STAR COPS THEME

Strictly for fans of the cult BBC 2 Sci-fi series, Star Cops (and Kevin)

'It Won't be Easy' performed by Justin Hayward, of Moody Blues fame.

When the series was beaten in the ratings by BBC 1 sitcom, Terry and June, I can see how apt the title was.

BLAKE'S SEVEN RADIO TIMES ARTICLE

A 1978 article heralding a new Sci-fi series for the BBC, Blake's Seven. 

I can still remember watching that first episode, and continued to follow it throughout all it's four seasons.

However it's not a series I've ever bothered to return to, as apart from the Liberator model, it just holds no appeal for me anymore. Maybe it's the pessimistic aspects of the story, or possibly the lack of what I consider to be  likeable characters - Avon tries to come close as the titular anti- hero, starting out as a Mr Spock clone in the early episodes, before finally evolving into a sardonic swash buckling space buccaneer.

I'll forgive the low budget effects, and the costumes that look like they came out of  a jumble sale. As we all know the BBC at the time just didn't have the resources to compete with glossy American space operas.  Not that it ever stopped them. Remember those other pedestrian  BBC dramas set in space, Star Cops and Moonbase 3!

X-40 SPACE ROCKET ADVERT AND TIMELINE ON ALPHADROME

If you like the X-40 from the X series of plastic Hing Kong toys [possibly JR21] then check out this cool thread on the uber-nifty Alphadrome forum re. a piccy of the space rocket in a US catalogue:

ALPHADROME

X-40 SPACE ROCKET ART

pic: allposters

A DISCOVERY

Came across this rather interesting photo of a proposed, and ultimately unused miniature of the 2001 spacecraft,  Discovery. The chap in the the photo is special effect supervisor Wally Veevers.

A photo from another angle, with additional Pod and astronaut miniatures. 

ITALIAN PARATROOPER TOY

This Italian parachutist toy reminds me of Project SWORD in two different ways!

1. The red and white cheque parachute is similar to the one found on top of the Apollo Saturn

and

2. The ribbed Spaceman reminds of a standing version of the seated pilot in the Moon Ranger.

Anyone got this parachutist?

Home on the Range

A transit of Venus occurs more often than An occasion when I find a rare space toy lately, so I was especially pleased to find a toy I have only ever seen twice in my not inconsiderable lifetime. As a boy, I had a set of three space toys which mirrored the design of the Topper Cape Canaveral Rocket Base; a transporter, rocket gantry and the missile bank. Recently, I came upon the missile bank in a Spacex junker lot and after some negotiation on price, managed to buy it.

This particular toy also does service in the earlier Apollo Moon Exploring series, but with the missiles substituted for radar dishes. This version was not issued by Imperial, LP or Multiple, but by Blue Box. Blue Box were a favourite toy dealer of mine, who produced roadwork sets, cars, army and planes and issued a lot of the LP series in their iconic blue window boxes.

The piece was a little knocked about, with one launcher missing, so I fabricated a new one and from a distance, it fits nicely. The little rockets also appear on a Telsalda Rocket Firing Armoured Car too. (far right with later longer version missile )

I just need to get another example of the rocket transporter lorry and thats a big hole in the wants list plugged!

OPERATION X-500

I would have liked this as a youngster.