ZX Spectrum Collection Saved from Landfill

This package had been sitting in the workshop since the 30th of May 2023, so long that I’d forgotten both what was in it and who sent it. Inside the box was a rusty old steamer trunk wrapped in bin bags, and inside that was a ZX Spectrum collection that very nearly went to the tip. This video was supported by PCBWay.

Getting into the trunk

The trunk was an old lightweight “made in England” case with rusty locks and a side that was already busted. After about ten minutes of trying to work out the mechanism, I decided it had to be prised open with my (also rusty) hammer. Once it gave, it was obvious why: the inside was badly rusted, so the locks probably were unlocked and just seized solid.

Books, software and a Spectrum in its box

The big reveal was a treasure trove of books, which I’m in a good position to scan and archive. There was a Beginner’s BASIC teach-yourself course, a Best of PCW software collection for the Spectrum, a book of listings with a cassette of 25 programs (so the posh kids didn’t have to type them in), and 60 Programs for your Spectrum.

Vintage ZX Spectrum programming books and software revealed inside a rusty steamer trunk — The big reveal: a trunk full of Spectrum books

Then the hardware started appearing:

A Timex Sinclair 2040 printer with its power supply.
A “Gunshot” joystick (not a Quickshot) plugged into what looks like a hand-built, hand-screwed joystick interface. If you’ve seen another like it, let me know.
A ZX Spectrum+ in its original box, with a Sinclair power supply.
A Dixons cassette player with a REM socket, in very good condition, with none of the usual cable burn.

Timex Sinclair 2040 thermal printer lifted out of a donated ZX Spectrum collection — A Timex Sinclair 2040 printer

Gunshot joystick connected to a hand-built ZX Spectrum joystick interface — Hand-built joystick interface, or small-scale bespoke manufacture?

The tapes

There were Spectrum Computing issues five and six, plus Computer Scrabble (which really is a decent game of Scrabble), Tasword Two, Hungry Horace, Horace and the Spiders, Horace Goes Skiing, Manic Miner, Fighter Pilot, Urban Upstart complete in its case, and a couple of type-in style giveaways from home computer part-works. A final heavy box held even more: Fireman Fred, Chequered Flag, Monkey Business, Haunted Hedges by Micromega, Jackpot by CRL and Giant’s Revenge by Thor, alongside a few titles I’d never heard of. I’m not really a software guy, so if you know any of the obscure ones, the YouTube comments are open.

Dixons cassette player with REM remote socket from a donated ZX Spectrum collection — The Dixons cassette player, in lovely condition

Saved from landfill: thank you, Alan

After digging through my emails, I found it: this came from Alan Goodman. He found the Spectrum stuff, including the Spectrum+ he had fond memories of playing on as a child, while clearing out his father’s property, and offered it to me if it would keep it out of landfill. I do already have Spectrum+ machines, but the fact this lot didn’t end up in a skip makes me really happy, and I’ll try to find a way for it to be enjoyed both by people of our vintage and by anyone wanting to see the computers that came before. Thank you, Alan, and thank you to Alan’s dad.

More donated Spectrum hauls: a box of ZX Spectrum stuff from Dave Pucknell, a box of Spectrum stuff from Sam Gidman and Steve Green’s sack of 8-bit games.