IT Crowd (Scotland) – March Meetup Roundup
Falkirk – Saturday 28th March 2026
There’s something quietly special about a room full of old machines being brought back to life—especially when they’re surrounded by people who understand them.
Our March IT Crowd (Scotland) meetup delivered exactly that: a relaxed but deeply engaging day of tinkering, troubleshooting, sharing ideas, and—just as importantly—enjoying the company of fellow enthusiasts.
A Room Full of Living History
From the moment things got underway, the room filled with that familiar blend of discussion, keyboard clicks, and the occasional victorious “it’s working!”
Setups ranged from neatly restored systems to open-case diagnostic workbenches. There’s always a contrast at these events between machines in pristine condition and others mid-surgery—and both are equally fascinating.
Archimedes, A-Series and Modern Bridges
A highlight was seeing an Archimedes A420 running happily alongside modern hardware, with RISC OS still feeling surprisingly usable. There’s something enduring about that desktop—clean, efficient, and unmistakably Acorn.
We also had an Acorn A4 laptop fitted with an in-development Ethernet card. This kind of work—quietly pushing these machines into modern connectivity—is exactly what keeps the platform alive rather than just preserved.
BBC Micro, Repairs, and Upgrades
Several BBC Micros were in various states of attention—from fully working systems to machines undergoing careful repair and upgrade.
- One setup featured an IntegraB board, showcasing just how far the BBC Micro can be extended.
- Another machine was being tested after upgrades—always a tense but satisfying moment when it springs back to life.
- Elsewhere, a “poorly” A3020 had been partially dismantled, with components laid out for diagnosis.
These hands-on moments are where the real value of the meetup shines—shared knowledge, second opinions, and that collective persistence to get things working again.
Electron Experiments and Custom Hardware
The Acorn Electron also had a strong showing, including:
- A Plus 1 mini expansion
- A custom sound card project
This kind of development work is particularly exciting—it’s not just restoration, it’s reinterpretation. New capabilities being built for old machines, often with a level of ingenuity that rivals anything from the original era.
Why These Days Matter
What stood out most wasn’t any single machine, but the spirit of the day:
- People bringing along projects in progress
- Others offering advice, parts, or just encouragement
- A shared understanding that these systems are worth preserving—not just as artefacts, but as working machines
There’s also something refreshingly analogue about it all. No pressure, no rush—just time spent understanding how things work.
Looking Ahead
These smaller, focused meetups continue to prove their value. They’re easy to attend, easy to contribute to, and always productive—whether you come with a problem to solve or just curiosity.
If you’ve got an Acorn machine (or any retro system) sitting idle, consider bringing it along next time. Chances are, someone in the room will help you get it running again.
And even if not—you’ll still have a good day talking about it.
Thanks to everyone who came along, brought hardware, shared knowledge, and helped make the day what it was.