When Hornby acquired certain Lima assets there was much speculation about what former Lima British outline models would reappear in the Hornby range. Hornby had already absorbed all but one or two of the Airfix and Dapol models and even one or two from Palitoy's Mainline range. One former Lima diesel that we did not predict was the Deltic. This was a very early Lima model and not up to the standard of the later ones. However, in a train set, its reappearance is quite excusable. Train sets, after all, are aimed at the junior market where closeness to reality is less strongly sought.

Although Deltics were built as an express passenger locomotive, they had been known to be pressed into freight work in their later years. When you remove the body from the locomotive you discover a large open space. The 'pancake' motor has gone and a low bogie-mounted motor has replaced it. The only other object occupying the interiors is a heavy steel weight set low in the fuel tanks and giving the locomotive a weight of 465g. The model runs quietly and smoothly but the giant Lima couplings remain.