My BBC Pickup! Massive Load! Unusual VDU! A Good Deal???

Hello Fixers!

This is a pickup of a BBC load from Farnborough, and boy is it dirty! We have a look at the items and also try a power-on of the BBC!!!!!

In the heart of Farnborough, I stumbled upon a retro computing treasure trove that took me straight back to the 1980s. Listed on Facebook Marketplace, a BBC Micro Model B package caught my eye, but little did I know that this nostalgic adventure would uncover a fascinating slice of British tech history. In today’s post, I’ll share the highlights of this amazing haul and the historical gems hidden in dust and grime.

The Discovery: BBC Micro Model B
The BBC Microcomputer, often affectionately known as the BBC Micro, was the bedrock of British computing education in the 1980s. Produced by Acorn Computers, this iconic machine became synonymous with the BBC's Computer Literacy Project, encouraging a generation of schoolchildren to engage with coding and digital literacy. As I arrived to pick up the BBC B, I knew I was on the cusp of uncovering a true piece of history.

The seller mentioned the machine had been in storage for a while, which was evident as I brushed away the thick layer of dust clinging to the machine’s beige casing. Yet, beneath the grime lay a sturdy, unassuming exterior that hinted at the quality craftsmanship of Acorn Computers. The BBC Micro is not only famous for its solid build but also for its ability to withstand the test of time, something I was hoping would hold true as I examined this relic.

A Trove of 5.25" Floppy Disks
Adding to the vintage vibe, the haul included a stack of 5.25" floppy disks—once the lifeblood of storage in 1980s computing. These disks are an emblem of a bygone era, when 1.2 MB was an impressive storage capacity! I could almost feel the nostalgia radiating from each labeled disk. Sorting through them, I realised these weren’t just blank storage media; they were filled with software, games, and maybe even forgotten files from a previous owner.

It was like diving into a time capsule—each disk a window to the past. The thrill of wondering which classic programs or games might be hidden on these disks brought a wave of excitement.

The Rediffusion Color Monitor: A Rare Gem
One of the most intriguing finds was a Rediffusion-branded color monitor. Rediffusion was well-known in the UK, primarily as a television and cable services provider, so seeing their logo on a vintage monitor was both surprising and thrilling. Monitors were often bundled with computers back in the day, and Rediffusion monitors, known for their durability, provided BBC Micro users with clear, vibrant displays. This unit showed its age, with dust and wear indicating years of use, but it still had that solid, unmistakable charm. The monitor’s rugged build made it clear why so many of these devices have survived well into the modern day.

Double 5.25" Floppy Disk Drives
Finally, a real gem in this collection was the external double 5.25" floppy disk drive unit. Back in the 80s, this was quite the upgrade. Many BBC Micro systems only came with a single drive, so this dual-drive unit likely gave its original owner a serious edge in productivity and data handling. The drive was also coated in dust, and its exterior had aged considerably, but it looked like it could still be operational despite some loose wiring inside.

Bringing It All Home: The Revival Process Begins
After carefully loading these items into my car, I began planning how to restore each piece to its former glory. Cleaning and testing a 1980s computer requires patience, but the potential payoff—bringing the BBC Micro B back to life—is more than worth it.

This trip to Farnborough has turned into more than just a pickup; it’s a journey back in time to the golden age of British computing. As I dive into the restoration process, I’ll be documenting each step, testing the disks, and bringing this BBC Micro setup back to life. The goal is not just to revive these relics, but to preserve a piece of computing history that laid the foundation for many of today’s digital advancements.

#retrocomputing #1980s #nostalgia
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[OldCodeMonkey]

Last year someone advertised a box of computer bits for £5. The box was marked "For the tip", it contained an Acorn Atom, VIC 20 & tape deck, Amiga 500 and Atari 2600 Jnr. I gave the lady £100 who was as happy as I was 😍 Once in a lifetime find.

[RetroRepairGuy]

Please tell me I'm not the only one who came straight to the comments because of your thumbnail? 😂 To top it all off when I came to comment on my phone I saw a second thumbnail...not sure which one is better! Had to be all on purpose. Here's hoping it makes the algorithm go crazy! 😂😂😂 Now back to watching!

[grfeld]

10:29 "Crumbs, Penfold!" A Danger Mouse fan! Me too!

[markfisher]

Wow, I had and had forgotten all about Mini Office II. Nice pick up. I need to look at local sells more often. Everything on ebay is just ridiculous price. Great video. And Clares! Great haul

[NarrowBoat_Woolley]

Hi Mark, the BBC micro was used a lot by radio hams hence why you have a morse training program, in the day we used them as a packet radio terminal linked to our radios and sent games over the air (not pirate copy’s of course 🤣🤣) it was the early days of packet radio using ax25 protocol they were and are a truly amazing computer. Had some great games Elite 2 colour on the standard machine or if you had the 2nd processor add on it was 4 colour as well as a pleather of other great games one called Frak brilliant find 👍👍

[ddimento]

More of these pickup and random box videos Mark, it's great to vicariously explore them with you. Maybe your Kofi or Patreon supporters could support you to buy from the auction site. Look forward to your next, cheers from Cork, D

[Arivia]

Real glad to see you still at it Mark. I'll be watching whatever you keep doing, wherever you're shooting from. Keep taking care of you and yours first.

[francoisfritz]

hi Mark! great video as always, good feeling, beautiful computers. Welcome from France.

[ScottMadeAThing]

Another great vid! I’ve actually got a second BBC micro that I picked up about 6 months ago to fix for a video.
I know it has the old revision PSU and I can’t wait to capture the magic smoke in action 😂
I think I count 3 videos in the last month? You are really spoiling us! (Not sarcasm, genuine happy!)

[BitRetroReFix]

Nice pickup, mate .. i loved using the bbc at school 😉 ..

[martinoverthrow]

Hi mark, execlent haul, a BBC issue 3 PCB with a liner PSU it's an early model, the BBC wanted all BBC's to have a liner PSU so there was no interferance from a switch mode PSU to upset there delicate broadcast equipment! but fiscal concerns forced a cheaper Switch Mode PSU to be the norm. as already noted, random power up mode possibly keyboard ribbon cable or one of the keyboard logic chips, plenty of documents / service manuls avaiable online to help solve the issues your bound to come across!
looking forward to the next video.
Regards Martin, and old BBC Micro owner and service engineer

[dannyarnold]

Hi. The dip switches on the keyboard will set the mode that the beeb will boot into, thats why it changed mode when fiddling with the keyboard connection.

[SophieFeet]

There's links/switches on the keyboard PCB that select the screen mode at boot - if the keyboard ribbon/connection is dodge-city, then that'll explain the random mode changes

[ogxboxmike]

The innuendo is a huge as the load from the BBC in this video :)

[CountZer-MWR]

Revs!! Man that’s a blast from the past. Played it on my friend’s C64 back in the day. Very cool.

[Midcon]

A good haul there Mark! Great series of videos could be made with all this.

[naviamiga]

Excellent work, the poor dusty thing. Love those BBC circuit boards, such beautiful 80's design.

[DazDaz]

Love a good old Beeb. One of the best things about buying a random loft find is that they are a complete mystery until you open them up and maybe discover a wonder of various add-on ROMs and expansions.

[droganPaul]

The floppy disks look like they came from a Lucas Nascom 3. At least they're identical to ones I had with my Nascom as kid. I also used my drives on a BBC B.

[houseoftheted]

Excellent 👌 I wish I had the space for a BBC micro.
I can remember my school having a pile of these systems