ScuzzBlog: Diaries October 2026
Entry 3rd October 2026: Post 1: Amiga 1200 - Legend of the TANK.
Amiga 1200 - Legend of the TANK.
The history of my A1200 computer called TANK is legendary and
serves to remind Amiga users of that extra mile we all journey.
Twas a wet, dark stormy night Christmas 1995. I had struggled
and failed to fit a 3.5 inch drive into my bestest Amiga. I sat
downhearted reflecting on the words of a work colleague the day
we parted for the holidays and his suggestion I should buy a PC.
I was sitting in my study which eventually became the workshop
devoid of any Amiga. I was thumbing through the yellow pages of
the Diamond Free Adds and I was drawn to an advert for an A1200
for sale for two hundred quid. It was now late, dare I trek to
Bovington Tank Regiment to pick up an A1200.
I didn't even blink an eye.
Soon I was driving down a road the width of a runway designed
for tanks. I could barely see in front of me. A lone single
motor cycle outrider moved to my side and indicated I follow.
He moved to my front and guided me in. A waited at the sentry
box whilst the guard rang the guy with the Amiga. He then gave
me directions to the house.
I was shocked when I got in the small residence to witness the
guy removing a floppy with a fork. He joked that it sometimes
got stuck. I discovered later the case has been opened and not
put back together correctly.
The rest is history.
And why a second Amiga. Having failed to install the 3.5 inch
hard drive I bought a 500MB drive from Gordon Harwood and so
displaced my current 300MB drive. I needed a quick way to copy
over the 300MB contents and for that I chose to Parnet. And so
a second Amiga was needed to piggyback off.
When I returned to work the guy in the office asked if I bought
a Windows PC. He was somewhat puzzled when I replied no, but I
had bought a second Amiga 1200.
The TANK became the first official Amiga to populate the Workshop
and so began a transition that was to eventually consume my life.
So did I ever doubt that today TANK would fire up. Not on your
life. The Amiga simply purred into life and worked without fault.
There are few moments in my life that I can instantly recall and
reflect that they were truly a good good day. But with my hand
on my heart I can honestly say that the night I journeyed to the
Tank Museum at Bovington was one of the most memorable I have had.
A thing of beauty is a joy for bloody ever.
Amiga 1200 - Legend of the TANK.
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