Saturday started with a photo shoot with a police box prop and some Daleks.
I was able to sneak a photograph of my own as the official photographs were being staged.
An area around the Wookey Hole bowling green was the nerve centre of the Doctor Who event with the building behind used to house the dealers room and an exhibition of fan built monsters. This was a well considered location as it allowed other visitors to the caves and paper mill to avoid the Doctor Who element if they wanted to. It also gave the Doctor Who fans a greater sense of exclusiveness. We had our own special area as opposed to being squeezed in. The flat surfaces were good for the Daleks.
Another excellent innovation were four young women dressed in silver wigs and costumes. These 'space girls' were there to chaperon the guests. The seldom used water pistols being an effective methods of crowd control.
After the photo shoot there was an informal session guest and fans could mingle. During this session Cybermen strolled through the crowd adding to the entertainment. It was at this point that a red Dalek revealed that it was armed with a water cannon fitted in its gun stalk.
After lunch there was a signing session in the valley where Wendy Padbury, Deberah Watling, Anneke Wills and Dee Sadler (Flowerchild in the Greatest Show in the Galaxy) were joined by Christopher Guard (Bellboy in the Greatest Show in the Galaxy).
Christopher Guard discussed his new project with me. He is in the process of writing a book which I believe at this stage is to be called 'Flight from Fantasy'. It is semi autobiographical in places and is about the break up of relationships and the effect this has on a three year old child. Not Doctor Who related but worth a read when it hits the book shops.
It is at this point in the day when this reviewer must confess to leaving the event to go home and watch the final episode of the Doctor Who series. The episode was shown at the event on a large screen for those who wished to remain.
Sunday followed the same format as Saturday. Starting with a photo shoot where fans could have a professional photograph of themselves with the police box prop and the actors who were present at that point in the day. The actors present were Colin Baker (After his appearance on the weakest link the evening before.), Damaris Hayman (Miss Hawthorne in the Daemons), David Warwick (Kimus in The Pirate Planet), Nicholas Courtney, Wendy Padbury, Anneke Wills, Sarah Sutton and Louise Jameson.
Once again there was an informal session in the valley followed by a signing session. At this point in the day Eric Potts who starred in the recent episode Aliens of London had joined the event. A welcome addition bringing the guest list bang up to date.
The photo taken in the morning could be signed by all the guests for free at a special signing session. Unfortunately by the time it was available Anneke Wills had left the event after staying a day longer than she had originally intended leaving fans one autograph short on their photo of the day.
On the way to the end of day cake cutting Colin Baker stopped for an impromptu photo session with a headless model of a stone age tribe where visitors could use their own heads. Eric Potts was quick to join in.
The double act of Baker and Potts continued at the cake cutting ceremony. Mr Baker hid in the crowd heckling the other guests to get on with the cake cutting so everybody could go home. He was finally coaxed out of the crowd by Mr Potts reminding him there was a cake waiting to be eaten.
On the whole the weekend was a success. Sunday run more smoothly as everyone settled into the routine of the event. The event allows for a more relaxed atmosphere than a standard convention where fans and the stars of Doctor Who can chat naturally.
Mention must be made of the staff for their enthusiastic efforts and the Dalek Builders Guild for the provision of the Daleks.
Having attended last years one day event I can already see this event continuing to evolve and be refined to get better each year and would urge any fan who can to attend this event to do so.
Oh yes, did I mention that Revenge of the Cybermen was filmed in the cave system? A tour of which is included in the price of attendance.
