lima 201 new motors

[Robert Shrives]

Hi from ebay I have just got a Hornby class 59 -in DBS colours for around £40 . It was a cheap punt to see if the family likeness between the 59 and 201 worked - well chassis of the new motored 59 - really an ex lima product looks to be a good source. The weight retainer moulding is identically fixed and the new one has a mount for a DCC chip . The trailing bogie  mount  is slightly different and will require the 201 chassis to be drilled out to take a plastic spring fitting vice the brass pin and retaining clip. 

The motor end will require transplanting the motor bogie mount but that is a simple cut and glue job. 

The basic lighting in the lima 201 can be easily upgraded and wires soldered to PCB mount.  

Downside is while bogies have finer wheels and better details the bogie step in wrong place and will need carving off.  Sadly the differences in underframe details prevent a quick swap - that would have been too much to ask !   I will try to sort some pictures before starting and then show work done.   Just posting this to promote idea.

Robert     

[Robert Shrives]

Well pics to wet appetite having read comments, I retrieved a MM version and see what fun needs doing , along with an SSM upgrade etch and potential for name plates from Railtec being advertised yesterday I hope to over come initial reservations.    

Last pic I guess is "on the ramp" at the works!  Body popped on 219, I think that the boxy tanks can be upgraded with saw and plasticard , traction weight could go higher up along with a slug of liquid lead in the tank spaces.  Generally the body holds up well against MM version but faces worthy of a work provided paints match, unless I go for 216 in blue..    

[Robert Shrives]

Well further musing this morning.  The Hornby 66 spares I got from Peters spares arrived today.  It raises the question on bogie sizes - the real 59 and 66 had same bogie wheel base at 13` 7" , but an quick web search does not throw up the 201 measurement.  

As it stand the 66 bogie does not fit the lima chassis without a bit of cutting 

Taking the MM201 I can see its bogies are shorter as well... so given that will be spot on back to the drawing board a bit perhaps.

FWIW what prompted the 66 was the article in the December Rail Express  -models section about upgrading the Hornby / Limby 66 with lights - £20 . The 59 lighting rig shown out of stock but of course has the family double headlamps - email sent about how suitable the 59 rig would be. 

   

[Robert Shrives]

As a quick job while paint dried on a 450 body set I took the old lima  trailer bogie apart to remove old wheels and fir some Bachmann 14mm wheels- of course this led to drilling a 0.8mm hole and fitting a bit of brass wire to make a shorting pin so one wheel and axle live - to work the pickup.  The bogie is slightly upgraded as it has Lima  fitted pickup strip bearing on two wheels to help pick up on the traction tyre fitted  but with finer flanges and thinner wheels will need a further upgrade but at least half the chassis is basically upgraded  (the easy bit of course!)

[mmie353]

I only saw this today for replacement for Lima and Hornby motors, https://www.strathpefferjunction.com/product-category/ringfield-motor-conversion-kits/lima-replacement-motor-kits/ wonder if it would be any good to anyone that has a Lima 201

 

[Robert Shrives]

4 hours ago, mmie353 said:

I only saw this today for replacement for Lima and Hornby motors, https://www.strathpefferjunction.com/product-category/ringfield-motor-conversion-kits/lima-replacement-motor-kits/ wonder if it would be any good to anyone that has a Lima 201

 

Yes but it does still retain the "pizza cutter" wheels which are ok on code 100 track but code 75 and not a lot of cop. The conversion kits look good value and also  trader does useful other bits like black tac cable retainer.   

[DJ Dangerous]

I'm sure that there is another thread on this, too. I wonder if a mod would be kind enough to merge the two threads?

[Robert Shrives]

some pics of what could be called progress !  Chassis modified to take new motor mount and as a futher upgrade chopped out most of the lima weight box - a Hornby traction weight in fuel tank and 90g in the old weight retainer - this will make a good mount for the PCB.   

9 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

I'm sure that there is another thread on this, too. I wonder if a mod would be kind enough to merge the two threads?

If there is yes please makes searching easier in the future...  R

[Robert Shrives]

To update and divert , Peters Spares have introduced 2 packs PS 77 a geared wheelset to suit lima locos inc the 201, even though not listed ... PS79 is the non geared set, so for a 201 you need  1x PS 77 and 2 PS79.  The geared axle       retails at £9  for a pack of two axles which is very good value. the unpowered is £8.50. So under 30 for parts and allowing for p+P under 40 to simply drop in and replace.  With one "caveat" the middle wheelset on the powered bogie you will need to slice a slot to allow wheels to slip in, if matching the drivers it is a clip in fit.

 close up of profile , B to b is 14.36 . 

 

while winning no awards a pic of 209 showing the improvement.  

OK it is still a lima pancake motor but it will run on modern track. With some front end fun with etches and couplings and pipes it does allow all those early models a chance to play again. 

The underframe has been cut to give  more relief  but no photo - it is all black and while better does show its age and parentage.

Robert 

[Robert Shrives]

Well just rebuilt 219 as seen in earlier pics with its pancake and the finer wheels, to find I have lost a buffer !  So will have to look at doing that end with cast buffers and lots of pipes and stuff. - Well in time as the MM has overtaken  them  model it has to be seen as a dead end to faff with the lima ones...  

 

Robert