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Lima O gauge Mk1s


nigelrbfurness

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Hello

I'm new to RMWeb and haven't quite got the hang of searching for information yet.  Can anyone please point me at any information regarding the improving Lima O gauge BR Mk1 coaches?   I rashly bought half a dozen and they seem to be scaled up models of tri-ang's 1960s MK1s!!  The bogies look wrong and I'm sure there are other issues, not to mention the glazing.  So any info on how to rework these would be wonderful.

o

Thanks

Nigel F.

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Sourcing parts from JLTRT westdale and easy build would be a good start. JLTRT supply etched or cast bogies. Im sure there will be more on here who have tackled these conversions who could help better.

You might want to change the thread to detailing Lima MK1s Help and information needed or something like that to get the right attention.

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post-12623-0-23361700-1381177906_thumb.jpg

 

This is my rake of three LIMAs running behind a Heljan 47 and despite the bodies being slightly underscale they look perfectly fine as long as they are not coupled up to other coaching stock. I fitted Easybuild bogies to mine which run very freely. I decided not to try to widen mine as some people have done as although the width over the body is a scale 6" underscale, the distance over the solebars is only 2" under so the discrepancy is mainly in the overhang and the trusses are actually too far apart. I fitted SE Finecast windows but Easybuild offer castings for both inside and outside frame windows while several people offer window frame etchings. I also detailed up the underframes and moved one of the battery boxes on the BSK which is in the wrong position (despite what is shown on some drawings). A copy of Parkins 'Mark One Coaches' is a good general guide to what needs doing. The parts lists of several 0 Gauge parts suppliers can be accessed via the Gauge 0 Guild list of Traders websites (you don't have to be a Guild member to look at it).

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Thanks for all your replies, I didn't realise the coaches weren't the correct width - obviously I need to find a scale drawing, has any been published?  I usually take Railway Modeller magazine but the mk1 seems quite neglected.  I was wondering if there were some etched brass window frames, so that sounds like a good place to start with some flush glazing.  Howard, your picture looks really good so perhaps it wasn't mistake to buy these!  Steve, thanks for your advice, not sure I nkow how to change the thread title but I'll see if I can work it out tomorrow!

 

Thanks everybody for taking the trouble to reply.

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Hi.

Done a lot of these. Now, I'm trying to be helpful but a word of caution first. They come in for a lot of stick but actually a rake of 6 doesn't look too bad, we use lots. Bogies are continental design and that's where to start. I say caution because I used to pick these up for £5 - £10.. worth doing. Now some fetch silly prices. If you convert them which isn't hard, by the time you bought bogies, wheels, a roof and the coach, well, you can get a pretty nice kit for the same price? I'm just converting my last 6 which have sat in a box for ten years already cut in half. If they weren't already butchered I'd sell them. If you intend to get other more accurate models in the future you may get dissatisfied with their look but whether converted or left alone they will still sell. So it depends what they cost you.

 

Good book: British Railways Mark 1 Coaches by Keith Parkin MA. 1999 Pengragon ISBN 1 899816 07 0

There are some Skinley drawings if you can come by them (hard) which I have.

 

So, to convert. Take off bogies and roof. Keep roofs for GUVs and CCTs (ideal!). Sell bogies, ebay about a tenner (yes really). Get new bogies and wheels, an extruded aluminum roof and some vents to suit.

Cut in half, cut out ends and bogie well so all you have is 2 sides with the center under frame. I use any scrap to hand, acrylic sheet or ply wood and make a floor, glue the sides to it. Trim roof to fit, fit vents and some cast ends. Cast ends can be expensive, I made my own pattern and cast some out of resin. I am yet to bother with the windows, personal choice, flush looks great.

 

So, pic of (not finished) scale length MK 1s (center 2) with above and below a brake end and a BG in the process of getting butchered. Limas make a pretty decent BG;s, two brake ends cut in half, one window to fill. Whats left can make a pretty good TSO. The "scale" MK1s are our (garden gang) replacements for tired dropped Limas for long rakes. Just done 9, nickle silver sides / under frames and resin ends working out about £45 ish each with roxy wheels. Cheap and cheerful, simplified a bit.

 

post-17315-0-88129100-1381185886_thumb.jpg

 

They are a bit short. 425mm vs 451 (64ft 6")

 

post-17315-0-54251300-1381185897_thumb.jpg

 

Bottom view, one has bogie wells left in, one cut with plywood floor.

 

post-17315-0-77115000-1381185900.jpg

 

Cast end.

 

They make a decent model, we have 30 or so on a communal garden railway, look Ok, rain proof, with but with poor examples fetching £45 or so, boxed £75 or so I wouldn't cut up whole ones at the moment.

 

Number 1 rule .... enjoy!

Hope that helps!

 

pdfs are corridor connections and end plates, just cut and score black card and slot together. I put black thread around just to hold them in a little.

 

Tom

coridor connections.pdf

ends.pdf

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Hi, what good fortune! I have purchased a small rake of mark 1's to upgrade.

Personally, I will not bother altering the width or length as we are talking of an error of a few inches if the models were scaled up to full size.

Easy build do the bogies, window etchings and interior detail for about £60.00 per coach.

I echo the need to be cautious about the price of buying from eBay. Some rakes are being advertised for £450.00.

Anyway, you should be able to make a decent coach for about £110.00 which is much cheaper than rtr.

Dougal.

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The glazing I can help you with, there will very shortly be Extreme Etchings Laserglaze available for the compo at least, just need to finish the Beclawats.

 

Mike.

Thanks Mike for that info - the Camping coach might get flush glazed after all!

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Hi,

 

Here is my WIP of Lima Mk1's.

 

I am using parts from various manufacturers/suppliers.

 

Glazing and later window frames are from Shaun at EZ Build - makes life much easier and the glazing is crystal clear too

 

Hope that helps give an idea of what can be done.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

 

post-11256-0-02651200-1381608975_thumb.jpgpost-11256-0-08163400-1381608994_thumb.jpgpost-11256-0-24813100-1381609007_thumb.jpgpost-11256-0-25177500-1381609021_thumb.jpgpost-11256-0-35815100-1381609041_thumb.jpg

 

Photos copyright of the author/photographer 2009-2013

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Hi,

 

Here is my WIP of Lima Mk1's.

 

I am using parts from various manufacturers/suppliers.

 

Glazing and later window frames are from Shaun at EZ Build - makes life much easier and the glazing is crystal clear too

 

Hope that helps give an idea of what can be done.

 

Kind regards,

 Where did you source the under frame parts ?

CME

 

attachicon.gifDSCI0080a.jpgattachicon.gifDsci0225a.jpgattachicon.gifLima_Coach_Project_SR_Rake (1)a.jpgattachicon.gifLima_Coach_project_SR_Rake (11a).jpgattachicon.gifLima_Coach_project_SR_Rake (14a).jpg

 

Photos copyright of the author/photographer 2009-2013

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Well, that didn't work!

 

Just make sure that the text insertion point (the flashing vertical bar) comes after the final "

". You can also revisit to edit or delete any of your previous posts.

Dave

 

Unfortunately, the extra "" in my message has upset the quotation - which this edit has fixed!

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Well, that didn't work!

CME, where did you source the under frame details?

Dougal

 

Hi Dougal,

 

From all the usual suspects here is the bulk of the parts.

 

As Follows;-

 

Roofs - Peter Cowling;

Underframe - EZ Build;

Whitemetal Parts - ABS;

Resin Parts - Peter Cowling;

Battery Box sides - Hurst;

Bogies - EZ Build;

Windows & Frames - EZ Build;

Etch Parts - EZ Build;

LWB parts - Westdale et al.......

 

I hope that helps.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME

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