Univac BP minicomputer system, desktop on pedestal

This minicomputer, or buffer processor, was used as part of British European Airways online reservations system during the 1960s. It fed into the main Univac computer at the former West London Air Terminal, where passengers checked in before being driven to the airport.

Univac, or the 'Universal Automatic Computer' was one of the earliest commercial computers. It made its TV debut in 1952 when the Univac 1 was used to predict the results of the US Presidential Election. It was the first time a computer had been used for this reason, and caused a sensation. The success of this event led to 'Univac' becoming a common term to refer to any computer. However, it was soon overshadowed by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM).