The Black Dalek
The black and red Dalek currently on show at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, UK is part of the John Escolme Collection.
It was created for a live Doctor Who enactment, part of the Hares British Leyland Test Day. This event showcased the latest range of cars from British Leyland, and was held annually at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, West Sussex throughout the 1970s.
The 1974 event, (held on the 18th May), was to be something special. Four Daleks, an “Eight Legs” spider (from the final Jon Pertwee Doctor Who adventure Planet of the Spiders), Aggedor (from Monster of Peladon) and the Doctor’s Whomobile were to be present at the show.
The Doctor’s assistant Sarah-Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) was lined up as a special guest. She confronted the enemies live on the racetrack with a recorded soundtrack of drama and effects played across the race circuit’s public address system. The cruel aliens ambushed the Whomobile, and Sarah-Jane threatened to report the invaders to British Leyland, the Hares Group of Companies, and Formula One racing legend Stirling Moss, whilst summoning up troops from The Royal Armoured Corps to assist her!
Two of the Daleks that appeared in the ‘invasion’ event were brought down by the BBC, another was created by a local school, and “The Black Dalek” (currently on display at Riverside Studios) was specially commissioned for the event by the BBC and Hares Group of Garages, and created by its group director Nicholas G. Hare. His son Stephen operated the Dalek at the event.
At the time, Stephen was attending Broadwater Manor School (BMS) just outside Worthing, West Sussex. After the 1974 event, the Dalek was donated to the school for use at their summer fête. For the next 5 summers “The Black Dalek” was centre of attention at the annual gathering, but was eventually retired. For some years it remained at the back of a shed used for storing the school groundsman’s lawn mowing equipment.
In 1980, John Escolme (in 1980, aged 12 and also a pupil at BMS), bought the Dalek for £5.00. For the next 40 years it remained in his mother’s kitchen, making only one further public appearance. In July 1991 the Children’s ITV treasure-hunt series Go Getters challenged Radio 1 DJ’s Bruno Brookes and Liz Kershaw to find a robot somewhere on the south coast of England. The team won the challenge, having been tipped-off by Arun District Council Tourist Office that a Dalek lurked in a nearby West Sussex village!
Now Painting Classic Cars of Eastbourne have restored the Dalek back to its original shimmering deep red and black. A new eye, eye-stalk, and exterminator arm have been supplied by Toby Chamberlain, who has been creating official Daleks and Dalek spares for on-screen and off-screen use for nearly 40 years.
Nicholas G. Hare’s original Black Dalek colour scheme resembles the final black and red scheme as seen on three Daleks that featured in the Doctor Who feature films of the 1960s - officially named “Dalek AARUII 19-9”, “Dalek AARUII 19-12” and “AARUII 14-12”.
