photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Paul Pelletier | all galleries >> Lighting devices >> The Lighting Console Gallery > Alderham 602.JPG
previous | next

Alderham 602.JPG

It’s an Alderham 602, circa 1976-1977 I believe. Alderham was a brand name of products manufactured by rental company Showlites, started in London in early 1970’s.

The 602 has two presets, each with 60 faders / channels. Twenty submasters and 20/60 pin matrix. Output is +10V analog on two 37-pin socapexes.

These desks were of rather cheaply made, sticky faders, button and electrically quite messy. All hardwired stuff, no microprocessor. The concept was great though and it picked up by touring tech Ian “Avo” Whalley who started up…. Avolites a couple of years later. I almost bought one myself in 1982, they wanted 2000 UK pounds (USD 4000 today) and it seemed like a fair price at the time actually.

Showlites / Alderham are no longer around but their legacy sure is – they introduced the Socapex 19-pin power connector and the 37-pin control connector. They also invented the 6-lamp bar as we know it (2” diameter, 15” lamp spacing, Socapex connector).

Eric Pearce, the owner is still around, now has staging / trussing company SPGS in Las Vegas.

Photo and text by Mats Karlson


other sizes: small medium original auto
comment | share
Guest 18-Jan-2022 00:28
The desks also had remote mains power monitoring display just visable to left of yellow switches? which was great for touring round Ireland with limited power.
Kevan Shaw 26-Mar-2014 17:56
Paul you are very cruel about the quality of the Alderham desks, I worked for Showlites and Alderham in the late seventies, worked on and toured these desks and by the way was the guy who took the first socapex based rig out on tour having built a fair share of it! The desks were simple and robust however the faders definitely did not like the mixture of beer and cigarette ash that habitually got spilled on desks in clubs and theatres. Internally the electronics were as basic as could be and rarely caused problems except for one batch of op amp chips they bought that were faulty. I spent several weeks going around various different gigs swapping chips with a soldering iron!

Most of these boards did have very clever analogue chasers of increasing complexity that required some serous thought to get the effects you wanted but overall they were a great joy to use and very effective and reliable given the abuse they received!

Kevan Shaw

PS do you have the name of the guy in the picture I recognise him from back in the day but can't put a name to the face.
Paul Pelletier05-Dec-2006 14:45
I'm based in Montreal Canada...
Marshall Sweeten 03-Dec-2006 21:35
I remember running this console thru a couple of shows with Showlites. Was great at the time. The Alderham dimmer reacks were pretty good too. They were 72 @ 1.2 k. ( lamp per dimmer), with a couple of relays as well. Patching was done via single bananna plug on top of the rack, 37 pin socapex in / out on the end of the rack.

Would love to see photo's of these, if there are any.

The Electrosonic had a 60 way that was nice ( back then ).

It's great to see these items again. Where are you located? Would like to see these up close.

I used to work for Light + Sound Design 1980-1987, with a few short tours with See Factor, Tait Towers. Started in 1972, still doing it now, though not touring anymore.

Cheers, Marshall