Get back to BASIC at retro computing and phone weekend

This weekend, as part of a University of Salford trail blazer event for Manchester Science Festival, people of all ages will be able to try out a large range of old communications devices including vintage home computers, semaphore and telegraphs and mobile phones.

The hands-on exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry marks two important anniversaries: the 30^th anniversary of the IBM office computer and the 50^th anniversary of the end of dialling the operator to make calls in Manchester.

Visitors will be able to send telegrams and messages using semaphore as well as have a go on all of the other exhibits.

There will be a focus on the use of phones in films such as Dial M for Murder – based on the fact that ‘061’ was chosen as the dialling code for Manchester because 6 is the letter M on a rotary dial phone.

Professor Nigel Linge is organising the event: “We have subtitled our exhibition as being from semaphore to smart phone,” he said. “Visitors will be able to send messages using semaphore flags, using early electrical telegraphs, see how the telephone has changed and see how the mobile phone has evolved.  There is plenty to see and do and there should be something for all of the family!”

The weekend also forms part of Professor Linge’s own work on the history and development of communications and as such he is keen to meet people who were involved in the anniversaries he’s celebrating.

He said: “We would really like to hear from any GPO and BT engineers who worked on the introduction of this technology in Manchester so that they can share their stories with us.”

The Meet the Telecommunications Engineer exhibition is an official trailblazer event for the Manchester Science Festival and will be open to the public, free of charge, between 10am and 4pm each day in conference suite of the Great Western Warehouse.

The University of Salford is the official festival sponsor of Manchester Science Festival.