Doctor Who: The Sun Makers [26/11-17/12/77 BBC1]
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| Around 18 months after Pennant Roberts directed
Survivors: The Lights of London
part 2, he returned to the Camden Town Deep Level Shelter to shoot
scenes for this Doctor Who story. Written by Robert Holmes - reputedly
after receiving a particularly severe demand from the Inland Revenue - The
Sun Makers featured the future remnants of human race living on Pluto,
subjugated by a excessively punitive and all-powerful tax system, and living
under constant surveillance. Well, two out of three wasn't a bad prophesy,
was it?!
Naturally the Doctor (Tom Baker in big coat and long scarf) and his then-recent
companion Leela (Louise Jameson is skimpy animal skins) soon have a rebellion
brewing quicker than you can say, "no taxation without representation," aided
by a motley band of malcontents living in the service tunnels under the planet's
surface. For once, such an ambitious localé was realised more convincingly
than the usual wobbly sets at TV Centre, thanks to the Camden Town DLS!
Two years later, BBC cameras returned to the DLS
for Blake's
7: Ultraworld [10/03/80 BBC1].
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EPISODE 1
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Doorway leading to... |
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| ... the steps from the "Camden Town" station platforms down to the Deep
Level Shelter. |
The yellow box-like objects on the wall are props added by the
programme-makers, representing surveillance cameras. |
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| Bungle-from-Rainbow-voiced smartarse robot dog turns
up to save the day. As usual. More set-dressing in the form of the block
structure in the left-hand picture. |
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| This is apparently one of the DLS's sumps. |
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EPISODE 2
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EPISODE 4
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| Although not entirely clear, this short segment in the last episode was
shot in a part of the shelter proper, where the bunks remained in situ.
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Seen laughing heartily in the black jacket is Michael Keating, later
to appear as Villa in Blake's 7, a series that also made use
of the DLS location.... |
The London Underground in Films & TV
| PAGE HISTORY: |
| 03/04/05 |
First upload |
| 22/10/17 |
Hosting transfer & amendments |
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