Doctor Who fan recreated scenes from when the Tardis landed in Kingston-upon-Thames, 50 years later.
Martin O’Gorman, 52, a website editor, studied aerial photos and newspapers to recreate scenes from ‘Invasion of the Dinosaurs’ which was filmed in Kingston in September 1973.
A fan of Doctor Who since he was two years old, O’Gorman watched with his older sister whilst growing up outside of Manchester, before moving to Kingston 25 years ago.
He said: “I could never conceive of the Tardis landing in my hometown.
“I always assumed it was in Hyde Park or something, a big London park, but no it was Kingston.”
O’Gorman relied on Doctor Who researchers who used the BBC archives to create a website which locates where scenes were filmed.
He said: “I don’t think they quite got it so I was very nerdy about the whole thing, and it ended with me digging out and going on Kingston Council’s website looking at aerial photos, this is how obsessed I got with it, from 1971, trying to match up the trees that you could see in the clips.”
Prior to the exact 50-year anniversary of the filming from 26 to 28 September 1973, O’Gorman, photographed all the filming locations, comparing them to the scenes broadcast in January 1974.
He said it had been particularly difficult to find the exact spot where the Tardis landed in Canbury Gardens because of a significant re-landscaping in the 1980s.
However, the Boater’s Inn pub and a line of trees he had identified on aerial photos meant that he was able to replicate the shot with his prop Tardis.
OTD 50 years ago, the TARDIS landed in my adopted hometown of Kingston-upon-Thames. I tried to work out exactly where the police box was put in 1973… I almost nailed it. I think I wasn't round on the left enough – it's amazing how much Canbury Gardens has changed!@RBKheritage pic.twitter.com/IbTsXuM1IC
— Martin O'Gorman (@Martin_OGorman) September 27, 2023
Alongside going to the Kingston filming locations, O’Gorman studied the local papers in Kingston Library from the time to try and uncover photos of the filming.
In particular, he was looking for a photo of John Pertwee and Elizabeth Slater in the Whomobile driving through the area after hearing a rumour that Pertwee drove the car to work.
Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful, he said: “Nothing, not a scrap, and I was really disappointed.
“I would have thought that would have been quite a sight to see, a space age car driving over the bridge or down past the park.”
O’Gorman will also be celebrating the 60-year anniversary of Doctor Who onscreen in November, which will be marked by over 800 episodes being released online.
Speaking prior to that announcement, he said he was disappointed that there was no event to mark the anniversary.
At the 50-year anniversary he attended a convention at ExCel with his sister before watching the anniversary episode.
This year, he said: “We might just have to WhatsApp about it, about what we think.”
Image credits: Martin O’Gorman
