At last, a topless FileStore E20! In the top left-hand corner is the power supply unit under which is the extremely noisy fan. There are three power connectors coming from the PSU, which drive the hard disc, host adapter and fan/power light.

The circuit board on the right is an Acorn Winchester Disc Host Adapter. This translates the data from the Winchester disc controller into commands that the BBC can understand. At the top end is a thirty-four way connector to which a split 34-way ribbon cable is connected which goes to each of the two FileStore bus outlets at the back of the unit.

As an alternative, a 34-way ribbon cable can be connected directly to the host adapter board. There is even a very narrow slot cut out of the top of the FileStore casing to enable such a cable to pass through. Good old Acorn - they thought of everything!

At the other end of the host adapter is a 50-way connector which connects the board to the Winchester disc controller.

The disc is a Rodime RO652, a very early SCSI disc which provides the 50-way connection to the host adapter board.

In this picture, you can clearly see the damage I did to the 50-way ribbon cable when I melted it. One of the wires is bare as the plastic around it bubbled away to smoke. Fortunately the ribbon cable still works and quite miraculously, no damage appears to have been done to my FileStore when I had my mishap.