is there a Doctor in the house?

Well,this is the highlight of my life at this moment a program would normally NEVER watch,but as it is Doctor No 6 Collin Baker had to show my stripes
Having met Collin several times over the years i can say he is one of the nicest polite charming men you can ever wish to meet, just a decent bloke 
and this showed in the program
The program consists of celebs going into the Australian gold coast jungle now as there is a lack of most or anything dangerous as it is a controlled atmosphere they bring in all manner of creatures crabs spiders rats etc (none dangerous but will give you a nip as Collin found out)
so they have to sing for there supper or work for it 
so they have to do tasks getting covered in all manner of nastiness to get stars that equal meals
Collins last chance trial against  Eric Bristow was telling as he got more big stars meals for camp than small stars to save himself

He had done what he went in to do and you can tell he was fed up missed his family, his wife Marrion who came across as delightful as him and his daughters, of which there are many and boy has he lost weight a lot of weight im sure he feels great for it as well, well done keep it off

And when i say what he went in to do boy did he, recognition and profile raised weight loss and have some fun
 being seriously over weight and now some 60 years of age his trials were to what he could physically do , so limited , but what he did was pure entertainment his chained to Rosemary (who due to size /age couldent do much) and rapper act had me howling with laughter then to do piece to camera and how he came across very posh, Kids cringing im sure 

I was amazed at his record beating speed joke telling and how just downright nice he is
a  brilliant  person shared a coffee with him a great bloke ,and considering how badly he was treated by a vengeful Mr Grade and the BBC, His enthusiasm for the show is simply surprising
I hope there is more clips to surface somewhere as id like to see more that he did 

Ashley Roberts wow i am in love with her so down to earth natural not LA or Diva at all grounded real person very impressed very American with her dog wearing fashion etc but what a nice person and not bad on the eyes ,love her personality to...honest

so Drs 6 and 7 (Sylv 7 appearing as roturghast in the up coming hobbit) are about to get a bit more recognition and surge of interest good for them 
 frankly other than Tom who else could be a wizard (Tom dosent want to be 18 months in New Zeland) but going off a interview if he had maybe been him and not Christopher Lee ,interesting

So what else of interest ah well this has come up for auction and as a nice tie in coincidentally  to old Collin 
here he is as the Doctor, no really that is him

MK 2 Prop is identifiable by the lock being at the bottom of the handle

Lot No: 147 - Doctor Who: A 'Tardis' panel (1987)

Phone panel up for auction

 Now more 1986 ,When this was made for the season ,is it real is it fake ?
Well spoke to a wise ancient man (sorry mate ) The main man when  comes to the old box and he and  i talked
its real alright

there is NO screw holes for handle (Mid 80s never was a handle )and the font all hand done all sign writer job and frankly gorgeous if little wobbly if hold ruler up against top of letters the type face the missing san serrifs
info from auction 

According to information from the vendor, this was supplied by the BBC to CAL, the company that animated the 'Doctor Who' title sequence for the 24th Series in 1987. Oliver Elms, the BBC graphics designer who story-boarded the sequence, sent the Tardis panel to CAL to be used as part of the design process. From the livery and typeface, this is a 1980s-style door sign.

 Question answered of what happened to this phone panel,  (*only seen in season 18 /19 this style otherwise for some reason was split in two italic and plain font like a Ariel type, later copied for new series )  it vanished ,now we know why ,where and how
12 months on form trial and the old panel was back for McCoys first story and  on the MK2 and being older dirty and more worn kinda stood out

one year later and the old phone panel is back on the mk2 prop

god alone knows why they needed it but cal had it given them for use in new sequence titles certainly didn't use it and was very basic graphics they colored in black for some strange reason even with this reference ,go figure

( mid 80s bit Peter  / Collin the phone panel not used so no handle) there  came a new box back to old all italic font as per Met Police Box for phone panel reason for new box original 80 model was worn to death cracked chipped warped had its day so cue new box,used a lot  on off with its predecessor  to 89 and now in permanent display in the Dr Who exhibition made to look like the Mk1 for some reason ????

As having spoke to Sophie Aldred recently she informed me these 2 boxes ended up interchangeable so roof from MK1 got stuck n Mk2 doors got swapped etc
,same mold you see tho trimmed differently so different fit see same mold lots of differences between the two, so this is panel it started with in "Trial of a Timelord" September 1986 brilliant opening sequence best model work ever seen and only on par with Star Trek DS9 some 10 years later 
New info comes up all the time 
for more information look no further than this tomb of work 
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/~trekker/policeboxes/tv3.html

EDIT

 So the New Zeland Premiere of "the Hobbit " has happened ,looking forward to this i liked LOTR Movies read the books as a kid a student and should do again Hobbit is a nice easy book to get into simple and strait forward not a three tomb mega story but nice all the same
BRIEF  synopsis
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever… Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths ofguile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” …a simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
 

I remember Radagast from the books. He's one of the five Istari(Wizards) and is supposed to be the one thats down with nature, kind of like Middle Earth's Dr Doolittle and totaly in tune with his surroundings etc
. He is mentioned twice, and appears literally once in the actual story as he passes Gandalf on the road. So I assume that if this is accurate that the role has been significantly beefed up.But the films do differ to the books in this has to be a film story a narrative that can be told in allotted time and serve dramatically,plus use bits cut from LOTR the stuff that came up in the notes in the 60s etc

And person chosen for this role is Percy Smith aka Sylvester Mccoy, having met talked to him several times over the years i can think of only tom and him that make perfect wizards naturally eccentric and fun personality im sure he will be brilliant in the role ,pleased he is doing this Mr Jackson is a big fan of his and WHO so like tom said its the fans now employing you And Dr Who does have a big following in the colonies 
2 Doctors in the southern hemisphere

 so good luck to him hope this is a career boost and sure be riding the success of the films for the next 3 years as there released "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" will be released in the U.S. on December 14, 2012, with the second film, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," releasing December 13, 2013, and the third film, "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" slated for July 18, 2014.
It couldent happen to a nicer person,  
and docent he look dapper on the red carpet 

the bat car

well this is a easy post my love of big black cars with insane engines 
i came across this video and thought worth putting up as is a definitive of the prop and shows the inside ,and well for reference brilliant 

not as black as we thought but then with the filters etc on post production it is and gos to show one can not trust what see on the TV and two when replicating go for what it is supposed to be
wish it was longer video but some nice shots in there i think his info little off built 86 nope 88 for 89 movie 

 

that is how you clean a red hot car like the Batmobile

This ties two of my all time faves together the 66 and 89 i love these i grew up with the toy versions as a boy saw the series and well in 80s this was my car 

80s SUPERPOWERS toy

Well this is a toy but you get idea it is a lot like the 60s still he had other cars but this was main one i remember and  had as a toy , wish i still did 

85 batmobile diecast

 

"Its the car,chicks dig the car "

This was a sports car early /mid 80s  so porche 911 ferrari testarossa 80s dream sports cars,it was classically designed to be like coke bottle shaped low small and fast nimble with a host of gadgets this started to tie in with a whole new attitude and return to solo performance by the Dark one 
what i like about it was it was familiar looks cool and believable to get around

I liked the crime lab in the trunk and  the host of bat gadgets like the tire shredder and the laser cutter,smoke oil dispensers
Artists such as Lopez, Denis O neal,BreygFoyle brought Batman and his world to life for me Breyfogle (Breyfogle worked on Detective Comics. He drew the Batman for six years (1987–93), ) in that period of school /collage
there was another the breyfogle styled futuristic low square version but this was in the comics i read late 80s  early 90s
this is a era Robin(Dick Greyson)  had flown the nest long ago spending time since late 70s away collage and with the Teen Titans and became Nightwing and some time in late 80s Robin 2 (Jason Todd) to be eventually killed off a turbulent time 

one of my Favorite of them all and actually my ERTL model is in the header of my BLOG

 the Keaton movie in 89 with its Anton Furst styling (Anton Furst was hired as production designer for Gotham City and the Batmobile
(spliced together two Impala chassis, and the car was powered by a Chevy V8. )and Tim Burton vision ,
this before Timmy went over board with his own art school look to films which is what happened sadly to the sequel a macabre freak show horror pastiche  BUT did give us a definitive Batmobile


Engine Type: Jet Turbine
Thrust: 1500 lbs. at 103% ROS
Torque: 1750 lbs./ft. at 98.7% ROS
0 to 60 MPH: 3.7 sec,
Top Speed: Unknown
Brake Rating: Excellent
Wheelbase: 141.0 in.
Length: 260.7 in.
Width: 94.4 in.
Height: 51.2 in.
Wheels: Cast alloy, 15 x 6.5
Tires: High aspect L60-15
Fuel Requirement: High octane 97% special

this baby the long sleek jet fighter on wheels ,speed check, low fast dragster check ,Armour like a tank check .toys and tricks and gadgets check check

i fell in love with this 20 foot long 7.8 ft wide   0–60 miles per hour in 6 seconds monster ,must of been a nightmare to handle (reason for grapple hooks)  but who cares you see it go to 100 mph ( On the test track it managed to do 100 mph before it started to shake.) 
 awesome big chevy  engine and the sliding cockpit the machine guns (petrol caps from a London Bus, taillights provided by Ferrari and the headlights were from a Honda Civic, turned upside down and painted yellow.)  ,this changed everything he slid into a alley hid the car and activated its Armour shell until his return It was long, low and sleek, and was built on a stretched-out platforms of a Chevy Impala 141" wheel base . C6 Corvette engine, fit on tubular chassis,
All that on a GRP Fiberglass body  i bet it couldent half move being lightweight that powerful,V8 crate motor delivering about 290 -horsepower for a claimed top speed of 180mph and a "10 to 11 second run" for the quarter mile.

 

Tire shredders smoke/ oil/ nail dispensers at rear ,bat discs ,shin beakers ,grappling hooks on board computer tv monitor communication system,cameras for rear view, shields,  bombs , grenades Browning Machine Guns able to turn into the much thinner Bat Missile a foot that can turn the car 180o ejection seats blast proof Armour the car was filled with all the optional extras  

Two cars were built for the movie by John Evans and his SFX team at Pinewood. Both cars were finished in 14 weeks. Later on after the movie had been filmed Jay O cut 4" off each rear wheel arch to have a car transported to the USA then Japan and to promote the movie. SFX engineer Andy Smith accompanied this car to explain the operation of the various gadgets.  Andy Smith also worked on the Tumbler for Batman Begins/Dark Knight

It looked the business it did the business and the huge hydraulic  foot to turn it 180o brilliant that's how he turns it around 

we then got the brilliant cartoon series of the 90s which was heavily movie influenced but was also fleischer cartoon influence so 1950s art deco and this is a awesome car from a awesome cartoon

yes that is the toy version on top what a cool thing tho a working animated car


so we delt with a legendery car a animated classic and sporty 80s number lets move on to a icon 
 In 1966 a TV series a icon was Born and a car was needed enter the Ford Futura concept car and Mr George Barris
The Futura worked perfectly as a Batmobile, as it had many "bat" features built into the design already, such as the long fins and bubble canopies. According to Barris, he further enhanced the theme by converting the nose into an integrated bat mask, a first for the car. He also opened the wheel wells, and modified the Futura's fins into subtle bat wings by extending their leading edges into the doors and scalloping the trailing edges. Once bodywork was complete, the car was painted gloss black with red trim to accentuate the various lines of he car. Three replicas were eventually built by Barris' shop, though only one appeared on the show itself.

 The car featured an impressive array of bat-gadgets. In addition to the "atomic turbine engine" (the car was actually powered by a blueprinted 1956 Ford Lincoln V8,Engine: 390), the car had a nose-mounted chain slicer, lasers, rockets, an on-board telephone, radar, dash monitor, on-board computer, and police beacon. If needed, the Batmobile is capable of a quick 180° "bat-turn" thanks to two rear-mounted 10' parachutes, equipped with a smoke emitter and a nail spreader to discourage pursuit. rear-facing camera and battering ram.
 weighing in a solid steel car 19 feet long 7 feet wide  of a little over two and a half tons she was heavy and kept blowing the tyres and apparently breaks none existent so made driving the hero car a lot of fun and work 
all built in three weeks to
Again replicas are mad out of  GRP Fiberglas and have seen videos of them really moving load suddenly lighter 

It is fun to see them acknowledging some of these icons seeing them in background shots in the batcave racked up or even being used in a panel or two,shame when Dick was Bats he didnt get to use this a opportunity missed

66 makes a return to comics

 so defo a big fave a boys fantasy my car gota be black and gotta have something under the bonnet

mid late 90s car

Invasion Earth

so a day long waited for by many months,  a small do at a Hotel in town, not been to one of these shin digs in years
It was a Star Wars Doctor Who themed Day, but the two bods from star wars were little more than extras really but what im here for...........
WHO Girls 
Yes i said Who girls like Bond girls just in space ,and who's very own Play Bunny Nicola (peri) Bryant was there, the gorgeous Sophie(Ace)  Aldred and a new one for me Louise (Leela) Jameason 

 as you can see a thoroughly enjoyable meet and greet


there was the usual dealers room, but on a teeny scale there was 4 tables,thats it and usual fare lots of books and annuals and toys some i did like the loose ones in plastic bags for classics BRILLIANT ! alas no Master 
but not given up yet
also some full size props there on the day as is norm ,again on a mini scale this was small local stuff

The R2D2 was lovely all lights  and beeps and moved rc style but while sat here turned its dome periodically id like one 

Do like these small venues ,unlike the Arena events that are extortionate costs, and also one i disagree with and so did mrs aldred, paying for autographs it is ripping fans off 
grrrrrrrrr
but nice event small family friendly, and future has been prepared for in some cases like getting loose figures i want :)  some nice folks selling got his e mail address so should come in handy for odd bits i am after  some nice people ,nice talking to some  

look at this !,my 80s TARDIS in Ace's hands never would dream it possible to think i watched her as Ace on tv as a lad and here sat with my TARDIS i made ,
blows my mind i do not care what anyone says thats awesome and bigie for me 

I thank you ,signed to boot plus by Nicola ,so two 80s companions for Drs 5/6/ 7 done then 
 for got to get Nicola to pose with it,  
Wonder if  i could get away with asking show me the sex baby ?

old pic of Fraser Hines "Jamie" with one of my TARDISES I GAVE HIM

signed and done ,the book can see with sontarons well it is JNTs TARDIS inside out and o boy is it groaning under weight of autos now  
gos waaaaaaaaaay back jon pertwees is in there nick courtney JNT himself under the printed one so signed twice i suppose ,K9 John Leason, Terry maloy is one i would like sylv sophie 
 collin nicola now louise etc etc etc

lovely seeing familys small children loving it all and getting realy into it

 some over geeks some over enthusiastic but in the main just nice ordinary people and mainly as it should be Family's and lots of little kids loving every min and good on them they are after all the future

couple of atmosphere shots for you

New Series New Cybermen

 

So here is the new design ,soon as i saw it what struck me was......... ,noisy bitty suit so not sleek but sleeker than one before Cybusmen that had flares and huge cuffs and was over clunky 

Now was a Bad Robocop now a Bad imitation of Iron man "oh look we can do suits like that to",Ego Portfolio?

who knows  ,this is not what i was hoping for 

So ill be positive first......................

It's slimmed down from Cybusmen which is an improvement but... 

like my friend said cover the head,go on put a piece of paper right now over it and tell me ,what is it ? ,dosent scream Cyberman does it ?

And i hate the Gun built into the arm its naff Cybermen have BIG blasters 

CYBERGUN

never saw the necessity for a full armoured suit rather than just head and chest plate with an augmented coverall like the Attack 80s suits, way ahead of there time ,very Borg like tubes part organic body it is a Armour cover so still resistant the original Cybus Head was ok i like ability to turn it thats it 

 It scream's Robot which is very wrong and i see the useless walking coach woman is back why? waste of space her

It could be revamped without this nod to Batman, Robocop and Ironman why is it so noisy,   lines that serve no function other than for aesthetics. Somehow I don't think the Cybermen would be all that into aesthetics which goes to show once more how the production team just don't understand the core of their monsters,

 Classic goof Davros in a Dalek chair (Davros chair is totaly different) his small head what happened to the big mekon element ?,Fatlek Dalek re design the Silurian the Sontaran  this is another re design that just aint working  really,New Who same in name only can not get it right

Seems we get rid of one useless entity in Ed  Thomas to be left with Millennium fX screwing things up  ,and boy does Neil Gorton have a Ego the size of the rock of Giblater ,they forget there down on film permanent record of what they say, going off the Sontaran interview for that confidential series ,hey my design its new it is brilliant you rather it be a design stuck in the 70s he spat ,or words to that effect,

Davros look are we not cleverest people in the land thin rubber for mask and we  made a cast of actors face ooh look we redesigned it made it better now it looks like a human being ,

instant dislike  

 I'm not resistant to change, but the new series cybermen simply don't do it for me at all. 

 far too mechanical and robotic. I love that with the old Cybermen, it was perfectly possible for them to sneak up on you - sinister, silent, killers.sometimes did and snapped necks  and looked like Cyborgs not robots the idea of them unstopingly walking carrying there blasters firing not bothered about cover or rushing, was a very powerful image

BEFORE THE BORG THERE WERE THE CYBERMEN

NOT JUST A BRAIN IN A SUIT

How i would do it is simply upgrade last design from the 80s ,not aesthetically but for function purpose

Helmet shrink to human head size make break at neck so can turn L - R joins onto a chest piece simaler design as old not as long but on shoulders chest and back (this is the life support system)

Tubes same place helmet to back and unit to body same perspex style window with lights and tubes but round
Then id use the new body suit that ribbed one perfect silver spray out and add some tubes going into it big thick ones and where they enter the suit some metal mesh like used in car repairs

then augment suit with GRP Metal plates with that steel in the gel coat so contrasts nicely to silver body
Lower/ upper/ arm and  thigh plates all attached to body suit
then feet metal piston rod to mimick movement for calf /shin plate
hands bear robot metal hands ,suit ends with a metal band at wrist, like tenth planet original bear flesh but metal
Gun same  hey it aint broke do not fix it 

very simple upgrade with a purpose and i aint a pro designer