's later if someone else doesn't before hand.

 

 

 

Jason

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I concur with 1995 for the 101 as I bought the Network SouthEast one at the Epsom show at Epsom Racecourse where it had arrived in the country a matter of days beforehand.

 

Still got a preorder in for the centre car in NSE which was in the catalogue but never produced. Retailer and manufacturer having both disappeared into history long ago now.

 

If I recall there was also in at least one catalogue a land grab of announcements of Peaks, 90's and 91's among others, none of which ever saw the light of day or were mentioned by Lima ever again.

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1 hour ago, John M Upton said:

If I recall there was also in at least one catalogue a land grab of announcements of Peaks, 90's and 91's among others, none of which ever saw the light of day or were mentioned by Lima ever again.

 

Others mentioning the vapourware V2 reminded me of a Lima catalogue that I once had that featured all of those forthcoming models that never arrived. And considering that a lot of the Lima models that are still being produced such as the 47 and 73, are now over 30 years old, they still look pretty good.

 

Does anyone remember what years the 67 was released as I believe it was their last new model and was only a few years before they went bust in 2004.

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20 hours ago, YesTor said:

Not sure about individual models/classes but funnily enough I unearthed a pile of old catalogues the other week which made for fairly interesting viewing:

 

1984/85 catalogue: first appearance of Class 20

1985/86 catalogue: first appearance of Class 37, 73, 253 (IC125), first Class 87 in Inter-City livery

1987/88 catalogue: first appearance of Class 40, 47, more Class 37, 73, 87.  It also looks as though Lima went crazy that year for Mk I, II, III coaches in Blue/Grey, Inter-City, Network South East.

 

So that would make the Class 101 post-1988, whereby I have no further catalogues it seems beyond this point.  :)

 

 

 

I purchased the Lima BG and CCT as early as 1978. I acquired a Mk1 SK in blue grey either in 1978/9, or in 1980/1 - probably the latter. I also had (and have) a Lima 09 , so 1977-8 for that introduction

 

I think the 1984/5 date may be accurate for the Lima 20 as that initial teenage layout had a Wrenn 20 - I'm sure the Lima one wasn't available then, but it was by the time I started Ravenser Mk1 in 1988/9.

 

I'm pretty sure the Lima J50 was available before we went out to Australia in March 1979, and I think a friend had the Deltic before then. The Class 33 was of course the first model

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6 hours ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

The Crab was introduced — ISTR they made the tender (wrongly) the same width as the loco. They probably thought the drawings were wrong...

The loco was the same width as the tender - it was possible with plastic card to pad it out to make to look more accurate in part albeit the cab was too narrow. Pat Hammond in British Model Trains Catalogue gives the years of introduction as

 

1976 - J50

1977 - 33, Deltic

1978 - 4575, King, 08

1979 - 94xx, Western, 87

1980 - Crab, Warship, GW Railcar, 117

1982 - HST, GW Parcels Railcar

1984 - 20, 50

1986 - 73

1987 - 37, 47

1988 - 40

1989 - 26, 27, 31, 156

1990 - 60

1994 - 59

1997 - 101

1998  - 121

1999 - 57, 66

2002 - 67

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On 10/05/2019 at 21:11, Butler Henderson said:

The loco was the same width as the tender - it was possible with plastic card to pad it out to make to look more accurate in part albeit the cab was too narrow. Pat Hammond in British Model Trains Catalogue gives the years of introduction as

 

1976 - J50

1977 - 33, Deltic

1978 - 4575, King, 08

1979 - 94xx, Western, 87

1980 - Crab, Warship, GW Railcar, 117

1982 - HST, GW Parcels Railcar

1984 - 20, 50

1986 - 73

1987 - 37, 47

1988 - 40

1989 - 26, 27, 31, 156

1990 - 60

1994 - 59

1997 - 101

1998  - 121

1999 - 57, 66

2002 - 67

The class 50 was 1982. I had one for my 16th birthday in 1983.

 

Mark Humphrys

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  • 2 years later...

Ok, cat among pigeons time. Ebay has a OO/Ho Peak Class 45 by LIMA listed right now - opinions  sought.... 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393942962196?hash=item5bb8d49014:g:rA4AAOSwwfRiDrE5  The bogie definitely is not Mainline, and the flimsiness of the buffer-beam attachment looks like this may have been a pre-production attempt by Lima - grab it someone while you can! May be a piece of history!!

 

 

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49 minutes ago, Keyboardist said:

Ok, cat among pigeons time. Ebay has a OO/Ho Peak Class 45 by LIMA listed right now - opinions  sought.... 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393942962196?hash=item5bb8d49014:g:rA4AAOSwwfRiDrE5  The bogie definitely is not Mainline, and the flimsiness of the buffer-beam attachment looks like this may have been a pre-production attempt by Lima - grab it someone while you can! May be a piece of history!!

 

 

It’s a Lima class 40 chassis with a  Bachmann body grafted on by the looks.

Edited by PMP
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