Macforrest

Once out, I cut away the plastic along the line of the window tops using a mini-drill cutting disc. This left enough plastic to positively re-locate the roof section. The next thing to come off were the buffers, as Lima model the loco-hauled Mk3 variants. After removal with a razor saw, a light abrasion with 320 then 400 grit mini sanding sticks followed by a coat of satin black paint is all that’s needed here. The shortcomings of Lima bogies is well discussed, but the cost of the common solution to replace them with spares from other manufacturers and work entailed with modifying the underframe to fit these is more than I wanted to commit to with around 15 coaches to do. Anyway, I think the BT10 bogies look quite good! Instead I used Gibson replacement wheels and to these I fitted the rather lovely Stenson 9mm brake disc inserts. The final modification to the underframe was to attach two M6x25mm washers for a bit of extra weight (7g!). These fit rather handily around the moulding which locates the push-fit bogie pivot and were fixed in place with epoxy.

A ‘starter for 10’; Lima Mk3 SO (HST trailer). Really just something easy to get me into the swing of it! The first task is to remove the one-piece roof and windows so the glazing section can be replaced with something better. The clear plastic is the closest Lima came to flush glazing and as such the material fits into the window recesses by around a millimetre, so a tricky procedure utilising a thin lever and builders frame wedges to gently prise the one-piece section away from the body. I think this process has been described on this site, so I won't repeat it...!

Update to follow very soon....!

Not surprisingly, Laserglaze has featured heavily in this project. Really is a top quality product....

Indeed! You have probably noticed at the front of the 'collection' two Triang/Hornby Mk2a's.... bought second hand for £4 each they're no different to the NSE liveried one at the top of the stack, bought new in about 1998. it's well worth taking the time to do a bit of work on these!

HI all! I’ve recently had the opportunity to clear out some ‘stuff’ and take stock of my model railway purchases from the 90’s. I came across a good number of Mk2 & 3 coaches from the BR sectorisation era, including Lima Network SouthEast Mk2bs and InterCity Mk2fs, Dapol Mk2ds and Hornby Mk2as. I had started ‘improving’ these around 20 years ago but clearly lost momentum. With a layout build not likely for a good number of years and no access currently to many of the things I would normally be doing, I’ve decided to pick this up again. There are a lot of examples of some really impressive detailing and modifying projects, but my goal is to create an improved model with a more prototypical appearance without getting too carried away, so no major repaints or rebuilds; to see what can be done with some basic extras without needing to put in many long hours of high skill level modelling, so this might be of interest to a few who are looking to make some simple modifications to their own ‘legacy’ coaches rather than fork out upwards of £60 each on the latest models. I know there are a lot of folk who also really go to town on weathering to recreate the abuse that some rail vehicles are subjected to, but I’m also going to keep my models ‘pristine-ish’. During my time at school model railway club there was no better feeling than producing your latest purchase to run on the club layout, with its shiny out-of-the-box finish. To me this is still part of the joy of model railways. It's my aim to build up 4 rakes; 2 will be a mix of Mk2a, b & c to represent Network SouthEast Waterloo to Exeter stock and 2 cross-country (North East -South West) air-conditioned rakes, one as a later Intercity ‘Swallow’ formation and the other a mix of blue/grey and Intercity ‘executive’ liveries as an early sectorisation era rake. There are also a few Lima Mk3s to work on, together with a pair of Lima HST power cars, this will make up a third XC train.