This site is based around some of the issues highlighted by members of the Hornby Forum and specifically those using RailMaster software to run their Hornby model railway layouts.

The software has many innovations and is somewhat different to others in many ways. It is constantly expanding to add new and better features for users to enhance their model railway experience and the user base is growing all the time.

While some users experience issues installing and running RailMaster those issues around the software are virtually always related to PC, driver or anti-virus products and their firewalls. Some USB issues have been found but these are rare and again are not RailMaster problems.

This site aims to offer help features based upon my own experiences and articles that have appeared on the Hornby RailMaster sub-forum with guides on installation, drivers, ports, USB, networking and more. Further additions and updates will be added in time as they arise. These additions will also be noted on the RailMaster Sub-Forum fixed post RailMaster Help Site authored by myself.

Windows 10, released in July 2015, brought its own set of problems for users straight from the off. Hardly surprising really as almost all new operating system versions will have teething problems as there is so much hardware out there where drivers et al have to fit in with the latest releases. The vast majority of those, to date, have been ironed out by some studious members and the Hornby team where their hardware is concerned.

As a lot of members of the forum have now upgraded to Windows 10 I will continue to add more information re this operating system and RailMaster as they arise and if required. If you wish to see additions made to the site please contact me.

Carnate versions of Windows 10 since release are v1511 (Threshold), v1607 (Redstone 1), v1703 (Redstone 2), v1709 (Redstone 3), v1803 (Redstone 4) and v1809 (Redstone 5). Currently v22H2 is the latest and final release. Version 1809 will be the last carrying the codename Redstone as Microsoft move to a new naming system for forthcoming releases. The current version was released on Nov 16, 2021 and is named as version 21H2 (meaning a release in the second half of the year).

It was once mooted by Microsoft there would be no more versions of Windows by numbers and the OS would simply be called Windows. That policy has now changed with the advent of Windows 11. Its current version as of early September 2023 is 22H2. However, from September 26th the latest version will be 23H2, which simply means the second half of 2023.

You can contact me via the e-mail link on the right. This form of contact should only deal with issues related to this site and possible RailMaster issues you may wish me to answer re the guides I give. Your first port of call however, should remain the forum itself for RailMaster problems as many heads on there may answer your specific question with their area of expertise. I will endeavour to answer as many queries as possible.

Windows 11 was released on 04th October, 2021 and RailMaster works exceptionally well on it. Windows 11 is essentially Windows 10 but with a new graphical interface and security additions meaning certain conditions of your PC hardware MUST be met before Windows 11 will even install.