Spectrum Computing

THREAD EDITED. This post will contain the up to date list of places for a full-on ZX pilgrimage. More will be added, and details refined as the thread progresses.

UK:
The Baron of Beef, Cambridge.
Sinclair Building, Cambridge
The Ocean Software building, 6 Central Street, Manchester
Clive Sinclair Blue Plaque, 32 Donne Place, Chelsea
The Centre for Computing History
Cambridge, Rene Court, Coldhams Road, Cambridge, CB1 3EW
The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park, MILTON KEYNES, MK3 6EB
That place where Clive jumped over the buses, address needed
Ultimate Play the Game headquarters, Ashby de la Zouch and the streetlamp that probably inspired The Nightshade loader & Inlay. Ashby de la Zouch, LE65 1JU.
Newsfield Publications LTD (Crash/Thalamus/GamesMachine) 1-2 King St, Ludlow, SY8 1AQ
Alexandra Palace, London, launch place of the C5 (details needed)
The streets of Trashman! Bath: Montague Road, Pulteney Rd, Grove St, Lyncombe Vale, Widcombe Hill, Lansdown Rd, Milsom St
14 Rathbone Place London, Your Sinclair Offices (now a juice bar?)
Durell Software Ltd, Castle Green, Taunton (still active 2020)
Chris Sievey (as Frank Sidebottom) statue, Timperley
US Gold Headquarters. Unit 2, Holford Way, Holford Park, Birmingham
Probe Software, 155 Mitcham Rd, London SW17
Imagine House 5 Sir Thomas Street Liverpool Merseyside L1 6BW
Gremlin offices 12 Carver St https://maps.app.goo.gl/JzrQgs77QHTy1xX2A
Automata were at 27 Highland Rd, Portsmouth, PO4 9DA
Fuller Micro Systems were at The ZX Centre, Sweeting Street, Liverpool, L2.
Bug-Byte were at Mulberry House, Canning Place, Liverpool, L1 8JB, but it looks like it's been demolished and redeveloped.
Psion Software. 2 Huntsworth Mews Gloucester Place London NW1 6DD
74 King Street, Dudley. Second floor. Gargoyle Games and later FTL
Kempston office, Bedford (the door between the bridal and kebab shops). Streetview.


Ireland
St Bride's School, R260, Burtonport, County Donegal. Google maps link.
New Concepts Ltd, 37 Dublin Street, Carlow. The home of the world's first surfing simulator. Complete with miniature surfboard!

Spain:
Dinamic Mansion, c. Tilos 2, Boadilla del Monte (near Madrid)
Erbe & Topo Soft: c. Sta. Engracia, 17 Madrid.
Opera Soft: Pza. St. Catalina de los Donados, 3 4ªdcha. Madrid.
Zigurat: Av. Cardenal Herrera Oria, 163 Madrid
Mr. Chip Computing Academy/Made in Spain: Av. Cardenal Herrera Oria, 171 Madrid
Investrónica: c. Tomás Bretón, 62 Madrid / c. Camp, 80 Barcelona

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Original first post
UK natives will know that a blue plaque marks a site of significant historical interest. What would you nominate for the ZX version of this (I guess it should be the red-yellow-green-blue plaque)?

Are any of these already blue plaques? So far I've found this one that was once the home of Uncle Clive.



Basically, if you were planning a ZX-Pilgramage, which locations would you include?

Not sure why, but first on my list are:

The Baron of Beef, Cambridge.
Sinclair Building, Cambridge
The Ocean Software building, Manchester

...and how many relevant computer museums too?

Would possibly have to watch out for colour clash if you're going to use that many colours on it.

In a more serious note, I was not aware of that Plaque. Are there any more 'ZX' or 'Sinclair' related ones ?



Stupid joke, sorry in advance, reminds me of something I saw on F.B a couple of years ago:

Spoiler

Does the one for Ultimate just have a giant Ⓒ in it ?

Would be genuinely interested to see if there are any more of historical interest to the 'Speccy community as such. Programmers and/or designers maybe ?

spider wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:59 pm

Spoiler

Does the one for Ultimate just have a giant Ⓒ in it ?

The one for Odin/Thor certainly does...

Yep, hard to believe there isn't a plaque up to commemorate The Battle of the Baron of Beef.

R-Tape wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 8:44 pm Are any of these already blue plaques? So far I've found this one that was once the home of Uncle Clive.

I know there's one on the building that used to host Newsfield in Ludlow, erstwhile publisher of Crash magazine. I've not seen it, but I'm sure plenty here have.

8BitAG wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 9:24 pm Yep, hard to believe there isn't a plaque up to commemorate The Battle of the Baron of Beef.

We should make it so.

Need one of these in the park where Sir Clive made his 'Quantum Leap' (wink, nudge) over the enormous BBC and Apple machines.

DouglasReynholm wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:05 pm Need one of these in the park where Sir Clive made his 'Quantum Leap' (wink, nudge) over the enormous BBC and Apple machines.

I presume you're referring to this advert:

https://youtu.be/AO5BUIKykMM

Epic!

Juan F. Ramirez wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:37 pm

DouglasReynholm wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:05 pm Need one of these in the park where Sir Clive made his 'Quantum Leap' (wink, nudge) over the enormous BBC and Apple machines.

I presume you're referring to this advert:

https://youtu.be/AO5BUIKykMM

Epic!

Yes indeed.. Also, only just noticed the gratuitous 'k' in the 'Mackintosh' part of the ad. Also just noticed the QL was just shy of £700 sovs.. no wonder it sh*t the bed!

DouglasReynholm wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:05 pm Need one of these in the park where Sir Clive made his 'Quantum Leap' (wink, nudge) over the enormous BBC and Apple machines.

That's exactly that kind of thing for this list. Does anyone know the exact place?

R-Tape wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:56 pm

DouglasReynholm wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 10:05 pm Need one of these in the park where Sir Clive made his 'Quantum Leap' (wink, nudge) over the enormous BBC and Apple machines.

That's exactly that kind of thing for this list. Does anyone know the exact place?

Well if that's the case we also need one for Ally Pally! https://youtu.be/x9PivEygh_8

BTW I would genuinely be interested in building up a list of notable speccy spots. The kind of place you would pop by if in the area.

So far:

The Baron of Beef, Cambridge.
Sinclair Building, Cambridge
The Ocean Software building, 6 Central Street, Manchester
Clive Sinclair Blue Plaque, 32 Donne Place, Chelsea

UK Computer Museum, Cambridge
National Museum of Computing, Milton Keynes

That place where Clive jumped over the buses, address needed

There must be loads of software houses all over the country, and other oddities to add.

The country mansion where Ultimate made all their works.

Newsfield Publications Ltd Ludlow?

stupidget wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:42 pm Newsfield Publications Ltd Ludlow?

It already has one. (Update: This doesn't appear to be the Newsfield plaque... but I do believe one was planned.)

(http://www.retro-now.com/newsfield-reco ... in-ludlow/)

The 'Dinamic Mansion': c. Tilos 2, Boadilla del Monte (near Madrid). The place where Dinamic started. In fact, it was where the Ruiz brothers lived.

Some time later, as the business grew up, they moved to Plaza España, 18, Madrid, their professional offices.

Mentioned before, but I'm still looking to do a pilgrimage to Bath to visit all the Trashman streets (Montague Road etc).

Though possibly not 'blue plaque' worthy.

5MinuteRetro wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 11:20 pm

stupidget wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:42 pm Newsfield Publications Ltd Ludlow?

It already has one. (Update: This doesn't appear to be the Newsfield plaque... but I do believe one was planned.)

(http://www.retro-now.com/newsfield-reco ... in-ludlow/)

Taken last August:-

R-Tape wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 4:33 pm UK Computer Museum, Cambridge
National Museum of Computing, Milton Keynes

Come on R-Tape, get the details right...

https://www.tnmoc.org
The National Museum of Computing
Bletchley Park
MILTON KEYNES
MK3 6EB

www.computinghistory.org.uk
The Centre for Computing History
Cambridge
Rene Court
Coldhams Road
Cambridge
CB1 3EW

The Centre for Computing History has a prototype ZX Spectrum on display. This was used by Nine Tiles to test the ROM code. See here and here. I’ve been and seen it. For this alone, it’s well worth a visit Plus there lots of other computers to gawk at. And some you can play games on

Mark

1024MAK wrote: ↑Sat Feb 15, 2020 6:03 pm The Centre for Computing History has a prototype ZX Spectrum on display. This was used by Nine Tiles to test the ROM code.

Did they ever get around to dumping the ROMs from the prototype? It'd be fascinating to see what differences are between them and the mass-produced ROM.

Thanks everyone. I've added the up to date list to the first post, and the details can be added or refined in due course.

Juan F. Ramirez wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:06 pm The country mansion where Ultimate made all their works.

Yes! That'd be worth a visit in its own right.

stupidget wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2020 10:42 pm Newsfield Publications Ltd Ludlow?

Maybe not the sexiest, but you could pop to Shrewsbury afterwards for the Cadfael trail.

Juan F. Ramirez wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:32 am The 'Dinamic Mansion': c. Tilos 2, Boadilla del Monte (near Madrid). The place where Dinamic started. In fact, it was where the Ruiz brothers lived.

Nice one! Could pop round the corner for a churro dipped in chocolate, then have a four hour kip before dinner (paella).

Morkin wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 10:09 am Mentioned before, but I'm still looking to do a pilgrimage to Bath to visit all the Trashman streets (Montague Road etc).

Though possibly not 'blue plaque' worthy.

Maybe not a blue plaque, but it's exactly the kind of thing I'd like this list to include.

Keep them coming, and try to include postcodes (discretion where appropriate obvs). There must be loads of things that reference games or whatever. Doesn't (and shouldn't) be UK only.

Where would be the speccy mecca in the town of Kempston, Bedford?

I don’t know if that EPROM has been dumped yet.

What about all the different Sinclair Research Ltd and the earlier Sinclair company sites, there were at least three IIRC.
And do we also want the address for Cambridge Computer (the Sinclair company that produced the Z88)?

Mark

R-Tape wrote: ↑Wed Feb 19, 2020 8:54 pm Where would be the speccy mecca in the town of Kempston, Bedford?

Hehehe, a town whose name is a joystick... didn't know it!

More spanish locations:

Erbe & Topo Soft: c. Sta. Engracia, 17 Madrid.
Later they moved to c. Núñez Morgado 11, Madrid

Opera Soft: Pza. St. Catalina de los Donados, 3 4ªdcha. Madrid.
Later they moved to c. Gustavo Fdez. Balbuena, 25 Madrid

Zigurat: Av. Cardenal Herrera Oria, 163 Madrid
Later they moved to Av. Betanzos, 85 estudio 2 Madrid

Mr. Chip Computing Academy/Made in Spain: Av. Cardenal Herrera Oria, 171 Madrid

Investrónica: c. Tomás Bretón, 62 Madrid / c. Camp, 80 Barcelona