Episode Guide

Story One...
The Wrong End Of Time

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

Story Two...
The Time of the Ice Box

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

Story Three...
The Year of the Burn Up

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

Part Seven Part Eight

Story Four...
The Day of the Clone

Part One Part Two

Part Three Part Four

Part Five Part Six

The Wrong End Of Time - Part One

Written by Bruce Stewart

The year is 1970. A young girl called Sarah is walking along the boundary of a disused naval base in St. Oswald beyond a sign which clearly says "Ministry of Defence. Keep Out" She stops as she hears a strange electronic noise. She wanders closer to the base and is seen by Tom Ferris, a farm labourer. Ferris calls out to her but she is mesmerised by the strange sound. She feels out to an invisible barrier that appears to be set between a series of redundant concrete fence posts... and suddenly vanishes into it! The labourer stumbles disbelievingly to the remains of the fence but finds nothing to credit what he has just witnessed save a discarded handkerchief.

Days later at the nearby Bull Inn (a public house and hostelry), Ferris is relating his story to a disbelieving group which includes the landlord, George Bradley. Charles Traynor, a well-dressed man and obviously not a local, is quietly listening to the noisy and heated discussion. He leaves the main bar and heads into the lounge where he disturbs Jean Skinner who is dozing in a chair. He apologises and she tells him that she, her husband Frank, their daughter Liz and "young Simon Randall" are going on a caravan holiday. She also tells him that Frank was stationed here during the war. Traynor leaves the last remark unacknowledged.
Frank Skinner is putting the finishing touches to an old gypsy caravan in the Bull Inn's yard. His daughter Liz is watching. Simon is reading a book nearby trying to ignore them. Liz comments on Simon's bookish nature and helps her father to clean a stove. He tells Liz to be nice to Simon since his mother has only recently died. He asks her to take him for a walk across the hills to try and take the boy's mind off things.

Traynor is at the naval base looking around the disused buildings. He examines a piece of skirting board in one of the derelict rooms where it has been pulled away to reveal a large cavity. It is empty.

Simon and Liz are playing near the fence when they hear the same electronic noise that Sarah heard. Simon wonders what it could be and Liz offers the suggestion that it could be ghosts. They fumble around and discover the barrier. Liz falls through it and vanishes. Simon is shocked for a moment before he too tumbles forward and disappears. The ministry field is now silent and empty.

Traynor returns to the Inn and meets Mr. Skinner. They exchange pleasantries and the two settle down to talk. Traynor refers to the conversation he had with Jean earlier and asks Skinner about his time at the old naval station. Skinner admits that something happened to him there during the war that resulted in him suffering the loss of the memories of his time spent there.

Simon and Liz have emerged from the time barrier to find themselves on the other side of the fence. Strangely, it now appears to be night and the fence is almost repaired save a person-sized hole that looks recently cut. Liz finds she can move back and forth through the barrier.... the entrance to which seems to be denoted by the hole. Daytime is on one side, whilst nighttime is on the other. Suddenly, a group of men approaches. Liz and Simon hide. The men are speaking German. They take off their oilskins to reveal German naval uniforms underneath. One of them is obviously their leader - a captain. They move off. As Liz and Simon discuss the Germans, a young blond haired man dressed in a naval rating's uniform discovers them. He sees the hole in the fence and blames the kids for it.

It is evening at the Bull Inn and Jean is relaxing in the lounge. Skinner enters and tells her he still can't find the children. Jean begins to worry about them since it is now dark but Skinner remains optimistic that they'll turn up. Suddenly, Jean is overcome by something and holds her head in pain.

In the bar, Traynor is talking to Tom Ferris. Ferris has found the book Simon was reading near where he found Sarah's handkerchief. Bradley remains sceptical as he again relates his story about Sarah's disappearance to an oddly curious Traynor. Explaining to the bemused landlord that he is seeking answers, Traynor leaves.
Traynor enters the lounge and observes as Skinner helps a frail Jean up the stairs to their room and insisting she rest after her turn.

The young naval rating takes Simon and Liz into the base. As they wait for him to return, they see into the Operations room where two scientists, Dr. Fordyce and Alice Fortune, are working on some electronic equipment that Simon identifies as radar. Eventually the rating shows them into an office to meet the Commander of the base who bears a striking resemblance to Mr. Traynor. The children recognise him as such immediately much to the Commander's complete surprise.

Jean is restless in her sleep and speaking in German. When she awakes, Skinner informs her of this. She is surprised since she cannot speak a word of the language.
The Commander accuses the children of making the hole in the fence. Simon explains about the German speaking men he and Liz saw earlier. The Commander laughs it off.
The Germans are now outside the building and attack the guard.
The Commander leaves the children in the company of the young rating who begins to feel sorry for them. He asks Liz her name and she tells him it's Liz Skinner. His name is also Skinner.... Frank Skinner. The same name as her father! Young Skinner goes off to make the children a drink, passing the bleeping radar equipment and the two scientists working on it. All are unaware of the threat outside...

Complete cast for part one

Cheryl Burfield (Liz Skinner), Spencer Banks (Simon Randall), Denis Quilley (Traynor), Iris Russell (Jean Skinner), Derek Benfield (Skinner), John Alkin (Frank), Sandor Eles (Gottfried), Paul Humpoletz (Graz), John Garrie (Arthur Griffiths), Royston Tickner (George Bradley), Peter Sproule (Ferris), John Abbott (Phipps), Kenneth Watson (Dr. Fordyce), Virginia Balfour (Alice Fortune), Sally Templer (Sarah), Hilary Minster (German Sailor), Peter Fairley (Introduction: uncredited)).

Script Editor Ruth Boswell
Scientific Advisor Geoffrey Hoyle
Designer Gerry Roberts
Produce John Cooper
(Director John Cooper: uncredited)

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