Just a little heads up that I’m a goin to Cardiff in the morning and will be visting A LOT of Doctor Who locations this week. I will have a very special surprise in store for you readers when I get back!
I wish everyone a good week and I will make a post as soon as I get back.
Geronimo!
Tom 🙂
Shwmae, Ti’n iawn?
We are back in Wales in February again, for another Cardiff Doctor Who location. We are in the library of Cardiff Castle which was used as a filming location for Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (2013). It was used as the TARDIS library which was found by Clara when she was running away from some Time Zombies. When she was there she found a book called The History of the Time War and saw the Doctor’s real name in it. Later she said to the Doc:
‘The library. You were mentioned in a book. You call yourself Doctor. Why do you do that? You have a name. I’ve seen it. In one tiny corner of that tiny book’.
It is a very scary episode but luckily when I was in the library there was no sign of a Time Zombie. It was a very quiet and safe place full of beautiful old books. Unfortunately I couldn’t see the Encyclopedia Gallifreya!
The library is very grand and the bookcases are decorated with animals of all sorts. There was daylight coming through the window, unlike when Clara was there, and the ceiling was not infinite – good ol’ computer graphics! 
You can get married at the Castle and have your reception in the library – how cool would it be to have your wedding in a room of the TARDIS????? 
I will tell you about other locations within Cardiff Castle soon in another post.
In other news – this Friday I found a copy of the 285th issue of Doctor Who Adventures magazine- complete with Amazing Doctor Dress Up Set. Dress Up Sets are cool! The set contained a TARDIS key, sonic screwdriver, bow tie and psychic paper. I was inspired and used them to dress up as a different Doctor ( I think you already know which one it is!) . I copied the outfit the Doctor wore for Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS but I wish I had put a Big Friendly Button mark on my hand – maybe next time. I hope you like the pictures!
Until next time, Da boch chi!
How are you fellas?
Another spin of the wheel takes my TARDIS back in time to Easter 2014 and just a short walk away from Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is Clink Street, Southwark – filming location for the Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977). This episode is set in Victorian London when bodies are found in the Thames and terrorising the innocent are criminal gangs. The Fourth Doctor makes like Sherlock Holmes to solve the mystery, along with Leela, and prevent the talons of Weng-Chiang from shredding the human race! Dun,dun,duuuuunn! This episode is my Dad’s favourite and that of many others I expect.
I walked down Clink Street when I was travelling between the Tate Modern and the Golden Hinde, which is a replica of the real ship that Sir Francis Drake used to circumnavigate the globe during the 16th Century. He was a good friend and bowls companion of the Doctor and featured in the episode Four to Doomsday (1982) .
For a small street, it is very popular as I almost got squished when I was there. It was crammed full of tourists because it is full of history.When I was there it was daytime but the Doctor was there at night time when it was dark and misty and he was busy fighting the Tong – I’m glad I wasn’t there when the Doctor was because I would not like to meet the Tong!
Winchester Palace was on this site from the 12th to 18th Century and was home to the Bishops of Winchester. It was burnt down in 1814 but you are still able to see some of the walls and the window. I wonder if Shakespeare ever visited?
Have you ever heard the expression ‘to be thrown in The Clink’ when someone has been naughty? Well that expression is named after The Clink Prison which was on this street and was the first men’s, and possibly women’s prison, in England. It dates back to the 12th Century and was owned by the Bishops of Winchester and was built in the grounds of the palace. The name ‘Clink’ probably comes from the sound of clinking chains or cuffs. It was a very gruesome place to be and was burnt down in a riot after the American War of Independence, and all the prisoners escaped. There is the Clink Prison Museum in it’s place now where you can go to get scared and learn more about The Clink.
This street has also been used as a filming location for Oliver Twist, Bridget Jones’ Diary and An American Werewolf in London. I’m not lying; you should go and see for yourself!
Alright fellas time to escape from prison (in other words – Bye, see you next week!).
Hello, ow be knackin vore?
I have said this because this post is from Somerset and it means ‘how are you doing?’ in Somerset dialect.
Yesterday I went to Montacute, a village just outside Yeovil in Somerset. First I visited Montacute House which is an Elizabethan Country House which has just been used by the BBC as a filming location for ‘Wolf Hall’ which stars Doctor Who actor and writer Mark Gatiss. But that wasn’t the reason I was there! I was in the village to check out a Doctor Who Exhibition. 
I visited Montacute TV Radio Toy Museum, which is said to be like a TARDIS opening up to reveal a giant time capsule of memorabilia collected from the world of TV and Radio programmes.
When I arrived I saw the First and Eleventh Doctors in the window, hanging out together. I went in to explore the collection and saw millions of items such as toys, games, magazines, books and photos from shows and famous people including Mr Bean, Tommy Cooper, The Saint, Andy Capp, Spongebob, The Simpsons, Life on Mars, The Two Ronnies, The Wombles etcetera etcetera etcetera! My companions saw things from their childhood memories and I found it all very exciting. My favourite was a ‘Hoff in my Pocket’. If you press a button it says ‘I’m The Hoff, ha ha ha. And you’re not!’ It was absolutely jam-packed full of memorabilia collected since the 1930’s by Dennis and Mauvyn Greenham, and their son-in-law Alan Hicken who now runs the museum.
Next I visited the exhibition ‘Step into the TARDIS’ which I entered by going into a Police Box. I was a bit worried as I didn’t know what was going to be through the door! The first thing I saw was an Ice-Warrior and then I saw a very loud and big pinball machine from the late 80’s, which showed Doctors 1-7. The room was stuffed full of Doctor Who toys, and dummies of the Doctor’s friends and foes such as the Ood, The Sisters of Plenitude, a Clockwork Robot, Pigslave and Scarecrow. The worst monsters were behind glass, which was very very very lucky or we could have had a big shock! Trapped behind the glass were Davros and the Daleks, a Cybershade, Cybermen, Melkur and many other baddies. I also saw the real suit of armour worn by Christopher Bowen as Mordred in the episode Battlefield (1989), it looked shiny and very heavy. There were over 60 life-size Doctor Who characters to see.
Finally I went in the TARDIS room to see the Doctors hanging around the TARDIS console with some companions such as Donna and Captain Jack. I played with a Plasma-ball which I recognised from Remembrance of the Daleks (1988). I don’t think it was the real one but it was very hypnotic anyway. I then saw the actual costume worn by Dennis Chinnery as Professor Sylvest in The Twin Dilemma (1984). It felt quite weird to be in a room full of Doctors – but enjoyable.
The Montacute TV Radio Toy Museum is really good and a sensational place to go. If you do visit don’t be too shy to go into the TARDIS. I nearly didn’t as I was a bit scared but I’m really glad I did in the end!
See you next week, Bwye!
Allo fellas!
Today I am talking about something very, very, very special. The photo will give you a clue. I hope you have guessed it. I have a (drumroll please)……………………. BLUE PETER BADGE!
Just to let you know, I didn’t buy it, I earned it. I have been awarded a blue Blue Peter Badge for this blog and had a letter from the Editor of Blue Peter, Ewan Vinnicombe , which said
‘it is fascinating to read about all the Doctor Who adventures you have been on! We thought it was so interesting, we’re awarding you a Blue Peter Badge which we hope you will enjoy wearing!’
Ewan Vinnicombe is obviously a fellow Whovian as he put a quote by the Fourth Doctor in my letter, from the episode Warrior’s Gate (1981).
‘One good solid hope is worth a cartload of uncertainties’.
A very good quote indeed.
Blue Peter Badge winners can visit a lot of fun places for free for example The Doctor Who Experience so I will use my badge to go there and to other adventures for fun and report back to my readers.
Blue Peter is even older than the Doctor Who series, there is a 5 year age gap and it started in 1958. It has supported Doctor Who for many years and has featured lots of interviews with the stars including the debuts of Peter Davidson and Sylvester McCoy. Peter Purves was one of Blue Peter’s presenters and he played Steven Taylor, a companion of the First Doctor, William Hartnell.
Did you know that Ace, the Seventh Doctor’s companion, wore two Blue Peter badges – a blue one, and a silver one that was awarded for heroic achievement? (Remembrance of the Daleks 1998). They were both awarded to the actress, Sophie Aldred, in real life. Do you have a Blue Peter badge? Leave a comment to tell me how you earnt it.
To finish off I shall say THANK YOU to Blue Peter and the BBC for giving me this wonderful achievement, I feel very happy and proud!
I have more exciting Blue Peter news which I will share with you in a few weeks……. Bye bye fellas, see you next time!
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