ACTIVITY RECORD/DIARY
Activities to date
| 1995 | The original component part drawings were returned to BP from GCHQ. |
| mid 1996 | Research phase commenced |
| September 1996 | We made our first visit the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Museum and Archive. |
| 11 November 1996 | A group of us visited the Science Museum Archive at Blythe House where we spent four useful hours researching the ex ICL archive material. |
| 4th February 1997 | The first steel for the frame was cut but without any ceremony. |
| 9 April 1997 | We made a return visit to Blythe House where we took copies of data relating to standard BTM components as used in the late forties and early fifties. The BTM Standards Manuals was most informative. We found all the information we needed on relays and condensers (capacitors). |
| Last three months of 1997 | Letchworth Heritage Museum staged an exhibition entitled - Letchworth during WW II - We provided information from which a section relating to CANTAB was produced. |
| Sunday 7th September 1997 | The frame was delivered to Bletchley Park. This was the same day as the major welding took place. |
| Thursday, 11th September 1997 | Formal delivery. We made a special event
of the frame delivery at BP. This being partly to thank those who helped in the research
& manufacture and partly for publicity purposes. The BP Historic Motor Transport
Section brought out their Bedford 3 ton flat bed lorry and delivered the frame from one
side of the Park to the entrance of the original Bombe Hut where the frame now resides. We
had a very good turn out from those who are members of the trust with most of them being
dressed in 1940s service uniforms. This together with the 1940s lorry set a very WW II
scene. Incidentally, the original Bombes were transported from Letchworth and between
sites using a Bedford lorry very similar to that used on the 'delivery' day. The then Chairman of the Bletchley Park Trust Sir Philip Duncombe welcomed the frame on site . We were very fortunate in having with us on the day many of those who had manufactured or maintained the Bombes during World War. This included representation from the RAF, Post Office and BTM. A buffet lunch was provided and the Press attended. In addition to the Frame we have put up various displays and explanations in the Bombe Hut which all can see. |
| 5th January 1998 | Briefing to Bletchley Park tour guides - Following this the Bombe Hut became part of the Standard BP tour |
| 12th November 1998 | The two upper horizontal bars were removed from the Frame to be drilled and tapped (over 150 holes in one). |
| 14th January 1999 | The two bars were replaced. To these were temporarily attached 26 plates at the top of the frame to prove fit and alignment. |
| 31st March 1999 | Third and fourth horizontal bar fitted. Most Front and Rear Plates test fitted. Left Hand End Frame and horizontal thrust brackets added. |
| 6th April 1999 | Second large pen plotter added to our facilities |
| 22nd April 1999 | Collected 34 castings. All these are made from very high-grade cast iron which machines almost like steel. |
| 15th July 1999 | Last casting completed and ready for machining. |
| 8th August 1999 | Fit new Jack Frame - The gate that supports the relays on the inside and the Menu Jacks on the rear. |
| 18th September 1999 | Many of the Rebuild team meet WRNS who operated Bombes at their 'Enigma' reunion |
| 27th September 1999 | First meeting with SMEE (Society of Model and Experimental Engineers) |
| 9th February 2000 | Cableform team established and pilot work started.'Drilling and tapping' team established |
| 7th March 2000 | Unofficial Royal visit to Bletchley Park. Bombe Rebuild Project presented. |
| 19 May 2000 | Gathering of volunteers at Bletchley Park. Gearbox and Clutch Castings machined and on display |
| May/June 2000 | Drawings and information provided to 'Asylum' for the production of 'props' Bombes. |
| 16 June 2000 | Five 'props' Bombes delivered to Bletchley Park |
| 24 May 2000 | Photocopying exercise complete. Over 5000 documents copied and returned to Bletchley Park Archive |
| 10 September 2000 | Final section of frame fitted. Frame now complete |
| March 2001 | Article on Bombe Project in Computer Weekly |
| 4 April 2001 | Lecture given to IEE Essex Group |
| 26 May 2001 | Gearbox, Clutch and DC Motor running off our own DC Power Supply |
| November 2001 | Article on Bombe appeared in IEE Review |
| 16 November 2001 | Bombe appeared in new book - Letchworth Remembered 1939 - 1960 |
| 11 Dec 2001 | Lecture given at Bletchley Park to IEE Beds and Herts. group |
| January 2002 | Four Enigma test rig and demonstrator complete |
| 19 March 2002 | Talk given to CCS North Group |
| April 2002 | Mechanical Phase complete. All moving parts turning under DC power |
| 20 May 2002 | Indicator Unit refurbish complete |
| 5 June 2002 | Talk given to Surrey IEE |
| 17 June 2002 | Bombe and Spirella prints collected from Letchworth Heritage Museum |
| August 2002 | Material for electrical parts being acquired. High volume CNC parts ordered. |
| 10 September 2002 | Computer Conservation Society visit to BP. Lectures and Presentations. |
| 18 September 2002 | First Prototype Drum Assembled |
| 4 October 2002 | Volume plastic moulding started at Nortel, Harlow |
| 10 October 2002 | Bombe talk given to Old Cedarians Association (my old grammar school) |
| 22 November 2002 | Bombe talk given to Wilmslow Guild (Town where Alan Turing died) |
| 27 November 2002 | First Cableforms being fitted |
| 20 February 2003 | Bombe talk given to Hertfordshire Engineers Luncheon Club |
| 9 April 2003 | British Computer Society Plaque Presentation event; BCS now a major supporter |
| 11 June 2003 | Move from Bombe Hut (Hut 11) to 'H' Block. |
| June 2003 | Menu plug manufacture started |
| 20 June 2003 | Covers discussed with gentleman who worked on them in W.W.II. No drawings available. New drawn from this help and photographs |
| 16 July 2003 | Large number of solder tags made commercially on CNC punch |
| 30 July 2003 | Start of relay gate assembly |
| 20 August 2003 | Assemble and fit Stop & Cancel Assembly |
| 1 October 2003 | Drum brush grinding jig finalised |
| 6 October 2003 | Pattern for brass lubrication junctions made and delivered to foundry |
| 13 November 2003 | Gave lecture at BP - British Bombes |
| 26 November 2003 | American Lady presented original commutator to BP. Bombe appeared on 'Look East' Television |
| 13 January 2004 | First 14 Letchworth Enigmas fitted to frame |
| 2 February 2004 | Lubrication pipes being manufactured |
| 17 February 2004 | Lubrication manifolds complete |
| 7 April 2004 | 29 Letchworth Enigmas now fitted |
| 15 April 2004 | Start fitting parts to the Sense Relay Shelves |
| 19 May 2004 | Stop & Cancel Unit assembled and tested |
| 20 May 2004 | Checking Machine woodwork complete |
| 3 June 2004 | First 30 Drums completed |
| 20 June 2004 | First Reflector (Uncle Walter) panel complete |
| 2 July 2004 | New unpainted covers arrived at BP |
| 30 July 2004 | Fitted covers |
| 9 September 2004 | Purchased our own Project CNC model makers mill |
| 16 September 2004 | First major assembly of Checking Machine |
| 8 October 2004 | Move from 'H' Block at Bletchley Park to 'B' Block |
| 15 October 2004 | Lord Sainsbury given a demonstration of progress to date |
| 1 November 2004 | Gave talk to Shuttleworth Aircraft Supporters Group |
| 7 January 2005 | First part made on our Project CNC mill |
| 17 February 2005 | Lubrication System completed |
| 4 March 2005 | Started fitting running relays and Cam Unit |
| 12 April 2005 | Painted Covers refitted |
| 26 May 2005 | Started making special wire-wound resistors |
| 27 June 2005 | Fitting Stop and Cancel Relays |
| 16 August 2005 | More Checking Machine Assembly |
| 6 September 2005 | Checking Machine Lamp Panel complete |
| 15 September 2005 | Checking Machine Keys fitted |
| 14 October 2005 | Gave talk at ICL Double Majority Association AGM |
| 4 November 2005 | First 30 Drum Bezels completed on CNC mill |
| 24 November 2005 | Started making a special relay tester for High Speed Siemens Relays |
| 8 February 2006 | Sense Relay trays being assembled with new High Speed Siemens relays |
| 13 April 2006 | All sense Relay trays equipped and fitted |
| 18 April 2006 | Construction complete except for full set of drums |
| 24 May 2006 | Bombe commissioning commenced. |
| 12 June 2006 | Decision to modify BP Typex to act as an Enigma machine |
| 15 August 2006 | Checking Machine complete other than last 3 drums |
| 29 August 2006 | Typex Machine now working as an Enigma Machine. Also first Static menu working |
| 6 Sept 2006 | Press day. Bombe seen on National Television and National News papers etc. |
| 24 Sept 2006 | Enigma Reunion. WRNS and other veterans see all our complete machines. |
| circa May 2007 | Machine now stopping reasonably reliably on a genuine W.W.II menu |
| 12 July 2007 | Part of the British Computer Society 50th anniversary celebrations. Machine demonstrated reliably to over 100 guests |
| 17 July 2007 | Official 'Switch On' at
Bletchley Park by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent. Machine now fully reliable and
predictable. See photo See also at Computer Conservation Society WEB site |
| circa August 2007 | Double Input working. This requires two sets of Sense Relays operating before a 'stop' is detected. |
| 23 September 2007 | WRNS 'Switch On'. Most WRNS who had worked on the Bombes during WWII were not able to attend the 'Royal Switch On'. Therefore a special event was arranged on the Sunday of the Enigma Reunion Weekend.See photo |
| 29 September 2007 |
An example of Umkehrwalze 'D' was wired onto a reflector plugboard and a representative menu then run successfully. Typex configured as an Enigma also wired to the same configuration. |