Kieran's Holiday Blog: 2018
A five-week UK tour, basically of Doctor Who filming locations
Heathrow, Doctor!
13 August
Travel: From Perth to Heathrow, around London
Being a Doctor Who fan in Western Australia all my life, this trip was my first visit to the UK! Naturally I wanted the first filming location I'd visit to be from a very special story (luckily Heathrow Airport from 'Time-Flight' doesn't count as they only filmed in Terminal 1).
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But first on the agenda was meeting with the brilliant tailor Steve Ricks, who'd recently worked on the film 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. I had commissioned him for a replica of the tweed coat that Tom Baker wore in various Doctor Who stories, beginning with The Android Invasion (which I'd seen he'd made before). Obviously I *loved* the coat that he made and I wore it consistently for the rest of the holiday! I was also surprised and delighted to discover that on the other end of the street from Cafe Nero, where I had met with Steve, was Old Brewer's Yard where sequences for 1968's The Web of Fear were filmed. The place had hardly changed but for the yard gate having been removed. By my reckoning, the scenes filmed there were Nicholas Courtney's first portrayal of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart. So I was very happy for this to be my first location visit, especially as it was so unexpected.
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After trying my coat on and rephotographing some shots and photos from The Web of Fear, I jumped on the underground train to the number one place in England I'd always wanted to go. Incidentally, the disparity between riding a train in Perth and riding a train in London is similar to that of riding a train in Perth and riding on top of one. Exiting White City station from 'The Chase', my destination was Television Centre, which produced just about all of my favourite programmes growing up. I can't tell you how exciting it was to finally stand in front of that iconic building and say "Hello and welcome to The Pertwee Years" before pointing at it like David Bowie. It was very funny. *Very* funny.
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For completion's sake, the day I visited was the 39th, 37th, 32nd, and 31st anniversary of studio days on Nightmare of Eden, Kinda, Terror of the Vervoids, and Dragonfire in Studios 6, 8, 3, and 3 respectively.
DALEK ONE COMPLETE! CHECK!
14 August
Travel: From Heathrow to Stilton
After my first night in the country, staying at Heathrow, I picked up a hire-car and headed North to stay with family in Stilton. On my way I was sure to stop at 69 Rockingham Road, Uxbridge (I've got that on a T-Shirt). Also known as the former home of Shawcraft Models, the company responsible for creating special props for 60s Doctor Who. Iconically, some of their commissions included the first TARDIS console and original Daleks. These and other of their monster creations, like the Macra and Zarbi, had been filmed and photographed on the street outside the shop. This gave me some reference for further rephotography. The photo of the Macra (of which there are, in fact, two near-identical shots) is the only existing photography of the prop that Shawcraft created. It's been one of my favourite Who photos since I was a child, when it rather freaked me out. Identifying the location of that shot was only made possible by the fortuitous survival of the tin-roofed building in the left of background. One minor surprise to me was that the old building on the corner of Waterloo Road and Rockingham Road had been demolished since that latest Google Streetview update from July 2017. I thought this was a shame as his had remained largely intact since the filming of the 8mm Shawcraft cine film in 1967.
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Another Who location in Uxbridge, just around the corner, is West and North Common Road, used for Sarah Jane Smith's home and surroundings in The Five Doctors. I had a quick visit to there, and later down the way, to Tilehouse Lane in Denham. Off this road is the entry to White Plains Care Home, a short avenue lined with Poplars. This was one of the first filming locations utilised for Doctor Who in 1964's The Reign of Terror.
The Boundaries That Divide One County From Another
15 August
Travel: From Stilton to York
And so on a Wednesday, I checked one more Doctor Who filming location off the list before hitting a drought as I continued North. And that location was the town of Hambleton, right in the middle of Rutland Water. This was used in 1989's Battlefield, where it doubled for the fictional village of Carbury. I didn't get down to the lakeside but I did have a drink in The Finch's Arms. My travelling companion remarked on how upmarket they took the area for. In fact we could've sworn we passed Lady Felicia herself in the Inn, so somebody let me know if Nancy Carroll lives in Rutland. As for the filming location, I focused on Saint Andrew's Church, used as the site of Morgaine and Mordred's arrival on Earth, and where they encounter the Brigadier. The one thing that I noticed had changed since filming was that the tree to the left of the Church's public access path has been removed. Sadly this rather ruins the symmetry seen in some of the original shots. A look at Streetview tells me the tree lasted until at least 2011.
Jackdaw Meanderings
16 August
Travel: Around York
Having then arrived in York with a whole day to spend, I took in the sights of York Minster, The Shambles, 3 completely separate different Harry Potter shops next to each other, Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms, Clifford's Tower, the York Castle Museum, St Mary's Abbey, and a cruise on the River Ouse. The Castle Museum particularly disconcerted me when amongst its "vintage" exhibits I spotted some items contemporary to my own childhood. These included a Buzz Lightyear toy, a Harry Potter wand, and a David Tennant Doctor Who doll. They also had some information on Who and a clip from The Dalek Invasion of Earth: Episode 2 playing in a section dedicated to the 1960s.
17 August
Travel: York to Billingham
Leaving York, I ticked some more "must-see"s off the travel list. These consisted of the Scarborough Pier Police Box, the Yorkshire Moors, Whitby Abbey (where they now charge for entry), and Goathland Train Station. Standing next to the old Police Box had me feeling a sense of history repeating, as one of my family's well-worn photographs is of my mother standing in the very same spot in 1996. And as you may imagine, they also had a lovely selection of Rock Candy at a nearby stall. Later in the day I got to Goathland, used as the backdrop of not only the first scenes filmed for Harry Potter, but also the fictional village of Aidensfield in Heartbeat. I arrived to find that there was a small fair going on outside the village store. There was an animal pen there as part of this, including various birds that you could choose from to have your photo taken with. Amongst them was a Snowy Owl (or so I believe. I've no expertise in owl identification) so I photographed the little chap because he looked like Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig.
18 August
Travel: Around Billingham
The Saturday was spent with family in Billingham, but I did check out Tees Transporter Bridge. I've got a photo from the construction of that bridge hanging on the wall outside my bedroom door (for some reason), so it was something of a thrill to see the finished product in person. I also managed to pick up one of those "controversial" B&M action figure sets (which seemed like a big deal at the time).
The Complete Menagerie
19 August
Travel: Billingham to Berwick
Now this was more of a hectic day. We saw Durham Cathedral in the morning, just when they were holding some sort of choir practice I think it was. So we basically went straight to the Cloisters, which is the quadrangle used as a part of Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. A nice old lady working there was kind enough to offer me, unasked, a look into Chapter House for a quick photo as she passed through. That was pure dumb luck for me, as I was only on that side of the square to have my photo taken from the other side. That did mean that my proper camera wasn't on me though, so I just used my phone, but hey-ho. On the drive out I learnt that I'd have to wait a little longer than I'd thought for the day's main engagement, which was a visit to Neil Cole's Museum of Sci-Fi in Allendale. So I killed some time, first at the Corbridge Roman ruins on Hadrian's Wall, and later the local cafes and art gallery. I even squeezed in a drink at the Allendale Inn before heading over to see Neil. And all these places were delightful, it amazed me how much variety and interesting stuff could be found in such small areas. Even the local gift shop seemed like a minor Wonder Emporium.
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Meeting Neil, he was just as fascinating as he'd seemed on television. The development of his museum had been the subject of the third episode of NETFLIX's Amazing Interiors, which showed the building and "opening" of the museum, truncated time-wise for dramatic effect. In reality the museum was not set to open for another two months when I visited. I can only say what a magnificent collection Neil has compiled and personally restored. As we progressed through the displays, I heard a few stories of the wringers that some of the exhibits had been put through. Tales of being left to rot in storage, lack of proper maintenance, damaging display situations, careless previous owners, etc. I think it's marvellous that someone is taking such care with these unique pieces of cultural history. Naturally, Doctor Who comprises the lion's share of the museum, but various pieces hail from the likes of Star Wars, Star Trek, Space Precinct, Thunderbirds, the Marvel films, and more. And Neil even complimented my replica Tom Baker coat, which was very kind considering the awe-inspiring menagerie of genuine Doctor Who pieces in the room. This was an absolute highlight of my trip.
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That afternoon I arrived at my next hotel, which was the Castle Hotel in Berwick. I mention this because just down the road was probably the best Fish and Chips I ever ate. That mightn't mean much from an Australian but I'd recommend.
A Vast Castle With Many Turrets And Towers
20 August
Travel: Around Berwick
You may have picked up the idea that I enjoy the Harry Potter films. It's true. The first attraction of my second week on holiday was something of a backtrack to Alnwick Castle. Of particular interest were the Outer Bailey, the Courtyard, and the Lion Arch, which were utilised in 2000 and 2001 for the filming of The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets respectively. Unfortunately for fans of the series that day, one part of the Outer Bailey seen in The Philosopher's Stone was covered in scaffolding for repairs. This was a minor nuisance for rephotography that would become more prevalent as my trip around the country continued. In fact, its prevalence continued later in the day when I went to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne (being careful not to strand myself there at high tide). There, Lindisfarne Castle was also under what seemed to be a pretty serious construction job. A composite of one of my 360° photos that I took at Alnwick Castle can be seen on the Harry Potter page of WhoSpheres, under the Non-Who Locations tab.
Oh It's Cold And Damp
21 August
Travel: Berwick to Edinburgh
One of the less eventful or stressful days, I spent a couple more hours around Berwick before going on to Edinburgh. After a visit to the Berwick Barracks and Main Guard, I was amused that the gift shop was selling Dad's Army branded chocolate bars with Philip Madoc and Arthur Lowe emblazoned on them.
22 August
Travel: Around Edinburgh
Welcome to Scotland! Edinburgh Castle was first on the list, scoping it out ahead of the night's Tattoo performance. Naturally there were some smashing views of the city to be taken from atop the Castle. Afterwards I took to the streets where I happened across The Elephant House cafe, the self-proclaimed "Birthplace of Harry Potter". Despite this, it's my understanding that whilst JK Rowling did write parts of the Harry Potter books in this cafe, the books in question were the second and third instalments. In fact The Elephant House didn't open until 1995, after the first book had been written. Before heading back to the hotel to prepare for the Tattoo, I walked up Arthur's Seat (where Katy Manning and Stewart Bevan were photographed with a giant maggot for the 1973 Radio Times Special celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Doctor Who). I didn't go very far, mind. Actually I'd say I did the bare minimum to realistically claim I'd done it at all. However, that's good enough for me to get some nice pictures and a couple of 360°s. The main event though was of course the aforementioned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. I'd seen it on television many times in past years, so it was another surreal experience of 'screen to life' for me. Though I must say, I hadn't expected to hear The Banda Monumental de Mexico's rendition of Despacito that night, nor ever. But I remember the Star Trek Voyager theme got a look in at one point, which I enjoyed very much. Other highlights were the singing of Mr Blue Sky at the end, and the old faithful Top Secret Swiss Drum Corps. One of the drummers dropped a stick at one point, but I think he got away with it.
23 August
Travel: Edinburgh to Pitlochry
So I left Edinburgh the day after the Tattoo as you can't top that! On the way to my next stop at Pitlochry, which was itself basically just a pitstop before Inverness, I passed a familiar sounding place... the city of Perth! This was not the capital of WA, but its namesake, a city on the bank of the River Tay. We didn't stop there but we did stop at Blair Athol Distillery. There we encountered yet another reminder of close to home, as we had a lovely New Zealand chap sell us some wine and tell us all about the place. The day was pretty relaxed, particularly after a walk across the Port-na-craig Suspension Bridge, an iron bridge that crosses the River Tummel. These days it's home to a fair few Love Padlocks too.
24 August
Travel: Pitlochry to Inverness
Wasting no time I pushed North, seeing the Queen's View lookout and stopping at Blair Castle. There was an exhibition on in the castle at the time, displaying some of the costumes of ITV's Victoria from when the show filmed there. This included outfits worn by Jenna Coleman and Dennis Lawson amongst others. There was also a photo on the wall of the Dalai Lama standing outside the castle on a visit in 2012. I was sure to recreate this myself as I left. As I approached Inverness I recreated another photo, this time at Loch Ness. Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, and Caitlin Blackwood had been photographed there during the publicity tour of Doctor Who Series 5. Of course I also spent some time looking for the elusive monster of Loch Ness, as I'm told he owes Benji Clifford a fiver.
Photoshop Cove
25 August
Travel: Day Trip to the Isle of Skye and back
The next day I found myself on a bus. This was not unexpected, as I had put myself there. I was on a 'WOW Scotland' Tour from Inverness to the Isle of Skye and back. Stops on the tour included Loch Carron, The Skye Bridge (entry point to the Isle of Skye), The Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock, The Quiraing, Eilean Donan Castle, back to Loch Ness, and a quick stop to see the infamously hairy Highland Cows. Believe it or not there are two Doctor Who connections to Skye. The Old Man of Storr is a rock formation that inspired the design of The Singing Towers of Darillium in 2015's The Husbands of River Song. And a photo of the Quiraing was used as the backdrop of the composited 2017 promotional photo of the Thirteenth Doctor, revealing her costume and TARDIS design for the first time.
A slight bit of misfortune for me was that the photo used in that composite was taken at the higher of the two parking places along the relevant stretch of road, whereas our tour bus stopped at the lower. So my photo is more *in* the Quiraing than *of* the Quiraing, but I was happy with it none the less. And of course the whole place was a very pretty island, and our tour guide was incredibly helpful in pointing out when photo opportunities were coming up. All in all it was a 12-hour trip with a fantastic guide and a driver with the stamina of a man possessed. Big cheers to Paul and Christian. A souvenir I picked up on the tour was the Alan Santry scarf of their design used in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, worn by Emma Watson as Hermione Granger.
A Silly Place
26 August
Travel: Inverness to Glasgow
After a very tiring day I was glad to have a relax when we got to Glasgow, which is a place I've always been aware of from the Blackadder Christmas Special (in my household it's routinely referred to as "Glaaaasgow"). But of course we couldn't go a day without a stop for sightseeing! To this end, we paid a visit to Doune Castle, a castle in Doune. It was built sometime around 1400 and is known these days for its on-screen uses in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Outlander, and its role as Winterfell in the pilot of Game of Thrones. I did some rephotography for The Holy Grail, but preservation work was being done to the exterior, so matching to shots from the film wasn't easy. The time I spent at the castle was really the only time on the entire holiday that was at all infringed by the weather. I'd counted myself very lucky the previous day when we had clear skies for the whole Isle of Skye tour, but the rain was no longer at bay. Though when I say "infringed", it didn't hinder my enjoyment, I was just worried about my camera getting wet. Ultimately I had a genius idea of how to protect my camera from the rain, which was to stand under an umbrella. Luckily the clouds went as quickly as they came and didn't bother us again.
It Takes You Away
27 August
Travel: Glasgow to Manchester
Week 3 began not with a bang, but a box! Yes, there wasn't much to speak of on the drive out of Glasgow and across the line to England. I think I was just pretty much knackered by Scotland (in a good way, you understand) so I was looking forward to a whole day in Manchester on the tourist bus. However, to satiate the Doctor Who bent of this journey, I managed to photograph another Police Box. This was the one on Great Western Road just outside the Botanic Gardens. That's the second one of my trip! I understand Glasgow still has many of them, so I'll surely return for a walking trail one day. Next stop: Manchester.
One I Prepared For Later
28 August
Travel: Around Manchester
What was unique about my being in Manchester, was knowing I was going to return to it near the end of my holiday. As I spent most of the day hopping on and off of the Hop On Hop Off Bus, I took the opportunity to scope out The Printworks. This was because my reason for returning would be to attend a Doctor Who convention being held there, called VworpCon. Some of the things I saw in the city at large included the fascinating Science and Industry Museum, the Imperial War Museum, and Manchester Cathedral. And of course I really enjoyed stepping into the iconic Blue Peter Garden, which has its new home in Media City. It was transported there after the closure of its original home, BBC Television Centre, where it was constructed in 1974. It even captures a moment in time with the handprints of Peter Purves, Leslie Judd, John Noakes, and Simon Groom in cement. Despite Doctor Who not having filmed in Manchester, it was another stop on the Series 5 press tour. So I got to work rephotographing some of the shots of Matt Smith and Karen Gillan available online.
The Most Tranquil Place In The Universe
29 August
Travel: Manchester to Porthmadog
This was a big one. Out of Manchester, into Snowdonia. Nant Ffrancon Pass, filming location of 1967's Doctor Who and the Abominable Snowmen. All I had to say was "Wow!". Which is about all I still have to say in fact. What a beautiful place. I could've spent all day there to be honest. This was a place I'd put a lot of research into over the years to match up the many bits of material that exists from the filming. There's Gerald Blake's 8mm film, Frazer Hines' 8mm film, loads of photographs (more of which were found just this year in the National Library of Wales), the Tele-Snaps from the missing episodes, the two surviving clips from Episode 4, and of course all the shots from the extant Episode 2 (some of which exist on their original 35mm film).
An interesting thing I found out was that the two Episode 4 clips were flipped horizontally on the Lost in Time DVD, as they were on the 1967 Late Night Line Up episode from which they survive. One give-away that became obvious was the hill formations in the background of the shots, but another was that the Tele-Snaps covering those shots were oriented correctly. Not that I'm necessarily the first to point this out, but it came as a surprise to everyone I asked about it (some of whom believed it was the Tele-Snaps that were flipped). What was very useful and encouraging to me were the conversations I later had with Andy Spencer and Richard Bignell on the Doctor Who Photo Research Facebook Group, which has also been an invaluable resource throughout the process. We managed to pinpoint the main shooting areas, in particular the previously elusive "cave entrance" outcrop. And what's probably surprised me the most are photos and shots that turned out to have been taken right next to each other. For some, this may somewhat ruin the illusion of the story taking place across a vast landscape. And though the whole experience of visiting a filming location means coming to understand our favourite fictional worlds within the confines of reality, it comes hand in hand with the wonderfully surreal experience of feeling as though you've entered the fiction yourself, as if they coexist, as they do in our minds.
In addition to my 'Now and Then' rephotography composites, I've put together a map of Nant Ffrancon Pass identifying where various shots and photos were taken. My thinking is that the Yeti photos with Tryfan in the background were taken near Ogwen Snack Bar. Possibly even on the very same spot at some point before any structure was built there.
To anyone planning their own trip, just remember to wear appropriate clothes and footwear. Knowing that I'd want to traipse up to the "cave entrance" area, I had the pre-cognisance to wear good hiking shoes for the day. But of course it wasn't until I was half way up the mountain that I realised I perhaps oughtn't have worn both my woollen houndstooth trousers and Harris Tweet coat. This was because I hadn't anticipated just how wet and slippery it was, but it had been raining there in the morning. Never the less, I went ahead for the sake of the photos! I approached the spot from the west side, which is the angle that gives a line of vision from the road. But because my coat comes down to my knees, I realised I couldn't climb down the way I'd come without dragging it through the wet grass and sheep droppings. So when I was finished I headed off via the East side without really knowing where I could get down. There was one point where I crossed a ledge above what was probably only a 2 metre drop, but I'm not very good on heights, so I was honestly tiptoeing around like Troughton escaping the Time Lords in The War Games. I took a 360° photo up there for WhoSpheres, which is on the Abominable Snowmen page. I also accidentally took one of myself as I pondered how beautiful the scenery was, but also how to get down...
Dramatic reconstruction of me climbing down the hillside
But that's not all! Not far from Nant Ffrancon Pass is Plas Brondanw Gardens and Tower, used in The Five Doctors (the 20th Anniversary Special of Doctor Who). The Tower is separate from the Gardens, and is up a path that took about 15 minutes to walk. I saw the Tower first and basked in the high bombardment of positive ions, avoiding even a twinge of cosmic angst. But as I took the long walk back, I began to feel overcome by strange fears and mysterious forebodings.
It transpired that I was right to feel ill at ease. I had finished rephotographing my desired shots and was having a simple stroll in the gardens, enjoying all the leaves and colours, when I heard an almighty roar breach the sky. I turned to face the source of the inhuman howl above me, and discovered it emanating not from a devilish ghoul from the depths of hell as one might imagine, but from what appeared to be a large white weather balloon convulsing toward me through the clouds. But the sense of threat upon me was not alleviated by the incongruous appearance of this entity. And no sooner had the airborne rover started dancing about in my eyeline had I turned myself in fear. I ran. But it caught up with me. And unfortunately for yours truely, I found myself a prisoner.
Once Upon A Time
30 August
Travel: Porthmadog to Aberystwyth
When I came to, it was the next day. I had awoken in a fantastical Italianate village spread with enchanting architectural achievements. The incredulity of my kidnapping quickly mellowed as I fell under the enthral of my bewitching surroundings. But I was still unsure as to where I was. I'd have been unsurprised had my esoteric vehicle of transport deposited me anywhere from modern day Morocco to Renaissance Italy. But in a stroke of luck, a tour guide was on hand to explain my destination as Portmeirion village in the north of Wales. Built between 1925 and 1975 by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, this place has everything. A statue of Hercules by William Brodie, a 1760s Colonnade from a Bristolian Bathhouse, a tall and beautiful spire, a concrete boat built into the ground, and a gift shop. With WhoSpheres in mind, I took four of my own 360° images here at Portmeirion. Their final composited product can be found on the Masque of Mandragora page.
It's Not Naples
31 August
Travel: Aberystwyth to Cardiff
Next stop after a layover in Aberystwyth was Cardiff and its often-seen-on-screen Bay. By complete coincidence though, the bus I took from the hotel dropped me off at Churchill Way next to Queen Street, which I was surprised to recognise by the Family statue seen in Blink. The street was also used in The End of the World, Deep Breath, and Death in Heaven. I didn't have all my references on me this day, so a lot of the shots I'd needed for composites were coming from memory. I then walked up Park Place to The Nation Museum and Alexandra Gardens. The War Memorial (seen in Blink and Dark Water) looked like it was having work down to it, as it was surrounded by fencing. I went down King Edward VII Avenue and round to the bus stop outside Crown Court and was soon in Cardiff Bay.
Amongst the sights and snacks to be enjoyed there, I was most excited seeing the infamous shrine to Ianto Jones (although I was always an Owen Harper man). Whilst compositing my photos with the original references (see below) I noticed a couple's wedding photo, taken in front of and now attached to the shrine, was captured in my photo *of* the shrine. So I made a composite of that too to see how the tributes had evolved. And as an Australian I couldn't help but laugh outside the Lookout Cafe, used as Sydney in The Pilot despite overlooking one of the most recognisable sights in Wales and now having a Welsh flag on the window. To counter this, the view was transposed in the episode with that of the Opera House. Sadly I was about year too late to visit the Doctor Who Experience, the derelict husk of which I had to walk past to get to Lookout Cafe. Didn't think to walk down to Roath Lock Studios whilst I was there. Not sure why, perhaps I was thinking of food. To answer that thought, I finally took in a Pizza Express, which I'd seen all around the country. Following that, I had a quick break in Eddie's American Diner, which gave me the sweetest lemonade I ever had.
The Photographer's Nightmare In Silver
1 September
Travel: Around Cardiff
I had another day in Cardiff so it was Castle Coch, Three Bears Cave, and St Fagans National Museum of History for me. I got some rephotography done at Castle Coch, with reference shots from Journey's End (where it was used as a German location), Vampires of Venice (where it was used as the Calvierri residence in Venice), and Nightmare in Silver (where it was used as part of a fun park on another planet). Unfortunately, this was another building undergoing preservation work and was covered in the most scaffolding I'd see the whole trip, which was a bit of a nightmare. Despite this, I really enjoyed it. Especially the ornate interiors that I've not seen on Doctor Who.
I then took the walk from the Castle up to Three Bears Cave (which had been used in Robot of Sherwood, as well as the Benedict Cumberbatch iteration of Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles). I didn't get any dynamic shots of the cave that day because there was a production crew there cleaning up the area after a morning's shooting. This included cleaning lots of fake snow off of the cave and its surroundings. I later read that the shoot was apparently for something called His Dark Materials, a novel adaption featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda and James McAvoy. So I shall give that a watch to see what scenes I missed! The trip to St Fagans was rather off the cuff, so I didn't have references for its 2007 appearance in Human Nature. But I still took plenty of photos and also picked up some sweets at the "Siop Losin", which I understand is "Sweet Shop" in Welsh.
Talking About Doctor Who
2 September
Travel: Cardiff to Exeter
This was another day I was quite looking forward to. After some tumultuous organisation to get to Exeter, I managed to line my schedule up to meet with JR Southall and Simon Brett of The Blue Box Podcast (now succeeded by the Strangers In Space podcast). I met with them outside Route 2 Apartments where I was staying and we took a quick 10 minute drive around to the East side of the River Clyst. We chatted as we walked across the bridge and around the marsh, ostensibly taking in the views. I remember a recurring topic of conversation being of how unnecessarily obscured the marsh was from view due to the overgrowth, but I'm sure we talked about Doctor Who at some point too.
I do remember JR and I regaling each other with our experiences in Who fandom, events, and conventions. His were of course far more interesting, and peppered with name drops like David Banks, Jaqueline Pearce, even the venerable Steven Schapansky. Between this talk and rampant Missing Episode speculation, the three of us easily whiled away our time together as we doubled back at the Estuary viewing platform. I was sure to get a good photo of us all, which took a bit of ingenuity as there was nobody else there to take it. But with a bit of jiggery pokery I came out with a nice memento of a thoroughly pleasant afternoon.
But I've failed to mention the stop I had on the way *down* to Exeter, which was Puzzlewood. This is the utterly spellbinding forest area that formed part of J.R.R. Tolkien's inspiration for the forests of Middle-Earth in The Lord of the Rings novels. It's been used onscreen by the likes of Doctor Who, Merlin, Wizards Vs Aliens, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
I managed to recognise the rock Amy lies on in Flesh and Stone when she has an angel in her eye, as well as one of the spots used in Star Wars. It was also quite easy identifying the chair that Matt Smith and Karen Gillan were photographed sitting on during filming. Other than those, trying to track down any particular shot locations smacked of effort. So I got a few photos and simply took in the surroundings. One 360° I took there for WhoSpheres can be seen on the Flesh and Stone page.
Beautiful Unspoilt Countryside
3 September
Travel: Around Exeter
Week 4. As one might expect, the naturally occurring structures that have been used as filming locations are the ones I found to have changed the least over the decades. Never was this more evident to me than at Hound Tor, the granite outcrop in Dartmoor. Similar to Nant Ffrancon Pass, pretty much all the rocks were in their place. The only missing element I noticed was one of the rocks across the top of Hound Tor's silhouette (that can be seen in 1974's The Sontaran Experiment) had toppled off and was nowhere to be seen.
This was also pretty unique for the Who locations I visited, in that there were absolutely no man-made structures in any direction. I didn't spend a lot of time scouting out all the various spots used in the programme, and instead focused on the main area where Styre's craft was positioned. And I also couldn't help getting a shot of myself hiding behind the same rock that sheltered the TARDIS team at the end of the story. Three 360° photos I took there can be found on the Sontaran Experiment page here on WhoSpheres.
Chase's Places
4 September
Travel: Exeter to Southampton
Having said that about natural locations, it oughtn't have surprised me how unchanged some places like Athelhampton House were, considering that particular sight has been maintained for hundreds of years. Having checked it out on my next stop, it was certainly much the same as it appeared in 1976's The Seeds of Doom as Harrison Chase's mansion. I've always loved that story as my favourite of Tom Baker's era. And since I was a child I've referred to excessive overgrowth as "seeds of doom", despite that not being dialogue from the story (too late to correct myself now, I think).
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Since I was wearing my Tom Baker coat of the style that was worn in this very story, I had decided to bring some other pieces to make up a full makeshift costume to have some fun in. I posed for a few photos in the Great Court around the pyramidal Yew-Trees and the fountain. Only *afterwards* did I realise that visitors were meant to stay on the path and not walk onto the grass. Probably that's why the security chap was giving me shifty looks. But I suppose he figured from my attire that I was mostly harmless. The House also had a rare reference to the fact that it had been used for Doctor Who filming, as the DVD was available in the gift shop. I've found this admission to be uncommon, unlike Harry Potter related locations, every one of which has *at least* one shop around it dedicated to the franchise. Seven 360° I took here can be found on the Seeds of Doom page.
The second half of the day was spent at Beaulieu National Motor Museum, where one could easily spend the *entire* day. I didn't realise how massive the site would be. I mean, it has it's own monorail you know. Frankly, all I knew about the place was that it was the current residence of Bessie, the Doctor Who car from Jon Pertwee's era. It had been on display at the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff Bay for the last few years, so I was chuffed that it had been moved to another exhibit for display rather than placed in storage. It's being kept company by other famous cars of the screen, including Del Boy's Reliant, Mr Bean's Mini Cooper, the flying Ford from Harry Potter, and a James Bond Jaguar. Elsewhere on the grounds can be found one of the screen used Chitty Chitty Bang Bang cars, various leftover concoctions from Top Gear, the final car purchased by Elvis Presley, and a caravan made of lego.
Bypassing The Randomiser
5 September
Travel: Southampton to Brighton
I'm sure there's very much to enjoy along Brighton Beach and on the Pier, but I was preoccupied when I stopped there the next day, as I was meeting an old friend for the first time. Richard Tipple and I have been doing colourisations of 1960's Doctor Who for a couple of years, and have even been working on a joined project together. He lives around there so we met up to scout out the locations of 1980's The Leisure Hive, and after a quick drive to Telscombe Cliffs, 1986's Mindwarp. I'm glad to say we got along just as well in person as we do online! And a great benefit of meeting in person is that I was able to visit his homemade Dalek-and-a-half, a few bits and bobs of Dr Who on film, and of course his lovely family. He was even kind enough to take the shot of me at the cliffs (see below) using the Sprocket Rocket Film Camera I'd brought on the trip. May we meet again soon, Rich!
Diamond Covered Basalt
6 Ember Step
Varlet: Right over to Bond
By this point in my trip I was beginning to feel the strain of holidaying so hard, so it didn't come as too grand a disappointment to learn that my train to Paris had been cancelled. In retrospect of course I wish I had been able to go, but I remember being quite tired and slightly relieved. This meant that I could spend the whole day resting and recuperating... Not that I would ever let myself off that easily, so that didn't last long. I quickly rejigged the schedule and went to see two whole castles, both used in Who. The first was Bodiam Castle, which has been used in both 1983's The King's Demons and 2014's Robot of Sherwood, as well as in The Goodies episode Camelot. It was even used as an establishing shot in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I took a few 360°s to replicate some of the shots from The Goodies, which can be found on the appropriate page here on WhoSpheres. As you can see above, most of my rephotography was also focused on The Goodies, despite a bit of scaffolding in the way. But I did get a shot in from The King's Demons, featuring The Master (or should I say Sir Gilles Estram, eh?).
The second stop was Dover Castle. This was probably the latest time of day I had visited an attraction on this holiday, but in this case the hotel was very close by. I was surprised by the size of the place and had a bit of trouble figuring out where everything I wanted to see was. But with a bit of luck and guidance, I stumbled across all the places on the hit list. The main five areas used for the 1970 filming of The Mind of Evil are:
• The Constable's Gateway - Used as the main entrance to the Prison
• The Keep Yard - The most used area, notably in the Episode 5 gunfight with UNIT soldiers
• The Barbican - Seen as UNIT soldiers scale the Prison walls
• The Fitzwilliam Gateway - Used by Benton's platoon to enter the Prison grounds
• The Stables - Where The Brigadier's van pulls up after infiltrating the Prison
I've made this map below to visualise the locations of specific shots and photos.
I found it quite funny to realise that the Barbican (from where the UNIT van emerges into the Keep Yard in Episode 5) is completely enclosed and above road level. So the only way the van could have come out from there is if it had previously backed into it. But that's all in the magic of television.
Barbara, We Made It!
7 September
Travel: Dover to London 1965
And finally I returned to London. If memory serves, I slept through most of the day! This was very much a well-deserved, undisturbed recuperation. But I still managed a little excursion to Kensington Gardens in the afternoon. I approached via Queensway Station to rephotograph the spot on Bayswater Road seen in 1965's The Chase, where Ian and Barbara find a genuine police box. From there I walked down the Broad Walk, picking up another shot of Ian and Barbara, and eventually made it down to The Albert Memorial. On the way I passed a few pigeons frolicking in the grass amongst the squirrels. It was an impressive sight to see the enormous statue of Prince Albert, now coated in gold-leaf rather than the black paint it had for most of last century. That includes its appearance in 1964's The Dalek Invasion of Earth, depicting a dystopian 2164 with Daleks crawling various London landmarks.
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I then went back to the hotel and had an early night, to revitalise my body and rejuvenate my energy cells in preparation for a very special tomorrow.
Not Even The Chimes of Old Big Ben
8 September
Travel: Around London, Chiswick
Happy Birthday to me! This was the day I'd scheduled the rest of the holiday around, as I wanted to spend my 20th birthday back in London. Basically because the date apparently coincides with the 50th anniversary of location filming for The Invasion that involved the Cybermen outside Saint Paul's Cathedral. I can't tell you how surprised I was to learn this fact while doing research for the trip. I was obviously delighted to share my birthday with the scene, as it's one of the most iconic in the Doctor Who pantheon. It's even been recreated by the BBC every time there's been a major change in the Cyberman design, notably in 2014's Dark Water. Incidentally, I also share a birthday with Martin Freeman, Peter Sellers, P!nk, Whiz Kalifa, Destiny of the Daleks Episode Two, Star Trek, and Mary the Mother of Jesus.
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The steps of Peter's Hill underwent extensive redevelopment in the 1990s to allow for wheelchair access, with the new steps not being as steep as the original. Most of the surrounding buildings have also been replaced, but enough survives to identify the spot where the Cybermen descended the steps. I figure if I go back and stand there on my 30th birthday for the 60th anniversary, the equidistant passages of time shall align the celestial bodies and I'll gain superpowers or something... Here's hoping.
I think it's lucky that I got there at the time I did, as after a quick walk over the Millennium Bridge and back there were not one, but two separate couples in wedding attire staging photoshoots in front of the Cathedral. After all it is a very pretty building. (PS. I've just realised the Globe Theatre was right next to me as I sat by the Bridge on the other side of the Thames. Bugger.)
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At about midday, I headed off from London to the St Michael's Centre in Chiswick. By another grace of good luck, there was a Fantom signing event on this day. And it was the first time I'd been to such a thing, as we've nothing like it in Australia. We've not many local Doctor Who alumni in WA, would you believe. I've been to plenty of Comic Cons with some notable (and expensive) Who names attached, in fact I went to every Supanova held in Perth for 10 years. I even managed to get to a couple of the lovely conventions by First Contact in the eastern states. So I had met a good number of Doctor and Companion actors already, but I had really never imagined I'd have the opportunity of meeting someone like the lovely Shirley Cooklin. She played the villainous Kaftan in one of my long-time favourite stories, 1967's The Tomb of the Cybermen. She was very sweet, and expressed her amazement and joy at how her appearance in the show still brings in the "young ones" like me.
I also spoke with Donald Pelmear who played Professor Rubeish in 1973's The Time Warrior, and Gareth Armstrong who played Duke Giuliano in 1976's The Masque of Mandragora. They both asked me about the enamel badges I was wearing on my jacket lapels. I explained about my holiday and that I'd been collecting them as I went. Donald especially was quite impressed by the scope of my journey, saying he had never in his life been to the North of Scotland, where I had recently been. It seems to me that the general perception of distance and travel is quite different in England than it is in Perth where I come from. I guess that happens when you live in the most isolated capital city on Earth. Having said that, I was left with the impression that both were well travelled men. But that's not all that happened, because before I left I was able to have a chat with one of the guest handlers, none other than Simeon Carter off of the Twitter. Simeon's been very helpful with his contributions on the Photo Research Group which I admin. I can tell you he's a charming fellow, and the best photographer of the three I had that day.
Sadly I couldn't stick around with him longer, which also meant I missed Christopher Tranchell who was showing up later. But as I left, I thought I ought to check if there were any filming locations nearby that I'd neglected to prepare for. And low and behold I was not far away from Kew Railway Bridge and the underneath pathway, which was once adorned with the infamous 'IT IS FORBIDDEN TO DUMP BODIES INTO THE RIVER' sign when it was used in The Dalek Invasion of Earth. I had bought a t-shirt with the Roboman symbol on it from Clayton Hickman's infamous RedBubble store with the hope of wearing it to this spot. However I'd not realised I'd be there this particular day, so I was wearing my own recreated shirt with the pattern of Steven's jumper from The Celestial Toymaker on it. Once there I took my photos and a couple of 360°s, which can be found on the story's page on this site. And that was just about the end to a perfect day.
An Inspiration of Geniuses
9 September
Travel: Train from London to Manchester and back
You wouldn't think perfect days come twice in a row, of course, but this wasn't a day for jumping to conclusions. This was the day of VWORP Con at the Manchester Printworks! I caught the train in the morning and was ultimately there by about 11. It wasn't until just when the train was reaching the station that the chap who had been sitting behind me the whole time got up and walked past me. I noticed then his distinctive yellow and black striped trousers, and recognised from Instagram that they could only belong to Dominic G. Martin in cosplay as the Sixth Doctor. I was in partial costume myself, as I had been sure to wear my Fourth Doctor coat and the greyest trousers I had brought. I knew Dom from his Youtube channel, The Whovian Chaser, showcasing his prolific cosplayer endeavours. Though I'd originally seen him on BBC1 presenting the introductory ident to The Return of Doctor Mysterio. I was frankly beside myself that Dominic recognised me when he saw me, something I didn't get used to happening as the day progressed. As we made our way through the station trying to gain our bearings we briefly bumped into a few a Dom's friends. Amongst them, Luke Spillane of Doctor Who: The Fan Show, and Kezia Newson of The Time Ladies. Kezia and her fellow Time Lady, Beth Axford, would be presenting a panel later in the day focusing and featuring the women of Doctor Who.
When Dom and I arrived at the event we were immediately met with the glorious sight of The Printworks concourse full of Daleks, Cybermen, many a Doctor Who fan, and even Davros himself. My coat garnered a fair bit of attention, particularly with Steve Ricks' regular patrons who recognised his typical high-quality craftsmanship immediately. One of the photographers there for the Printworks even took a lovely shot of Dom and I, which was posted to their Facebook page. I met so many people during the course of the day. These included but were not limited to: Sophie Iles (who had a stall there selling her Doctor Who drawings, of which I bought a framed "London 1965" print), Pip Madeley (who was providing the Con with some of his trademark Silly Videos™ and was dressed in a Tom Baker scarf, so together we made one whole Tom Baker), Christel Dee (the other host of the late lamented Fan Show, who was promoting the new book Doctor Who: The Women Who Lived which she had co-written with Simon Guerrier), Meg and her Poncho Boys (Glyn and Richard), Jenny (who was filming a vlog​ for the event, for which I saw Dom give a twirl to the camera), the aforementioned Kezia and Beth (who had seen my Location tweets), and the Fifth Doctor herself Ellie Collins (who was a delightful presence throughout the day). Amongst the celebrity guests were Colin Baker, Peter Davison, Paul McGann, Sophie Aldred, John Leeson, Nicola Bryant, Katy Manning, Graeme Harper and more.
Other than selfies with various folk, I didn't take many photos at the time. I think I was just too caught up in all the excitement. Although I did get 6 shots in on the disposable camera I had on me. I didn't want to carry any merchandise on the train back, so all my money went toward autographs and photos at the professional set up they had there. The first of those I had was with Katy Manning, who remembered me from when we'd met in Adelaide in 2014. I invited Dom for the photo too as he had mentioned that he hadn't met Katy before, so I wanted to make sure he got a shot with her. I got her autograph later too, at the same time I met Stephen Thorne. He had played two of my favourite villains in the show, being Azal in the Daemons, and Omega in The Three Doctors.
There were many panels going on across the day in different rooms. And as I understood it in retrospect, there had been technical difficulties in the morning with the microphones on one of the stages. This lead to some panels over-running and falling behind, causing their guests to be late for photo/autograph sessions. I noticed the effects of this in the afternoon around the Time Ladies panel, which occupied Nicola Bryant and Katy Manning's time whilst there were still large cues waiting for them at the photo area and autograph room respectively. So instead of waiting for my scheduled photo with Nicola and Colin (who was with us waiting for Nicola) I decide to simply wait at the panel. I forked out for a photo with just Colin before I went though because I wasn't sure if the session with Nicola would still go ahead after or whatever might happen.
After seeing Beth and Kezia open the panel I went back and explained the situation to Dom, who was also waiting for that session but decided to stay in line. I also dropped in on Sophie again to see how she was going, and saw Paul McGann still hard at work signing for everyone in his constantly enormous line. But I was lucky to return to the panel as quickly as I did because they shut the doors not long after I re-entered, having reached capacity for the room. The floor seats were full and the walls were lined with standers, as was the balcony where I was. Though there *were* some people sitting down up there, as I was surprised to find the seating booths were filled with more guests signing autographs, almost in secret! Bob Baker, Philip Martin, Graeme Harper, Philip Hinchcliffe, all sitting there under the coloured night-club lighting, chatting and signing and taking photos. It was really quite extraordinary.
Sadly, there was a tram I needed to be on. I did get that photo with Colin and Nicola though, and I was able to say goodbye to *most* of the friends I'd met (apologies to Pip, who I couldn't find at the time). And unfortunately there were a few people I knew would be around but I hadn't caught sight of all day, like the ever radiant Jenny Shirt. I also realised after the fact that I had walked right past the hosts of Progtor Who without clocking it! But I had to call it a day.
Slap Bang In The Middle Of London
10 September
Travel: Around London
The final week of my holiday then began with a proper wander around London. No fixed plans apart from a 3pm booking for Cream Tea at The Grim's Dyke Hotel. So I decided that The War Machines locations were required, and I made Cornwall Gardens Walk my first port of call. This area was used in the climax of Episode 4 when Ben and the Army soldiers capture the War Machine in an electro-magnetic field. It was later used in Episode 2 of The Mind of Evil for the scene where Captain Chin Lee thwarts Sergeant Benton's attempt to follow her. I noticed that about half of the railing that stood adjacent to the road during both lots of filming is no longer there. I reasoned that this was due to the roots of the now enormous tree situated on the curb, which was clearly only a recent addition to the street when seen in The War Machines. It's also caused the brickwork underneath to crack and crumble, but it's good to see a bit of nature reasserting its dominance. Three 360° photos I took here can be found as the basis of composites on WhoSpheres' The War Machines page.
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On the way to my next location from the same story, I made use of Earl's Court Tube Station. The station's entrance plays host to a Police Box installed by the Metropolitan Police in 1996, around the time they were fighting the BBC's attempt to trademark the design as the TARDIS. The BBC was ultimately successful in that movement in 2002 when the Patent Office ruled in their favour.
The train took me through Covent Garden Station, but I'm pretty certain there were no further Yeti to be found. The destination was Bedford Square, used for the TARDIS landing spot in Episodes 1 and 4 of The War Machines. It's worth noting that Bedford Square does not have a direct line of sight to the Post Office Tower. The one shot in the story's opening scene that pans from The Doctor and Dodo to the Tower was filmed on Conway Street, off Fitzroy Square. It makes me wonder why the whole scene wasn't filmed there, but I've no answer to that. Sadly I didn't get to Fitzroy Square, the East and West corners of which were also locations of Radio Free Skaro's 2015 video 'Gallifrey One Is Required'.
But Bedford was an absolute treat to visit, even if I did have a hell of a time *trying* to line up the lamp posts with the original shots. Those composites may have taken the most "post processing" of them all. It was also funny to see that building Number 41, used as The Royal Scientific Club where the Doctor is deposited via Taxi, is only 40 metres from where the TARDIS was placed. The Doctor could have walked back!
Of course, it isn't *just* Doctor Who that I'm interested in. And further down the road past Russell Square is the President Hotel on Guilford Street. This is where The Beatles stayed for a while when they first moved to London in 1963. I made the detour to rephotograph a famous shot taken just past the hotel, outside what is now a Pret A Manger. Extraordinarily, none of the structures in sight have changed to any great degree.
It was then time to make way for the Grim's Dyke. There was a slight bout of confusion at this point over when and where I would be meeting up with my partners in crime. So I ended up on a bus that took me past Australia House, which was used as an establishing shot in Episode 6 of The Invasion, also shot on September 8th '68. I was left near the Hayward Gallery, used in Frontier in Space, and walked to Waterloo Station.
When I finally got to the hotel it was extraordinary. Exactly how it had looked in the pictures from all those years ago. The tea was delicious and actually quite filling, which surprised me as I don't think I've had anything like it before. Because I wasn't actually staying at the hotel, I couldn't access the areas within the building that were used for filming in 1967's The Evil of the Daleks. However there is one Telesnap showing a shot of the exterior, as well as some production photos taken amongst the gardens. I managed to recreate three of them, all of the very beautiful Deborah Watling giving her first performance as Victoria Waterfield. I found the flora in the garden to have grown over some of the stone and brick structures, necessitating a little imagination in the rephotography and compositing process. One 360 from here is up on the appropriate WhoSpheres page.
The end of the day was taken up by a go around on the London Eye, a prominent feature of 2005's Rose as the Nestene Consciousness' transmitter. I didn't bother walking down to Westminster Bridge as it was getting late in the day, and the sight of Big Ben covered in scaffolding was not the most photogenic anyway (and the bell wasn't chiming either). But I did briefly trot over to the corner of Wootton Street and Windmill Walk, which at least was in the same direction as the train station. I'd had a concern raised by a fellow Doctor Who location hunter and photographer, Paul Dykes, that the road was to be blocked by a new building, obscuring the views seen there in 1988's Remembrance of the Daleks. We were both relieved to find that this had not transpired, and the area is still the same for Who fans to enjoy for times to come.
The Magical Ministry Tour
11 September
Travel: London to Reading
For my last day in London, I'd been given a ticket to The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour as a birthday gift. The exhibition's theme at the time was The Goblet of Fire, and so certain sections of the tour were dedicated to that. For instance, the Great Hall set was decked out with the goblet itself and the Weasley twins in their old age makeup. This was also not long before the second film in the Fantastic Beasts series was released, so there were some relevant costumes for that situated nearer the entrance to the tour. Some highlights for me were the working door to the Chamber of Secrets, the Griffin Stairwell, the Ministry of Magic, and the Hogwarts Express. I also liked that they had the painting of Elizabeth Spriggs as the Fat Lady on display. Later in the tour there was an area dedicated to prosthetics, animatronics, production models, and the like. This included as cast of John Cleese's gormless disembodied head in the guise of Nearly Headless Nick. But the creepiest area was the Forbidden Forest, a relatively recent addition to the exhibition. Within you would find spiders descending from the ceiling in a clap of thunder and lightning, and then be face to face with Aragog, king of arachnids. And at the entrance to the forrest was the ghostly effigy of Death himself beside Tom Riddle's gravestone.
One surprise that was not a part of the attraction was being asked to have my photograph taken. From what I understood, this lovely couple of European women wanted to take a selfie with me as I "look like a Weasley". I assume this was due to my similarly ginger hair, but come to think of it I was actually wearing a hat at the time. Perhaps it's just the way I look. In any case, this is not the first time that's happened to me, and naturally I obliged. Another more recently opened area to explore was the interior of Harry's home at Pivot Drive. When the studio tour opened, that was only an exterior display, but these days you can see the lounge room filled with letters and the staircase that Harry lived under. At the end of the experience is where you find the 1:24 scale model of Hogwarts, which was used for exterior shots of the castle since the very first film. The model even incorporates the sections of Alnwick Castle and Durham Cathedral that were used for filming. Having been to both those places on my trip, I found it rather surreal to see those structures in such a visually detailed fictional context.
After a long look at Hogwarts and a bit of Butterbeer, my studio tour was finished and I headed back on the trains. I had thought of going to Madame Tussauds, the waxwork museum, but it would be closing too soon to be worthwhile. Instead I popped around to Speedy's Cafe, where the exterior scenes at 221B Baker Street are filmed for the Benedict Cumberbatch iteration of Sherlock Holmes.
Following that was a walk across Abbey Road crossing, made famous by The Beatles. I'm not sure I was very surprised by the fact that unlike every other location I'd visited, where there were 0 other people recreating anything like me, there were maybe 20 other people at any given time standing around Abbey Road trying to get their shot on this 4pm on a Tuesday. Many or most of whom I'm sure were holidaymakers from overseas not unlike myself. One lady who did not speak English intimated that she'd like her photo taken on the crossing and handed over her phone. She thanked me afterwards, probably.
Divinity Hall, Doctor Tyler
12 September
Travel: Around Reading, Oxford
It's just as well that the holiday was winding down by this stage, because I awoke the morning after as sick as a dog. I'd found myself suffering an appalling head cold and reluctant to speak due to a coarse throat. I can't say how or why that happened, but thankfully I did not pass this affliction on to my family members in Reading with whom I was now staying. I made no plans for this day and the next, and we ended up seeing the sights around Oxford. By happenstance, one of these sights was Christ Church. I've researched this spot in the past, so maybe it was because I was so poorly that I didn't recognise it as a Harry Potter filming location until I was directly in front of the grand staircase itself. The few photos I took were on my phone, as I didn't bring my proper camera out with me this time.
Later in the day we went punting on the river. In my mind this made up for my not making it to Cambridge as I'd planned earlier in the trip. In a nearby gift shop I found a guide book all about the filming locations of British television, which I bought. I was quite amused to find that the section about Wales was actually headed by one of the Doctor Who photographs taken at the Quays in Manchester.
Oldies But Goodies
13 September
Travel: Around Reading, Maidenhead
The second of my two days in Reading was primarily spent seeing more of the history of Reading itself, such as the Abbey ruins. I don't think I was committing much to memory in the state I was in, but I do remember enjoying my time there. And I certainly had the wherewithal to conduct some proper rephotography at Cordwallis Street in Maidenhead. This was used as the original home of The Goodies, with Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, and Bill Oddie.
It Is Pronounced The *Day*-mons
14 September
Travel: Reading to Aldbourne
The penultimate day. After leaving Reading I recall the morning was spent at Stonehenge (a monument which has significant historical importance because it was featured in Doctor Who in 2010) and the afternoon was spent at Aldbourne (mainly the hotel bed for me). I eventually mustered the strength to go out onto the green and around the church, taking more photos for Now and Then composites than I'd taken at any other location, this time for 1971's The Daemons. As such, this was a real grand finale of sorts. I took my final 360° of the trip here, and later made a sort of 'moving window' video out of it using a panning shot from Episode 5. One of the blokes in the pub said he'd been in some Doctor Who thing they'd filmed there recently, and my assumption was that he was referring to one of the Reeltime pictures with Damaris Hayman..
Stonehenge was also where I bought the last enamel badge for my jacket. Below is a chart of all the badges I collected on the trip and where I acquired them. The cat badge is the only one I already had, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo 2018 badge arrived later in the post.
Pop Goes The Ginger
15 September
Travel: Aldbourne to Heathrow
And on the last day I had a leisurely trip back to Heathrow airport where I would be staying another night before catching my flight back home. But on the way to the airport I couldn't help but see one last Doctor Who location. East Hagbourne from 1975's The Android Invasion. The grey tweed Tom Baker coat of which mine was a replica premiered in this story. So with this being my last location, and picking up my coat having been the first thing I did on the trip, I had a great feeling of coming full-circle. I went to the pub too, in which hangs photographs from the filming and an autograph from Tom Baker. Naturally I had myself a Ginger Beer (since nobody says "pop" anymore), the drink that the Doctor has in the story.
And that was that. The end of my grand tour. I did so many things I'd always wanted to do, and met people I'd admired for years. Though I'm not sure I'll attempt anything on that scale again for a considerable number of years. I'm not even sure I'd wholeheartedly recommend anyone do it to begin with, I can't emphasise enough how knackered I was just half way through (even before I got sick). But my enthusiasm for the adventure got me through any physical fatigue, and of course I hope to return for a little more rambling and meandering very soon.
Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'll go and have a lie-down.
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- Kieran Highman
