HP/DEC/Compaq

Any advice on a buying a MicroPDP-11 in working order in the UK?

It seems quite impossible now to find one anywhere. I don't care if it is a 11/23, 11/73 or 11 anything in fact, as long as it can run RSTS/E.

Is the BA23 the smallest case available for the machine as well?

Funny, on eBay I can always find a huge number of listings for PDP manuals, docs and magazine spreads going back from '70 through the early '80's, but never *ever* a working system.

Any advice on seeking out stuff? Should i just buy all the parts separately (eBay often lists parts) and build myself? Is that possible?

I have pretty good experience of MicoVAX hardware, but none of MicroPDP.

My advice is start going to electronic recyclers or flea markets. Hamfests are also a good source. I picked up a PDP 11/23 and a NeXT slab once. eBay is nothing but people trying to make a quick buck with outrageous prices. Occasionally people sell items on the ClassicCmp mailing list http://www.classiccmp.org/

Yupp. There was just an 11/83 offered on classiccmp (and claimed). Trades are not that common on classiccmp. You could check out vintage-computer.com/forums and broaden your horizon a bit, germany seems to have quite a bit of DEC stuff.

The BA11-VA is the smallest PDP-11 case I know of. But it is quite rare, go for the BA23, it is convenient and probably the most common. If you decide to build a PDP-11 from parts, make sure the case is decent and has the important bits. Boards seems to pop up here and there.