THE RED TOP DALEK

 Over the years Daleks have appeared on TV and films in various colour schemes denoting rank, specific purpose or even allegiance. 

 

However there is one colour scheme that, although it never appeared on screen is well known to Dalekmaniacs, and referred to affectionately as The Red Top Dalek.

As far as I’m aware the Red Top first appeared publicly in Countdown comic issue 49 dated January 22 1972 during the third instalment of a Dr Who story called ‘Sub Zero’. 

According to the superb Dalek reference site, Dalek 6388, artist Gerry Haylock had apparently used reference photos showing publicity shots of Dalek creator, Terry Nation surrounded by two of the four Daleks given to him sometime after the completion of the ‘Daleks Invasion Earth: 2150 AD’ film.

Gerry continued to feature the ‘Red Top’ in future TV Action stories dealing with the Daleks.

Terry had received his presentation Daleks after they had been repainted, finally ending up with three silver and blue examples and one red and silver one. This can be seen on this screen shot taken from one of the extras on ‘The Remembrance of the Daleks DVD.  It shows Terry being interviewed by Alan Whicker in 1968.

Over the years, I’m led to believe that Terry loaned these Daleks to various exhibitions and functions which were t taken apart and transported in sections In time they all suffered varying degrees of damage. Following repairs and repainting, somewhere down the line one temporarily ended up with a red top and silver and blue body.

This photo from the 1973 Radio Times Dr Who tenth anniversary issue shows the Red Top sporting red and blue lights and a missing ‘claw’)

The black and gold Dalek also prominently seen in the photo was originally the red one seen in the ‘Whicker’ photo. This was borrowed and repainted by the BBC to feature as the Supreme Dalek in the Jon Pertwee story, ‘Planet of the Daleks’.

The Red Top makes its next appearance in 1975 as part of a series of card giveaways with the Weetabix breakfast cereal. The black and gold Supreme Dalek is also part of the set.

(Coincidently, The original Supreme Dalek did appear in a TV advert for the later Weetabix Dr Who promotion)

The Red Top’s final appearance was in 1976 as part of the Denys Fisher Dr Who action figure range.  At the time of its release this was the most accurate Dalek to date, and still looks good today. (Even my example, which has had its sucker and gun stick replaced at some point in its life still has a special place in my collection)

Further info can be found at the superb Dalek reference site:.  http://www.dalek6388.co.uk/ten-years.html