I've bought quite a few continental Lima locos secondhand. The brushes are much bigger and thicker than stuff that was produced for the UK market. They don't have a narrowed end to fit the spring and just sit flush with end of the spring unlike the UK ones. Replacing them with the finer ones available in the UK improves running characteristics greatly.
Does anyone know if this was something that came from the factory, we're all the brushes the same??