DCC stands for Digital Command Control, where locomotives receive commands, such as direction of running, speed and lights on/off through the track. The systems we use are; Lenz, NCE and Bachmann E-Z command.

Best system - NCE Power Cab. Fully featured start set available for under £150. Downsides are; limited power for large layouts (it is upgradeable if you want more), and the NCE system DOES NOT support non-DCC fitted locos (see below). Other systems can have compatibility issues, but NCE is compatible with everything!

Best decoder - NCE D13. Motor control is superb, it can supply up to 2 amps and is available for around £12. Only downside is that it is single-sided and therefore larger than some decoders which may be an issue if space is at a premium. Not suitable for N gauge.

DC on DCC - some systems support operating non-DCC fitted locos on DCC (Loco 0). This can be dangerous to the well being of your motors! - some older/less robust motors such as Lima/'old' Hornby/ Dapol can experience severe arcing between the commutator plates which can cause terminal damage.