Jim's Computer Sheds, East Yorks, 15th September

[BigEd]

This isn't exactly an event, and not Acorn-specific, but I'm planning to visit Jim Austin's spectacular computer collection on Saturday 15th September. It's open to the public on alternate Saturdays - which is a big improvement on the previous open-by-arrangement.

He's got microcomputers, minicomputers, supercomputers, and more. But more by way of a collection than a museum.

If anyone plans to come along on the same day, well, that is then an event!

Website: http://www.computermuseum.org.uk/ (video within)
Address: Corner House Farm, Burdale Lane, Fimber YO25 9LY

The collection was started in about 1986, and represents the technical development of computing from the earliest days to the present day. It holds examples from every generation of computers - mechanical, relay, valve, transistor, and all the variations of integrated circuit. It has a fine collection of supercomputers and a huge IBM mainframe. As well as ten Cray supercomputers. It has one of the largest collections on show of Cray's and Digital Equipment Corporation computers anywhere.

It is housed in over 8000 sq ft of buildings and organised into manufactures.

More info and some screengrabs here. (or here) (or here)



It's not without Acorn gear:






Edit: fix date! Twice!!

[Elminster]

Interesting. Not sure I could persuade the family to let me go on a 9 hours driving marathan to visit a loads of computers only a week after dragging them to Cambridge. Good to know they open more regualrly now though, I shall have to plan some dodge to get there, something like 'lets spend a week in the Dales/Pennies, oh and while we are there .......'

[BigEd]

It is a bit of a marathon for me too, but it has to be done! Tagging a visit onto a Yorkshire holiday is certainly a good fallback. Perhaps also a side-trip, should there be another event in or near Halifax, or Wakefield, or thereabouts.

Edit: fix date... third time's the charm.

[IanS]

I'm planning to visit Jim Austin's spectacular computer collection on Saturday 13th September.

Nearest Sat 13th Sep is 2025, that's what I call planning ahead.

[Elminster]

Ah. In that case I think I can make it.

[BigEd]

That's just not going to do it for me... let's try Sat 15th instead!

[BigEd]

Looks like I didn't share any shed photos. Here you go:

• Micros (25 photos) (A few Acorns and much besides)
  Multimax 520 (32 photos) (20-CPU monster using NS32k micros)
  Everything (160 photos)

[flowsnake]

That's an impressive collection. I wonder if there are any analogue computers in that collection.Not that I have a practical use for one, more that it is always fun to fiddle with tech.

I note this Jim Austin is in Yorkshire. Is this the same Jim Austin at the University of York? I was a grad student there years ago and would have loved to have seen all this gear, had I known it was there!

[BigEd]

Yes, same Jim Austin. Very friendly.

I did have a good look around, and don't remember noticing anything analogue, but it might yet be in there. It's quite a high-entropy collection - much more so than as seen on TV.

Oh, but hang on, his website says he has a Heathkit EC1 analogue computer. So, something for everyone!

[trixster]

Thanks for sharing the photos, they are fascinating!

[BigEd]

Cheers! It was a very full day, I think from a bit before 11 until after 6pm.

Turns out I did see and snap an analogue machine too: "Vidac 336-H analogue computer. By Computing Techniques of Billingshurst."

Udo Möller was the one to motivate me to make this big trip, for a chance to see the Multimax - see his comprehensive website on the ns32k.

[flowsnake]

Some excellent photos, and now I shall have to find a plausible pretext to ask Jim for a play with one of these analogue beasts!

[rjnicko]

Live 30 miles away from here and I’ve never heard of it before. I’ve been searching computer museums every so often on Google. The only thing what generally comes up is all places based down south around Cambridge/Oxford etc. and too far for a day trip for me really.

Nice to see a place local for once.

Definitely can’t wait to go visit now.