The BT Merlin M2105 was manufactured by Acorn for British Telecom as a dedicated communications terminal. It is essentially an Acorn Electron and an expansion box that contains a modem, voice synthesizer, serial port and printer port.

 

The expansion box is bolted to the Electron and attaches to the expansion port.

 

They were supplied by BT to their engineers to allow them to communicate with each other and BT in a bulletin board and basic email way. However, this was pre internet and email as we know it today.

 

They may also have been supplied to BT customers including Interflora.

When the Acorn Electron Merlin computer is connected up on its own the message that comes up on the screen reads: "Acorn Electron" and underneath: "BASIC" When the BT Merlin expansion box is connected to the Acorn Electron Merlin computer the following message appears on the screen: MERLIN BUSINESS SYSTEMS M2105 Terminal 1 Version V3.50 16/02/87 (c) British Telecommunications plc 1986 sc21302130 sc21302130 _ printer (to remind operator to connect a dot matrix printer).

 

 
 

Acorn - BT Merlin M2105 Manuals:

Item	Manufacturer	Date
BT Merlin User Guide M2105 Messaging Terminal	BT	02-06-1985