Electronics at Hogwarts

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 158462

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "amanitamuscaria1" <saraandra at ...> wrote:
>
> AmanitaMuscaria now - It's probably been said before, but it may be 
> that the Ford nglia broke down _because_ it got to Hogwarts.
> 
> 
> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jordan Abel" <random832@> 
> wrote:
> > 
> > > 
> > > The spark plugs, headlights, etc, on the Anglia seem to work well
> > > enough - sure, it breaks down when they get to hogwarts, but 
> shouldn't
> > > the charms on the car itself interfere with those?
> > > 
> > 
> > That's a good example, Jordan! I'm not familiar with British Fords, 
> I
> > wonder if that model would have had an electronic engine control? An
> > electronic engine control is really a small, single purpose 
> computer.... snip....
> > 
> > Ken
> >
> 
> AM again - no, that model certainly didn't have any electronic engine 
> control. Nor did it have electric windows, nor seatbelts, as far as I 
> remember.
> Cheers, AmanitaMuscaria

Geoff:
That particular model of the Anglia was in production from 1959-1967 when it was 
superseded by the first Escorts. It was the first small UK Ford to break away from their 
"matchbox" outline models. So Arthur Weasley did quite well to obtain one of these in the 
early 1990s. They're very definitely collectors' items nowadays.

At that time, British cars were pretty basic. It would have had single-speed windscreen 
wipers, no rear window wipers, no rear window demister, ordinary wind-down windows 
etc. It may have possibly lacked a heater. Again, electronic management systems are a 
very much modern development.

I bought a second-hand Hillman Minx in 1964 which was a middle range family saloon 
and it lacked a heater; I had one fitted. It was because of the British drive to build cars for 
export. If you wanted one for an English winter, you added on(!)

Seatbelts only began to come into use in the mid-1960s. I remember buying a brand-new 
car in '67 and being considered quite "with it" because I specified seat belts. It did have a 
heater as standard this time.