AllScales

In March last year I pretty much mothballed my main layout: Gerlos and started work on a much smaller layout instead just to practice some building techniques. The small layout being Linksueberdorf (LUD for short). Over the last year the baseboard for Gerlos has just become a repository for junk that needs to be put away, so the weekend before the Bank Holiday, I cleared all the junk away again and gave the top of the baseboard a bit of a clean. The reasoning being that as I progress with LUD as practice layout, I should then try to build up Gerlos as I complete each phase. Just before I mothballed Gerlos I had bought a piece of 3mm multiplex to form the upper level of the layout. I got as far as cutting out the area covered by the lower station, but no further. So this weekend, I got the board out again and marked out where the track will go. There is one short section that needs to be done using flex track, but the rest is all Roco Set Track.... This makes marking track laying easy! Here you can see the marked out layout plan: Now all I need is a helping hand to help me cut out the snake like track.The piece of Flex track you can see covers the section of Flex Track. In the background all sorts of things have been going on, I have added a programming track as the Z21 has a separate programming track output. I'm also wiring in a switch to allow me to switch the track to main supply if I'm not programming a loco or using my old Roco booster to power the layout. I've also been working on tunnel entrances, I'm using some TT tunnel entrances from Auhagen (they look right), and some Metcalfe brick paper. When you glue the paper onto the tunnel mouth it has a tendency to flare, so I've prepared some bits of wood to stop that: I hade to some wood along the lower edge as well to keep it straight. Here you can see both tunnel mouths placed on LUD: So progress on all fronts!

Guys you are missing my point, so let me give you an example of what I mean... My tuner died, so it was down to A large discount chain for a new one. What I got was an Tuner/Internet Media player, as reception's a bit iffy (dirty great big hill) I thought it was a winner I connected it via Wifi to my home network, so I can now listen to the radio via my internet connection In the box was a note to say there was an iPhone/Andriod App for it. Downloaded it and fired it up, there's a single item: Add device Press the button, and up comes the Tuner/Media player What could be simpler? There was never any talk of what router to use or any mention of an IP address... ROCO can implement this anytime... Why didn't they?

Yes, I perfectly agree that most Z21 customers are not It specialists, which is why ZCN is something that Roco should adopt. As it stands, if this router breaks, you need to find another that works the same way. With ZCN, you could buy any router you like and connect the Z21 to a LAN port and join the network using an iPad/iPhone or Android phone/fondleslab and the two would simply discover each other. This is a standard protocol, that is easy to use. It is how my printer advertises itself (it's actually the access point that does it for it as it's USB only) on my home network. I think this is something that will come, it's actually even more non-techy friendly!

Doh! I keep forgetting about press and hold!

Hi All, Interesting theROCO Booster is simply a command station with different connectors. I have two of those from buying two DCC start sets. So I may now see if I can covert one to a booster! I'm not in need of one with only 15 HOe locos in my roster (3 with sound), but it would be nice, just in case... My big layout is prewired to be in two sections any way I might make it usable both with and without a booster. I'm forever in danger of acquiring more locos! Is the cable a straight through cable? And how do I get the box open? I suspect there are screws under the rubber feet? My experiences with the Z21 so far have been good, except for the router which I have already ranted about... I see no reason that they couldn't have implemented Zero Configuration Networking. Then they could have sold without a router and just said "requires Wifi router", Most people I know are already fully wireless at home, here there's an access point in the train room as the printer is there so that would have been ideal.... However I just use the router now, no point in fighting it, but it's not connected to the internet... No how do I delete a point from the track plan? This is on the iPad...

The last four weeks have been busy, first there was the Ally Pally show, some purchases were made, but no "horrendous parchasing accidents", just some track, a Roco N DB 215 class, and a signal. Next was a stag weekend in Bristol, a visit to the S.S. Great Britain and the Clifton suspension bridge included ( the joys of not staying up all night)... Then NGS, even though I am a member of the 009 society, I decided to avoid the AGM and concentrate on the exhibits. Sorry guys, I know it has to happen but having driven 100 miles and having to be home by 5 I was going to make the most of the exhibits and traders. That same weekend I went down to the Gaugemaster show on the Sunday with some friends (hence me having to be home by 5, as they were arriving sometime after five). I finally got something that I wanted to get a year ago: the stein lifting beer drinkers! A good price as the box was damaged... Then this weekend the East Surrey N Gauge Society show. Just as well I didn't bring my chequebook! Too many things caught my eye! As it was I only got some silberlinge coaches to go with the 215 bought at Ally Pally... One more coach to go... I' won't mention the SNCF BB 15000 class for now... Anyway, I'm a bit showed out for now! So back to the Z21, last weekend the layout came back downstairs to sit on the dining table. It's very dusty and I've spent the week cleaning the track and massaging the points back into action. I have decided to electrify the point frogs (I know I should have done so from the start), to save me replacing all the point motors, I'm going to use some latching relays connected to the decoder... A new adventure begins! This is the current state of the layout on the iPad: Some of the points need reversing and the signals are in place, but not yet wired up. That requires some more decoders. In addition some of signals will be wired to switch with the points. On the whole the Z21 is behaving itself, I would like to see the picture function improved though, big pain to use! The other quibble is that I can't hook it up to my own Wifi network, why not?

OK, so after playing with the settings on the loco's to get more realistic running now it's time to turn my attention to the track plan, so I can control the points using the App. I had taken a photo of the layout but it just was too vague and lead to confusion about which point was where. The problem being the contrast being too low to produce a clear picture! So instead I've made a maximum sized drawing of the layout using a black marker pen on a piece of paper. I know this is not to scale, but it is so much clearer than the photo. As my main layout will be bigger than a simple A4 sheet, I will be playing with that aspect next.... On the loco front, I've been adding a few loco's to my register. There is one problem: I have a number of 2095 class loco's. Luckily they all have a different paint job, but what if you have two loco's that look exactly the same? Luckily, you do get to see a piece of text at the bottom, but when playing not looking hard enough it is easy to mix them up. I know that as a train driver you should pay attention at all times, but as a hobbyist, I might be talking to someone who's visiting! I also have two completely identical green Fleischmann N-gauge Rack loco's how will I tell which is which? Not an easy problem to solve! Somethings that have been noticed by myself and a friend: - Point addresses when talking to a Lenz LS-150 have shifted up by 4 (at least when using a Fleischmann Profi-Boss) - Left and Right seem to be reversed when compares to a Profi-Boss and a multi-Maus Why?

Hi All, So the Ally Pally show is now over, got a bargain just like last year. Last year it was a On30 loco, this year was an N-gauge DB BR-215, mint condition Roco model... Anyway, play with the Z21 continues, this iPad now has a copy of my mates' layout, he e-mailed it too me! It includes stock, track plan, the works... Nice! If you're both on the same WIFI network you can send it direct but we didn't try that... I've spent some time this evening adjusting the maximum speed on some of my loco's, for the most part this has been changing CV5. To work it out i employed a little spreadsheet to work out the lap times for the given speed... Anyway more housework to be done... G'night!

Hi Tim, That has crossed my mind, but as long as the password is sufficiently strong the inconvenience of turning it off doesn't seem worth it. As I'm currently forced to switch between networks to use the Z21, I'm willing to take the risk. Especially as the Z21 router is not connected the rest of the network....

Hi Again, I've calmed down a bit now, after all I got it pretty much setup as it should be. This is: Change the SSID so it no longer has a number on the end. This is (probably) a serial number and gives hackers a way in... Change the Wifi password (this is very likely to be calculated from the serial number, so if the secret gets out...) Change the name of the Adminstrator (in the case of this router it's a well disguised admin) and password (admin again, so hard to guess!). Prevent wireless access to the settings, disabling this will force an intruder to be in the building to try to hack your router. I've managed most of these, but I've had numerous issues.... So: Only change one setting at a time If you fail to make a change stick, you'll have to reset the router to factory defaults, this means you have to stick a small pin into the little hole on the left of the power supply for 5 seconds or more (when viewed from the back). Once you've reset the hub to default settings, you've lost all the settings including the changes made for Roco.... I've NOT managed to change the admin password (as yet). Why am I so concerned about all this? My neighbour's bog standard home network got abused last summer and he ended up for a bill for the data... Not nice... However, if you're never going to connect your Z21 to the internet all you can suffer is being locked out of it! Meanwhile experiments with the Z21 are continuing, so far so good.... Some issues with the apps, but nothing that can't be fixed... Good night, All Scales

Well, after months of waiting, procrastinating and saving, it's here. Shiny, shiny! O.K., it's black... My Z21 has arrived and I went to collect it today, keeping my local train shop owner from his dinner... So far so good (at least with the Z21), I had it wired up in no time, connected a multiMaus and had my Baby Castle running around in no time (using the Maus). The router? Well Hmmmmm..... Kind of retro.... Not very clever, a piece of junk really.... I think I would have rather saved a tenner and not had it (as I have a perfectly good access point in my train room). Working in IT and having to deal with things such as banking security, I have one recommendation: Do not, under any circumstance, connect this router to your internet connection with default settings! I will put some notes together over the next few days/weeks on how to secure this thing (it is temperamental, so you need to do it correctly). Just switch it off when at the end of the session.... Of course, you can always ask your son/grandson... Just until you've secured it, don't connect it to your main internet connection. Now why can't Roco make the IP Address editable in the Apps? Auto discovery isn't rocket science...

I need to make sure locos of the same class run similarly under DCC and I had done some tuning in the past, but not written down the settings I had used. So it was time to go and do this! So over the weekend I dragged my locos downstairs, set up the test track and started to play. Unfortunately one loco was in the box with the carriages. So this just had to happen: This is a recent acquisition that came with sound (ahem). It had one a not very train sounding bleep. I sent it off to my favourite DCC man (Coastal). And it came back as above.... OK, it was an extravagance, but sometimes you just have to repeat that line from Ferris Bueller's day off! It also has a rather neat departure announcement, which I should have recorded!

Hi All, Over the weekend I completed the base of the kit. I have also ordered (if it hasn't gone already) a chassis other than the Class 91 that should fit. This is a shot of the progress so far: It's fairly low res., but should give an impression.... The chassis is a Fleischmann BR 210 class, which has a wheelbase of 72 mm, this is very close to what the wheel base should be according to my scale drawing (in 7mm Scale) of 73mm. And at least it's not the Grafar class 91 chassis.... Nothing against Grafar, but I prefer the new models! Progress over the next week will be non-existent (parental visitinspection starting tomorrow)... I have also found a nice colour scheme for (what will hopefully become a fleet) the loco: http://shop.ferro-train.com/FerrotrainShop/Product/100004/1/11/1106/10353.aspx I hope I can match that onto the finished model nicely.... After that I need to come up with a good "Gerlos Bahn" logo, and if anyone know of some HO scale transfers for modern era Austrian locos that would be great!

The Gerlos Bahn is pleased to announce that it has signed a contract with the Ffestiniog railway to take delivery of one rebuilt Funkey diesel with an option for a further two locomotives should the first prove successful. "AllScales" managing director of the Gerlos Bahn says: "The introduction of these exciting near new diesel engines will allow us finally take control of our high speed, 30 km/h, passenger services without having to rely on external parties for our prime motive power." Now to build it from the two sheets of brass from Worsley works! To be honest the alternatives were the Backwoods "Taliesin" or the Sierra Leone W&LLR white metal kit... Anyone got any tips on building this?

Hi All, I know it's been months since my last entry on any of my blogs... I do have a good excuse: building works! Shortly after the last entry on Linksuberdorf the builders turned up at the end of October. Short recap: MDF for outside wall for a week, microwave dinners, and finaly just before Christmas: a new kitchen! Meanwhile I acquired some new kits: W&LL Pickering coaches, Sierra Leone loco, and more... Now the dust has settled (and largely wiped up off the furniture absolutely everywhere), modelling will resume soon! After a trip down to Devon, I have an idea for a steam depot for my steam loco's on a 4x1 board... Oh dear here we go again! Must finish Linksüberdorf first!!!!!!!

Obvisoulsy the first photo was taken before the show opened! That corner of the arena was decidedly crowded... Again a good show, nice spread of layouts. I finished off the weekend by popping round to my local show in Pratts Bottom hosted by the ODMRS, again a good show. The January show overdose begins!

Add to that class 375 and 379, they're all over the South East now, and probably coming to a county near you soon... I'd buy multiples (in SouthEastern livery)

I have not had a problem with these (I have 5 of them), but one did break very shortly after I got it home. Taking it back to the shop they said that some batches had a less than reliable gear train, a bit like old Grafar models, in that the gears split. Their slow running is superb and they actually run even slower if used with DCC....

My cats never seem to jump on my layout even though it's been on the dining table since I started in March! But then they are well behaved moggies, that seem to have a degree in English (from the CCL: Cat College London) Good luck!

In my last post i mentioned cardboard.... Well it seems to work ok! I hhad expected the card to absord the PVA/water mix forcing me to soak it in over multiple evenings, however it looks like only one more selective dose will be required! However I did fing it difficult to get the ballast nice and flat, in the end I used a 1" brush and gently laid it on the surface. Don't press or you get a ridge forming around the outside edge of the brush. Another gotcha is that the drops made slight dest in the surface when drops fall from syringe, so keep it very low above surface. Meanwhile I've finished off some more buildings, so now the track is starting to look like a layout! Photo's soon. It's gone too dark now...

Hi All, I know it's been a long time but due to the holidays and all, not much has been done on any of my layouts. But with the Convention looming in less than a fortnight (and last weekend's horrible weather) I thought I'd better make some progress! So last weekend I finally got around to doing some ballasting. As it was my first time I stayed well clear of the point work (I've already had to replace three of them). As I'm building an Austrian layout the ballasting in the station looks a bit like this: This was Mayerhofen in 2008. As you can see the ballast is very pale and it's right up against the top of the rails. So in order to get the ballasting in the station right, I bought some very pale, fine, ballast. I think it's Scenecraft, but know it as pale, fine and intended for N gauge. As I don't have a lot of it, I thought I'd better raise the bits between the track. This is where cats come in useful! Recycled cat food boxes! The perfect height for the sleepers! Perhaps in hindsight I shouldn't have put the point levers in quite yet. But hey-ho you live and learn! I won't be going quite as high as on the real thing as the HF 110's outside motion gets very close to the rails.... At the front you can also see some of the ballast already in place, not bad for a first attempt I think!

Hi All, With the brthday bash of the 009 society coming up I decided to register. So far so good, except that I then offered to bring along LüD and my multi gauge test track. Again so far so good, except for one tiny item: I've not really made any progres since ((a long time)! So i have the board, with ramp and all the electrics are sorted. So logically next should be ballasting (probably), but I've never done that before and the shear number of points makes me queasy! So should I persist with ballasting or start on something different like building the central hill, which generate more interest? There won't be any horrible deep ugly cuttings so access won't be a problem later. Thoughts please? The convention is only 5 weeeks away! Thanks, Friso

Hi All, So here you get to be subjected to my very limited photography skills. As you will see it doesn't matter how fancy the camera, if you're no good at it, it doesn't make a bit of difference. Similarly, if you're good, you can have bad camera and still take good photos. So this was our loco, Earl: Looking quite resplendent, and certainly sounding healthy. The effort it had to put in getting up Golfa bank was certainly showing the amount of work that has been put into it. Earl was hauling the two former Mav coaches plus a single S.K.G.L.B. 4 wheeled coach as you can see here: Unfortunately the newly built Pickering coaches weren't on display, but these two were: Which only just goes to show how you can run virtually anything in 009! I really wish the Pickering coaches and Earl/Duchess were available in 009. I guess a Roco HF 110 (minus tender), could do in a pinch, but all the same.... Next: Aberystwyth and the Vale of Rheidol...

Hi All, I'm just back from a week of visiting North Wales' finest: the narrow gauge lines. So while I try and get a grip on the amount of video (over 90 minutes) and the photo's (about 500), here is an introduction! The whole thing started when I realised just how many preserved lines there are in North Wales, but being on my own it isn't much fun, however now that a couple of friends have come out of the guard's van as it were and professed for their love of trains (especially steam), and that they have a less physically able son, it seemed like the perfect time to give it a go! Our itinerary was as follows (this will work for much of the South-East & Anglia): 1. Drive up to Much Wenlock (the home of the modern Olympics), we went through Bridgnorth so could have done the SVR, if we had left early but as I live in Kent, we arrived too late. However we did go on funicular railway so all was not lost! 2. Head to Welshpool for the W&Ll... When you get there, ask for the "Great little trains of Wales" card. It costs £10, but it pays back giving 20% discount... Continue to Aberystwyth. 3. Head for the north end of the Promenade, and go on the funicular railway, after head for the main station and the Rheidol. 4. Head off to the Tal-y-llyn, and spend the day there. At this point you can either return to Aberystwyth or head on to Portmadog. 5. If you stayed in Aberystwyth, then head for Porthmadog via Corris, if you picked the right day then visit the Railway, if not continue to Porthmadog for the Ffestiniog. It is possible to do both. 6. Depending on the weather do either the Snowdon or the WHR over the next two days, swap depending on the weather. 7. Head back via Betws Y Coed and visit the museum there 8. Sleep..... It's remarkably tiring, spending days on trains!

Another way to create one is to click on the arrow right of your user name in the top right corner. A little menu pops down, click on "Manage Blogs"... Bob's your auntie! Cheers, Friso