Graftgold

2 Freebournes Court, Newland Street, Witham Essex CM8

I remember looking through a friend's copy of ZZAP64 issue 3 and reading Andrew Braybrook's diary, THE BIRTH OF A PARADROID (July 1985 page 46). I didn't realise at the time but this was my introduction to the independent games developer Graftgold. The rapturous reviews of Paradroid and later Uridium produced the first cracks in my ZX Spectrum forever attitude. Looking back, what's surprising is Graftgold's invisibility despite the acclaim. The earliest mention of the developer comes two years later in issue 24 of ZZAP64, in Andrew Braybrook's follow up diary about writing the game Morpheus (April 1987 page 90). The same is true of fellow magazine CRASH where Graftgold is first mentioned in issue 47 (November 1987 page 11).

CRL

CRL House, 9 Kings Yard, Carpenters Road, London, E15

"A golden opportunity from Computer Rentals Limited." That's the eye-catching promise at the back of the October 1982 issue of YOUR COMPUTER (Vol 2 number 10, page 134). The text only advert looks basic but the tone is breezy. "If you have written some software, don't waste it on a small audience of family and friends. Send it to us, and we will take a good look at it. If we like it, we'll publish it, leaving you nothing more to do than cash your royalty cheques... we don't pay meanly... A royalty of £1.50 for each cassette sold is our offer and when you think of the size of the market, you can see how generous we are." The response to the advert must have been good because by January 1983 CRL, or Computer Rentals Limited as they preferred to be known, was advertising seven games in YOUR COMPUTER; Vol 3 issue 1 page 102.

Elite

Anchor House, Anchor Road, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9

The spiritual home of this blog is Anchor Road, Walsall. I've written before about my long fascination with the artwork on Elite's 1987 job advert and it's Gerry Anderson-esque vision of Anchor Road as the Moonbase Alpha of the Midlands. A trip to Anchor House was inevitable at some point. It just took slightly longer than expected because The Great Petrol Panic of autumn 2021 put paid to my first set of plans. It's going to be a while before the Travel Tube brings us to Anchor Road and before that address, before in fact Elite was even called Elite, the company had a more humble origin.

Melbourne House

Castle Yard House, Castle Yard, Richmond, TW10

Melbourne House was my first stop on an August 2021 trip across London, the day after Argos failed to deliver my washing machine (this bit is not relevant and would be removed by any decent sub-editor). It was my second full day of scouting old offices but only the first time I'd actually done any sensible planning. The first trip was done on an impulsive basis, like one of those films where Mickey Rooney suddenly goes "hey why don't we put on the show right here."

Software Projects

 Bear Brand Complex, Allerton Road, Woolton, Liverpool, LS25

Another day, another Tesco superstore. This one is in Woolton, Liverpool and it's built on the site of the old Software Projects office, a place with the odd name of Bear Brand Complex.

The Bear Brand Complex was a massive factory in the Liverpool suburb of Woolton. Like Blenheim House, System 3's home in Pinner, it seems to have been taken for granted and despite being a huge blot local landmark there are surprisingly few photos. Google brings up some pictures of the building being demolished in June 1997, around the same time Blenheim House was also being knocked down and ironically Blenheim House met the same fate in the foundations of a Tesco superstore.

System 3

Blenheim House, Ash Hill Drive, Pinner, HA5

It's lunchtime on a grey Sunday in November. I'm walking up Elm Park Road, in Pinner, towards Ash Hill Drive. When I arrive I will take a picture of a Tesco superstore. I don't need to take a picture of Tesco superstore but it's built on the site of an old System 3 office and thus must be done for completeness (Gollum-like whisper, completeneessss, my precious). My walk takes me along Marsh Lane, past Elm Park Court, along Pinner Green, with a final turn left just before Cuckoo Hill. It gives this slice of Metroland a rural feel; lovely. I hope the toilets are open. 

Ultimate Play The Game / Ashby Computers and Graphics / Rare Limited

The Green, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, LE6

Ultimate Play the Game was the trading name of Ashby Computers and Graphics. You probably already know the name if you're interested enough to read this blog but not including Ultimate would be like writing about football teams and not covering Manchester United because they are too famous.

Their first game, Jetpac, was released in May 1983, initially for the 16k ZX Spectrum and followed by versions for the VIC-20 and BBC Micro. The lead time of magazines in 1983 was so long that the first review comes two months later in COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES issue 21 (July 1983 page 136) where the unnamed reviewer can't wait to tell us, "the tape loaded successfully first time and while the game was loading an impressive title screen was displayed."