SamThomas

A good alternative & I do use a Sprog/JRMI but I do find it a bit "nerdish" & not as easy to use as other systems.

As already mentioned you can use a Z21 with conventional handsets, you are not limited to "smart" devices.

Many homes are quitre capable of drawing 85A + for short periods. My house is the only one on the "leg" with solar panels. They do of course help the grid but only when the sun is shining - the grid still needs to have the capacity to supply the full load at times when the panels are producing little or nothing. One of my biggest reasons for not wanting a so called smart meter is that I feel it should remain personal choice.

Being an electrical engineer by main profession I am well aware of the common practice of the supply authorities main fuses being far in excess of the cable capacity. When the meter was changed a few years ago I noticed that the fuse was 100a rating. A 100a fuse will not blow the cable but will cause it to run warm. Couple that to all the other houses on that "leg" & you can see why my voltage goes up & down.

The fuse is a 100amp - the cable is a 7/.044 - equivelent to 6mm approx.

I disagree - unless it was combined with a more realistic approach & a nationwide review of speed limits in general. Automatic speeding PCN's (from fixed roadside camera's or scamra vans) do very little to encouage road safety. By the time an errant driver gets a PCN the time has passed for eduction. There should be more Traffic Police out there - nothing like the embarrasment of being pulled over & a 5-minute roadside leture from a Police Officer to make you think - all post offense PCN's do is antogonise the driver. Most police officers take into account things like road conditions, traffic levels, time of day & also how the driver is actually driving when deciding what action to take.

The Twin Centres are self contained & just require a power supply & connections to the track. The nearist you can get thesedays is the Uhlenbrook "Basic" which does the same except you cannot use the old Fleischmann. Since my last post on the subject I've replaced the tablet & (sort of) got used to the later Z21 app, but still don't like the colours & graphics much.

Another recommendation for the Z21 (there are basically two versions - the black Z21 which is the "full house" & the white z21 which has less features.) Not everyones cup of tea, especially those who are not keen on touch screens. However, you can operate the Z21 (not too sure about the z21) with a Roco Multimause (wired or wi-fi) or quite a number of other handhead controllers, so you can have the best of both worlds. A cost effective way to obtain a z21 is to buy a starter set & sell of the European Locomotive & rolling stock.

Q1. The App showing the locomotive is the earlier one & is, AFAIK no longer being supported &/or developed. Personally, I prefer this version, especially as the graphics are simpler. My advice would be to donload both, have a play & then decide. Q2. All the data is stored in your tab;let device - so make sure you back up regulary & anytime you make changes. Q3. Not to my knowledge, but I stand to be corrected. Q4. Hav'nt a clue.

A question I've asked before but no-one seems to want to address the issue, especially those who appear to have been brainwashed into getting rid of fossil fueled vehicles & gas boilers. The cable into my house is not large enough to power an all electric home (let alone with a possible EV charge point). A National Grid engineer told me that my house is on the last leg of a decades old cable that is "over its limit" as is the substation that feeds it & the HV cable that feeds that. The voltage fluctuation is that bad I have to use a UPS/line conditioner in my office. Probably explains the jump in standing charges for electricity - the money to upgrade the grid will have to come from somewhere.

Agreed, gas, per kwh is far more cost effective than electric. Personally, I'd only consider an all electric home if the costs were the same as using gas.

Unlike some, I have a life off RMW & occasionally miss a post or two..

4 x adults working variable hours (some unsocial) central heating & hot water on 24/7 & a 25 year old (soon to be replaced) boiler end of terrace. 2 x adults regular (& similar working hours) central heating timed*** & hot water on demand, boiler couple of years old, mid terrace (next door). Our bills are something like 10% more consumption wise - small price to pay for the comfort. Also, their insulation if better than ours (& one less external wall). *** more "smart" controls than you can shake a stick at.

All this talk of data loss ? Not a problem to those savvy enough to backup often.

Welcome to the world of Z21. Q1. Documentation on the Z21 is not very good TBH. However, there are quite a few Z21 users on here with a wealth of experience. Q2. The Data is stored on your device. Q3. You need to transfer the data from device 1 to device 2. Q4. Most people email the data from device 1 to themselves & then download it onto device 2. Hope this helps.

Earlier this week I ordered some glues from them - next day delivery by DPD & plenty of communication updates. Great service TMC & thanks.

I had one turn up three months after he went AWOL.

I agree with DCB - not that much work to dismantle. Label & cut the wiring, razor saw through the track, undo the fixings between the 5 & 6' boards & carefully cut through the scenary with a hacksaw blade fitted into an old school padsaw handle. Looks like a nice layout to me & (IMHO) it would be an act of vandalism to destroy it for want of a bit of time & effort.

I hope the comment about the 1920's wiring was TIC otherwise I would advise hime to have it re-wired - i dread to think of such things like open fuse carriers provididing circuit (& fire protection). Like this one ;

No need for that - the OT "iron & steel" will soon diminish to be replaced by a new OT.

Because Hornby regard themselves as a "one stop shop" ***. Look nor further than the dire layouts in the Visitor Centre for evidence of that. *** & in all fairness, they are probably the most "ons stop shop" compared to other brands.

John, I asked you a simple question & recieved a "politicians answer". If your POV is based on "assumptions" & not backed up by anything factual then I see no point in continuing this discussion. For someone so concerned about budgeting I cannot believe you are not on FIT. Anyway, I have no more to say on the subject - feel free to have the last word.

I would have thought that Hornby were quite capable of rattling their own cage (in between shooting themselves in the foot).

Really ? - prove it please & then move on. You keep your "smart" meter & crowing on about the pennies you save with your solar panels/meters & I'll stick to my tried & tested method which keeps me in control.

Who said I was "time poor" ? Certainly not me. I've already said that the way I do it gives me 100% control & that's good enough for me. If I were that concerned about time I would not bother replying to people incapable of seeing another POV.