Daleks on the streets around town thanks to local inventor
A MAD inventor’s latest creation has been scaring people on the streets of Tamworth.
The Dr Who Dalek, named Klyed, was spotted out and about in Tamworth town centre and the Castle Grounds on Sunday lunchtime.
But it is all in good fun and the brains of local Mark Harper whose previous incarnations have included mini police cars, a log flume, dodgems, Postman Pat and the billy saw puppet who rides around town on his tricycle.
He told the Herald: “When you’re a mad inventor a Dalek, well it’s always a must and I know quite a few people who have made these.
“Daleks have moved on in time with the NSD (new series Dalek) models, however I still love the renegade Dalek type and this is the one I chose to build.
“And before anybody asks, yes, the Dalek will definitely be queueing for a jacket potato from Spud Man!”
Explaining how it all came about, Mark said: “I have been a fan ever since I was a young boy, watching Tom Baker as Doctor Who, personally my favourite doctor.
“This was when the Mk3 travel machine was made by Davros. They are known to us all as Daleks. I used to fear the Dalek so much I would hide behind the settee and get very upset until they had gone off screen.
“On visiting a Dr Who exhibition in Blackpool in the late 70s, there was a Dalek that went round on a track and I was absolutely petrified. I used to duck down and crawl beneath the display so I didn’t have to see it. I was sure that this was a real Dalek and it could exterminate me.
“I was given a power chair by a friend, and he asked me to do something with it good and inventive for Tamworth to bring the power chair back to life. I asked on Facebook what I should make with it when I was testing this power chair out and several replies came back saying ‘make a Dalek.’
“True to my words, I shot up to
Morecambe and picked up a ready made Dalek that was in very bad condition and needed a lot of TLC.
“It looks far from perfect, but it’s now having a major revamp to bring it back to its original glory.
“However there will be more than one Dalek coming to Tamworth, even though one can conquer the universe alone. You can’t have just one in Tamworth, can you? There’s another being built at this very moment, but this one is far from ready. Sunday was just a test of the drive gear.
“Two are far more entertaining. They will also be fitted with full electronics so people can interact with the Dalek and the Dalek will speak with its distinctive voice.”