Hornby Mk1 timeline.

[The Johnster]

The Triang scale length mk1s, nearly 60 years old, were not far off as good as the Limas, but not as well finished; the maroon was far too red and shiny.  

[roythebus]

The Triang Mk1s were introduced in 1964 IIRC. Good models for their time as was the Brush Type 2.

[DCB]

8 hours ago, The Johnster said:

The Triang scale length mk1s, nearly 60 years old, were not far off as good as the Limas, but not as well finished; the maroon was far too red and shiny.  

Running both Lima and Triang/Hornby  Mk1s I feel the Triang/Hornby is better in all respects than the Lima except sitting 1mm or so too high above buffer level.   A hacksaw blade on the bogie pivot cures the height issue and the coupling rivets can be drilled out and the couplings re-positioned to close couple the coaches.  Even the early Triang Mk1s which I think had open axle boxes could easily be upgraded with peco pinpoint bearings and replacement wheels, while 21st century Hornby wheels drop straight into the closed axlebox bogies.  The Lima uses H0 axles so wheel changes are not so easy while the couplings can't be modified, I cut mine off and close coupled using Mainline, Peco, Airfix or Triang couplings.     The Lima wheels are however very good at staying on the rails,, Much better than the 21st century Hornby  so I fit them to Hornby Dublo bogies, but my Lima coaches, close coupled, painted interiors and all, are definitely due for replacement  while the older Triang ones, again with repainted interiors, close coupled and re wheeled are not currently scheduled for replacement, indeed I have two BSKs awaiting cut and shut conversion to S0 to complement the Buffet and a 57ft Full Brake (to go on eBay!), 

[The Johnster]

Both Lima and Triang made incorrect BGs on generic 64' mk1 underframes, in fact I think it was Mainline who first produced a correct length 57' BG.  Triang, including Triang Hornby, Lima, and Mainline all had very thick body sides and recessed glazing, the Lima being particularly awful in this respect!

 

Triang Hornby and Lima both committed the sin of trying to pass off their mk1s as big 4 coaches.  Lima also made mk1s in H0, as did Playcraft; of these the Limas were definitely the least awful...

[Il Grifone]

The Tri-ang bogies  have the top stretcher of the frames too thick (to fill in the gap caused by the unhappy combination of underscale wheels and overscale buffer height ) so my survivors run on something else, apart from a few kept as collectables. I have a couple of late issue Hornby chocolate and cream examples (BCK and BK). They are finished too well to discard and the flush windows are a great improvement, but neither the windows* nor the ride height match anything else.

 

*Don't read any farther unless you know already that the windows are too deep. Since I noticed this, it glowers back at me every time I look at one (even more than the ride height!).

[Steamport Southport]

15 hours ago, The Johnster said:

Both Lima and Triang made incorrect BGs on generic 64' mk1 underframes, in fact I think it was Mainline who first produced a correct length 57' BG.  Triang, including Triang Hornby, Lima, and Mainline all had very thick body sides and recessed glazing, the Lima being particularly awful in this respect!

 

Triang Hornby and Lima both committed the sin of trying to pass off their mk1s as big 4 coaches.  Lima also made mk1s in H0, as did Playcraft; of these the Limas were definitely the least awful...

 

Only in the very early days. They stopped that about 1978.

 

Try the stuff from the 1980s. Much better than the Hornby models with a proper paint job. Yes the window glazing was a bit rubbish, but most of us replaced them with SE Flushglaze. They were so cheap that an extra quid or so was worth it to improve them.

 

The Network South East, Regional Railways and Inter City liveried coaches are still in demand by collectors. Only really bettered by Bachmann (and Replica).

 

 

 

Jason