|
Modifications to the LIMA HO class 33  Andrew Knights Free? Well mostly. I was looking through the potential stock box for the British HO ready for the Longfield show in January 2023. I pulled out a new Athearn (well an unused Blue Box Athearn F7) loco and in the box a spare LIMA class33 body. In the store there were also two “working” LIMA 33’s, HO of course. Looking at the two 33’s I saw that they both were devoid of traction tyres, so it only needs the retaining rim on the outside of the driven wheels to be turned down and there should be no probable derailment opportunities. I cleaned the wheels and put them on the track. Both ran. Down to the kitchen and strip the two locomotive down. I cut one chassis just behind the motor bogie. The other just behind the idle truck. Adding some plastic strip to brace the rejoined cuts, I taped the two locomotives ballast weights together. These were placed back in the newly joined chassis, and the body clipped back atop the chassis. This to ensure that all set straight and true. The same was done with the now un-powered chassis. Both ends rejoined and braced as before. As I need a free rolling Class 27 for the Mk2a train set, this will be the ideal subject for chopping. The twin power bogied 33 will become a class 26. It will be interesting to see how this one compares to the rest of the fleet, they are all running on Atheran F7 chassis. The next step on the twin powered chassis is to add extra pick ups on what were the traction tyres wheelsets. LIMA with eight wheel drive and eight wheel pick ups, plus a free and free running class 27. The body work is needed on both of these. End cab doors, plated over and the body side holes for the single line token equipment need adding to both bodies. The Class 27 will need route indicator boxes adding to the cab tops. I think I used MilliPut for this last time around, when I did this a quite few years ago. |