The Jim Austin Computer Collection

Ferranti Argus 400 L

The Argus 400 computer system in the collection consists of a single unit, possibly the processor from a late version of the Argus computer. Its format in a 19 inch frame suggests its the unit that is pin compatible with the Argus 500 machine. Its likely to have come from Jodrell Bank radio telescope, used to control the dish. It was probably installed in 1971 (Jodrell bank history). wikpeada says :

"The Argus 500, designed about 3 years later, used parallel arithmetic and was much faster. It was designed to be plugged into a larger 19 inch rack mounted frame, together with up to four core store (memory) units. The Argus 400 was repackaged to be the same as the Argus 500 and the two machines were plug compatible. The Argus 400 used 18 small PCBs for its CPU each of which was wire-wrapped to the backplane using 70 miniature wire wraps. Removing a card was tedious. The Argus 500 initially used the same packages, and also wire-wrap, on larger boards, but later versions employed dual-in-line ICs which were soldered flat onto the PCB and were much easier to remove."

The machine is s/n 125. Blechley Park have a running Argus 500. As this processor is (possibly) pin compatable with  the 500 its possible that the machine we  have could be made to work.

The list of all Argus machines can be found here. It lists 59 Argus 400. IT gives the Jodrell bank machine as a 400L delivered in 1969, only 10 were made - the L version is probably the large 19 inch rack type. A desciption of the Argus machines can be found here and some details in papaers given here.

Some recent observations of the item after a review by Ken Boak.

1. The IC packages are date stamped 67/68 - so an assembly date of 1969 is highly likely. 

2.  The individual pcbs are marked with an ident or part number etched into the copper (very useful). 

3. The "MAC.41" label on the front of the assembly is the Ferranti module designation (Module Argus Computer 41).  

 4. There are probably only 3 flavours of DTL IC in this chassis: A 5-input DTL NOR/NAND A DTL "Power Gate" with a fan-out of 25 A JK flipflop Some parts in your chassis are marked Marconi - because defence procurement contractors needed a 2nd source of parts. Later the series was extended as below (from a 1983 databook): There were the 50 series (extended temperature/military) and the 80 series (commercial/industrial). Suffix A describes open collector parts, suffix B describes an internal load. With a bit of work - most of these DTL partscould be cross referenced with their 74xx pin-compatible functional equivalents in DIL 14 packages.

it arrived in the collection Dec 2013 from a local collector.