Private company

Lima

Lima S.p.A. (Lima Models) is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of model railways.1

Last updated Oct 18, 2026.

Overview

1946Founded1

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Lima S.p.A. (Lima Models) is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of model railways. The company was headquartered in Vicenza for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004. Lima was a popular, affordable brand of 00 gauge and N gauge model railway material in the UK, more detailed H0 and N gauge 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 0 gauge 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 products in the mid-1990s led to Lima merging with Rivarossi, Arnold, and Jouef. Ultimately, these consolidations failed and operations ceased in 2004.2

The story

Lima (Lavorazione Italiana Metalli e Affini) was founded in 1946 as a parts supplier for the Italian state railway. In 1948, Lima switched its aluminium casting capability to producing toy boats, trains and cars.

In 1953 it started manufacturing a low budget model range. The models were gradually improved and by 1962 Lima was producing French, Belgian, Dutch and German models. Less than 10 years later, Lima was one of the largest model manufacturers in the world serving the modeling markets of the United States, Australia, Britain and South Africa. In 1977 the British model range switched from HO to 00 gauge.

Starting in 1982, Lima gradually moved into the higher quality market in mainland Europe with the introduction of better mechanisms such as Central Can Motors, flywheels and all bogie power as well as catering for niche markets.

From Wikipedia’s article on Lima (models), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Products and brands

  • rail transport modelling

Listed on Wikidata.1

Subsidiaries and ownership

Owners

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 2004Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1946Founded Founded in Vicenza1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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