Jump to content
 

Good DCC retailer


RobinofLoxley
 Share

Recommended Posts

I have used both Digitrains and Coastal and have found both very helpful. Your nearest I would think is digitrains in Lincoln who have hands on having been there only used Coastal mail order or at shows. If you go to Lincoln check opening times as I have seen conflicting information due to the pandemic.

 

regards mike 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

 

6 hours ago, RobinofLoxley said:

I want to go and spend several hours going through all the topics

 

Maybe worth drawing up your list of questions and e-mail each of the suggested suppliers to start with, not sure how warm a welcome you would get in the current climate or if you would be able to get any hands on time with their kit.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the replies. Bit surprised that Worcester is the closest except they are closed. Digitrains website isnt clear on the subject so I will have to call. Coastal the same. So it looks like the mail and telephone route unless it turns out sites havnt been updated.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

It seems very likely that the usual hands-on that is recommended is simply not gonna happen under Covid, as has been said. But you can  perhaps narrow down your requirements a little, which may help eliminate this or that system, at least. 

 

Key features you might already hold a view upon include the basic design, whether one-box or a number of components; walkaround operation, versus a fixed central control panel; throttles that rotate, have loadsa buttons, or sliders; the need for a Starship-Enterprise display with pretty colours, or something more muted; expandability, and scope for interfacing to automation, if that might be a goal; and, obviously, price. Others may well enhance my list!

 

Thinking about that lot might reduce the task for the dealers. 

Edited by Oldddudders
  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Might be worth trying to get some questions and answers exposed on this forum before the shop visit, because whilst in a shop, interrupted as one may be by social distancing considerations and other customers, it’s not always easy to Marshall the questions, especially because there’s a fair chance there’ll be some topics and factors that you don’t know that you don’t know!

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Digitrains in Lincoln is my local model railway shop. it's a short walk from the railway station and there is free parking at the shop. 

 

They are fully open for DCC enquiries and equipment trials, though working on slightly reduced trading hours.

 

11am to 4 pm Monday to Friday. There's currently no Saturday opening

 

You will be required to wear a face mask, use the supplied hand sanitiser when entering the shop and observe social distancing. Other than that, it's all normal.

 

I was in the other day and a customer was trying out several DCC systems on the shops layout so he could compare them back to back. He'd been in the shop a couple of hours before I got there so he was getting the usual 'full service' from Jeremy.

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Ron Ron Ron said:

Digitrains in Lincoln

 

DCC Supplies near Worcester

 

Coastal DCC in Ipswich.

 

.

 

With hindsight, I realise that I forgot to add your nearest DCC specialist shop, which is  A & H Models in Brackley.

Just 16 miles from the outskirts of Northampton.

They stock DCC systems, accessory modules and decoders from Lenz, Roco & Uhlenbrock .....and they know their stuff.

(Note: they're the main UK distributor for Lenz)

 

 

.

Edited by Ron Ron Ron
  • Agree 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, RobinofLoxley said:

I want to go and spend several hours going through all the topics

 

Several hours? That's expecting a free education rather than just advice. In fairness to the shop, I suggest you do some research first. There are plenty of introductory guides available.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, dpgibbons said:

 

Several hours? That's expecting a free education rather than just advice. In fairness to the shop, I suggest you do some research first. There are plenty of introductory guides available.

I would expect to be browsing some of the time. If I have to drive 2 hrs each way Im not spending 20 minutes in the shop !! But obviously to get the most out of the visit I need to be beyond beginners questions when I go in.

Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, RobinofLoxley said:

I would expect to be browsing some of the time. If I have to drive 2 hrs each way Im not spending 20 minutes in the shop !! But obviously to get the most out of the visit I need to be beyond beginners questions when I go in.

 

Most of these specialist retailers are quite small - so browsing isn't going to get very far.   Small premises, lots of boxes of equipment, a couple of display cases, small demo track which can be setup with systems for try-out.  If you're expecting a shop with loads of things laid out for browsing visitors, you're in for a disappointment.    What you get from them is expertise and a wide range of items carried.  

 

If you need a few hours of consultancy time, offer to pay for it.  £60-£100 spent on consultancy might save you a fortune in money and hassle further down the line.  If you're planning on spending thousands with the retailer, then the consultancy may come for free.  But if seeking an entry system and a handful of decoders, the profit on those will not stretch to hours of free consultancy time.   

Sending your initial thoughts in advance , or where you're starting from, helps the retailer; they can think about what you've said and have the relevant items available. 

 

 

- Nigel

 

 

  • Like 3
  • Agree 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

 

On 31/08/2020 at 11:12, RobinofLoxley said:

Could anyone please reccommend me a couple of good DCC specialist shops reachable from the Northampton area. I want to go and spend several hours going through all the topics (having first posted a question or two here.....

hi there

 

nice to see another dcc'er local to me .. yes northampton also ... i can try and help with answering some questions over a coffee etc ... i use a digitrax system and have done since 1999 . im in the middle of a huge upgrade of the railway from z to n so bit are working and bits arent

tony

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, ahellary said:

 

hi there

 

nice to see another dcc'er local to me .. yes northampton also ... i can try and help with answering some questions over a coffee etc ... i use a digitrax system and have done since 1999 . im in the middle of a huge upgrade of the railway from z to n so bit are working and bits arent

tony

 

I'm not a DCC'er yet! I am going to do a rebuild and once I've got the layout design I will then get to decision making time. I'm expecting to get better results if I retain DC working, just from improved track building and testing. But if I go DCC I will never see that as I will go all-in; the idea of switching in and out of DC, in effect building 2 control systems in parallel, does not attract me at all. But a coffee at some point would be good.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Some DCC specialists operate from small premises, but Digitrains is a proper large shop with a great range of model railway stock, perfect for browsing.

 

With five staff members, there's always someone available for help, advice and support.

 

Here's a link to their video. (you'll hear some of my sound projects in use too).

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, pauliebanger said:

Some DCC specialists operate from small premises, but Digitrains is a proper large shop with a great range of model railway stock, perfect for browsing.

 

With five staff members, there's always someone available for help, advice and support.

 

Here's a link to their video. (you'll hear some of my sound projects in use too).

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

 

Wish I could visit this shop, its a bit of a treck for me but had very good telephone advice and service from Jeremy and Nicole. Went with Digikeijs 5000 and a Digitrax DT500 throttle. The ability to have two locos under instant direct control is the best setup for my shunting layout. Alternative would be two bulky throttles or having to dispatch and recall the locos all the time with a single throttle. Despite all the buttons on the DT500 I find it a pain to access functions above F10, but when it comes to sound all I do is press F1 and occasionally F2 / 3 / 4 for the whistle.

Link to post
Share on other sites

On your door step, A and H models in Brackley. Chris is spot on with DCC very knowledgeable, he has sorted problems for me in the past that some of our high profile dealers couldn't. Traditional model shop to. He is operating one in the shop at a time. Recommend you phone first to make an appointment otherwise you may have to wait outside for a while.

Craig.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...