North West Computer Museum aims to give new life to old consoles

From Pong and Pac-Man to Halo and Half-Life, a caller machine depository is celebrating the affluent past of gaming - and is acceptable to assistance hole people's breached consoles too.

The North West Computer Museum showcases video crippled classics from the 1970s to the contiguous day.

It besides has a myriad of machines, specified arsenic Acorn Electrons, Sinclair ZX80s, Xbox 360s and adjacent a replica Apple-1.

Joseph Kay, who acceptable it up, said it was each astir "getting hands-on".

He said arsenic overmuch arsenic helium wanted radical to bask the exhibits, helium besides wanted anyone with an aged oregon unwanted console to bring it successful for a revamp.

"I privation to assistance radical recognize they often tin hole and not conscionable bin breached computers and games consoles," helium said.

"It's bittersweet seeing we person go specified a throwaway society.

"It's not bully for the situation and it's not bully for people's pockets."

He said the museum's unit would beryllium disposable to anyone wanting to springiness repairs a go.

"We tin assistance thatch radical to hole their breached Xbox-360," helium said.

"You don't person to bargain a caller one. Bring it to us, swap immoderate parts, and we'll assistance you hole it.

"This depository is astir radical getting hands-on, utilizing and knowing however computers really work."

The crowdfunded museum, which has opened astatine Leigh Spinners Mill successful Greater Manchester, has much than 140 items are connected display, each of which person been collected by Mr Kay and refurbished by the 56-year-old and his squad of volunteers.

It besides features a retro arcade country and an acquisition suite to thatch machine programming and electronical repairs.

Alongside his ain collecting, Mr Kay besides works with Wigan Council Recycling Centre to get electronics which would person different been thrown away.

He said the thought for a imperishable tract came aft the occurrence of a pop-up accumulation helium ran for a week successful 2018.

"Kids were being dragged successful by their parents who wanted to amusement them aged tech they utilized to usage arsenic children," helium said.

"Once the kids got their hands connected the exertion for themselves, they couldn't beryllium dragged out.

"That's erstwhile I knew I should bash thing to promote that."

Mr Kay, who has a inheritance successful computing, has spent 3 years securing a imperishable tract and, aft delays owed to the Covid-19 pandemic, said helium was "excited and nervous" to yet beryllium opening the doors.

"The biggest buzz successful the satellite for maine would beryllium for a young kid from Leigh to travel successful and cheque retired an electronics committee and past for them to get the bug and spell connected to make their ain company," helium said.

"Who knows? We mightiness adjacent assistance animate the adjacent Steve Jobs.

"That would marque maine and the squad present highly proud."