hello, is there anybody in there?


https://youtu.be/LTseTg48568

Nowadays I don't fritter my money away on SPAM

Mine sadly died some years back, in the "funny smell, smoke and that's a ringfield motor that won't be coming back to life" way.

At least though it was easy to convert to DCC, and these days I guess you could fit one with sound

Most definitely SPAM, and one of the best CDN$5 purchases I ever made!

(And it still runs!)

The lima 31 was my first locomotive ever (but in BR blue) as part of a christmas present back in 19?? Alas I sold it before I'd ever tasted SPAM!

Quote from: ntpntpntp on February 17, 2026, 04:06:50 PM

Quote from: Firstone18 on February 17, 2026, 03:18:58 PMWould Hornby Minitrix count as Ancient?
Can someone suggest a date/year after which this description would not be applicable please.
Cheers!

The relationship with Hornby ran from around 1973 to early 80s I think.  There were Minitrix British models before and after the period when Hornby was involved. 

There is a clue with the boxes, as the Hornby period models have red/yellow labels and box lids with "Hornby" in the branding   , whist they are green/yellow labels before and after. 

Do they count as ancient?  Well  the chassis for the class 27, Warship (older chassis version), Britannia, Ivatts, and the dock tank go back to the late 60s.  I think the 9F was a little later.  All based on German loco chassis  The class 47, Flying Scotsman and A4 models are later still, pretty sure those later  steamers came along post Hornby.

This was the chassis used for the class 27. (this set dates from around 1968).



The Warships used these chassis (older above and later version underneath)


.. and the 9F used this chassis

[/quote

Well I have a soft spot for Minitrix Warships have quite a lot... a trio of 27s,kits with the 27 chassis a repainted 47 and all the steam versions.
Plus a pair of nicely restored Peco Jubilee's and quite a few Poole Farish.
They suit my needs quite well!

Link here: https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/mrh-202602-february-2026-13787349

Jon

All I can provide Adam @Adam1701D is a picture.



I didn't know this version existed - until now!

Tim

Quote from: Adam1701D on February 17, 2026, 09:30:28 PMI have always regarded the "Modern Era" of N Gauge starting in 1980, with the Farish 08, Mark 1 coaches and then a year later with the 47, 37, HST and so on...

For me that was when the hobby really took off instead of relying on whitemetal kits and Mehano GP-40 chassis.

As far as diesel modelling in N was concerned most definitely, before that all there was available ready to run that wasn't a foreign loco in BR livery was the pretty poor Lima 31, and the better but quite expensive Mintrix Class 27 and Warship.

The 08, 47 and 37 followed (I think - I had one) by the 20 really opened the N gauge diesel market up as did the Mk1s (I still have my rake of early blood and custard ones).

Roy

Does anybody have the Holy Grail of ancient models, the Lima Class 31 in Spanish Railways RENFE livery?

I think I have quite a lot of SPAM material in my collection ... mostly wagons but a few locos as well. Wren-Lima, Hornby-Minitrix, some early Graham Farish/Grafar ...

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmXcBvXe
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX8S4mz
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX7hj5n