Nestle Milk Chocolate Bars - picture 4

Today it’s picture four of Doctor Who Fights Masterplan “Q” - the 15-part adventure on the backs of the Nestlé Doctor Who Milk Chocolate bars.

In that part The Doctor and Jo Grant discover to their horror the mysterious stranger is non other than The Master!

At this time forty years ago, The Master had only just been introduced in Terror Of The Autons, so it’s very up to date to include this arch villain.

Here is a view of the sweet shop display box showing the inclusion of he Master.

COUNTDOWN - April 1971

Exactly forty years ago this month, The Doctor continued to do battle in Timebenders, the comic strip in Countdown!

Click the issue title to view
the complete comic in PDF format.

Issue 7

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Timebenders pt 2
art by Harry Lindfield

also Joe 90, The Secret Service, Captain Scarlet, Dastardly And Muttley, UFO, Stingray, Countdown

Issue 8

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Timebenders pt 3
art by Harry Lindfield

also Thunderbirds, Countdown, Joe 90, UFO, Dastardly And Muttley, Stingray

Issue 9

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Timebenders pt 4
art by Harry Lindfield

also Countdown, The Orion Dust, UFO, Thunderbirds, Dastardly And Muttley, Stingray

Issue 10

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Timebenders pt 5
art by Harry Lindfield

also Stingray, Dastardly And Muttley, Lady Penelope, UFO, Countdown, Thunderbirds, 

Nestle Milk Chocolate Bars - picture 3

Today it’s picture three of Doctor Who Fights Masterplan “Q” - the 15-part adventure on the backs of the Nestlé Doctor Who Milk Chocolate bars.

On the planet Quorus The Doctor and his faithful assistant Jo Grant close in on the mysterious stranger who seems to be gathering some rocks.

Here is a nice three-quarter view of the sweetshop display box.

COUNTDOWN - March 1971

Exactly forty years ago this month, Countdown comic had The Doctor concluding Gemini Plan, before starting a new adventure, Timebenders!

Elsewhere, more Gerry Anderson shows made their debuts, including Stingray, Fireball XL5 and a self-contained adventure for Lady Penelope.

Click the issue title to view
the complete comic in PDF format.

Issue 3

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Gemini Plan pt 3
art by Harry Lindfield

also Joe 90, Captain Scarlet, Countdown, Stingray, Dastardly And Muttley, Thunderbirds, UFO

Issue 4

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Gemini Plan pt 4
art by Harry Lindfield

also Lady Penelope, Joe 90, Captain Scarlet, Dastardly And Muttley, UFO, Countdown, The Secret Service, Thunderbirds

Issue 5

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Gemini Plan pt 5
art by Harry Lindfield

also The Secret Service, UFO, Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, Dastardly And Muttley, Countdown, Joe 90, Captain Scarlet

Issue 6

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Timebenders pt 1
art by Harry Lindfield

also Joe 90, Countdown, Dastardly And Muttley, Stingray, UFO, Thunderbirds, The Secret Service

COUNTDOWN - launch issue - Feb 1971

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you’re probably of an age where Jon Pertwee was YOUR Doctor.
At the time of his era there wasn’t that much around in print to get your fix of Time Lord adventure.




What there was available were the Target novelisations, being released on a semi-regular basis; the annuals; and Countdown (later TV Action) comic, which gave you a weekly escape into the world of Doctor Who.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the very first issue, dated week ending 20th February, 1971 (see below).

I’ve recently come across an entire collection of Countdown (issues 1 to 56) and its replacement when it regenerated into TV Action.

I thought I would share a monthly digest of the comic’s issues, exactly 40 years on from publication.

As we will see, many strips came and went through the history of Countdown and TV Action, but Doctor Who was the only one to appear in all issues, bar one or two.

The launch issue contains strips based on three Gerry Anderson series; one Hanna Barbera cartoon; and a specially commissioned strip which gives the comic its title, Countdown.
From the second issue, two further Gerry Anderson programmes add to the strips.

Click the issue title to view
the complete comic in PDF format.

Issue 1

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Gemini Plan pt 1
art by Harry Lindfield

also Dastardly And Muttley, UFO, Thunderbirds, Countdown, Captain Scarlet

Issue 2

Contains comic strips of
Doctor Who - Gemini Plan pt 2
art by Harry Lindfield

also Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, Dastardly And Muttley, Thunderbirds, UFO, The Secret Service, Countdown

Doctor Who Experience -Third Doctor incarnation

This weekend (Sunday 20th February) sees the official opening of the Doctor Who Experience exhibition at London’s Olympia.

Amongst the displays is a definitive collection of costumes worn by The Doctor through his regeneration (see left and right). Some out of necessity are replicas, but many are original and screen-used.

On Thursday I went to the first of the paid previews, following on from a couple of weeks of tester days to iron out teething troubles. While I was there I took a good set of photographs of all the costumes on show.

I have already written a Full Review of the exhibition itself, but here is a more targeted write-up focusing on the items of interest to a Third Doctor fan and giving them a more detailed look.

As I don’t run a blog for the First and Second Doctors, I’m including them here - after all, they appearing in The Three Doctors all together!

Nestle Milk Chocolate Bars - picture 2

Today it’s picture two of Doctor Who Fights Masterplan “Q” - the 15-part adventure on the backs of the Nestlé Doctor Who Milk Chocolate bars.

In this part, The Doctor and Jo explore the surface of Quorus and discover dinosaur-like creatures.
But who is the modern-dressed stranger they spy?

Here is the artwork to the lid of the sweet shop display box.

Nestle Milk Chocolate Bars - picture 1

Jon Pertwee is my Doctor, and it was those classic tea-time adventures that I grew up with some forty years ago.
So it seems appropriate to have a bit of a nostalgia-fest in my Third Doctor Blog!

I can remember buying issues of Countdown and TV21 at my local newsagents, just around the corner from my junior and middle schools in Edgware, North West London.
I can also remember buying the Dalek Death Ray lollies and collecting their wrappers.

While trawling the net for flashbacks to those days I came across the Nestlé Doctor Who Milk Chocolate Bars - something for which I simply have no recollection of whatsoever!

Like the Dalek Death Rays the chocolate bars had a serialised adventure on the back, which you could follow and collect. It was in fifteen parts, so I thought I’d post one a month in their fortieth year along with the occasional piece of additional related nostalgia.

Here is the first part of Doctor Who Fights Masterplan “Q”!

I like the way Jo Grant is patronisingly referred to as his PRETTY ASSISTANT!

How times have changed.

Bonhams auction - 15th December 2010 - results

The Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Sale was last week, and the scant three Doctor Who items all sold.

The Peter Davison items, a Script from Ressurrection Of The Daleks and a Sea Devil Costume from Warriors Of The Deep both sold, the latter for £2,280 nearly double its estimate of £800 to £1,200.

The solitary Jon Pertwee item went for pretty much on the money, selling for £3,240 having an estimate of £3,000 to £4,000.

I went along to the viewing to see for myself what it was all about and check it over.

Merry Christmas to all my readers!

I can’t believe a year has flown by since I last wished everyone a Happy Christmas.

Looking back though, a lot has happened and I’ve completed or started a number of amazing projects.

From updating my Tennant Coat; making a Five Coat or two; starting a replica Tennant suit jacket using original GAP Trousers; making a couple of Inverness Capes (must get round to writing that up!); as well as some smaller item such as Five Hatbands, Six Cravats and Seven Hankies.
However, I think the most exciting has been starting work on a replica Six Frock Coat, which I am so looking forward to getting done next year.

I hope you’ll join me in the following months as it starts to come together.

Bonhams auction - 15th December 2010

Bonhams December Film and Entertainment Memorabilia sale is upon us soon, and again there are a few Doctor Who items on offer - and a few is all it is!

There are only three items, one of which, a jacket worn by Jon Pertwee, wasn't even screen used.
It feels like the left overs from a car boot sale - very disappointing.

Anyway, the jacket is listed below.

Sale 17974
(15th December 2010)
Entertainment Memorabilia

I have separated the items by Doctor era, and you can see the rest of the items here:

Lots 102 & 103
Fifth Doctor (1981-1984)

Here are just the lots relating to the Third Doctor era

Lot 101
Dr. Who: a black velvet jacket worn by Jon Pertwee,
with braid to lapels and cuffs, single button to front, labelled Austin Reed, the right sleeve inscribed inside by Jon Pertwee in silver pen, To Dewey My very own! Worn for ''The Doc'' back in '69!!, also with some other very indistinct writing, believed by Pertwee when signing the jacket at a convention in February 1991

Estimate: £3,000 - 4,000
Sold for £3,240

Black Silk Cravat

Since I am making myself an Inverness Cape, I thought it only proper to make myself a black silk cravat to go with it.

Looking at the ones Jon Pertwee wore, I can see the pattern is near identical to the one I use for my Six Cravats  (see left), so I am going to use this as my starting point.


I have looked around for some silk to use, and have chosen some Sapphire Satin. This is thicker than lining fabric, and it has a nice sheen to it  (see below).

First thing I need to do is draw a block for it. This will be the finished cut size of the cravat, and for the moment, all I need is one end.

The science of Who

I was having a little rummage around the net today, and came across some pictures that sparked a memory for me, long since hidden away.

Many, many years ago – 1972 to be precise, there was an exhibition of props and costumes at the Science Museum in London.
I don’t know for a fact, but I would have said this was quite possibly the first ever large public exhibition of Doctor Who props staged.

Now, I have particular memory of this because it was also the first time ever I got to see any of the monsters and props up-close, having only ever seen them on the tv.
I had a recollection that it was to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the programme (in 1973) but I guess my mind has good fuzzed since then.

From what I recall, the entrance to the exhibition was through the TARDIS doors, and you then went on a winding path through the exhibition, seeing Daleks, Sea Devils, Draconians and the like as you went (see left).

I can remember seeing the TARDIS console, which was awesome to view at close quarters (see right).

One thing I did see, but never understood, was something relating to the effect on The Daemons. It was a foot cubed glass box, inside which was a miniature UNIT jeep, and something that showed how the heat barrier effect was achieved. I couldn’t work it out at the time, and looking back still can’t!

Inverness Cape -construction is in the detail

Work has progressed really well with my Inverness Cape, and I now have all the individual parts made, ready for assembly.

The cape is made from essentially three pieces which are mirrored for left and right.

They are:

Front panels – with armhole allowance and outer pockets (see above, left)

Back panels – with bottom third split back (see above, right)

Wings – with faced leading edge (see right)

Post Office Tower destroyed by aliens!

Well, not actually destroyed as such, or even remotely damaged – but I just had to share these pictures with you.

click picture to enlarge

I was working in the West End today and was walking towards where the Post Office Tower (known these days as the BT Tower, but I prefer the original name) is. It was shrouded in mist and the upper half was totally obscured.

I had to take a quick picture.

As it happened, at lunchtime I passed the exact same spot, and had to take another AFTER pic.
Don’t know how I managed it, but there’s a taxi on the same spot in the road in both pics!

For those who don’t rememeber,
the (at the time recently finished) Post Office Tower appeared in the 1966 William Hartnell story The War Machines.

When Bob Mitsch was in London we took it in as part of our tour, though I didn’t post a picture in the write-up,
Remembrance Of The Locations.