Sinclair Research, the company that started the UK computer industry with its ZX80 and ZX81, before turning a whole generation into programmers with its Spectrum, was in trouble. Its next generation machine, the QL, with its quirky Microdrive storage, had failed and the company was still relying on the ageing Spectrum + - the ‘plus’ denoting an improved keyboard over the original’s ‘dead flesh’ construction - to bring home the bacon. The competition though, were leaving Sinclair behind. Commodore’s 64 had vastly better sound and graphics capabilities, and for the seriously aspirational there was the 16bit Atari 520 ST.

Even the budget sector, Sinclair’s traditional territory, was being slowly taken over by Amstrad’s CPC machines, which came complete with both tape deck and monitor for £199. This was the market that greeted the launch of the Spectrum 128, 13 years ago this week. Boasting improved sound capabilities and treble the RAM, the 128 retailed at £179.99 and was seen by many as a last desperate throw of the dice for Sinclair. Leading software houses of the day - such as Ocean, Gargoyle, Hewson, CRL, Audiogenic and Rainbird - pledged their support by announcing 128-enhanced versions of existing titles but the 128’s improvements were too little, too late to save Sinclair. The company was bought by rival UK manufacturer Amstrad within six months.

Amazingly, Amstrad kept the Spectrum going for another five years, through +2, +2A and +3 incarnations, but long before the end of its life the Spectrum had become an object of scorn – the sort of computer the dull kids had for Christmas. A sad end to a machine which introduced so much to so many.