Lima (models)

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Lima S.p.A (Lima Models) was a brand of railway models made in Vicenza, Italy, for almost 40 years, from the early 1960s until the company ceased trading in 2004. Lima was a popular and cheap brand of OO and N scale model railway material in the UK [1], more detailed HO and N scale models in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States as well as South Africa, Scandinavia and Australia. Lima also produced a small range of O scale models. Lima partnered with various distributors and manufacturers, selling under brands such as A.H.M., Model Power, and Minitrain. Market pressures from superior Far Eastern produce in the mid 1990s led to Lima merging with Rivarossi, Arnold, and Jouef. Ultimately, these consolidations failed and operations ceased in 2004.

Hornby offered € 8 million (Euros) to acquire Lima’s assets (including tooling, inventory, and the various brand names) in March of the same year, the Italian bankruptcy court approving the offer later that summer. In December 2004, Hornby formally announced the acquisition along with the Rivarossi (HO North American and Italian prototypes), Arnold (N scale European prototypes), Jouef (HO scale French prototypes), and Pocher (die-cast metal automobile kits) ranges. As of summer 2006, a range of these products has been made available, refitted with NEM couplings and sprung buffers and sockets for DCC (Digital Command Control) decoders. [2]

[edit] The UK Scene

Lima Model of the Class 87. Originally sold in 1983 at £19.50 in BR Blue (£42 in 2003 money, adjusting for inflation) this version (87009 in Virgin Trains Colours) was one of the last Lima Models to be produced in 2003. The later version, priced at £47 did not incorporate any chassis upgrades, merely an improved livery

By the late 1980s Lima was heavily focused on the British outline range [3] which had expanded hugely due to the privatisation and diversification of the then state carrier British Rail. This was possible because of their capability to do small production runs (c.500), in contrast to their main UK rival, Hornby, who required a minimum run of 4,000. Consequently Riko International, Lima's UK Distributor, were able to provide models within weeks of rollout of the actual prototype.

A Very Popular model of the Class 66. Originally Lima Produced 66001, followed by a more improved 66016. Later many versions (all in EWS Red) were produced and followed by Freightliner versions. The rarest Lima Class 66 Model is the HGK DE66 produced and sold in limited quantities in Germany of the real example, the first to operate in Continental Europe

By the mid 1990s Lima had a swollen UK product range of over 300 models, some of questionable quality [4], while still producing new variations at a rate of five or more new schema a month. A clearance campaign ran in ’95 with a mass sale of the entire range of existing stock. While this stimulated sales, demand subsequently shifted to the now considerable second-hand market. There was also an attempt to compete with Hornby and Bachmann by introducing new paint schema on existing 1980s steam models. The distributor, Riko International went into receivership in 1999 and their replacement, The Hobby Company, commenced by commissioning further repaints and a new model, the Class 66. In early 2000 Lima finally delivered an updated Class 67 to match the improved standards in the market. However, the much-improved motor did not compensate the many other faults and failed to make an impact. This turned out to be the last completely new model from Lima and the company subsequently folded, being bought out by Hornby.

The demise of Lima in 2004 left a significant supply gap for some of the key Classes of the British Diesel and Electrical locos range. However, this has been well filled in the intervening 24 months. Hornby now provide updated models of the Class 08, 31, 50, 52, 60, 67 and 92. Bachmann produce Classes 20, 40 and the Deltic 55 (Two Tone or BR Blue). Danish Manufacturer Heljan manufacture Class 33 (Cromptons), Class 35 (Hymeks) and Class 47s.

[edit] The North American market

Lima produced a variety of HO models for the North American market. Initially, the quality was on par with other brands of the era, but competitors' improvements in detail and running characteristics soon relegated much of Lima's product to near toy status. At least one round of improvements was made, but Lima never quite caught up with its competition.

The company also entered N scale fairly early in the game, producing at first Continental and British outline stock, some of which was fancifully decorated for North American railroads and sold in the States under the A.H.M. brand. Eventually, Lima developed a small assortment of distinctive American equipment, including four diesel locomotives, heavyweight passenger cars, several freight cars, and a caboose. Generally, the N scale line suffered from the same lack of improvements that plagued the North American HO offerings.

[edit] The Continent

Lima's continental outline catalogue concentrated first on German and then Italian and Swiss equipment. Their relatively inexpensive offerings doubtless brought many people into the hobby. A modest assortment of accessories, including operable pieces like grade crossings and an intermodal terminal, as well as static structures and lineside details, enhanced the 'playtime' pleasure of building and operating a Lima-based train layout.

[edit] Australia

Lima made models that matched the railways of NSW and Victoria reasonably well. Some models were not true representations of the prototype (the Lima XPT was just a repaint of the British HST) and all had NEM wheels and couplers. However the cheapness of Lima models made them popular with beginners and many models were superdetailed by experinced modellers.

[edit] Lima's Uniqueness-Limited Editions

A unique feature of Lima was its capability to do production runs of less than 1000 units as versus the norm of 4000-5000. This was due to the fact that the importer only ordered a volume that matched the orders received in advance by its retailers. In the mid-1990s, Lima used this flexibility to introduce a range of "limited edition" models in small quantities (550 - 850), so as to maintain sales. This commenced with a model of the Class 50, "Thunderer" issued at £33, which proved very successful, commanding over £100 within a few weeks.

Lima also took on commissions from shops that purchased the entire limited production run, these being retailed directly through their stores. This began with Cheltenham Model Centre's D1015 Western Champion. Over 100 different models were produced this way. This commercial practice provided Irish modellers, via Murphy Modelsof Dublin, with the only specific Irish scene RTR diesel locomotive that has been produced to date, the General Motors 201 Class, which due to its rarity is now fetching huge sums on on-line auction sites (c.€850 for a 201 and three Mk3 carriages).

[edit] External links

• Lima Unofficial collector’s site (in German)

• Hornby Hornby Website Lima Page