1970 Lima introduced a new line of bogie tankers. I will try to start a collector's guide for those models.
The catalogue of 1970 showed some renderings of a new bogie tanker which prooved to be rather successful over the years. I can't figure out when this model finally showed up in the shops, since until 1973 those painted images were in the catalogue. But, Lima back then was quite fast with novelties, so at least 1971 should be realistic. Talking about the models itself, well, there's not so much that can be done wrong with a tanker. The model indeed looks like a tanker. But, Lima did some odds. The models had a sun roof, no matter, if it was a gas tanker (correct) ore a tanker for liquids (incorrect). The bogies were sort of strange, the long wheelbase close to a passenger coach bogie, looking somewhat similar to a Y25 bogie, but not really. Maybe it was good for a toy layout in the 70's, but for railway modelers? Lima could do better.
There were gas tankers and liquid tankers. The difference was the presence of a ladder and platform (dome) on the liquid tankers. Nothing else.
2901 FS Agipgas (even if it states gas this model featured a dome), silver with paper stickers (easy to be removed/lost, hard to find in perfect condition)
2902 FS Pibi gas (even if it states gas this model featured a dome), green with paper stickers (easy to be removed, hard to find in perfect condition). The model shown seems to be from a very late series, since it already features an inscription board stating flammable liquids with no railway company mentioned.
2903 FS LIQUIGAS (even mentionig gas it has a dome), silver with red printing. This one is one of the rarer in the series of early tankers.
2904 FS Butan Gas (the first real gas tanker), yellow, black lettering, rather common
2905 SNCF KUHLMANN, white with green lettering (very common)
2906 SNCF Marcel Millet orange band and blue lettering
2907 SNCF Pechiney St. Gobain, silver with blue lettering (rare)
2908 SNCF Calorigaz (catalogues state Lalorigas, what's correct?), white with black lettering (rare)
The next part will show the second issues.
Martin