Eideard

Babbage’s calculator – The Difference Engine

A UK campaign to build a truck-sized, prototype computer first envisaged in 1837 is gathering steam. More than 1,600 people have pledged money and support to build Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine.

Although elements of the engine have been built over the last 173 years, a complete working model of the steam-powered machine has never been made. The campaign hopes to gather donations from 50,000 supporters to kick-start the project.

“It’s an inspirational piece of equipment,” said John Graham-Cumming, author of the Geek Atlas, who has championed the idea.

“A hundred years ago, before computers were available, [Babbage] had envisaged this machine.”

Computer historian Dr Doron Swade said that rebuilding the machine could answer “profound historical questions. Could there have been an information age in Victorian times? That is a very interesting question,” he told BBC News.

The analytical engine was designed on paper by mathematician and engineer Charles Babbage. It was envisaged that it would be built out of brass and iron.

“What you realise when you read Babbage’s papers is that this was the first real computer,” said Mr Graham-Cumming. “It had expandable memory, a CPU, microcode, a printer, a plotter and was programmable with punch cards.

“It was the size of a small lorry and powered by steam but it was recognisable as a computer…”

This sounds like fun. I’ll see if I can squeeze a donation from my social security check, this month.

A team of British engineers has broken the longest-standing world land speed record in California.

The steam car, Inspiration, recorded an average speed of 139.843mph (225.06km/h) at Edwards air base, in the Mojave Desert, smashing the 1906 record. American Fred Marriot held the record set in 1906 of 127mph (204km/h).

The 25-foot-long, three-tonne “kettle” was driven by its main financier Charles Burnett III from Lymington, Hampshire.

Speaking from California, Mr Burnett said: “I wouldn’t like to leave it this close again, it was the last but one day we had to do this.

“It was absolutely fantastic I enjoyed every moment of it. The car really did handle beautifully.

“It is a privilege to be involved with such a talented crew, what we have achieved today is a true testament to British engineering, good teamwork and perseverance.”

We covered this well back in development days. As a lifetime gearhead, it’s a delight to be able to post this.