It was actually a very nice machine, with intuitive controls with appropriate symbols on the nice sized buttons and labels below that attracted me to it, you didn't need to refer to a manual to understand any of the settings or chose the right wash, the first 8 programme numbers corresponded to the numbers on the care labels on garments at the time, so for example programme 1 was a 95°C white cotton wash, 4 was a 50° synthetic wash, and 6 was for acrylics. The higher numbers were for combinations of rinses and or long and short spins. It even had economy options before energy labels were invented, like half load, lower temp, and reduced rinses, plus a Bio button for enzyme based powders, which gave a longer soak.
I pointed the machine out to my mum because I thought it was a good design, easy to use and the future, never expecting or intending her to buy one. The mechanical timer machines of the time had limited programme options, some used letters as I recall, and one we had before had just a confusing dial and a switch labelled A - B. I regretted not repairing it when the bearings eventually went, although when we opened it up, it did have a very, very thick layer of limescale. Ironically, the feature I miss the most on modern machines is the cable operated door release with the door button on the control panel, as the locking mechanism was mechanical and would open instantaneously, and only open if the water level was low enough and the drum was stationary, regardless if there was power or not. So you could stop the machine and add extra items at the start of the cycle.
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