The Catacombs Century 21 Props

Rack cabinets

Dragon's Domain

The Ultra Probe interior in Dragon's Domain has several instrument cabinets. Here Dr King inspects one by the port wall. It isn't there in some other scenes.

Dragon's Domain

An identical cabinet stands next to the rear door, and the dragon. This is, of course, the same cabinet moved around. It's standing on a wheeled base, so in the show logic it is reasonable to have moved it.

Dragon's Domain

We see some details of the panels at the end of the episode.

The main unit featured was in the corner of the SHADO headquarters in UFO. Even within UFO episodes, details change as the prop is refurbished. For Space: 1999, some sections are have been swapped around, altered and in one case replaced. The top panel in UFO, with 3 round dials, swaps with the one at knee height, with a square red dial and four green wheels. Two of the middle panels are altered, and the central one has been replaced entirely.

Rack 2

Dragon's Domain

By the port door is a brown cabinet; most of the front is covered with brown blank plates, with dials and wiring seen between.

This cabinet was also from the UFO HQ, from the other end of the line of tape drives. It is rarely featured in the series. Originally parts of it were covered with red panels, which as we see in later series cover recessed areas.

We also see some panels from the cabinet on the shelves in the UFO episode "Close Up". In the top central shelf is one of the top panels (with 3 black bars). It's possible the panels on the left-most shelf are the internal panels, normally hidden by the red covers.

Diamonds Are Forever Diamonds Are Forever Diamonds Are Forever Diamonds Are Forever

We see the panels again in the James Bond film Diamonds are Forever (1971), in two different sets. A second cabinet appears with more exposed internal sections. The red panel covers are repainted dark grey, and some of the top panels appear separately.

One of the cabinets appeared in Jason King (1971), as the computer room of New Scotland Yard in two episodes. Parts have moved around, combining the two Diamonds Are Forever panels into one.

The Tomorrow People The Blue and The Green The Tomorrow People The Doomsday Men

It appears in the series The Tomorrow People in 1974 in two serials, with rack 3 (see below). It is present in two spaceship sets, slightly revamped between the serials; the Skylab in the serial "The Blue and The Green" episode 5, and the Damoclese in the serial "The Doomsday Men" episodes 3 and 4; in the later the rack is named the communications panel, and it is in the same configuration as it will appear in Space: 1999.

Rack 3

Dragon's Domain

On the other side of the Ultra Probe is another pale greenish rack. This is similar to rack 2, but on the left there are four panels, each with three round dials; on the right are grey panels with lines of tiny lights. One of the top panels from rack 2 appears below the dial panels.

Diamonds are Forever Diamonds are Forever

This appears in Diamonds are Forever (1971), alongside the two versions of rack 2.

The Tomorrow People The Blue and The Green The Tomorrow People The Doomsday Men

It appears in the series The Tomorrow People in 1974 in two serials, with rack 3 (see below). It is present in two spaceship sets, slightly revamped between the serials; the Skylab in the serial "The Blue and The Green" episode 5, and the Damoclese in the serial "The Doomsday Men" episodes 3 and 4. On the left side one of the top panels from rack 2 has been added, and this will remain in Space: 1999 and Star Maidens, below.

Star Maidens Star Maidens Star Maidens

We see more of it in Star Maidens (1976), filmed immediately after Dragon's Domain.


Images copyright ITV
Page copyright Martin Willey