Ferranti Orion 2 documentation - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

John_BS · 9th Apr 2014, 10:33 pm

I've aquired some interesting (and detailed) documentation dating from around 1963 relating to early Ferranti building-blocks.

1. "Circuit philosophy and design for the package family used in Orion 2 and FP6000"
F.G. Heath Aug 1963.

(Gate and flip-flop schematics etc.)

2. Sections A, B, C, D to J of some kind of manual (schematics, block diagrams, text etc; leaves loose):

A: Neurons
B: Logical symbols & notations
C: Some uses of N-type packages
D: N-type packages input loading
E: N-type packages monitoring equipment
F: Control oscillator and 9V PSU data
G: Bias Supply unit
H: Timing generator
J: Magnetostrictive delay lines

3. "Package numbers" 002 to 042

Each seems to describe some functional element (e.g. 002 Double entry neuron, 016 Long delay line amplifier etc)

I've emailed someone who has a web-site relating to the Orion machine*, but if anyone knows of someone else who light be interested, please drop me a line.

John

* http://ferranti-orion.co.uk/

SiriusHardware · 10th Apr 2014, 6:20 pm

When I went to the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) for the first time last year Ferranti (as in computers) were featured very prominently because they were a Manchester (or local to Manchester) firm. If you can't find an individual who might be interested I'm sure MOSI would like to take them off your hands.

John_BS · 10th Apr 2014, 7:20 pm

Thanks for the lead. I'm currently waiting to see if the "Computer Conservation Society" have an interest!

John

maninashed · 12th Apr 2014, 12:25 pm

Drop a line to Bletchley Park John. I'm aware that a lot of early computer gear from UMIST (university of Manchester Inst of science and technology) was collected by a team from Bletchley only last year. If nothing else, they may be able to throw a bit of light on what you've unearthed.
Bill

John_BS · 18th Apr 2014, 4:41 pm

I've now posted this information to a chap called Alan Thomson, who's scheduled to give a talk on these machines to the Computer Conservation Society later this year.

I've just learnt that the documents had been stored by a clock-enthusiast for 25 years, and he'd just put them out for recycling when a relative of my wife's happened by.........

Doug_h · 13th Jul 2015, 10:29 pm

This makes me feel terribly old ... but I was a computer operator on the Cadbury Bros. Orion 1 computer in 1965 and 1966. I borrowed the programming manual and a few other bits and pieces from one of the programmers then ... and I still have them all, along with a long section of the Friden Flexowriter log. This shows what the computer was doing, what output it gave and the archaic commands we used to control it. I wrote my first program on that machine and still have the actual code and the output - it counted from 1 to 50 and printed the number and it's square, cube, fourth and fifth powers. That led me to an IT career which lasted till 2002 (though I think we called it "DP" then, not "IT").

"Mean Time Between Failure" was measured in hours (not very many) and at any given time one or two peripherals were down for repair or maintenance. My second day on the job was spent doing nothing because the machine was down and in the evening we drove to London and spent the night using the ICT back-up machine at Newman Street before driving back to Brum (sorry : Bournville). Health & Safety ? Too many hours awake ... oh come on .....

I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who recalls those days.

Memories, memories .......

Greymalkin · 6th Jun 2016, 9:30 am

Doug, I remember the Orion 1 at Cadbury's.

The operating console was 8 feet long, the tapes were 1.5 inches wide, and you needed to stand on steps to change them. The CPU was hidden behind a wall of doors and if you opened one you were thrust back by the light off the vacuum tubes. The storage was 5k

Maybe you and I rubbed shoulders working this magnificent beast, with the smell of mashed potatoes in the background. and the click of balls from the snooker hall below.

It's highly unlikely that I will visit this forum again, so I won't catch up with the chit-chat.

Contact me. I accept emails via the forums.

Phil.

mjddewet · 9th Jun 2016, 3:42 pm

Oh my word!!! Orion computer!

I cut my computer teeth on of those as a computer operator at a local SA insurance company in 1972, and they had an ICT(later ICL) Orion still in full operation. The old girl was retired sometime after 1976 to be replaced by the then latest and greatest ICL2970 or 80 monster of a mainframe.

A complete solid state machine then, but with transistors on circuitboards... LOTS of them. Drum memory by Sperry Rand, and 1" wide tapes... Punchcard input, and printed paper output. No terminals, VDU's at all. You operated her by the seat of your pants. Some WEIRD co-workers were experienced too!

9th Apr 2014, 10:33 pm	#1
John_BS Octode Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Wincanton, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,784	Ferranti Orion 2 documentation I've aquired some interesting (and detailed) documentation dating from around 1963 relating to early Ferranti building-blocks. 1. "Circuit philosophy and design for the package family used in Orion 2 and FP6000" F.G. Heath Aug 1963. (Gate and flip-flop schematics etc.) 2. Sections A, B, C, D to J of some kind of manual (schematics, block diagrams, text etc; leaves loose): A: Neurons B: Logical symbols & notations C: Some uses of N-type packages D: N-type packages input loading E: N-type packages monitoring equipment F: Control oscillator and 9V PSU data G: Bias Supply unit H: Timing generator J: Magnetostrictive delay lines 3. "Package numbers" 002 to 042 Each seems to describe some functional element (e.g. 002 Double entry neuron, 016 Long delay line amplifier etc) I've emailed someone who has a web-site relating to the Orion machine, but if anyone knows of someone else who light be interested, please drop me a line. John http://ferranti-orion.co.uk/

10th Apr 2014, 6:20 pm	#2
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 11,587	Re: Ferranti Orion 2 documentation When I went to the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) for the first time last year Ferranti (as in computers) were featured very prominently because they were a Manchester (or local to Manchester) firm. If you can't find an individual who might be interested I'm sure MOSI would like to take them off your hands.

10th Apr 2014, 7:20 pm	#3
John_BS Octode Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Wincanton, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,784	Re: Ferranti Orion 2 documentation Thanks for the lead. I'm currently waiting to see if the "Computer Conservation Society" have an interest! John

12th Apr 2014, 12:25 pm	#4
maninashed Rest in Peace Join Date: May 2011 Location: Preston, Lancashire UK Posts: 955	Re: Ferranti Orion 2 documentation Drop a line to Bletchley Park John. I'm aware that a lot of early computer gear from UMIST (university of Manchester Inst of science and technology) was collected by a team from Bletchley only last year. If nothing else, they may be able to throw a bit of light on what you've unearthed. Bill

18th Apr 2014, 4:41 pm	#5
John_BS Octode Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Wincanton, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,784	Re: Ferranti Orion 2 documentation I've now posted this information to a chap called Alan Thomson, who's scheduled to give a talk on these machines to the Computer Conservation Society later this year. I've just learnt that the documents had been stored by a clock-enthusiast for 25 years, and he'd just put them out for recycling when a relative of my wife's happened by.........

13th Jul 2015, 10:29 pm	#6
Doug_h Triode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 31	Re: Ferranti Orion 2 documentation This makes me feel terribly old ... but I was a computer operator on the Cadbury Bros. Orion 1 computer in 1965 and 1966. I borrowed the programming manual and a few other bits and pieces from one of the programmers then ... and I still have them all, along with a long section of the Friden Flexowriter log. This shows what the computer was doing, what output it gave and the archaic commands we used to control it. I wrote my first program on that machine and still have the actual code and the output - it counted from 1 to 50 and printed the number and it's square, cube, fourth and fifth powers. That led me to an IT career which lasted till 2002 (though I think we called it "DP" then, not "IT"). "Mean Time Between Failure" was measured in hours (not very many) and at any given time one or two peripherals were down for repair or maintenance. My second day on the job was spent doing nothing because the machine was down and in the evening we drove to London and spent the night using the ICT back-up machine at Newman Street before driving back to Brum (sorry : Bournville). Health & Safety ? Too many hours awake ... oh come on ..... I'd be interested to hear from anyone else who recalls those days. Memories, memories .......

6th Jun 2016, 9:30 am	#7
Greymalkin Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Posts: 1	Re: Ferranti Orion 2 documentation Doug, I remember the Orion 1 at Cadbury's. The operating console was 8 feet long, the tapes were 1.5 inches wide, and you needed to stand on steps to change them. The CPU was hidden behind a wall of doors and if you opened one you were thrust back by the light off the vacuum tubes. The storage was 5k Maybe you and I rubbed shoulders working this magnificent beast, with the smell of mashed potatoes in the background. and the click of balls from the snooker hall below. It's highly unlikely that I will visit this forum again, so I won't catch up with the chit-chat. Contact me. I accept emails via the forums. Phil.

9th Jun 2016, 3:42 pm	#8
mjddewet Triode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Somerset West, Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 25	Re: Ferranti Orion 2 documentation Oh my word!!! Orion computer! I cut my computer teeth on of those as a computer operator at a local SA insurance company in 1972, and they had an ICT(later ICL) Orion still in full operation. The old girl was retired sometime after 1976 to be replaced by the then latest and greatest ICL2970 or 80 monster of a mainframe. A complete solid state machine then, but with transistors on circuitboards... LOTS of them. Drum memory by Sperry Rand, and 1" wide tapes... Punchcard input, and printed paper output. No terminals, VDU's at all. You operated her by the seat of your pants. Some WEIRD co-workers were experienced too!