Lima vs. Bachmann vs. Grafar coaches

[AdeV]

This is probably a daft question... but...

I have, over the last few months, picked up a decent selection of used LMS coaching stock, a mixture of Lima, Grafar and a couple of Bachmanns.

The Lima coaches look a bit too small, to me... like they're using a different scale (but the same gauge) - is that the case?

[AdeV]

Aaaahhhh... https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?p=521748&sid=6ac4ceefadd654a3daecf7d2bc0305c2#p521748

Seems the answer is "yes".... Damn!

[tunneroner61]

Yes, Lima Mk1 coaches are underscale. They also run on pizza cutter wheels and have rather chunky coarsley moulded bogies. Best avoided in my opinion.

[PLD]

Unfortunately yes, the Lima coaches are (approx) 1:160 continental N scale rather than British 1:148.
They are also based on the 1950s BR MK1 design so LMS liveried examples are entirely fictional..
In detail and accuracy they are inferior to to the 1980s Farish, never mind the current Bachmann models.
To be honest, Agree with above - Best avoided...

[Newportnobby]

Lima coaches are a bit like Barratt starter homes - you can't give 'em away
Minitrix have windows set back by approx a scale foot and some of the liveries, especially choc/cream are very suspect.
Virtually all my coaching stock is Farish/Dapol or NGS collaboration with them

[GlenEglise]

Everything has it's place in the history of the production and availability of "N Gauge" in this country.

The manufacture and availability of British Outline rolling stock in the early days was between poor and varied. Lima, Minitrix and Rivarrosi (via Peco) were available if often not accurate to scale but filled a market.

In later years Graham Farish (Poole) produced many better models if somewhat lacking in detail.

As the years progress all manufacturers have also progressed with better models and manufacturing techniques.

Some, or rather, all of the main manufacturers have at some stage been re-structured or re-invented using the previous company names and almost all manufacturing now undertaken in China.

The hobby as well as the manufacturers progress over time.

Yes, LIMA coches are out of scale in many cases and are a product of their time as are early Graham Farish but of a better standard.

I do not believe it is fair to compare items manufactured over such large timescales except in retrospect. They were all products of their time.

If you want to recreate a scenario of model railways in the 70's or 80's using rolling stock manufactured in that era then there isn't an issue.

The issue arrises if you mix and match stock manufactured over several decades where the imperfections become overly apparent.

GE

[Bealman]

All of the above is correct. Forget Lima and Minitrix.

[Sharkey51]

I'm with @GlenEglise. I also keep "Rule 1" in mind. I started out with Poole-built Farish locos and Lima coaches and they still give me pleasure. With some newer wheels on the coaches, a bit of weathering, some corridor connections (home-made) and tail lights, they certainly work for me. In addition, being a bit shorter than scale, I can accommodate more coaches per rake, which I like. I get a five coach rake on my layout instead of four. I agree that the lima coaches stand out alongside the more recent commercial offerings. For that reason, I recently got rid of a rake of Farish coaches that I bought on e-Bay. I will be sticking with Lima - though current prices indicate to me that folks aren't exactly "giving them away".  The bottom line is: each to their own. What works for you, works!

[Chris Morris]

I agree with Sharky in that it is what works for you. For mk1 coaches I would not use anything but the latest Farish coaches. They are expensive but you get what you pay for. The current Dapol coaches are great too. I did have a few early Farish (Poole) coaches but I soon dropped them as they just didn't look  anywhere near good enough. I wouldn't touch any Mk1 coach with a deep window sill as they just look so wrong. We are all different and want different things from our railways. Its whatever works for you.

[joe cassidy]

Obsolete coaches can always be recycled using etched metal sides.

Having said that, I'm not sure that etched sides are still available these days ?

[PaulCheffus]

Obsolete coaches can always be recycled using etched metal sides.

Having said that, I'm not sure that etched sides are still available these days ?

Hi

Worsley Works do them
http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/N/n_gauge_index.htm

Cheers

Paul

[AndyRA]

I didn't use my old Lima coaches for much before Minitrix and then Farish came along, but before I sold them off I did remove the bogies, as I found them ideal to go under my Underground trains after slicing off a bit along the top of the frames. The Lima coaches went on their way with surplus Farish bogies, so if you come across Lima coaches with Farish bogies they are probably some of my old ones
Most of my old Minitrix stock got new brass sides eventually to turn them into what were, at the time, non-available RTR models. The sides I cut along the window areas to remove the inset appearance, and made fresh windows using Humbrol 'Clearfix'.

[AdeV]

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated!

The Lima coaches I have do look considerably different in style to all of the Farish coaches... and definitely sit a little lower. Interestingly they seem to be about the same length? Which suggests that they're both under AND over scale! I keep seeing that really over-sized looking Lima 4P on eBay too.... have resisted buying one...

What is interesting, is my one Bachmann LMS coach seems to be the same height (ish) as the Lima coaches; it's definitely lower than the Farish items I have.

Hey ho... I'll probably sell them eventually, but might just keep them for the time being. I think I have enough to make a decent rake.

[Bealman]

If nowt else, they'll probably appreciate in value as they are collector's items that some weird suc collector wants 

[Bigmac]

think of Lima coaches in the 1970's the same way as that real Ford Escort RS you had...but got rid of when you got fed up with it.  Regret it now ?