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Short Circuit

@shortcircuit.org.uk
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Organisers of retro events - see retrofest.uk for our latest. If you want to talk about prop hire, buying or selling (or donating!) retro hardware or coming to visit us, please come say hi at shortcircuit.org.uk

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museumofcomputing.bsky.social @museumofcomputing.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
The Museum of Computing was founded in 2003 and has been 100% run by volunteers for over 23 years! Volunteers make possible so many things which enrich communities the world over. #Volunteersweek #RetroFest2026 #RetroFest
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More Fun Making It @morefunmakingit.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Last weekend I was in retro paradise. Fortunately they allow cameras in retro paradise and I had one with me! Super interesting things to see. 60yo telex Humongous gfx workstation circa 1984 Naked QL Souped up Speccy All the Sinclair's So much more! Come see here: youtu.be/IuhfMMD9bNY
youtu.be
Retrofest 26 and Zzap! Live - A Fortnight of Retro FUN!
YouTube video by More Fun Making It
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More Fun Making It @morefunmakingit.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
What seems like a lifetime ago I stayed out as a host on the brilliant video gaming podcast Ready Player 2. Nothing to do with the book. Just a bunch of friends sharing their love of video games and a lot of laughter. Well... We're back.
youtu.be
Ready Player 2 - Solid Group of Misfits
YouTube video by ReadyPlayer2
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GigerPunk @gigerpunk.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
This reminds me, I've still not posted any pics from when we were there. #Retrofest #Retrofest2026
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GigerPunk @gigerpunk.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Oh yeah I forgot again about pics from #Retrofest Was great meeting @binarydinosaurs.co.uk, @timberwolf.club, @yesterzine.bsky.social, @morefunmakingit.bsky.social, @robertcrowther.bsky.social and likely loads more I've forgotten the names of. Honestly, I've less memory than most of these systems:
My hiscore of 25900 on some moon buggy clone that was playing on the Dragon32. Did anyone beat this?A collection of teeny tiny dinky winky ickle computers, including a zx80 and a c116A brown computer with a telephone handset built in, displaying ceefax.  Writing on it proclaims it to be an OPD - One Per Desk.
Alongside is a "Naked" Sinclair QL a fragile looking combination of circuit boards and wires with a modern keyboard and screen.A naked cpc 464. Someone put a rain poncho over Chinnyvision quick or we'll all get drenched.
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Short Circuit @shortcircuit.org.uk · 05/06/2026
Ha! This is so cool!
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Matt K (Timberwolf) @timberwolf.club · 04/06/2026
I have been meaning to type "I had a great time at Retrofest 2026" into this thought dissemination box since at least Monday so let the record show that it was, indeed, a fantastic weekend.
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Binary Dinosaurs @binarydinosaurs.co.uk · 03/06/2026
Finally put my RetroFest 2026 pictures up. This was a quick run round just after the doors had opened on Sunday so I didn't catch everyone. binarydinosaurs.co.uk/Museum/rf2026/
binarydinosaurs.co.uk
Binary Dinosaurs - RetroFest 2026
Possibly the UK's biggest private collection of home computers from 1972 onwards
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L Break Into Program @breakintoprogram.co.uk · 02/06/2026
I rolled my eyes coming back from RetroFest - stopped at a service station for a loo break, popped into the shop afterwards because I fancied a Snickers. Over £2!
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Yawning Angel @yawning-angel.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Retrofest 2026 @shortcircuit.org.uk - I was there (with Big Red and some AMOS), with some other amazing retro-computing YouTubers! It was fun, so I made a video about it. Have a watch and see how many retro systems you can spot. 😅 youtu.be/Vr6PpCVCakA #retrocomputing #retrofest2026 #amiga
youtu.be
RetroFest 2026 - I was there and loved it!
YouTube video by Yawning Angel Retro
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Quazar @samcoupe.com · 01/06/2026
As I wasn't able to get to RetroFest 2026 I've now put up some offers on a handful of products I make for the SAM Coupe. www.samcoupe.com/quickshop.htm Some pieces of hardware and a couple revamped back issues of SAM Revival mag that might appeal to anyone! #samcoupe #retrocomputing #retrogaming
Limited Edition "Prototype Tribute" Mechanical Keyboard, for the SAM CoupeSAM Revival issue 9, with the huge SAM Coupe version of Manic Miner on the coverdisk. (Digital image available for emulator users).Trinity Ethernet Interface, also offers mass storage with SD and SDHC cards.Mechanical Keyboard for the SAM Coupe, the ultimate replacement for old or poor quality membranes. Choice of keyswitch available.
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Andy Toone @lockfarm.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
I was hoping to demonstrate this last weekend at RetroFest 2026. A true 8-bit Pocket Computer running CP/M on an 8Mhz Z80. On board storage, USB-C or battery powered, internal module bay and full RC2014 expansion bus. It runs Microsoft BASIC and Zork. So it's called the Zorkulator. Please share.
A Pocket Computer on a desk. It is the footprint of the first Pocket Computer - the Sharp PC-1211 (or Radio Shack PC-1)
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Mike Dailly ™ @mdf200.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
My Patreons now have access to my RetroFest 2026 pics www.patreon.com/posts/retrof...
patreon.com
RetroFest 2026 | Mike Dailly
RetroFest 2026 by Mike Dailly on Patreon. Join Mike Dailly's community for exclusive content and updates.
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Martin @martinburch.com · 31/05/2026
Thanks to @museumofcomputing.bsky.social for showing me Teletext on the BBC Micro at #RetroFest2026. Here's the souvenir photo from my "modern" Apple QuickTake made in 1995 ;)
A person standing next to an old microcomputer system.
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The Last Psion | Alex @thelastpsion.com · 31/05/2026
Note to self: learn RPN. #RetroFest2026
Collection of HP and SwissMicros calculators. All of these use Reverse Polish Notation.
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TME-Retro @tme-retro.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Such a good time at #retrofest. My back and my voice are both shagged, mind you
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The Loud Scots Bloke @loudscotsbloke.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Had an absolute blast at this year's RetroFest in Swindon! Showing off some of my 'Small in stature, big on promise' machines. Big shout out to the Short Circuit crew for arranging. I'll post some more pics later. Legs still aching, Barry White still present 😂
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Rage Against The Retro @rageretro.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Well that’s Retrofest 2026 done and dusted, great time had by all! Well done @shortcircuit.org.uk for all the organising and all the exhibitors. Kudos to the two guys who got engrossed in solving the sliding Puzzle game on the Acorn R140 #Retrofest2026
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Steve Higgins @higgybristol.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
I had a fun day at @shortcircuit.org.uk's #RetroFest in Swindon today and bumped into lots of familiar faces. What a lovely bunch the retro community is!
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Andy 'Troozers' Stewart @troozers.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Wandering around Retrofest 2026, having a wonderful time, when I heard a voice I recognised... it was only Mr @retrobytes.bsky.social himself! LOVE his long form videos but only ever hear him and see his hands on youtube. A THOROUGHLY pleasant fellow and loved his obvious enthusiasm in what he does
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Binary Dinosaurs @binarydinosaurs.co.uk · 31/05/2026
That's RetroFest done for another year and I got back to survey the chaos I'd left in my workshop on Friday. That's a job for future me. Awesome to meet and greet so many people, and finally meet two folks I've known for *years* but never met face to face. Cheers Tony, Pete and all the helpers!
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RetroBytes(John) @retrobytes.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Back from a great weekend at retrofest, the voice has gone a little bit. Met lots of really nice people, who came to have a look at Unix corner and say hi. I finally can have a cup of tea now.
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Wayne Young @slartyb.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
I had a great weekend exhibiting at #Retrofest in Swindon. Though I talked so much I lost my voice! Well worth it
A happy man standing in front of his exhibits at a festival of retro computing. On the left is an OSI C1P computer running a moon landing simulator game, and on the right is a 3D graphics card he designed from 1987. It is displaying a wireframe image of a TIE fighter from the movie Star Wars.
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Kev Armstrong @kevarmstrong.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Retrofest was amazing today. Just like my photo taking skills. There were an impressive amount of cool old computers and things on show, and many friendly people to talk to.
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Stephen Usher @srusher.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Phew! That's Retrofest over for another year and, to a first approximation, stuff is back where it should be. OK, the stuff which needs to go into the loft is in the spare bedroom, but that's close enough for today.
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Martin @martinburch.com · 31/05/2026
Thanks to @computinghistory.org.uk for bringing BBC Domesday Discs to @shortcircuit.org.uk's retrofest.uk. There's nothing like experiencing this pathbreaking project from the 80s in its original format. Look at the size of that LaserDisc! 💿
A person holds a large optical disc
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The Retro Collective @retrocollective.co.uk · 31/05/2026
Some of the wonderful machines on display at @shortcircuit.org.uk #RetroFest in Swindon today
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Yawning Angel @yawning-angel.bsky.social · 31/05/2026
Big Red survived yesterday and we’re ready for another exciting day at @shortcircuit.org.uk Retrofest! 😁👍
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Flamelily @flamelily.co.uk · 31/05/2026
We are at RetroFest for the weekend 👍
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QuangDX @quangdx.com · 31/05/2026
Having a wonderful geeky time at @shortcircuit.org.uk #RetroFest2026 Great to see the @retrocollective.co.uk show up as well as the absolute legend that is @mdf200.bsky.social I’ve been working on a little something for the GameBoy Color all weekend, you might recognise it 👀
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Crashed @crashedfiesta.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Had a great time at RetroFest 2026. 😁 #retrofest2026
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nige @nigecube.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
#RetroFest2026 was ace! So nice to meet retro YouTubers who turn out to be nice, warm human beings in real life. And a lot taller.
A photo of a crowded hall at RetroFest 2026
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Rage Against The Retro @rageretro.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Great day had at Retrofest today! Come and say hello if you’re coming along tomorrow.
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Tim Gilberts @timbucus.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Well that is day 1 of retrofest at STEAM great crowd of people looking at my Sinclair history display from 1958 practical wireless to the zx spectrum next
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Fuzzweed @fuzzweed.co.uk · 30/05/2026
🎶🎶 Ooo baby do you know what it's worth. RetroFest is heaven on earth. They say in Swindon retro comes first. Ooo RetroFest is heaven on earth. 🎶🎶 "So retro my bro had to go and look at steam trains to recover" Fabulous to turn some longtime pretend Internet people into irl fleshbots too. MOAR👇
Lots of people. A train set controlled by a bbc and some crazy box of wiresThe most incredible breadboard computer you'll ever witness A Russian truly terrible keyboard
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Tom Stepleton @stepleton.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
The #PERQ has made it through Day 1 of RetroFest in Swindon with no major failures. I suspect a hard drive cable needs a new connector, but if the drive (emulator) is positioned like so and doesn't get jostled, then things seem to work. We'll see how far we can go on Day 2...
My table at RetroFest: a rather austere looking affair with the PERQ system unit itself hulking on a tabletop with its covers off. The keyboard and mouse-like pointing tablet are next to it, then a 19" LCD monitor that looks small in context. The monitor is showing a moment from the Accent demo program that includes a drawing of a robot arm. On the other side of the system unit, the rear panel lies flat on a box, the hard drive (emulator) lying flat instead of orientated vertically as it was intended to be. In front of the PERQ are several stickers bearing the logo of Three Rivers Computer Corporation. Above the display is a whiteboard sign described in the next image.Detail of a whiteboard sign positioned above my display. The text is in the style of a tickbox form. It says:

My heavens it's a
PERQ 2
primordial graphical workstation (circa 1984)

And it's
(ticked) Working for now...
(not ticked) Broken again! (2) failures in the show so far.

Operating system now running:
(not ticked) None, it's broken
(not ticked) PNX (System III Unix)
(not ticked) POS (Simple, like DOS)
(ticked) Accent (ancestor of iOS)
(not ticked) Flex (*weird* MoD research OS)
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Quazar @samcoupe.com · 30/05/2026
🚨 As RetroFest 2026 kicks off this morning I'm offering 10% off of my full range of peripherals for RC2014 / RCbus systems and compatibles this weekend. Info / Purchase - 2014.samcoupe.com #retrocomputing #retrogaming #electronics #soundchip #chiptune
SAA1099P Soundchip Interface for RC2014 and compatiblesSID Soundchip Interface for RC2014 and compatiblesGraphic OLED Interface for RC2014 and compatiblesZX True Tone (ZXTT) for Ed Brindley's YM/AY RC2014 Soundcard
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Binary Dinosaurs @binarydinosaurs.co.uk · 30/05/2026
All set up ready for the hoardes! Come say hello if you’re here.
My table at RetroFest 26 containing a Camputers Lynx 128k, commodore 128D and the almost mythical H||H Tiger.
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DextersTechLab - The Quantel Guy @dexterstechlab.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
At Retrofest Swindon! With the #quantel
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The Centre for Computing History @computinghistory.org.uk · 30/05/2026
Hope everyone has a great weekend, especially for those at Swindon Retro Festival! 🤩
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The Centre for Computing History @computinghistory.org.uk · 30/05/2026
Our volunteers are set up and ready at Swindon Retro Fest! Go say hi if you're there 😀
A white man in a blue T-shirt sits at a display of vintage Acorn computers, using a beige desktop workstation with a CRT monitor.An Acorn Cambridge Workstation from 1983 is displayed on a table, featuring a built-in CRT monitor, dual floppy disk drives, and a matching keyboard. An informational placard describes the system's history.An Acorn R140 workstation from 1989 is shown running the X Window System on a large CRT monitor. The computer is displayed with its keyboard and mouse.
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Yawning Angel @yawning-angel.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
At @shortcircuit.org.uk Retrofest and Big Red is set up. 😁
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Asobitech @asobitech.com · 30/05/2026
At @shortcircuit.org.uk #RetroFest2026, STEAM museum, Swindon this weekend
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L Break Into Program @breakintoprogram.co.uk · 29/05/2026
Locked and loaded for RetroFest.
A pile of boxes and rucksacks in the boot of a car.
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The Last Psion | Alex @thelastpsion.com · 30/05/2026
Sneak preview. #RetroFest2026 #RetroFest #Psion #RetroComputing
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Binary Dinosaurs @binarydinosaurs.co.uk · 28/05/2026
WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF 😆 WordStar 3 on the C128D, using FASTCPM as a base OS which is really just CP/M 3 optimised for the 128. I can start packing the car now.
WordStar running on the C128D, with a nice white-text-on-blue-background thing going on. I’ve typed ‘RETROFEST 2026’ in big letters because why not.
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Rob Crowther @robertcrowther.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
I've prepared for the event by improving my cooling (had a haircut), I'm now in Swindon and ready to retro!
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Jonathan Pallant @thejpster.org.uk · 28/05/2026
Ok I have six vintage RISC UNIX machines, plus two Pis, four keyboards, four screens (one is a spare), two CD changers, a spare hard drive, a spare power supply, a box of mains leads and a box of scsi cables. I think we’re good to … Ah, crap. underwear. I should pack some.
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