For generations of British railway modellers who grew up in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, the name Lima evokes instant nostalgia. Hailing from Vicenza, Italy, Lima Models delivered robust engineering, bold liveries, and incredible value for money at a time when British Rail was undergoing its most colorful transformation: The Sectorisation Era.
While early critics pointed to Lima’s simple "pancake" ringfield motors and plastic pizza-cutter wheel flanges, the manufacturer did something extraordinary: they captured the exact spirit, crisp proportions, and vibrant paint schemes of modern-image British diesels and electrics before anyone else. Today, decades after production ceased, Lima models remain running on layouts, serving as prime re-motoring projects, and maintaining strong value on the pre-owned market.
The Rise & Demise of an Italian Icon
Founded in Vicenza, Italy, in 1946, Lima initially manufactured aluminum household items before turning to plastic toy production and, eventually, HO and OO gauge model railways in the 1960s.
By the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, Lima aggressively targeted the UK British outline market in OO gauge (1:76 scale) and N gauge (1:148 scale). Their strategy was simple: produce affordable, plastic-molded locomotives and rolling stock with crisp bodyshell tooling that undercut established rivals like Hornby and Mainline.
The Bankruptcy & Hornby Acquisition
Despite being a market leader in Europe, intense competition, changing consumer expectations for fine-scale drive mechanisms, and financial troubles led to Lima’s downfall in the early 2000s.
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2004 Acquisition: Following insolvency, Lima was acquired by Hornby Railways alongside Rivarossi, Jouef, and Arnold.
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The Legacy: Hornby absorbed Lima’s tooling library into their own catalog. Many early Hornby "Railroad" range locomotives (including the Class 33, Class 59, and Class 67) were original Lima bodyshell molds retrofitted with modern central motor drives and fine-scale wheels.
The Sectorisation Goldmine: Capturing British Rail (1982–1994)
Where Lima truly conquered the British market was its rapid adoption of BR Sectorisation. When British Rail split into commercial business sectors in the 1980s, the stark corporate BR Blue made way for vibrant, striking liveries. Lima was quick to produce factory-painted models representing every sector:
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InterCity: The iconic Executive dark grey, beige, and red stripe liveries worn by InterCity 125 High Speed Trains (HST) and mainline electrics.
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Network SouthEast (NSE): Chris Green’s bold blue, white, and red stripes adorning commuter coaches, Class 47s & 50s, Class 73 electro-diesels, and DMUs across London and the Home Counties.
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Railfreight Sub-Sectors: Triple-grey liveries featuring dedicated sub-sector logos for Petroleum, Coal, Metals, Distribution, Construction, and General Freight.
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Regional Railways & Provincial: Bright blue and light grey regional liveries on local passenger stock.
Iconic Diesel & Electric Locomotives in the Lima Range
Lima produced an expansive list of British diesels, electrics, and multiple units that formed the backbone of the UK network.
- Class 92 Dual-Voltage Electric (92 041 'Vaughan Williams'): Produced in the late 1990s as part of the Lima Collection, this model featured pantographs, etched roof grilles, and crisp Railfreight Distribution markings designed for Channel Tunnel rail freight.
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Class 73 Electro-Diesel (73 125 'Stewarts Lane'): A Southern Region staple capable of running on third-rail electric or diesel power. Lima's tooling was famously accurate in profile, appearing in InterCity, Network SouthEast, and BR Blue liveries.
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Class 50 ('Hoovers'): Mainline passenger power on the West of England routes, produced in classic Network SouthEast blue and Large Logo BR Blue.
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Class 59 & Class 60 Heavy Freight: Lima was first to produce the American-built Foster Yeoman / ARC Class 59 diesels and BR's heavy Class 60 fleet.
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Class 37 & Class 47: The workhorses of the British network, produced in dozens of regional, sector, and private nameplate variations.
Sectorisation Passenger Rolling Stock & HST Sets
Lima’s rolling stock range was built to match their locomotive lineup perfectly, giving modellers complete, period-accurate train consists straight out of the box.
- InterCity 125 (HST Class 43 & Mk3 Coaches): Lima’s High Speed Train was a best-seller. Their Mark 3 coaches featured crisp Executive paintwork, flush glazing, and correct body profiles, allowing modellers to assemble full 8-coach HST sets.
- Network SouthEast Coaching Stock: Lima produced Mark 1 and Mark 2 coaches in full NSE livery, complete with sharp red and white striping and yellow end-doors, forming ideal consists for Class 47s, 50s, and 73s.
Why Modellers Still Seek Out Lima Today
Despite being produced decades ago, pre-owned Lima models remain in high demand on the secondhand market for several key reasons:
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Unbeatable Colour & Paint Printing: Lima’s factory paint finish was second to none. Their pad-printing for logos, double-arrow crests, overhead warning stripes, and nameplates was crisp, vibrant, and incredibly durable against fading.
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Robust Bodyshell Tooling: Lima's plastic bodyshell moldings got the shapes and front-end cab profiles right. Modellers routinely purchase pre-owned Lima engines to place onto modern fine-scale chassis (such as Bachmann or Hornby drive units).
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The Ultimate 'Detailing Base': Hobbyists love buying budget-friendly Lima models to install DCC sound decoders, flush-glazing kits, directional LED lighting, etched brass detail parts, and fine-scale metal wheels.
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Indestructible Build Quality: As the title suggests, these models were built to last. A quick clean of the ringfield motor armature and new carbon brushes will often bring a 40-year-old Lima engine straight back to life.
Have a Lima Model Railway Collection to Sell?
Whether you have a loft filled with boxed Lima InterCity 125 sets, Railfreight Class 60s, Network SouthEast coaches, or a mix of Hornby, Bachmann, and Dapol models, BritishRailways.tv provides an easy, secure, and hassle-free buyout service.
Selling a collection piece-by-piece on online auction sites means endless testing, photographing, packaging fragile boxes, paying 10–15% platform fees, and taking on postal risk. We offer a simple cash alternative:
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We Buy All Lima Stock: Locomotives, train sets, coaches, freight wagons, track, and controllers across OO and N gauge.
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No Cherry-Picking: We buy complete collections - pristine boxed items alongside well-loved unboxed runners and project lots.
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In-Person Home Pickup (South East): Our team provides direct home pickups across Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, London, and the South East, completing instant payment on the spot.
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Free Insured UK Courier Collection: For sellers nationwide, we supply pre-paid, fully insured, and tracked courier labels at zero cost to you.
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Same-Day Payout: Direct bank transfer completed the exact same day your items arrive or are collected.
Get a Free Cash Valuation for Your Collection Today
Discover what your pre-owned Lima collection is worth. Contact our expert team today:
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Email Us: info@britishrailways.tv