The Sinclair QL Forum

I was wondering whether anyone else was going to this? It’s being held in the STEAM museum in Swindon.

https://retrofest.uk/

I’ll be there on the Saturday.

I'm going to be exhibiting.

Not the QLs and One-Per-Desk this time though. As it's based at a historic railway centre I've decided to exhibit the first digital model railway control system, the Hornby Zero 1 from 1979/80. I'm currently building the layout for it... which I hope will be finished in time!!!

stephen_usher wrote: Tue May 06, 2025 9:00 am I'm going to be exhibiting.

Not the QLs and One-Per-Desk this time though. As it's based at a historic railway centre I've decided to exhibit the first digital model railway control system, the Hornby Zero 1 from 1979/80. I'm currently building the layout for it... which I hope will be finished in time!!!

And very exciting it is too

Well, the layout had its first powered test today...
https://youtu.be/V6sljJrocpM

(The "youtube" button in the post doesn't work.)

Looking forward to seeing it at the show

Hi Stephen

Do you have your layout computer controlled?

I was really looking forward to going to this, until I was reminded I had to be elsewhere all that weekend for a wedding
Hopefully it will become an annual event.

Derek_Stewart wrote: Thu May 08, 2025 7:04 am Hi Stephen

Do you have your layout computer controlled?

Only in that the Zero 1 has a TMS1000 microcontroller running the system (and each loco decoder also has a TMS1000 in it).

There was a project to provide a computer controlled Zero 1 interface - I think it was a US based project using 6502 - in Model Railway Electronics 1984 edition - can't find the magazine online, but I have a scanned copy in pdf format of the main circuit. You can PM me if interested.

I have been collecting quite a bit of detail on the Zero1 system over the years.

Ah - 2nd link on this page :

https://www.princeton.edu/~mae412/volume.html