In article ,
Bob Hobden wrote:

In case anyone knows an answer, do any of them provide archives
and a reasonable search mechanism?

Other than Goggle Gropes, of course.

There is this one which I think needs your computing skill to work out, I
can't. :-(
https://archive.org/details/usenet

As far as I can see, it is a largely uncollated collection of
miscellany, and actually contains very little.

then there is this... which you have probably already worked your way
through...
http://www.livinginternet.com/u/uu_arch.htm

I hadn't, but thanks. It confirms my belief that there are no extant
archives of most of the groups I am interested in, except for the
DejaNews one now owned by Google. And, as I understand it, even
that is very patchy.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.