Resurrection of the Daleks - Locations

All location work for Resurrection was carried out around Shad Thames, and area of warehouses for shipping from the Thames.  By the 1980s it was disused and derelict, many programmes have filmed here including the Callan film (1984) which I saw just last week.  Resurrection filmed around several streets connected by just a walk of minutes, which have since seen extensive redevelopment in recent decades.

The Tardis arrives on the edge of the wharf nearest Tower Bridge making the location immediately recognisable.

We pan left to see the Tardis arrive.

The crew leave the Tardis and walk down the passage on the left.

This passage is seen from the other side a few times during the story as characters are chased down it.

The main street behind is very distinctive with the metal walkways and is viewed from many angles but the walkways themselves are distinctive though working out the exact positioning is a little tricky.

One of the most spectacular shots being the Dalek pushed into the street!

Another street joining this is where the Colonel tries to make a phone all but is killed by Lytton’s policemen.

The end of the main street is seen at the end of the story when Lytton and henchmen calmly walk away, later to appear in Attack of the Cybermen.

As I sign off from life in London, it was a nice walk around to see a notable location one last time!

Frontier Breakout!

With Frontier in Space out the way on the Pertwee watchathon, it's a visit to the Southbank centre, standing in for a futuristic prison in the 26th century appearing in episode 2.  In recent years access to the upper areas is restricted, but is currently open as a temporary garden and cafe have been opened on the roof.

The establishing shot immediately gives away the location for anyone familiar with the area.  Generally it is largely the same but some walkways have been removed including the one in the foreground.  Various signs make it appear more colourful.

The first scenes are set for the Doctor and Jo being moved from their prison cell and being freed by Draconians.

A longer shot on the walkway, probably the highest publicly accessible.

The Doctor and Jo actually emerge at ground level to the right of the above photos.  A Draconian takes aim...

In the confusion, Jo is separated from the Doctor and runs up some steps on the west of the Hayward Gallery.

Just around the corner she is again captured, a common theme in this story.  Here the steps are heavily obscured by trees as part of the gardens on the roof.

After a forced visit to the Draconian embassy, the Doctor escapes and ends up again in his cell at the Southbank centre.  This time, the Ogrons attack to break them out.

Guards have their attention drawn on the east side of the Hayward Gallery.

Looking down the steps, now painted bright red, an ogron is seen taking on the shape of a Draconian.

Ogrons bound over the steps...

And attack the west side of the gallery.

Humans wait outside the same steps as seen earlier, when Jo was recaptured, for the Doctor to burst out trying to escape the ogrons.

Lots more garden things fill the scene which is still recognisable, background buildings have changed somewhat.  The Doctor and Jo run down the steps, he points off camera and they run off screen...

To immediately crouch by the very steps they just ran from.  The production tries hard to make the location look much larger and more complex than it actually is.  The Doctor and Jo are again recaptured by the steps.  These steps have been closed off for a number of years but are identifiable behind all the fencing.  Escape, capture, escape, capture, episode two and the start of episode three heavily feature the Southbank centre as a futuristic prison on a fascist Earth.  It's large concrete structure suits the setting perfectly, if being a little obvious as a London landmark.

Revisiting Remembrance - Part 3

The final part of my visits to the locations of Remembrance of the Daleks are to streets between Waterloo  and Southwark stations.  Easy to find and largely recognisable 25 years on from filming, they set the scenes for the Renegade Dalek base and fighting between the factions in episode 4.

As with many London locations in Doctor Who, the site has been regenerated and warehouses and empty looking buildings have been made habitable.  The warehouse of the Ratcliffe's building firm has been cleaned up and some walls and fences altered, but is still recognisable.

Directly opposite the yard is the small door through which the Doctor and Ace hide from the Daleks.  The lamppost is gone but the 'beware of the dog' label on the door has left a mark.

Turning right out of the yard to face west on Theed Street, a rather anachronistic tower building can be seen in the distance, and is distinctive in the photo today.  Remembrance is littered with such anachronisms...

Escaping Ratcliffe's yard the Doctor and Ace run south down Windmill Street with a Dalek following...

As soon as the Dalek is gone, the Doctor and Ace run down the street which looks very similar today other than the removal of some bollards.

The tunnel at the end of the street in the pictures above are the setting for the Dalek confrontation in episode four.  Renovations to the left are significant, but the corner of the building is recognisable.

While buildings behind the Imperial Daleks are again very similar in appearance today as in the story.

Lastly is the final confrontation on Theed Street between the Black Dalek and the Doctor.  The Black Dalek turns left out of Ratcliffe's yard to look East and see the black van of the Countermeasures group arriving.

The Doctor approaches the Black Dalek from the van.

"I have defeated you. You no longer serve any purpose."

From Southwark, to Hammersmith and Willesden, Remembrance of the Daleks has several heavily used filming locations that are well recognisable today and satisfying to visit.  Maybe one day I'll make it to the Kew Bridge Steam Museum, aka the scrapyard of I M Foreman.