The Catacombs The Continuity Guide
by Martin Willey

Hand held scanners

Geiger Counter

Breakaway Breakaway Breakaway

Breakaway: the Geiger counter. A wand is inserted into the synthocrete nuclear waste cap and the counter displays a reading with a scale of lights. The scanner reappears in Earthbound and as a medical scanner in Mark Of Archanon.

Earthbound Earthbound Earthbound

Earthbound: the Geiger counter reappears in orange with an attached wand.

Earthbound The Mark Of Archanon The Mark Of Archanon

In Mark Of Archanon it is in the TechLab 3.

The Immunity Syndrome

It is just visible on the planet in The Immunity Syndrome (on the table, behind Alibe's head).

Spectro-X Scanner

Earthbound Earthbound

Earthbound: Victor's clicky scanner (supplying data for the Spectro-X analysis made by Kano?). The prop is made from a 1971 Braun HLD 6/61 hair-dryer, designed by Jurgen Greubel.

Drill

Earthbound Earthbound The Exiles
Kenwood food mixer Kenwood food mixer

Earthbound: Helena's drill is a battery-powered Kenwood hand mixer with a very long drill bit. Kenwood is a leading UK kitchen appliance company, and many of their products in the 1970s were designed by Kenneth Grange of the Pentagram design consultancy. Although cordless power drills existed at the time (invented by Black and Decker in 1961), they were expensive and marketed only to industry. The first widely available portable drill was from Makita in 1978.

Water analyser

Matter Of Life And Death The Testament Of Arkadia The Exiles

A water analyser seen in Matter Of Life And Death. It is also seen in The Testament Of Arkadia (in the Arkadia cave held by Anna). The water analyser is seen again (alongside Helena's drill from Earthbound and the organitron).

Organitron

Guardian Of Piri Guardian Of Piri The Testament Of Arkadia The Exiles

The Organitron is a calculator-like instrument used by Koenig in Guardian Of Piri (it is named in the script, and the name is written on the end in the green label). It is also used by Victor in other episodes including The Testament Of Arkadia. It is also seen in The Exiles

The Troubled Spirit This Episode

Victor's scanner from The Troubled Spirit

Heat sensor

Force Of Life

A commlock-like heat sensor is seen in Force Of Life

It is a prop from The Protectors 2-part episode "WAM" (1973). In that episode it was a walkie-talkie, used by guest stars Prentis Hancock and Jill Townsend. Another guest star, Michael Sheard is aiding the series stars, and also gets to handle one. Thanks to Chris Bentley in the book Space: 1999 The Vault (2022).

Signal locator

Death's Other Dominion Death's Other Dominion

Victor's scanner in Death's Other Dominion

Signal locator 2

The Full Circle The Full Circle

Seen in The Full Circle, this scanner is used to locate radio markers on the alien planet. The prop (a Dictaphone microphone) is also used in All That Glisters, and is seen as a alien weapon in Mission Of The Darians and A Matter Of Balance

General purpose scanner

The Exiles The A B Chrysalis The A B Chrysalis The A B Chrysalis All That Glisters The Immunity Syndrome

From The Exiles Maya and others use this scanner with a parabolic antenna (actually photographic flash guns - see the sketched plans). There were very similar versions of the same prop. They are featured in The Exiles, The Mark Of Archanon, The AB Chrysalis, The Rules Of Luton, A Matter Of Balance & The Immunity Syndrome.

The Troubled Spirit

They appeared as force-field posts in The Troubled Spirit.

Geological scanners

All That Glisters All That Glisters All That Glisters

A variety of geological scanners are seen in All That Glisters

Hand scanner

Seen in Earthbound, Another Time, Another Place, The Testament Of Arkadia & The Mark Of Archanon.

Looks like a converted torch (compare to the Eveready "All American" 112 torches held alongside it in The Testament Of Arkadia

Earthbound Another Time, Another Place The Testament Of Arkadia The Testament Of Arkadia The Mark Of Archanon The Mark Of Archanon

Copyright Martin Willey