GPO ERNIE II

ERNIE II (Electronic Random Number Indicating Equipment), 1973, for generation of Premium Bonds Numbers, manufactured by Plessey.

Since 1st June 1957, a machine named ERNIE (electronic random number indicator equipment) has been used to produce winning premium bonds numbers. Premium bonds are a savings account where you can save and withdraw money and the interest is decided by a monthly prize draw. Each bond has an equal chance of winning, so the more you own, the higher your chances.

The job of routinely generating random numbers against bond holder’s numbers was far too labour and time intensive to be done by hand, so it was decided a machine would be built. Following on from their incredible advancements during the Second World War, this task was given to the codebreaking team at Bletchley Park who deployed similar engineering experience to their wartime activities. Both Tommy Flowers and Harry Fensom, who had designed and worked on Colossus worked on the project.

This machine is ERNIE II, the second iteration. By the end of ERNIE I’s life in early 1973, it was taking nearly 10 working days to generate winning numbers. This ERNIE drastically reduced the time taken to complete the draw and was over 30x quicker. ERNIE II used similar technology to the original where sensors counted the number of electrons passing through a diode at various intervals.

ERNIE II was active between February 1973 and August 1988. It generated 22,740,704 winning numbers which was a total value of £1,494,420,100.

ERNIE 5 is currently used to calculate premium bond numbers today but instead of using thermal noise to generate random numbers, it now uses light. Over 400 million winning numbers have been created by the various iterations of ERNIE, with nearly £20 billion in prizes given out.

Details

Category:
Computing & Data Processing
Object Number:
1990-299
type:
number selector
credit:
National Savings and Investments

Parts

ERNIE II pt1 - Paper Tape Punch Cabinet Assembly

ERNIE II pt1 - Paper Tape Punch Cabinet Assembly

ERNIE II pt1 - Paper Tape Punch Cabinet Assembly

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt1
type:
cabinet
ERNIE II pt2 - Paper Tape Punch Cabinet Assembly

ERNIE II pt2 - Paper Tape Punch Cabinet Assembly

ERNIE II pt2 - Paper Tape Punch Cabinet Assembly

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt2
type:
cabinet
ERNIE II pt3 - Telegraph model 33TCD Teleprinter Terminal

ERNIE II pt3 - Telegraph model 33TCD Teleprinter Terminal

ERNIE II pt3 - Telegraph model 33TCD Teleprinter Terminal

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt3
type:
teleprinter
ERNIE II pt4 - Teletype model 33TBH Teleprinter Terminal

ERNIE II pt4 - Teletype model 33TBH Teleprinter Terminal

ERNIE II pt4 - Teletype model 33TBH Teleprinter Terminal

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt4
type:
teleprinter
ERNIE II pt5 - Teletype model 33TCD Teleprinter Terminal

ERNIE II pt5 - Teletype model 33TCD Teleprinter Terminal

ERNIE II pt5 - Teletype model 33TCD Teleprinter Terminal

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt5
type:
teleprinter
ERNIE II pt6 - Power Supply Unit

ERNIE II pt6 - Power Supply Unit

ERNIE II pt6 - Power Supply Unit

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt6
type:
power supply
Honeywell Tape Reader

Honeywell Tape Reader

ERNIE II pt7 - Honeywell Tape Reader

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt7
type:
tape reader
Plessey Tape Reader

Plessey Tape Reader

ERNIE II pt8 - Plessey Tape Reader

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt8
type:
tape reader
ERNIE II components

ERNIE II components

Metallic green paper tape punch stand, tape bin, cupboard and electronic spares.

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt9
type:
ernie ii components
ERNIE II components

ERNIE II components

Metal façade panelling including purple metal desk top.

Object Number:
1990-299 Pt10
type:
ernie ii components