The Wrong
End Of Time - Part Two

Written by Bruce Stewart
Jean is having a nightmare about Simon and Liz. Her nightmare
appears to be connected to events in 1940.
Liz cannot accept that the young naval rating could be her father
and that the place they are in is the derelict naval station at
St. Oswald's, but in 1940 when it was a research centre under
the command of Mr Traynor. She questions young Frank further and
offers some facts about where and when he was born. To Frank's
astonishment, she is right!
At the Bull Inn, Skinner is wandering about. He chances upon Traynor
in the lounge. Traynor asks Skinner if Jean is all right. Skinner
explains that she is worried about the children who still haven't
returned. He sees that Traynor has Simon's book in his hand. Traynor
tells him that he got it off a farm labourer who found it near
the naval station. Skinner wants to call the police but Traynor
cautions him against it. Traynor then brings up Skinner's amnesia
again and reveals to him that he was Skinner's commanding officer
at the station during the war.
In 1940, Commander Traynor is overseeing Dr. Fordyce and the others
as they experiment with the primitive radar equipment.
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Sarah is sobbing in the corner of the station's common room
when Liz and Simon enter. They immediately identify her as the
girl who vanished from the derelict station days before they did.
Frank explains that the girl was found on the base just like they
were. Once he has left, Liz begins properly to accept that he
is a young version of her father and Simon concludes they have
indeed somehow travelled back in time to 1940. Suddenly, Simon
spots something outside. It appears to be a flashing light in
the distance sending a signal to someone on the base. They also
see the approaching German sailors.
In her room at the Bull Inn, Jean's delirium is now connected
to the events of 1940 as she begins to repeat the same words as
the German sailors are speaking as they prepare to take the naval
station by force.
Skinner is arguing with Traynor about his amnesia. Traynor is
sympathetic to him and explains that he is a physicist and worked
on radar at the naval base. Skinner demands to know what happened
at the base to cause his loss of memory. Traynor reluctantly reveals
to him that for a few short hours of one night, the base was taken
over by Germans.
The German force storms the base attacking the Operations Room
and shooting Dr. Fordyce dead in the process. Commander Traynor
quickly shuts and locks the Operations Room's supply room door
and escapes the attack. He summons Frank and the two rush into
his office.
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Simon and Liz hear the shots in the common room and Liz goes
to comfort a sobbing Sarah.
Commander Traynor hides what he refers to as important documents
in a secret compartment behind a sliding piece of skirting board
(the same piece of skirting board that the 1970 Traynor was examining
in the first episode). He gives Frank a key and orders him to
dismantle some equipment hidden behind a secret panel in the now
locked supply room. Before either of them can act any further,
one of the Germans, Fritz, enters the office. Traynor moves to
his desk draw but Fritz fires a shot, shattering a glass of water.
Jean is awoken from her delirium by the sound of the gunfire.
She calls for her husband and staggers out of the room.
In the lounge, Jean is feverish again and mumbling in German as
Traynor, Bradley and Skinner observe. Traynor dismisses the landlord
who has brought Jean a drink. He asks Skinner if this has ever
happened to her before. It hasn't. Traynor tells him not worry
about the children. He is vague about why only adding that he
and others are working on theories about the unexplained. Skinner
isn't impressed but Traynor continues with a theory about time
involving the release of energy and "...the past persisting!"
Skinner fails to see the connection to Liz and Simon's disappearance.
Traynor suggests that his relationship with his daughter is far
deeper than is normal for a father. He further suggests that by
bringing Liz to the location of his wartime trauma, he may have
put her in a position to experience it for herself. Traynor indicates
that Jean is in touch with something... Skinner rejects Traynor's
ideas. He reflects that he hasn't been much of success since the
war and this could explain Jean's apparently disturbed condition.
He still wants to call the police but Traynor says it too important
to involve them.
Graz, another of the German sailors, pulls the phone lead out
from the wall as Fritz enters the Operations Room with Simon,
Liz and Sarah.
In his office, Commander Traynor is having his wounded hand bandaged
by Frank under the watchful eye (and gun) of the German captain.
The captain is civil to Traynor and introduces himself as Helmut
Gottfried of the German Navy. He regrets the death of Dr. Fordyce
and wants Traynor's co-operation, indicating that his staff will
be put under close arrest. Traynor insists that the naval base
is little more than a records office but Gottfried is not convinced,
telling the Commander that he knows it to be a research establishment.
Traynor is apparently intrigued by this and how the German raiding
party managed to get so far inland undetected without local help.
Graz is questioning Simon who is unable to communicate with the
German due to the language barrier. He struggles to get across
the fact that he, Liz and Sarah are not part of the naval station
but are children from the village. Gottfried enters with Commander
Traynor and Frank. He asks about the children but Traynor doesn't
know who they are. Gottfried asks the children their names. He
says they can stay on the base but Traynor's staff will be bound
and gagged and taken from the Operations Room. He tells Frank
to get him and his men some food. Traynor agrees, knowingly indicating
to Frank that he has the key to the supply room.
Shortly after, in the Common room, Graz is guarding Commander
Traynor and the children. The Commander clarifies with Simon that
Graz cannot speak English and over a game of snooker, he quizzes
Simon. Simon lets slip that he knows they are working on radar
at the base. The Commander is surprised and angry. He warns Simon
that nobody knows about the base's research and continues with
the game.
In the Operations Room, Frank is making some coffee. He surreptitiously
empties the coffee bottle into a sugar container and goes to the
supply room on the pretext of getting more. Once in the small
room, Frank finds the secret panel behind a notice board and discovers
the equipment behind it. Lifting one of the pieces of electronic
apparatus, a beam hits him on the forehead causing him pain. He
falls to the ground as Fritz bangs on the door and calls him.
Obviously under great stress, he manages to pack away the equipment
and close the secret panel.
Back in 1970, Skinner and Traynor are at the derelict naval station
searching for the children. Skinner accuses Traynor of merely
playing for time.
In 1940, Liz looks out of the Common room window. She sees her
father and Traynor standing outside. Simon does also and both
make an attempt to escape to them.
In the Operations room, Frank staggers out of the storeroom.
Simon and Liz manage to get outside and find Liz's father and
Traynor talking to each other but both are oblivious to the two
children despite Liz's pleadings. Simon points out the two men
to Gottfried but he can't see them. Gottfried is annoyed at what
appears to be a childish ruse and orders them all back inside
the station.
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Complete cast for episode two
Cheryl Burfield (Liz Skinner), Spencer Banks (Simon Randall),
Denis Quilley (Commander Traynor), Iris Russell (Jean Skinner),
Derek Benfield (Skinner), John Alkin (Frank), Sandor Eles (Gottfried),
Paul Humpoletz (Graz), Kenneth Watson (Dr. Fordyce), Virginia
Balfour (Alice Fortune), Sally Templer (Sarah), Hilary Minster
(German Sailor)
Script Editor Ruth Boswell
Scientific Advisor Geoffrey Hoyle
Designer Gerry Roberts
Producer John Cooper
(Director John Cooper: uncredited)
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