SURVIVAL CODE
A bomber from RAF Manston has gone missing. The RAF Operations Room is bustling with personnel trying to locate the craft last detected fifty miles off the Isle of Wright. Air Commodore Parks is discussing the situation with the Wing Commander, suggesting that the plane could be flying below radar range but a report comes in that the plane has crashed into the sea. Parks gives orders for three scrambled telephone lines to be opened: one to the Cabinet room, another to the Ministry of Defence, and one to Doomwatch.
Quist brings Ridge and Wren up to date on the significance of the crash. Somewhere off the south coast are a cluster of three hydrogen bombs, Polaron mark twos. And no one knows where they are. As Quist says, ‘It’s Palomares all over again.’
An object drops into the sea near a South-coast pier. To Sam and Geoff it appears to be a weather-detecting device. They start to dismantle it. What the object is, however, is something very, very different…
TITLES:
Early the next morning, at about seven, a young man called Geoff Harker is dozing at the end of a pier at a place called Byfield Regis in Sussex. He is hurriedly woken by his wife, Toni, who had brought him some coffee and sandwiches but saw that his fishing line had become entangled in a sinister looking object coming closer and closer to the supporting timbers of the pier. As far as they can tell, it’s an old world war two mine. Scared, she wants to get the police but Geoff sends her off to get her father instead whilst he climbs down below and keep the mine from hitting the pier. His efforts are mocked by his father-in-law, Sam Billings who had “seen more mines than you’ve had hot dinners. That’s no mine.’ Sam is all for bringing the object up to the workshop before the pier inspector calls round. Geoff is interested in the value of the object and agrees despite Toni’s fears. As the men get to grips with the device, neither of them spot the international radiation hazard sign underneath…
By now, Quist has turned up at the Operations Room and refuses to be placated by Air Commodore Parks who disagrees that they are all set for another Palomares affair since nuclear weapons have been greatly modified since 1962. But Quist is aware of human error, and that the warhead may be damaged which, although may prevent a nuclear explosion it won’t preclude a conventional explosion, releasing radiation. Cooly, Parks takes Quist through the events leading to the crash caused by ‘clear air turbulence’ and where they approximate the bombs will be in a five mile radius plus or minus. For Quist, that’s nearly eighty square miles of ocean. As far as Parks is concerned, HMS Avenger is already on her way to the area carrying a deep sea search vessel, the Aluminaut 4 and is ready to dive. By now, the low frequency homing signal set off by accidental release should already have been picked up by the crew. ‘We have learnt something since Palomares.’
Billings is more worried about one of his arcade games not working properly, and that his daughter has forgotten the toast and dripping with his tea rather than his son in law’s efforts in getting the object from the sea and into the arcade’s workshop! As the two men tuck into their snack, Toni is still concerned about their prize. As far as Sam is concerned, they’ve got a collection of nice spare parts with which to repair his machines. Geoff agrees. ‘Just a couple of screws and a shred of plastic – that’s all you’ll see, by the time your old man’s finished with it.’
The Operations Room is getting crowded with Ridge and Wren joining the fray along with the Minister and Commander Sefton from the Royal Navy. Quist has never felt so useless in his entire life. As he stomps over to study a map which has had new markers placed onto it by a WAAF girl, Wren and Ridge discuss Quist’s reaction. Wren, frankly is as terrified as his boss but Ridge gets to what he feels is the root cause of his anxiety. ‘Ever since Los Alamos he’s almost been waiting for death. This one didn’t land in the sea – it landed smack inside his head and it’s hurting.’ Every single case they have been into recently was someone else’s brain child, allowing Quist to wag his moral finger at them. ‘Now he’s staring straight into the mirror, and don’t think that the Air Commodore hasn’t picked it up.’
Quist takes up his fear that the bombs may have been damaged and that shipping should be warned of the risk of radioactive intake by fish and the contamination of the shore. Parks is aware of how insecure any restricted broadcast to shipping would be, and the panic that would spread amongst the public. Sefton says that there is no evidence of any damage and the Minister is satisfied with the assurances that there could be no nuclear explosion, but Quist maintains the risk of conventional explosion to be considerable. Despite Parks suggestion that Quist is prejudiced, Commander Sefton sees the Doctor’s point. But the Minister is assured that there is no cause for alarm and is confident in the recovery operation’s success and wants no release of information. Good news reaches the Operation Room after the Minister leaves: the Aluminaut has picked up the marker signal and should locate the warhead containing the three bombs within five hours. ‘Nothing like a full scale test to improve safety, wouldn’t you say, Dr. Quist?’
Geoff is busy stripping away the plastic surround from the object whilst Toni is washing up, listening on the news for anything about what they may have found. Her father is convinced all they have is a weather satellite, something disposable that the authorities would just chuck away again if they got it back. As far as he, a probable tax payer is concerned, it’s a backhander. The radiation symbol means nothing to them, ‘…some weather mark, I expect. Y’know, like the broad arrow your Geoff nearly ended up with.’ And the light that has suddenly come on just means it’s working. Sam is excited about getting the panel off. ‘Should be some good stuff inside…’
Parks and Sefton are discussing a newspaper article declaring Dr Quist ‘The People’s Champion, Examiner Man of the Year… Modern David slaying the Goliaths of Big Business, Ministerial Bungling, Service Blimps…’ Sefton feels it is harmless but it reinforces Parks’ view of Quist. If the public had heard of the crash, Quist, ‘the mighty humanist’ would have received a popular canonisation. As Parks sees it, anyone with a pet grievance about their firm or department or service come to him with a stray sense of duty. He recalls how only six weeks ago, a man in Transport Command went to Quist with a confidential dossier on the defolient spray project. Sefton is not concerned but Parks assures him that he won’t think so when Quist does it to the Navy. Quist comes up to them and asks for an update. Parks is now getting tired of Quist’s presence since Doomwatch will be kept informed but Quist insists. Sefton feels that it is only a couple of hours before the warhead is recovered. But Quist points out that the Aluminaut is only going to home in on the marker device and not to the warhead. The conventional explosion still bothers him, releasing the radioactive core… Sefton agrees but the small amount released he sees as nothing more than a safe dose. Quist is surprised. ‘A safe dose! Whether you release the news or not the public are under considerable risk.’ Parks sees the People’s Champion in full flight. Quist is confused and Sefton refers to the newspaper article which Quist denies any knowledge of.
Geoff tries to get the machine working by giving it some electric power from a 12 volt battery. Toni is still terrified of the object as a lower panel containing counter numerals begins to move… She wakes up her dad and demands the machine be switched off. She knows both the men think that this may be a bomb now, and since her dad hasn’t seen one since the day the war ended, things must have changed. The numbers in the panel have reached down to 4700. Sam reluctantly agrees but is eager to break the machine apart further. Toni wants to go to the police and report it but with Geoff still on probation and convinced that the law is after any excuse to lock him up. Breaking up the machine would just be the opportunity they want!. Toni is distraught and has to be comforted. But Sam has the solution – remove the planks from the floor and shove the machine back into the sea…
Quist is pacing the Operations Room, determined to stay and wait for developments. Ridge and Wren much prefer to go back to London. ‘There’s nothing for us to do.’ Ridge, eyeing “a bird” (as the script puts it) wouldn’t say that but Quist is adamant. ‘Don’t you think you’re over-compensating?’ challenges Ridge. Quist demands to know what he means. Wren urges Ridge to drop it but Ridge ploughs on. ‘You can’t forget Los Alamos, can you – because you made the first bomb all the others are your responsibility. We are doing a job, not running a pyschotherapy unit.’ Quist asks him if he has any idea what it means to destroy people in this way and Ridge counters that he does – at first hand – face to face. ‘Bombs are clinical – they’re only ash afterwards.’ Ridge then shocks Wren by bringing up the memory of Quist’s late wife, Helena, who worked on it too, and died. ‘You bastard!’ Wren notices Parks is watching, and who takes advantage in telling Quist that there is no point in waiting. He will be notified. Quist leaves.
By 5:30pm t is starting to get dark, and on the pier Sam is working on his arcade games and Toni has returned from some shopping. They presume Geoff is still working on the machine in the workshop but when they find him he is asleep in an armchair and wakes up in pain. He dismisses it as a stomach ache and blames her cooking. But the pain gets worse and he can’t walk properly. He thinks a few pints down at the pub would sort it out and takes Sam with him. Toni stays behind to put some make up on but turns to the same newspaper with Quist’s face on the cover that we saw earlier… She makes a decision.
Quist sits alone in his office as night falls, full of deep thoughts, anxiously waiting for the phone to ring. Bradley is about to go home but offers Quist some company which he declines. The phone rings. It is Toni calling from a phone box, telling him that she saw the article in the paper earlier today. Quist tries to put her off, explaining that he did not co-operate with the article and that they deal in scientific research. He softens when he hears her distraught nature. She needs his help. She explains that they have found what he dad thinks is a space weather satellite and her husband is ill, and they can’t go to the police. Quist asks her to describe her find to him…
Back in the Operations Room, Parks and Sefton are reviewing the data of the flight corridor when Quist telephones through and tells the Wing Commander about the report of an unidentified object found in Byfield Regis and that he has sent Ridge and Wren down to look at it. Parks does not want to speak to Quist and resumes discussions with Sefton over the map of the search range. The Wing Commander relays the message to the increasingly irritable Parks. ‘I wish I’d been on his Appointments Committee…’
Wren is not pleased to be back at the Doomwatch office at 7:30 pm despite Pat Hunisett’s tea and biscuits. Ridge and Bradley are there as well, waiting to be briefed. Ridge hopes that Quist hasn’t interrupted his night life just to tell them the Navy have raised the weapon… Quist tells Wren and Ridge to go down to Byfield Regis which was in a direct line with the flight path of the bomber – and that someone has found something. Wren and Ridge are sceptical. The warhead had been located earlier, but Quist demonstrates how the three nuclear bombs were designed to eject from the nose cone and spread around the target area. It’s quite possible that the breaking up of the aircraft damaged the support frame holding the bombs together. It may be a waste of time, but they are going to go down there and follow up every lead.
It’s now 9:30 and Geoff is very ill and refuses to go to bed. Even Sam agrees he looks ill. As Doomwatch arrive at the foot of the peir, Toni breaks the news that she called them in leading to a general panic amongst the men! Sending her daughter into the back to cover up the mine, Sam attempts to hold off Ridge and Wren Geoff emerges carrying a spanner and stands in front of Ridge. Sam says that whatever was found is back in the drink. Wren explains that they are from Doomwatch investigating a report of scientific flotsam. Sam is relieved, fearing they were a heavy mob of criminals on the fiddle. He dismisses his daughter’s fears as a bit of imagination. all they found was an old steam boiler, bits and pieces… Suspicious, Ridge wants to talk to Toni but Sam refuses and Geoff gets angry, demanding a warrant. Sam tries to stop Ridge going through into the workshop and grabs his lapel.. Ridge looks down. ‘You must be joking!’ Wren suggests getting in the police and Sam thinks that’s a good idea! ‘You’re the one who’s going to get nicked mate, not us.’
By now the seriousness of the situation is apparent. The Minister is made aware by Parks that the bombs have indeed scattered. Sefton thinks they must be on the sea bed. Parks hopes to have a positive report by three in the morning.
Ridge telephones Quist about the problems they are facing. Quist asks if the husband is showing signs of radiation poisoning. Ridge can’t say. Geoff seemed to be sweating a little. Quist comes to a decision: they had better investigate further themselves. ‘There is nothing Parks would enjoy more than to have Doomwatch haul down his boys to investigate an empty oil drum.’
Geoff is now seriously ill. With his father and wife, they are dragging the bomb over to a gap made in the floorboards. Sam is panicking, he wants the object out of his arcade before Doomwatch come back. They have seen nothing; As they manoeuvre it over the hole, Sam unknowingly starts the timer again… Geoff is too weak to hold onto the bomb as they try to shove it into the sea. It falls and becomes wedged amongst the platform supports of the pier. As Geoff collapses, Quist appears.
Parks is embarrassed to report that the Aluminaut has found two of the warheads but the third bomb is missing. Sefton tries to assure the Minister that it can’t be far away. The Minister remembers the assurance he gave to Quist. Parks hides his true concern…
Toby Wren has a rope tied around him as he clambers down into the pier supports, held by Quist and Ridge. He is handed an inspection lamp and has some difficulty in finding it but when he does, starts to describe to Quist, amongst the roar of the ocean below, what he sees… a black metal shell, 2 control panels, one open amd can just about read ‘Target programme…’ Quist calls him back up as he is asked what it really is by Quist by Sam. ‘You appear to have a one megaton warhead down there – a hydrogen bomb.’ But he reassures them that the chances of it exploding is negligible. That is until Wren reports the damage on the side. Quist is now more worried about the 32 kilos of high explosive down there. If it’s damaged, that could go up. ‘Lovely!’ says Ridge.
If the fusion core is damaged, there will be radiation from the lithium. Toni realises that is why Geoff is ill… Geoff is frightened. Quist tells Ridge to get through to Parks and put him in the picture. Conventional explosion, yes. Nuclear explosion no. The police are to seal the pier off. He is relieved that the decision to evacuate is not his to make. He also sends the Harkers to the hospital and get Geoff treated. As they leave, Quist questions Sam about what they did to the bomb…
Parks is shocked by Ridge’s news. He tells him that the RAF’s technicians will be down there in 45 minutes. No action is to be taken by Quist. Ridge agrees.
Sam explains that Geoff used a 12 volt battery to try to get the machine working. Sam remembers hearing a clicking noise from the bomb. Quist tells Toby to go down again. Because of the position of the bomb, Wren uses Toni’s hand mirror to see the control panel. Quist’s nightmare is coming true. The numbers are moving… Quist turns to Sam. ‘What did he do?’ Sam is scared stiff by Quist’s power and explains that Geoff ‘squirted in a few volts…’ Quist takes a few seconds to recover his composure and directs Wren below to look for a power pack switch and turn it off. The switch is broken. Some of the lights are broken but one is on. The countdown has reached 1500. Quist calculates that they have twenty five minutes before either a conventional explosion or the full nuclear holocaust.
In his precarious position amongst the timbers, Wren backs away as much as he can, numb with fear. Sam, too, is cracking, demanding to know why Quist doesn’t know what’s going to happen! ‘You scientists are supposed to know about them things…’ He is told sharply that it doesn’t really matter which it will be for them… Quist calls down to Wren that they’ve got to get inside it but Toby just can’t reply.
Back at the Doomwatch office, Pat wakes up from a nightmare. She tells Bradley that she dreamt that it went off – and it killed Dr Quist – and John and Toby. Bradley gives her some coffee. ‘If it went off, we’d know about it as soon as they would. Or not know about it, as the case may be.’
As Ridge telephones the office, from the shore end of the pier, the police arrive with the pier inspector Leo White, more concerned about tomorrow’s bingo. Superintendent Charles explains that he has had high level notification to clear the pier at once. Ridge begins to argue as Sam bursts in terrified.
Quist is preparing to go down to deal with the bomb and forces Toby Wren to come back up. Charles enters with Ridge and is given short shrift by Quist. ‘You listen – down there is an armed nuclear weapon – now shut up!’ He tells Wren to get onto Bradley, needing detailed instructions on the sequence of fuse locks, how many detonators. He ignores Charles demanding that he sets up a relay between here and the phone.
Parks is updated on the situation and tells the waiting Minister. ‘It’s armed and it’s going.’ He prepares to fly down to Byfield Regis, and does not answer if there is time…
Quist is now amongst the timber frames of the pier, facing the bomb, the inspection lamp his only light. Ridge is watching. The geiger counter they have brought with them goes crazy… Wren returns with the information. Four colour coded detonators, the cables to each one is armoured leading into the arming unit Quist is about to begin when his foot slips and he breaks his arm. He yells. Wren and Ridge pull him back up. Nearly fainting in pain, Quist’s hand is bleeding. Ridge attends to him. Quist refuses to move to the end of the pier despite Ridge’s pleading. There is only seven minutes to go.
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| Robert Powell in Sam’s Arcade – Survival Code |
Wren goes back down and refuses Ridge’s offer of help. By using the mirror propped up behind the bomb to navigate, he begins working with the cutters on the first wire of the first detonator inside the bomb and cuts it. To their relief, no explosion. Ridge again offers to help and again it is refused. They momentarily confront each other but Ridge backs down and allows Wren to carry on. For Toby, his senses heighten. Sweat is pouring from him. He can no longer hear the sound of the wind nor the waves, just his own breathing, the snip of a cable is exaggerated in his head…. He has cut and removed two detonators. As he cuts the wires to the third one, he drops the cutters inside the workings of the bomb and has to put his arm deep inside the cavity to retrieve them. ‘It brings him cheek to cheek with the nuclear charge…’
As White bandages up Quist, Parks arrives with two suited technicians carrying equipment. He sends them to work. Ridge consults his watch. 180 seconds to go…
Wren is carrying on with his work, he is finding reversing his movements for the mirror frustrating, and his hand is being cut to shreds by the sharp edges of the cavity.
95 seconds, says Ridge, the tension unbearable…
Wren is dealing with the last fuse line. He cuts it and the countdown is reset to zero. The relief is enormous, the tension dissipating. ‘He is half laughing, half crying…’ He carelessly balances the cutters on a timber.
A recovered Quist is also clock watching: 60 seconds to go…
The suited men arrive in the workshop and call to Wren that they will take over, but he assures them he’s done it. He knocks off the cutters into the sea. As he pulls out the fourth detonator, his relief turns to horror. ‘There’s another wire!’ The technician tells him not to pull it, follow it back to the terminal. Wren has to be told twice. As he feels his way along the wire to the detonator, staring into the mirror, a trip switch is thrown and another smaller countdown begins…
‘Thank God, he’s done it,’ says Quist as a blinding light is followed by a huge explosion. The end of the pier is destroyed, and the blast shatters the windows and hurls Quist, Ridge and Parks onto the floor. Seagulls shriek.
Recovering, Quist stares out of the window, Ridge behind him.. Parks has the last words. ‘My God, when will you people learn not to interfere?’
NOTE: Since this synopsis is adapted from the script, and since the last few minutes survive as the pre-credits teaser of You Killed Toby Wren, there are minute but significant variants to what was scripted, and what was recorded. Such is the benefit of a ten day rehearsal period and a superb director.
Episode Synopsis by Michael Seely (27th June 2010)
There was public outcry when the episode was aired since Toby Wren had been by far the show’s most popular character. It was an unusual and innovative move to kill off such a leading character, though Robert Powell had never intended to do more than one season of thirteen episodes. During mid-April, the series was accused of being anti-feminist what with Miss Wills in The Plastic Eaters being a vital link in the disaster, Dr Bryant letting the rats escape in Tomorrow, the Rat and Dr Robson, a female biologist, being a security risk in Project Sahara. To redress the balance, Dudley announced that in the new season of DOOMWATCH that was planned, a woman scientist would join the team. Pedler and Davis found themselves called to meet a government minister with a view to setting up a real DOOMWATCH, and within months a research team at Bristol University made the concept a reality. In May it was announced that the series, starring John Paul and Simon Oates, would return in the autumn and the theme music would be released on a single. Neither statement was true.
A BBC special effects showreel exists with behind the scenes footage from the final reels of this missing episode. Here are some stills from this footage.
REAL LIFE LOCATIONS
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| Eastbourne Pier |
On the 22nd October 2010, the “I’ve got a Quistion” – “Where is the real Pier used in the Season 1 finale Survival Code?” feature, set out to discover the real-life location of the Pier used in the Season 1 finale – Survival Code. We even had a response from the legendary Robert Powell, who was pretty sure it was Brighton Pier.
However, this was not a complete answer to the question and we were
left to wonder exactly which Pier, but we were initially satisfied the
mystery was solved…
Well, that was until John Archbold wrote
to us when he discovered a letter in the Radio Times from 22nd June
1972, where Terence Dudley is defending his Season 3 script “Fire and Brimstone“.
In his response to a viewer’s letter he mentions the plots of two of
Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis stories from Season 1. The latter being Survival Code. In it he states that the story was about an atomic bomb washed up on Hastings Pier and was a will-the bomb-go-off suspense plot. So, we thought we had the answer… Hastings Pier in East Sussex…
At
the time, it was upsetting to discover that this Pier was subjected to
an arson attack on October 5th 2010, shortly after the Quistion was
asked and was unfortunately 95% destroyed and it appeared that Doomwatch
had predicted it’s real-life destruction. So we all had a bit of a sulk
as we thought that the chance to have a holiday snap taken at a
Doomwatch location was gone….
However, the mystery appears to now be finally resolved. Glyn Edwards, who was Terence Dudley’s production assistant at the time has suggested it is actually Eastbourne Pier.
On investigation, it really does appear to be the correct location! If
you compare it to the behind the scenes, special effects shot’s, the
outer profile appears to match… So Hurrah! Time for a Holiday with my new Camera…
With thanks to John Archbold, Scott Burditt, Michael Seely, and Glyn Edwards for finally solving the mystery.
Cast
Dr. Spencer Quist
JOHN PAUL
Dr. John Ridge
SIMON OATES
Tobias Wren
ROBERT POWELL
Colin Bradley
JOBY BLANSHARD
Pat Hunnisett
WENDY HALL
Air Commodore Parks
DONALD MORLEY
Wing Commander
COLIN RIX
Geoff Harker
RAY BROOKS
Toni Harker
STEPHANIE TURNER
Sam Billings
TOMMY GODFREY
Commander Sefton
ROBERT CARTLAND
Minister
HAMILTON DYCE
Len White
EDWIN BROWN
Chief Supt. Charles
JOHN DAWSON
1st man on pier
DAVID ST. JOHN
WRAF Officers:
BERYL BAINBRIDGE
CAROL PEDLER
MARCELLE ELLIOTT
PAM SAIRE
JO HALL
RAF Men:
KEITH NORRISH
BILL STRANGE
Man on pier
MICK BURNETT
Squadron Leader
REG LLOYD
Police Constable
FREDERICK CLEMSON
Crew
Series devised by
KIT PEDLER
and
GERRY DAVIS
Film Cameraman
EDDIE BEST
Film Editor
ALASTAIR MacKAY
Make-up
ELIZABETH ROWELL
Costume
DOROTHEA WALLACE
Graphics
ALAN JEAPES
Studio Lighting
JIMMY PURDIE
Studio Sound (Sound Supervisor)
LARRY GOODSON
Music composed by
MAX HARRIS
Script Editor
GERRY DAVIS
Assistant to Producer
GLYN EDWARDS
Designer
IAN WATSON
Producer
TERENCE DUDLEY
Directed by
HUGH DAVID
Uncredited
Assistant
ADELE PAUL
P.A.
ROBERT CHECKSFIELD
A.F.M.
JANE SOUTHERN
Vision Mixer
FRED LAW
Floor Assistant
JOHN WILCOX
T.M.1
JIMMY PURDIE
T.M.2
JACK SHALLCROSS
Grams. Operator
GERRY BORROWS
Production
Crew
6
Studio
TC 4
Recorded
Tuesday 14th April 1970
2.00 – 6.30 Camera rehearsal (with TK-35 from 2.30)
6.30 – 7.30 SUPPER
7.30 – 10.00 Camera rehearsal (with TK-35)
Wednesday 15th April 1970
11.00 – 1.00 Camera rehearsal (with TK-35)
1.00 – 2.00 LUNCH
2.00 – 6.00 Camera rehearsal (with TK-35 until 4.00 & then from 5.30)
6.00 – 7.00 SUPPER
7.00 -7.30 Sound & Vision Line-Up
7.30 – 10.00 TELERECORD: VTC/6HT/58428
Edited
10.30 – 1.30 – Friday 17 April 1970
TX: 11th May, 1970
9.45pm – 10.35pm
Operations room
Doomwatch office
Sam’s arcade
Phone box
Pier office
Below pier
With thanks to John Archbold for the Radio Times listing and cover.
VARIANT 14 