Lima class 117 conversion kit

[Crompton48]

Many moons ago i think it was silver fox made a resin conversion for a lima class 117 dmbs to convert it to a dms is this still avalible ?

does any one still stock it i have googled it no luck

[loickebros]

Hi yes it was silver fox models but no longer on thier web site.

If you are struggling to find one i am pretty sure i have an unopened one in the "projects that are never going to happen box"

Let me know if you are stuck & i will try to find it PM me and we can sort something out.

Dave

[royaloak]

I am interested in it if crompton48 isnt!

[Jack]

Its worth giving John a shout at Silver Fox. I had one from him last year, he may still have a few in stock?

[dave_long]

Charlie of DC kits sells them still. I'm sure he'll be along himself on here and tell you the same very soon.

 

Dave

[Sam Moss]

I was going to tackle the conversion but I'll think I'll wait until March 2012 now.

[dave_long]

I was going to tackle the conversion but I'll think I'll wait until March 2012 now.

such a specific date?

[roger440]

You can of course do this using a spare trailer car and rearrange the bodyside with accordingly. Dis several like this way back before there was any other way.

[Xerces Fobe2]

You can of course do this using a spare trailer car and rearrange the bodyside with accordingly. Dis several like this way back before there was any other way.

Once you get the hang of this method it works quite well.

[Crompton48]

Yes i have tried this not to keen on the result though.

I have converted another 117 with the silver fox kit and it looks good so i will look for another kit.

[loickebros]

Hi yes it was silver fox models but no longer on thier web site.

If you are struggling to find one i am pretty sure i have an unopened one in the "projects that are never going to happen box"

Let me know if you are stuck & i will try to find it PM me and we can sort something out.

Dave

I have found it pm me if you want to strike a deal.

Dave

[Crompton48]

Thanks loickebros i have got one through the Model Shop in Exeter .

[vikingsmb]

On 14/09/2011 at 19:51, roger440 said:

You can of course do this using a spare trailer car and rearrange the bodyside with accordingly. Dis several like this way back before there was any other way.

how easy is it to do? as i would like to convert a DMBS to DMS

[The Johnster]

Having done a bit of this sort of thing in converting a LIma 116 to a Derby 116 with a TC, which required 5 Lima vehicles to make a 3-car set including the DMS, it's not difficult but it is faffy and time consuming.  Fortunately they were giving Lima 117s away for shrapnel back in the day.  The underframes are suitable for the conversion, but you will need to replicate my DMS.  This basis of the conversion is cut'n'shut of bodies, and you are assisted in this by the Lima bodies being sides, ends, and roof in one piece, and that the roof ribs can act as a guide when you are cutting.  For the DMS (use the dummy, not the one with the motor in) you will need a spare TCL.  Using the door lines as guides for the side cuts, cut at the 'cab end' door line for the seating bay immediately in front of the guards compartment bulkhead, and trim to the door line. 

 

Now, cut a length equating to the piece you've just cut off from the DMBS from the TC at the second class end, including the full door; IIRC this is 2 and a half seating bays but it was a long time ago. IIRC, luckily, the toilet tank filler pipes come in from the first class end so you won't have to carve those off.  Lining up the cutoff piece with the guard's compartment will show you the door line to cut.  Next job is to try fit the cut part of the TC second class body to the remaining section of the DMBS body, which now no longer has a B, using the original DMBS underframe; now you will see why you used the dummy, unmotorised, DMBS.  Trim the cut ends as smooth as possible and join, using Milliput to fill any gaps, and smooth the join and Milliput as best you can, then repaint in your chosen livery.  For a DT you will need to use the TC underframe. 

 

My 116 is modelled in pre-gangwayed condition, so I had to do some work on the interiors as well, full width compartment dividers and full width bench seats across them and the ends, but not at the cab bulkhead where there was always a door to the cab in the middle.  The compartment dividers were Formica panelled in the same way as the rest of the interior in a sickly green pattern panelling, and, working from memory, I used Games Workshop 'decaying flesh green' acrylic for them; looks about right to me!  Pre-gangwayed means filling the holes left by the Lima gangway connections, and in those days the exhaust pipes did not have the silencers on them, so plain pipes, sooty black unless you are modelling ex-works.  Replacing the silly little mushrooms that LIma thought were buffers is well worth the effort, and you can get flush glazing for these sets from Southeastern.  Seats were a sort of grey moquette with rd squares, and a mid grey is not far off for 4mm, and the head cushions were, IIRC, red faux leather.  Interior panelling was decaying flesh (not really, but that's what I used) with varnished wooden window frames.  Compartment dividers had 3 equally spaced rectangular windows, with no-smoking labels displayed on the inside of the smoking compartment.

 

For the 116, I had to cut off the headcode panels and replace with destination blind panels, which I cobbled up out of shaped Milliput around a suitably sized brass channel section, and my version was a late production set with 4 marker lights, one above the destination blind panel and 3 equally spaced on the lower cab front.  These were lengths of brass tube set into drilled holes, and filled with pva glue to give an impression of the opaque lenses.  IIRC the DTs had the Derby type cab with 2-character headcode panel below the centre cab window and a marker lamp each side.  Oil tail lamps were used until 1980.

 

I still have the 116, and it still runs if you clean it up, but it is not suitable for my current layout.  I sometimes consider doing the 122 conversion, which is less unsuitable but a little out of period, but have so far resisted this because better RTR is now avaialble, and it would lead to a duplicate set of WR diesel locos, D68xx, D95xx, 08, possibly Hymek, that I really can't afford...

[Phatbob]

Google is your friend:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203746000852?hash=item2f70353fd4:g:jsAAAOSwjQJfq9Qt

 

 

Other search engines are available.

[Mark]

On 09/01/2022 at 18:45, The Johnster said:

Having done a bit of this sort of thing in converting a LIma 116 to a Derby 116 with a TC, which required 5 Lima vehicles to make a 3-car set including the DMS, it's not difficult but it is faffy and time consuming.  Fortunately they were giving Lima 117s away for shrapnel back in the day.  The underframes are suitable for the conversion, but you will need to replicate my DMS.  This basis of the conversion is cut'n'shut of bodies, and you are assisted in this by the Lima bodies being sides, ends, and roof in one piece, and that the roof ribs can act as a guide when you are cutting.  For the DMS (use the dummy, not the one with the motor in) you will need a spare TCL.  Using the door lines as guides for the side cuts, cut at the 'cab end' door line for the seating bay immediately in front of the guards compartment bulkhead, and trim to the door line. 

 

Now, cut a length equating to the piece you've just cut off from the DMBS from the TC at the second class end, including the full door; IIRC this is 2 and a half seating bays but it was a long time ago. IIRC, luckily, the toilet tank filler pipes come in from the first class end so you won't have to carve those off.  Lining up the cutoff piece with the guard's compartment will show you the door line to cut.  Next job is to try fit the cut part of the TC second class body to the remaining section of the DMBS body, which now no longer has a B, using the original DMBS underframe; now you will see why you used the dummy, unmotorised, DMBS.  Trim the cut ends as smooth as possible and join, using Milliput to fill any gaps, and smooth the join and Milliput as best you can, then repaint in your chosen livery.  For a DT you will need to use the TC underframe. 

 

My 116 is modelled in pre-gangwayed condition, so I had to do some work on the interiors as well, full width compartment dividers and full width bench seats across them and the ends, but not at the cab bulkhead where there was always a door to the cab in the middle.  The compartment dividers were Formica panelled in the same way as the rest of the interior in a sickly green pattern panelling, and, working from memory, I used Games Workshop 'decaying flesh green' acrylic for them; looks about right to me!  Pre-gangwayed means filling the holes left by the Lima gangway connections, and in those days the exhaust pipes did not have the silencers on them, so plain pipes, sooty black unless you are modelling ex-works.  Replacing the silly little mushrooms that LIma thought were buffers is well worth the effort, and you can get flush glazing for these sets from Southeastern.  Seats were a sort of grey moquette with rd squares, and a mid grey is not far off for 4mm, and the head cushions were, IIRC, red faux leather.  Interior panelling was decaying flesh (not really, but that's what I used) with varnished wooden window frames.  Compartment dividers had 3 equally spaced rectangular windows, with no-smoking labels displayed on the inside of the smoking compartment.

 

For the 116, I had to cut off the headcode panels and replace with destination blind panels, which I cobbled up out of shaped Milliput around a suitably sized brass channel section, and my version was a late production set with 4 marker lights, one above the destination blind panel and 3 equally spaced on the lower cab front.  These were lengths of brass tube set into drilled holes, and filled with pva glue to give an impression of the opaque lenses.  IIRC the DTs had the Derby type cab with 2-character headcode panel below the centre cab window and a marker lamp each side.  Oil tail lamps were used until 1980.

 

I still have the 116, and it still runs if you clean it up, but it is not suitable for my current layout.  I sometimes consider doing the 122 conversion, which is less unsuitable but a little out of period, but have so far resisted this because better RTR is now avaialble, and it would lead to a duplicate set of WR diesel locos, D68xx, D95xx, 08, possibly Hymek, that I really can't afford...

I did a single car conversion but I used a mitre block to saw the body. Cut each part longer than necessary and gently dress it back. However I opted not use the door edges for the join. It is easier to disguise the joint on the plain surfaces without any detail. With care this means there is no trace of any join. I got away with no need for filler. The door method results in missing hinges or the gap potentially is slightly different either side of the door if you don’t get the cut right.

 

Mark