The "OLD" NEW DALEKS...

Copyright RAYMOND P. CUSICK and TERRY NATION

 

Back in 1989, RAYMOND CUSICK, the designer of the DALEKS, was invited by DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE to design a new version of the pepper-pot menaces - what you see above is the result.

Mr. Cusick explained: "The original Dalek design was governed by cost.  I think we produced the original three for something like £250.  I visualised the surface of the new Dalek as textured, some metal or substance quite unlike anything found on earth.  The original Daleks were very smooth and polished.  It (the new version) would be dark green or blue in colour.  Also, I didn't want to make them any smaller - they should have menace. Generally, small objects lack that. But they still wouldn't be as big as humans.  I imagine my design would be film-scale budget, but it could be modified for television.  I'd like to develop it further..."

And there you have it - yet another fascinating  glimpse into the world of 'what might've been'.

FIREBALL 21 Or CENTURY XL5...?

Century 21.  Art by Derek Meddings

Two posts back, I referred to the fact that, when FIREBALL XL5 was first envisaged, it was called CENTURY 21.  In the above illustration by the late DEREK MEDDINGS, we can see what the craft was originally intended to look like.  Why did they change it?  At this point I don't know - the original design was certainly more futuristic, so one can only wonder as to the reasons for the revision.

Century 21/Fireball XL5 hybrid by Neville Main

In the above picture drawn by NEVILLE MAIN, we can see that this is the Century 21 ship with Fireball XL5's colour scheme.  This comes from the 1963 TV COMIC Annual, published before the series had even premiered on TV, so presumably Neville was supplied with the original design as his primary source of reference.  Perhaps the XL5 colours were added at the last moment before the strip was shipped to the printers - any further information from anyone knowing the pertinent facts will be welcome. However, going by the shape of the ship, my speculation seems like a reasonable one, as there's no other scenario I can think of which would explain the results.

Art by Reg Hill

Next up (above) is a presentation illustration of the Century 21 logo, as well as a couple of pics of, again, (in my humble opinion) far more futuristic-looking jetmobiles.  These illos are by REG HILL, who was joint designer - along with Meddings - of the Fireball XL5 ship.

Steve on jetmobile.  Art by Reg Hill

Art by Reg Hill

A fascinating look at what could have been, don't you think?