Retro Rendezvous Event in Central Scotland : Thu 28th March 2024

[Tosk]

Hi folks,

I run a monthly retro computer event in Falkirk, central Scotland. It is fairly Acorn centric (BBC Micro, Acorn Electron, Atom, and Archimedes/RISC OS machines) but we welcome all retro machine owners. It's a small community of like-minded individuals, meeting n a comfortable and modern setting – the Falkirk Business Hub, in central Falkirk, Scotland.

Our next event is on Thursday 28th March 2024 7:00PM running until 10:00PM

You can register and book here (£6):-

https://retrorendezvous.org/mar2024

🕹 Event Features:

This is an informal gathering for…

– Show and Tell: Bring your own hardware to display and discuss with others.
– Collaborative Working: Spend time on hardware, programming, or gaming projects.
– Knowledge Exchange: Share ideas, insights, and skills with other enthusiasts.
– Advice on Repair and Upgrade: Reviving poorly Acorn or other machines.
– Socialize and Enjoy : There’s a kitchen for coffee, tea and biscuits. We’re in the town centre for bars, pubs and restaurants for potential afterwards gatherings.
All Are Welcome:
While the event is Acorn-centric, we welcome enthusiasts of other retro machines as well.

Date & Time:
Thursday 28th March 2024 7:00PM running until 10:00PM

March 2024 Special Focus : Rare Machines

Bring in a machine that you consider is the rarest in your collection, or alternatively at the event talk about a particular rare retro machine you’ve got your sites on.

I’ll be bringing along a ZX Spectrum 128K toastrack and demonstrating a digital tape loader.

Discover and Share: Beyond the joy of showcasing your own rare equipment, you’ll have the chance to see and learn about others’ unique items. It’s a fantastic opportunity to deepen your knowledge and appreciation for the rich history of Acorn computing and other retro makes.

Connect and Converse: Our event is the perfect ground for meeting like-minded enthusiasts. Whether you’re a veteran collector, a hobbyist, or someone curious about the evolution of computers, you’ll find friendly faces eager to share stories, insights, and a few laughs.

Inspire and Get Inspired: Witnessing the passion behind preserving and celebrating these machines can be incredibly inspiring. You might just leave with new ideas, a wish list of tech to seek out, or even the beginnings of a new project.

Location: Falkirk Business Hub

45 Vicar St, Falkirk FK1 1LL
Nearest car park (opposite building) : weir street





Access : please use the side door on Vicar Street. This also has disabled access.

https://falkirkbusinesshub.co.uk/ – a contemporary venue centrally located, just a 2-minute walk from Grahamston Train Station and with seamless access to the M9 motorway between Stirling and Edinburgh. Numerous bars and restaurants are nearby for post-event socializing.
There is a car park next to the building which is free in the evenings.
Building includes disabled access and lifts.

[Andre Leao]

Hum, I see it's not far away from Dunfermline. Can any of the participants check if anyone knows Wizard Software? There are lots of games from this publisher to be preserved...

[flatduckrecords]

That’s great, thanks @Tosk. I’ve bought a ticket so all going well I’ll see you next week! I should be able to bring my SAM Coupé along too.

@Andre Leao I grew up near Dunfermline, I don’t have any information to share but I’ll certainly ask around.

[Tosk]

Hum, I see it's not far away from Dunfermline. Can any of the participants check if anyone knows Wizard Software? There are lots of games from this publisher to be preserved...

There's one or two from the group hailing from closer to Dunfermline - so will check with them.

[Tosk]

That’s great, thanks @Tosk. I’ve bought a ticket so all going well I’ll see you next week! I should be able to bring my SAM Coupé along too.

Great - see you then.

[Andre Leao]

Thank you guys, much appreciated

[Tosk]

10 members going to this session which is this Thursday 28th of March.

Equipment and activities this session:-

- Econet networking : Acorn Atom, A4 and BBC Micro (Ken Lowe)

- Commodore Plus/4 or C16 , or possibly my Atari 4160STe. (Ramtop)

- DKtronics Spectrum - full travel keyboard for the ZX Spectrum (Walkerworks)

- ZX Spectrum 128K Toastrack with digital tape demonstration (Tosk)

- Altair 8800b Turnkey computer + DEC VT220 terminal (Crivett95)

- Iyonix - Acorn clone RISC OS (Spanners)

- Various Acorn Electrons, Archimedes and BBC Micro machines

[Tosk]

Thanks to all who made the effort to bring, demonstrate, reminisce and teach about their various projects. We had a great variety of machines and activity, with some quite rare examples.

Sinclair MK14 brought by Gordon



Altair 8800b Turnkey computer brought by Chris running Star Trek





Master Compact brought by David running demo software



SAM Coupé brought by Robert demonstrating his sprite based game



Ken's fix-it corner



Atari 4160STe brought by Gary



Gordon brought a whole batch of Electrons



One of the last RISC PCs



DKTronics keyboard for the ZX Spectrum brought by Dave

[flatduckrecords]

Thanks @Tosk, I had a great time. I’m glad you shared some pictures because I was so busy blethering and listening to stories I forgot to take any snaps of my own! I’ll certainly try to make it along again in the future.