CRAG Meets DCC Concepts, 5/6/17

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Ian Everett
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CRAG Meets DCC Concepts, 5/6/17

Postby Ian Everett » Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:27 pm

CRAG was warmly welcomed by Richard Johnson and his team at DCC Concepts new European headquarters in the old goods yard at Settle station. The rather sparse Settle and Carlisle timetable meant that we started at 10.30 with refreshments. The morning was spent discussing DCC Concepts' developing range of products for fine scale modellers after which we repaired to the Royal Oak for an excellent lunch and more discussion. (No CRAG meeting is complete without a pub lunch!)

On our return to DCC Concepts there were more questions answered and finally wallets were opened and temptation was succumbed to. We departed happily clutching our purchases and some very welcome and unexpected goody-bags containing some lovely DCC Concepts products.

DCC Concepts' new headquarters are well worth a visit, with lots of fascinating, innovative products on display and a superb model of Ribblehead viaduct filling one wall. Their team is both enthusiastic and knowledgable, If you time it right you could also be treated to the sight, sounds and smells of a steam special thundering up the long drag through Settle. We didn't and only heard the Royal Scot as it passed. Never mind - we did see two freights and the yellow HST going down the hill.

One particular topic of interest was their point operation system which is based on "Cobalt" point motors with built-in DCC decoders. As well as their original motors which are similar in design to the familiar "Tortoise" motors they now have some very tiny motors which are intended for surface mounting. Several of our group have been trialling the alternative ""Megapoints" system which uses industry-standard servos. We will be looking very closely at the pros and cons of the two rival systems: both are very impressive.

Most of us also went home with some of their lead-based solders and fluxes which do not require washing off.

I will be sending Richard Brighton (spitting image of his dad, John, of Millhouses fame) the signalling diagram of Bradford North Western so he can specify and cost a Cobalt-based frame for me.

There was too much to list entirely and all-in-all it was a fascinating day out for our seven members who attended - Chris and Jean King, Mike Megginson, Ron Tyler, Stuart de Boer, David Dredge and myself.

The next meeting of CRAG will be at my house in Wensleydale on Thursday 20th July. Anyone in Cumbria or the Yorkshire Dales will be very welcome. Do P.M. me for details.

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