I got in to dcc round about early summer 2003. I did so by buying a toy train set for about £60; it was OO, continental, diesel loco plus three wagons, but with a Roco dcc system, including a transformer!

As I was able to sell the loco and wagons for about £20, my first dcc system cost me well below the going rate. (It's also left me with an oval of OO track on which I can test run repaired stuff for local kiddies etc). However the Roco hand-held cab had a centre-,off knob with forward speed control clock-wise and reverse anticlock-wise and I found this confusing because since those long gone days of Hornby-Dublo, I'd got used to a switch for direction and clock-wise knob turning to increase speed'.

A friend recommended the Lenz 'Compact' system, then costing about £75 but now withdrawn. This was a far better system than most reviews inferred, and in my opinion one of the best starter systems (and indeed continuation systems!) for the typical British 'shunting plank, and Lenz was well represented in Britain with Mackays of Scotland; and fairly locally for me, MG Sharp of Sheffield. As always there is an "however"; indeed, here there are two "howevers".

In 2009, Margaret gave me a sound equipped Class 20 diesel for a Christmas present and the Lenz system had insufficient function buttons to match all the sound functions. At some later exhibition I 'found' Digitrains; they sold me a NCE 'Power Cab' system, (then <£100), which got round that problem. This also meant that Bowton's Yard could have its dedicated controls (Lenz) while Birch Vale got the new NCE system.,

The second "however" is that Mackays seem no longer to be agents and MG Sharp also seem to have matured into different retail routes, making it difficult to get reliable info about Lenz and their current systems. They no longer have a low-priced introductory system apparently, and if they have a British agency, I have not found it!

At a recent birthday Margaret had difficulty in thinking of a good present so I started thinking in terms of a replacement for the out-dated Lenz system. in view of inter-changeability like hand-helds etc, it was sensible to stay with either Lenz or NCE. The previous paragraph indicates why NCE was chosen.

Over the last week or so, and continuing, I've been modifying the wiring and building control panel enclosures for the NCE power panels which are designed to fit into the baseboard sideframes I didn't want that,- they are going into the end of existing control panels. With the order on Digitrains, I include two "UTP" panels. These are similar to the power panels in appearance but are meant to accept hand-held control cabs remote from the main system. Eventually, for both of these S4 standards layouts, it will be possible to plug in a hand-held at either end (or both!) of the layout.

Among all these changes is my decision to concentrate on 18.83 gauge, so making 'Wheegram Sidings', the EM layout that started this blog, surplus to requirements along with the two dcc systems (Roco and Lenz). If any one is interested then PM me.

I'm off now to produce an electrical schematic drawing for the new 'Bowton's Yard' control panel which is to incorporate change over switches between analogue and digital control and for the digital side, a change over between track supply and programming track supply.

What a confusing hobby we chose!?!

Good modelling to you,
Dave