How many sold? German tank problem:serial nums wtd

[marcusjambler]

03ANB01 3070922 BBC Model B Issue7 12.07.84

In really good condition looks hardly used

Marcus

[AJW]

Where werethe manufacture and assembly sites for the BBC Micro?

[BigEd]

I've a feeling it was Newport, where they now make Raspberry Pi.

[AJW]

Someone said Hong Kong.

[BigEd]

Chris says:

The early BBC Micros were built by a number of different suppliers including AB Electronics, Cleartone and ICL. These can be seen on the early serial numbers.

A different Chris said:

There are four production lines making products for us in the U.K.: ICL at Kidsgrove; Race Electronics and AB Electronics in South Wales; and RH Electronics in Cambridge

An early press report said:

One factor helping this is the addition of another, Hong Kong based sub-contractor to produce the machines. Though primarily for the Far East market, the early production from Hong Kong will come to the UK to help redress the balance. A further two, as yet unnamed sub contractors could also be appointed in the UK.

(This ought to be a new thread really)

[DutchAcorn]

Back on topic:
25-ALB35-1011704

A5000 33MHz 4MB 160MB

[Deleted User 9295]

Where were the manufacture and assembly sites for the BBC Micro?

I expect I could answer that by (once again) ploughing through the boxes of BBC Micro Progress Meeting minutes that I have stashed in the loft - I recollect that numbers of machines manufactured by the various factories were a regular item in those minutes. But it seems that the answer has already been provided, so hopefully I don't need to.

[tone76]

I recently acquired a number of Beebs, along with another Master 128 and a B+ 128. Hope these serials help.

Electron
07-ALA01-0043006

Model B
Issue 3 ICL 016277
Issue 4 AB 178266
Issue 7 02-ANB01-1009889
Issue 7 03-ANB01-3038095
Issue 7 03-ANB01-3067776
Issue 7 AB 199328

Model B+ 128K
01-AMB53-5511490

Master 128
01-AMB15-0012350
01-AMB15-0031757

[Bobbi]

Here is my Model B:

Issue 3. ICL 10401.

[Becky]

Model B

01-ANB03-5017688

[robcfg]

How come I haven't contributed to this lovely thread?

My Electron has serial number 06-ALA01-0089197 and my Plus One, 12-ALA11-10-01174.

[DutchAcorn]

Winchester Disc 110 (eBay):
W10 01 AND51-0100153

[IanJeffray]

I've never seen a serial number like this before...

Edited to add the serial number as text so it’s searchable: 25-UNX11-1000166 Mark

[IanS]

I've never seen a serial number like this before...
IMG_5145.JPG

R140? http://www.software-evolutions.de/info/ ... Codes.html

[IanJeffray]

I've never seen a serial number like this before...
IMG_5145.JPG

R140? http://www.software-evolutions.de/info/ ... Codes.html

Aw you're no fun Yes.

[IanS]

I've never seen a serial number like this before...
IMG_5145.JPG

R140? http://www.software-evolutions.de/info/ ... Codes.html

Aw you're no fun Yes.

Interesting, my R140 has a AKB21 code (like cfch - http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/3639/Acorn-R140/)
Mine is 69-AKB21-1000879

[a1exh]

A5000 25MHz, 2MB, 25-ALB22-1010835 (Not mine)

[c0burn]

My A5000

Edited to add the serial number as text so it’s searchable: 25-ALB12-1007888 Mark

[acp]

Might as well join in here. Here's the stuff I've got:

BBC B: 01-ANB04-6019362
BBC B: Serial number sticker missing.
A3xx: 27-AKB10-1000170 (Not sure which A3xx model because the front sticker is missing)
A420/1: 25-AKB46-1001352
R140: 69-AKB21-1000124
RiscPC 600: 72-ACB45-1010598
RiscPC: 80-SRP21-1150212
A7000: Serial number sticker missing along with back panel.
A7000+: 80-AMC50-1011496
"NC Model 1": 3517 (likely a prototype given the odd serial number style and label)
More standard NC: 80-TNS10-1005032

I've also got four other NCs which are NetProducts branded and have different serial number styles to the Acorn branded one.

[a1exh]

-A5000 25MHz 2MB 25-ALB22-1015578 (not mine)

[steve3000]

A3xx: 27-AKB10-1000170 (Not sure which A3xx model because the front sticker is missing)

AKB10 means that's an A305, nice

[arg]

I've a feeling it was Newport, where they now make Raspberry Pi.

I think this is not right, though it's very close by. Raspberry Pi is made by Sony at Pencoed, near Bridgend.

AB Electronics made BBCs at their site in Rogerstone, near Newport. They are still going, having been bought by TT Electronics; I was having stuff assembled there about 15 years ago and there were still a few people around who remembered making the BBCs. They also made BBCs at one of their other sites in the area (Abercynon?). I believe one of these sites was bought by AB from Cleartone during the BBC manufacturing era, though I'm less sure of that detail. It appears that Race Electronics (another of the BBC assemblers in South Wales) was also bought by AB (and then TT), but not until the '90s.

There were lots of these electronics assembly plants built in the early '80s in South Wales as Government policy to offset job losses in the coal industry, ranging from large (eg. Sony who at that time were building TVs here) to the many smaller operators like Race, Cleartone and AB, many of whom eventually got consolidated into larger groups. It had big social impact: the pits employed almost entirely men, while the replacement electronics factories employed a very large proportion of women.

[BigEd]

Ah, I stand corrected! (I used to work for Inmos, who had a testing site at Coldra on the east of Newport as well as the manufacturing site at Duffrynn on the west side. Even so, I don't have a good feel for the area - I worked at the north Bristol site.)

[a1exh]

A5000 25MHz 2MB 25-ALB22-1013885 (not mine)

[a1exh]

A5000 25MHz ??MB 25-ALB20-1010613 (Not mine)

[IanB]

AB Electronics made BBCs at their site in Rogerstone, near Newport. They are still going, having been bought by TT Electronics; I was having stuff assembled there about 15 years ago and there were still a few people around who remembered making the BBCs. They also made BBCs at one of their other sites in the area (Abercynon?). I believe one of these sites was bought by AB from Cleartone during the BBC manufacturing era, though I'm less sure of that detail. It appears that Race Electronics (another of the BBC assemblers in South Wales) was also bought by AB (and then TT), but not until the '90s.

I went on a tour of one of the BBC assembly factories in south wales around 1984 and watched beebs being made but I can't remember which one. I think it was organised by an Acorn rep for the staff of a Cardiff Acorn dealer and I tagged along as I worked for them occasionally.

[a1exh]

A5000 25MHz, 2MB, 40MB hard disk 25-ALB12-1011173 (Not Mine)

[a1exh]

A5000 25MHz, 2MB, 40MB hard disk 25-ALB12-1005577 (not mine)

s-l16002.jpg (37.05 KiB) Viewed 6881 times

[a1exh]

A5000 25MHz, 2MB, 40MB hard disk 25-ALB12-1003345 (not mine)

[a1exh]

A5000 25MHz, 2MB, 25-ALB-22-1014202 (not mine)