LATCC - West Drayton kit now at Bletchley

[Saab Dastard]

I visited Bletchley Park today, and as well as the wartime related Enigma stuff, there's the National Computing Museum, where they have recently taken delivery of some ATC computers & consoles from West Drayton!

So they have recordings playing at the same consoles that I saw when I visited LATCC with PPRuNe a few years ago (thanks BRL :ok:). Needless to say I had a LONG chat with some of the blokes managing the exhibit. Computers AND aviation! :ok: Pig in brown stuff! :8

Fascinating place, glad I went, and I will be able to go back as many times as I want over the year on today's entrance fee.

Coup of the day - my two boys asked me for some change to contribute to some of the donations boxes. Change duly handed over and as soon as it was deposited I said "Boys, it was very generous of you to donate your pocket money like that"! They were suddenly rather crestfallen, and I kept a straight face as long as I could! ;)

SD

[VnV2178B]

SAABD,

remember that post war the Civil Aviation Signals Training Establishement was in 'D' Block (and also up on the field to the North - the base of the AR-5 was visible for a long time - edit to add - 'they' seem to have built a housing estate over it now). So the loop completes!

I must go again, I wonder if my 1971 pass will still get me through the gate?

VnV

[Self Loading Freight]

Was it this kit by any chance?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/3337854471_d58a1a67db.jpg?v=0

I was at BP about a month ago, recording stuff for the wireless, and got to pootle about in the workshops. Huge amounts of gorgeous old technology, and a fiercely proud crew looking after it all.

(Anyone who hasn't been: there is no excuse)

R

[Saab Dastard]

Yes, the very items!

Console to the fore, and the PDP11s in the background.

SD

[Nogbad the Bad]

They're the military consols.

Civil controllers used to use flat tops in the old area ops room, and vertical square displays when the Terminal Control Room was opened.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Mmmmm! PDP 11s!

Those look like PDP11/34s and 11/44s. I preferred the ones with the full keyswitch machines like this:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/GZK6NK/frontpanel-small.jpg

I can't recall the octal 'noddy' we used to key in to load the boot tape, but I remember the console output buffer address was 777566; deposit '101' into that and it prints an 'A'!

Must get down to Bletchley. I could get a train to Milton Keynes. What's the best way from there? Train to Bletchley, or bus from MK?

[John Farley]

Google Bletchley Park and all will be revealed about how to get there by public transport