[GreenKeys] Creed equipment for the Ferranti Mercury computers, 1960

[Javier Albinarrate]

Hi Dave,

Actually it is the other way around, the Mercury is the predecessor to the 
Pegasus ;)
I have seen extensively all what is available on Internet about the Pegasus 
both at the Science Museum in London as well as the MOSI.
In fact, my next step was precisely to get in contact with the MOSI, because 
they are the ones who have the Ferranti Archives, and they seem to have 
extensive information locked in those manuals.
I will contact you off list about it.

As for the tape readers, you're right about the optical reader, however in 
the pictures we have seen from the Buenos Aires computer, there is an extra 
6S on the input side (left), that's why I said two... I guess they had it as 
a backup for the computer input (a guess, as it doesn't seem likely, the 
optical reader was totally a custom thing), or simply because the 54 didn't 
have a tape input they kept a spare one.
In any case it is not that I am "asking" for 2 of those ;) as it would be a 
miracle that I could find just one hahaha

As for the puncher 25, the truth is that any puncher would help, because 
again there are nearly no chances of getting one anywhere in the world.

While it is not an utter priority, the optical reader, as it is not an extra 
object that lays on the desk, but an integrated small thing mostly not 
visible, the idea is to replace that with a custom made reader with a 
microcontroller. That should be fairly easy.

As for the Creed 54, my best shot currently is what I mentioned to Sam, 
using a Siemens T37 in disguise. Except for the internals which are 
extremely different, the functionality is very similar.

I will email you tonight then! :) Even a few detailed pics could help me 
with the task. It is a pitty that no Mercuries survivied, instead, the 
Pegasus had much more luck.

Regards!
Javier

-----Original Message----- 
From: Dave
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2013 1:42 PM
To: Javier Albinarrate ; greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Creed equipment for the Ferranti Mercury computers, 
1960

On 02/05/2013 09:53, Sam Hallas wrote:
> Javier Albinarrate wrote:
>> At the local computer museum in Buenos Aires, we will be working this
>> year in making a replica of the Ferranti Mercury computer....
>> This early computer came with the following:
>> - Creed 54 Teletypewriter
>> - Creed 6S/5 Tape reader (2 of them)
>> - Creed 25 Tape perforator
>
Hi Javier,

  I am working on a similar project for the Pegasus at www.mosi.org.uk
which was the predecessor of the Mercury. However we do have the Creed
54, Creed6S/5 and the Creed 25, but I too would like to get a set of
these so we can avoid using the originals. The Creed 54 is basically an
enhanced Creed 7B and you should be able to substitute a 7B  and get
almost exactly the same effect. The 7Bs were fairly common throughout
the old British Empire so you may be able to find one at least on the
same continent.

Not sure why you want 2x Creed 6S/5 readers. As you an see from the
Mercury brochure here:-

http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/text/Ferranti/Ferranti.Mercury.1956.102646224.pdf

The Mercury (and Pegasus before it) used a Ferranti high speed optical
tape reader as the main input device, not a 6S/5 which is a mechanical
reader. The 6S/5 was basically only used to slow the output down to the
speed of the Creed. Of course finding a Ferranti high speed reader would
probably be harder than finding a Creed 6S/5. I personally would see if
I could find an more modern reader and build it into a box that
represents the Ferranti reader, probably a TR4 or maybe a TR3 or TR5.

The Creed 25 was also a special with a parallel input, so basically
manufactured for Computer Use so also rare, and I think it weights
nearly as much as the 54. I guess you know that the that the Computer
punched the output on the Creed 25 at high speed, and it was feed to the
Creed 6S/5 which read it in more slowly and fed the Creed 54 for
printing. . If the program punched faster than the reader the tape was
stored in a bin so providing buffering. The Creed 6S also had a tape
tension arrangement so it stopped if the tape got tight...

There was also a column counter on the Creed 54 that generated a Line
Feed so if the computer program didn't you didn't keep banging the
printer against the end stop

> Javier,
> I wish them all the best in the reconstruction. What a project!
>
> Model 75s are pretty rare. I've never seen one in the flesh, only in 
> catalogues. Probably because the British Post Office never adopted it. 
> Never seen the Model 25 perforator either, though I did own a Model 7P 
> re-perforator at one time. The later Creed model, the 444, had an integral 
> punch makng the separate perforator redundant.
>
>> And here in Argentina, everything was Siemens, so for sure we will not
>> find a Creed not even by chance.
>

If you do find them and need manuals, I have books for the 6S/6 (which
is only slightly different to the 6S/5), the Creed 25 and the 7B but not
the 54. I also have a Ferranti TR5 manual and there is a TR3 manual at
MOSI..

> That may be the way to go. A Siemens T100 would be a great interface for 
> kids to get their hands on. And probably more reliable than the Creed 
> anyway! The models I've seen had an integral tape punch and reader.
>
> Cheers,
> Sam
> (in England)
>
> _________

Cheers from me too,
Dave
G4UGM
Manchester
England...