» Search forum


Index :: Interesting things on the web. :: Brit 2.5-tonne nuke calculator is World's Oldest Working Computer


Pages: [1]
Dr Who Fan
BAM!ID: 1075
Joined: 2006-05-31
Posts: 974
Credits: 158,225,335
World-rank: 8,524

2013-01-28 04:45:00

Britain's hefty Harwell Dekatron is back in the Guinness Book of World Records after being recognised - for the second time - as the world's oldest working digital computer.

Elderly giant takes 10 seconds to divide a number

Harwell Dekatron Specs in full:
  • Power Consumption: 1.5kW
  • Size: 2m high x 6m wide x 1m deep
  • Weight: 2.5 tonnes
  • Number of Dekatron counter tubes: 828
  • Number of other valves: 131
  • Number of relays: 480
  • Number of contacts or relay switches: 7073
  • Number of high speed relays: 26
  • Number of lamps: 199
  • Number of switches: 18


The WITCH is available to visit at The National Museum of Computing in Bletchley Park.

A video of the restoration process is on YouTube here:

Link to full article


Pages: [1]

Index :: Interesting things on the web. :: Brit 2.5-tonne nuke calculator is World's Oldest Working Computer