Lima Class 87

[Tony House]

Hi

I am looking for information regarding the Lima Class 87 not the Hornby made version on the Lima model.

Is the pantograph a working one and can power be switched between the pantograph collection and track collection?

I am thinking of adding to my electric locomotive collection with working pantographs, I was looking on ebay at a couple of spare bodies for sale and there appears to be a switch fixed on to the inside of the roof on some of them.

I currently have 2 x steeple cabs, 5x Class 77 (EM2) 2 x class 81, 2x Class 86, 1 class 90. 2x class 91 and 4x Transcontinental Electric locos.

Any help will be gratefully received

[Mountain Goat]

I was not aware that Lima made working pantographs though I could be wrong. It should not take too much effort to make one work if it is not, even if one has to hide an extra wire somewhere, so in theory it can be done, even if one has to buy a new pantograph designed for this use. (I have never tried it as I was a B.R. Western Region modeller before I was i to narrow gauge so we did not have to worry about pantographs. I did like looking at them though, though I never bought a model of an electric loco).
Hornby did do working pantographs as they sold a pantograph system, so I would imagine that the switches between pantograph and track power would be on Hornby locos as I know Hornby had this feature, as it was possible to run two Hornby electric locos independently (D.C.) on the same track via using one rail as a common, and either the other rail or the pantograph as a feed so it allowed for the possibility of two independently controlled locos on the same track, though ones controllers MUST be able to be used with common return wiring to do this, because basically it is a form of common return.

If one is into DCC, it is recommended to use a dead pantograph and only power the track.