Mike’s Challenging Chopper ¦ Lima class 20 in trouble! Can he fix it? 

I really enjoy how to videos on model railways Especially how to work out why an engine isn’t working then how to bring it back to good running order again 👍🏻

Little insider tip: The gears on the Lima 20 are indeed prone to splitting, and sure enough spares aren’t available (with exception to Hornby wheels!). So look a little afield: The little brass gear found on a Hornby ringfield’s pinion is a nearly spot on match for the one on a 20’s axle. A friend of mine has repaired the Lima model this way for years! It’s handy to know since the brass will last indefinitely and is plentiful.

Nice work. Ive never come across a lima mechanism like that before. Just the 33 and 73 with a self contained motor bogie. The lima 73 whizzing along was producing sound well before DCC! Its a testament to Lima just how many P4 modellers use them as a basis for conversion. And I still say they had the best green for their MK1's.

I had one of these; still looks good & runs well today!

Nice one mate another great video I love the old lima models and thanks to you we can keep them running so thank you very much happy modeling old boy all the best 👍

I really might look into getting one of these. They’re so different from the usual Lima construction - metal chassis and a bogie running off a standard motor with drive shaft instead of the noisy Ringfield motor.

Hi Mike. I have a brace of (apparently) Ltd Edition Lima 20s in BR Green that are running very smoothly at the moment, but I'll keep an eye on them and if I get an issue will refer to this excellent video.

Sometimes the easiest fixes are cheap and quick! Nice one!

Thank you for sharing Mike. 👍 Ultrascale make excellent conversion packs for Lima locomotives.... 🙂 - but not the class 20!😥

If your Lima Class 20 is really up the stuff, you used to be able to buy a complete Hornby Class 20 chassis and just drop the Lima body on to it. That was possible after Hornby bought Lima and kept the same body but produced an updated, DCC-ready chassis that fit it without any modification. I had a Lima Class 20 in the triple-gray Railfreight livery and replaced the Lima chassis with a new Hornby one. It greatly improved the running, especially after I fitted a DCC chip to it, but I couldn't find room for a speaker, so no sound. This was some years ago so it might now be possible by fitting one,or even two, sugar-cube speakers under the chassis. I can't do this however as I sold my model several years ago, but go on, somebody give it a go.😏 You could also buy a complete replacement Hornby DCC-ready chassis for the Lima Class 47. Howes of oxford springs to mind, but it was a few years ago and my memory isn't as good as it used to be, so I might be wrong!😐

Well done Mike 0:21

Had an issue with that design, the pick up centre boss fell to pieces. Had to melt and shape some plastic spue to make a replacement. The biggest running problem is the short wheelbase on that pickup bogie.

Nice fix ,good one Mike 👌😎☕️

Hi Mike. Well done! Is the clicking sound from the loco "normal"?

Hi Mike, the Lima is a nice model. Am o correct in thinking that they only used that motor because there usual motor woulnt fit? Cheers Rick

Good video. I had running issues with a Lima 20 I bought new in the early 2000s and stored unused for ~10 years. Fiddled around for ages and managed to solve things eventually through trial and error. The problem was to do with the tension on the pickups I think. I removed some of the ever-troublesome traction tyres and it runs better without them . . . enough haulage capacity for a small diesel and a really consistent performer now for such an old design.

MD Mike to the rescue. Successfully diagnosed the problem. Performed necessary surgery. Good as new like my wife's knee replacement surgery. Where would you UK modellers be without Peter's Spares? Bill and Janet from California

Nice bit of engineering. Problem solved. You have a nice way of talking as if you are talking to someone instead of a microphone.

I've done exactly the same with my Lima model of 20215. I think it had a hard life before I bought it. On the subject of Lima class 20's... I have quite a collection of them and they all run absolutely superb, that is except for my limited edition 'Thornaby Pair' 20172 and 20173. These were produced as a limited edition and I keep them in a box and they have never been run in, etc. They still run very smooth, but... When I put them on the track and turn my Duette controller to the very first possible power setting they both shoot off at what I imagine is more than a scale 100mph. Using the PWM mode slows them down a little by not massively. Having suffered the split gear with 20215 I'm just too scared to use them in case the excessive start-up torque splits their gears. As it happens I picked up an un-run as new Bachmann version of 20172 for £60 recently so I will probably use that instead of this pair and keep them in their box. It does seem like a strange fault though. Perhaps Lima bought and fitted a wrong set of motors at sometime? Apologise for the ramble! (lol)