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Further reading ⇓

□ Overview □ About Ferranti □ Brochure
Architecture
□ Architecture □ 1-Level Storage □ Words □ Instructions □ Order Code □ Animated
Hardware
□ Fixed Store □ Supervisor □ Overview □ Scheduler □ Core Memory □ Atlas Card □ Atlas Console □ Console Details
Chilton
□ Chilton Atlas □ Downstairs
Manchester
□ Manchester Atlas
London
□ London Atlas □ London Software
Atlas II
□ Atlas 2 Brochure □ Titan Autocode □ Cambridge Atlas
Closure
□ Atlas Closure

Letter: National Museum of Scotland

Dr A G Thomson

1 June 1973

Dr J Howlett CBE

Atlas Computer Laboratory

Dear Dr Howlett,

We are setting up a collection of computers as a major preservational exercise within the framework of the British National Collection and understand that you are shortly to begin dismantling the Chilton Atlas. Could you let me know how the Science Research Council would react to a firm proposal from us to preserve a significant portion of this machine intact?

I must apologise for not giving you more warning of our intention - it is only very recently that we have been able to assure the considerable storage space required for an undertaking of this scale. Reaction so far has been very encouraging. ICL have just agreed to donate a large collection to us, including three sizeable machines (1301, 1901, 1904), several smaller ones, and much early data processing equipment. We also hope to secure about a quarter of the last of the 1951 Ferranti Mark 1 computers, currently stored at Leicester.

The rapid rate of technology obsolescence in the computer field has meant that there is a real danger that many important machines may not be preserved within adequately safeguarded collections, and in particular that only small portions of larger machines may survive. This would certainly seem to be the case with Atlas where the Manchester and London machines survive in part at the Science Museum and Manchester University Computer Science Department, but very understandable lack of storage space has precluded the retention of more than the most significant components. I feel it is probable that such costly preservational undertakings might be taken by National Museums only, and I am very glad that on this occasion we have been able to find adequate facilities for the RSM.

The Atlas of course has particular significance in any survey of British computing and I feel it is important that it be well represented if at all possible.

The units that incorporate the aspects that seem the most worthy of attention, and around which a selection of representative units might be made, are:

  1. A page address register bay
  2. A fixed store bay
  3. A main accumulator bay
  4. The engineer's console
  5. A drum unit
  6. A tape deck
  7. Input/Output peripheral co-ordinator
  8. 5, 7 column tape readers

Our knowledge of the hardware is necessarily limited and I should welcome your advice on how we might adapt and expand this list to include for example a more complete coverage of the supervisor's function.

I look forward with great interest to hearing from you, and very much hope that you we will be able to help us in this venture.

Yours Sincerely

Dr A G Thomson

Director

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