When I was a kid back in the 80's I had one of those electronic kits similar to the 150 in one that was popular, the kind with the spring terminals that you bend over & insert a wire.
This one had the usual carboard backplate, only it was vertical, it had a couple of partially assembled 555 oscillators, speaker, leds & other bits.
I'm trying to remember what it was called so I can try to find another, I think it was robot bonanza or something like that, robot was in the title.
It cam from tandy here in the Uk, tandy was our version of radio shack.
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As ofen happens I posted the question after looking for ages then found it right away.
Its a science fair sensor robot 20.
Theres only 1 ic, not a 555 its a op amp, probably 741, but it is partly assembled with a couple of resistors and a cap.
Seem fairly cheap on ebay.
Theres 2 versions, one is upright and the later one is flat.