Old Hornby controller.

[The_Ghan]

I'm was reminiscing the days of my Hornby OO layout and the small collection of LMS steamers I owned - I just couldn't resist the maroon livery.  Also back then, Hornby had some wizz-bang controller back then which was way beyond the means of a schoolboy who delivered the afternoon newspapers for pocket money.  Now I can't find any evidence of it anywhere on the net but I'm pretty sure it was in the 1977 Hornby Catalog ... can anyone help me out?  It was an analog system that had add-on modules for switches to control signals, points, etc.

I never owned a new controller until I got into Japanese N gauge because as a kid, all my money went on locos and almost enough rolling stock to go with them.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[Mr Frosty]

Are you thinking of the Zero1, which was a forerunner to DCC and required receiver modules fitted to locos.




Or the simpler 900 controller

[The_Ghan]

Oh Frosty ... you're good!

Yes, it was the "Zero 1" ... I couldn't remember the name.  You could also daisy chain several slave controllers to it.  So much awesome!  Gawd, I wanted one of those.  Was it actually digital?  Does anyone have one?

Cheers

The_Ghan

[CaptOblivious]

Funny, I just had someone ask me about these. I'd never heard of the Zero 1, being much too young I guess. Had a read of the manual and some background technical information: It's really quite clever! Well ahead of its time. But positively antiquated now.

[The_Ghan]

Funny, I just had someone ask me about these. I'd never heard of the Zero 1, being much too young I guess. Had a read of the manual and some background technical information: It's really quite clever! Well ahead of its time. But positively antiquated now.

Hey!  You!  I can still take you down, bucko !!!         

I might have to grab one next time its on ebay.

Cheers

The_Ghan

[inobu]

Yeah........Ghan I'm officially diagnosing you with CTPD (Compulsive Train Purchase Disorder). You go around thinking of train stuff to buy. lol

Inobu

 

[Mr Frosty]

I might have to grab one next time its on ebay.

Cheers

The_Ghan

There are often several on UK ebay (including the slave units) but the loco modules are much rarer.
Having said that, a quick check has shown there to be a few available. It would seem that boxed master controllers and decoder chips can be had for around £10 each.

[keitaro]

Yeah........Ghan I'm officially diagnosing you with CTPD (Compulsive Train Purchase Disorder). You go around thinking of train stuff to buy. lol

Inobu

 

and then he blames me .... 

[The_Ghan]

Yeah........Ghan I'm officially diagnosing you with CTPD (Compulsive Train Purchase Disorder). You go around thinking of train stuff to buy. lol

Inobu

You know, I don't have any of my old Hornby catalogs anymore ...  ... but I found plenty of replacements on ebay ... and I was thinking ... well ... 

Cheers

The_Ghan

[Mr Frosty]

I do think Hornby had the most repulsive coupling system ever designed.

Huge horrible things that were a nightmare to uncouple unless you had the little ramp in the tracks.

[The_Ghan]

Yes, Frosty, I have to agree with you.  As a kid I was proud of my Hornby OO setup - a double loop with a few sidings, some LWS steamers, a set of coaches and half a dozen wagons ... that is, until I saw my friend's Lima setup.  I was immediately impressed by the couplers and, from that day on, absolutely hated the Hornby coupler system.  Coming back to model railways after 25 years I fully expected Hornby to have dumped their big D ring coupler system but no, they haven't.  If they had, I'd be right back into the OO gauge and that disappointment alone set me searching in a new direction ... which ended here with Japanese N-scale.

Cheers

The_Ghan