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Vintage Computers Any vintage computer systems, calculators, video games etc., but with an emphasis on 1980s and earlier equipment. |
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28th Jan 2023, 1:42 pm | #1 |
Nonode
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Gloucester, Glos. UK.
Posts: 2,149
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North west Computer Museum
Found this article on BBC Manchester Local news about a new Museum that as well as displaying old Computers is aiming to offer a fixing service for your old Spectrums Pcs etc.
Anyone been there yet? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...ester-64413424
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28th Jan 2023, 3:34 pm | #2 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,483
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Re: North west Computer Museum
I've been keeping an eye on it for a while and will probably make it part of the reason for going down to the Blackpool radio rally, assuming the museum will be open on Sundays
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28th Jan 2023, 4:01 pm | #3 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 3,958
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Looks like it is on our route to Golborne, and only 6 miles from Golborne. Anyone know if it is open on April 2nd Sunday afternoon?
Looks like crossed with SH, similar ideas. John.
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My favourite text message "I'll be there in five minutes, if not read again" Last edited by 60 oldjohn; 28th Jan 2023 at 4:03 pm. Reason: Added last line. |
28th Jan 2023, 4:18 pm | #4 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,483
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Their landing page on the web, although very nicely rendered in a retro style, is a bit short of information about what's there:-
https://www.nwcomputermuseum.org.uk Ticket-only at the moment, although that may change. |
28th Jan 2023, 5:13 pm | #5 |
Nonode
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 2,039
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Re: North west Computer Museum
I rather liked the green screen (pseudo-'62 modem) presentation
Guy
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28th Jan 2023, 7:00 pm | #6 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
I went there a few weeks ago, just on the off chance that it might be open.
It wasn't, but the owner, Joe Kay, was there and he let me in for a look. He was still setting it up. Big place, lots of early computers. There were hundreds of boxes still to be opened, who knows what goodies they contained. I see it opened today, which is news to me !. I was supposed to be on the early interest list, with an invite to the opening. It's only 10 minutes away, I'll take another look. |
28th Jan 2023, 7:13 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK.
Posts: 5,190
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Re: North west Computer Museum
What do you mean by 'early computers'?
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28th Jan 2023, 7:36 pm | #8 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Early home computers; Atari, Apple, BBC, Commodore, Sinclair etc.
I did spot some early commercial stuff, like terminals and huge tape drives, but I don't know if they were going to be on show. They have a Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/northwestcomputermuseum/about |
28th Jan 2023, 11:12 pm | #9 | |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Quote:
Until recently the web page was actually a lot more informative. I would have liked to have seen a fully featured website coinciding with launch time, but as it is, we'll have to ask Buzby to be our mystery shopper. |
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29th Jan 2023, 12:23 am | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,265
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Re: North west Computer Museum
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29th Jan 2023, 12:51 pm | #11 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Buzby, If you do go along on a scouting mission for us they might be interested to see Micky Or Vicky or both? (For the deeply mystified, those are the names of Buzby's original MK14 and replica MK14, respectively).
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29th Jan 2023, 3:56 pm | #12 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
From our Vintage Computers on-the-spot reporter at North West Computer Museum ...
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29th Jan 2023, 3:59 pm | #13 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
some more pics, all are in the .zip
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29th Jan 2023, 4:08 pm | #14 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Quote:
This might also be the impetus I need to get back working on Micky and Vicky. They've been a bit neglected this last year. EDIT : I could donate Vicky now. I've got almost enough parts to build another, just need PCB and ROMs |
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29th Jan 2023, 8:13 pm | #15 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Thanks for going along and taking the photos.
I have to say I think it's extremely courageous to line up old vintage machines like that and let people actually touch them. The Centre for Computing History (Cambridge) has a similarly liberal regime and all I can think is that both organisations must have boxes and boxes of spare parts like keys and keyboard membranes. The museum looks very good, I will certainly try to swing by there if the museum will be open on the same day we head down to Blackpool for the radio rally. As far as displaying Micky and Vicky are concerned maybe they could go in perspex cases with an accessible / external armoured keypad connected to the keypad edge connector. DavidMS's forthcoming Pi Pico-based uploader with its display and menu driven UI might also be one way for a visitor to easily choose and load demo programs into the machine. |
29th Jan 2023, 8:25 pm | #16 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,872
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Re: North west Computer Museum
(Leigh spinners mill is an unusual building. The original company survived, just, and makes astroturf in the basement which probably used to be the cardroom when it was cotton spinning. The rest of the mill was vacant for decades, and when it started to fall down they got a load of funding to try to re-purpose it - looks like this is one of the new tenants. The engine house and big cross-compound mill engine survives, and a group has been working to preserve the engine. Whether it will ever rotate again, I don't know! So all this could be an interesting angle to any visit).
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29th Jan 2023, 10:16 pm | #17 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Quote:
The NWCM itself is aiming to be more than just a museum. The education room has some neat RPi and Arduino workstations. Soon there will be an arcade games room with Space Invaders and such stuff. So who will benefit from the museum ? Obviously old time users will enjoy reliving their early days, but by attracting a younger audience with the arcade and education rooms, the hope is they will introduce a new generation to the old stuff as well. On the way back from the museum, I stopped off at another 'saved' building I have an association with. I was talking to a guy I've known for three years. When I mentioned NWCM he said 'That sounds just the place I can send my HP85 and calculators. They've been in the attic for years.' How much other stuff have people got that they don't mention ? !. |
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29th Jan 2023, 10:35 pm | #18 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Quote:
Vicky is easily repairable. I've got enough bits to build a couple more, except for ROMs, so I'm not too bothered about damage. If I do decide that Micky and Vicky need a new home, I suggest we have a new thread about how best to go about it. |
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30th Jan 2023, 12:01 am | #19 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK.
Posts: 11,483
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Agreed.
Those kits shown in one of the photos, have they been put together by the museum or are they repackaged Velleman (or similar) kits? |
30th Jan 2023, 12:16 am | #20 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 637
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Re: North west Computer Museum
Quote:
I didn't look at them all, but I did speak to one of the staff who said Joe ( the founder ) wanted to replicate the feel he got in Maplins ! |
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