North west Computer Museum

[electronicskip]

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

[SiriusHardware]

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

[60 oldjohn]

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.

[SiriusHardware]

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.

[Nymrod121]

I rather liked the green screen (pseudo-'62 modem) presentation
Guy

[Buzby123]

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.

[TonyDuell]

What do you mean by 'early computers'?

[Buzby123]

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

[SiriusHardware]

They have a Facebook page,

The last place I would ever think of looking, unfortunately.

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.

[Mark1960]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

The last place I would ever think of looking, unfortunately.

Me too, even after being told it exists.

[SiriusHardware]

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).

[Buzby123]

From our Vintage Computers on-the-spot reporter at North West Computer Museum ...

[Buzby123]

some more pics, all are in the .zip

[Buzby123]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

... they might be interested to see Micky Or Vicky or both ?

I've already mentioned this idea to Joe, and he is very interested. His main problem is he needs to see how they could be displayed safely and securely.

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

[SiriusHardware]

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.

[mark_in_manc]

(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).

[Buzby123]

Originally Posted by mark_in_manc

... 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, ...

Yes, the mill is one of the last of it's kind to still have surviving engines. I've not actually been in the Heritage Centre which is about the building itself, but there are plenty of other organisations in the three floors above. ( I fancy a trip to the film centre, they're showing 'Alien' and 'Aliens' in a double feature early next month. )

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 ? !.

[Buzby123]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

... As far as displaying Micky and Vicky are concerned ...

That was similar my idea as well, but I think Micky will go in the perspex box just for show. Vicky can be mounted more 'hands on' for the hard core users, with a remote loader as well for a less challenging experience. ( I'll also change the display from bubble to 0.3" LED, hard wired not plugged. )

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.

[SiriusHardware]

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?

[Buzby123]

Originally Posted by SiriusHardware

... Those kits shown in one of the photos, have they been put together by the museum or are they repackaged Velleman (or similar) kits?

Don't know the details. There are some just components, Rs, Cs, semis, etc, and some with simple kits, LED dice etc.

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 !