Doctor Who: Awakening Of The Daleks

Scene 6 - Out Of Control

The train on its destination to London glides at a quick speed along the track. The driver, Bertie, seems happy with the progress of the train. The speed is beginning to increase. Deciding it is a little too fast, he tries to decelerate. The train kept picking up speed. 75, 80, 85, 90, 95. The controls were not responsive, and Bertie begins to panic, thrashing at the dead controls. We see the train zooming past, picking up speed all the time! Bertie panics, and keeps flicking at the instruments, to which nothing is happening! He then takes the telephone, wired up to the back of the wall.

Bertie:

Help! Help! This is an emergency! Repeat, an emergency! Controls are unresponsive! Speed, rapidly accelerating! Cannot control her! Repeat, cannot control her!

We have another shot of the train travelling at a phenomenal speed down the track. This then cuts to the Doctor's lab again, with Jo sitting reading a magazine and eating an apple. The TARDIS door is open, with the Doctor inside. The Brigadier and Captain Yates arrive inside. Jo stands up.

Brigadier:

Doctor? Ms Grant? We have a serious situation developing nearby.

The Doctor calls out from the TARDIS.

Doctor:

Be with you in a moment, Brigadier!

Jo:

What's the trouble?

Brigadier:

A train passing through some miles from here has gone out of control, Ms Grant. I have only just been notified of it, but Captain Yates here has the full story.

Captain Yates:

A passenger train headed London Bound has had all of its control become unresponsive, and it is picking up speed all the time.

The Doctor exits from the TARDIS.

Doctor:

What has the driver got to say?

Captain Yates:

He just kept saying that the controls are dead, and it is an emergency.

Jo:

And the other trains on the same track, what about them?

Captain Yates:

They are being diverted from the line.

Brigadier:

And if this train is not stopped, this train will eventually crash at London Marylebone station, killing everyone on board and potentially hundreds more people.

Doctor:

So how can Jo and I help?

Brigadier:

Well, as this train is only passing through near UNIT's establishment, we feel that you two and Bessie will be able to save it in time.

Doctor:

Right. When does it pass the main road?

Captain Yates:

In about five minutes.

The Doctor grabs his jacket on the coat stand in the lab.

Doctor:

Come on Jo, let's go.

He and Jo are already in the corridor when the Brigadier asks –

Brigadier:

And what about that spaceship, Doctor? Has it gone?

Doctor:

It has.

The train keeps accelerating and accelerating. Bertie fiddles through the circuits, but nothing is working. Bessie drives out of UNIT HQ, and the Doctor stops to press the SuperDrive switch. The car then zooms off. The train keeps gaining speed too. Bessie suddenly arrives at the top of the bridge of the main road. The Doctor has some equipment stored at the back of the car. He and Jo prepare themselves.

In my extended forcefield Jo, our reactions will still be ten times as fast as the train.

They take some rope and some grapples. The Doctor then selects the Anti-Theft Device switch and takes the key with him.

Jo:

What's that for?

Doctor:

In case Bessie is taken away whilst we sort out the train.

Jo:

I can see it coming!

The train travels slowly for the Doctor and Jo because they are in the field. They help each other up to the side of the bridge and intend to jump down as the train, for them anyway, slowly drives through.

Doctor:

Ready, Ms Grant?

Jo:

Ready! Doctor, what do we intend to do when we get inside?

Doctor:

That depends on what the trouble is.

The train begins to arrive! It then passes under the road.

Now!

They jump down onto the roof of the train. Both of them cling on desperately as the train now travels at well over one hundred miles per hour, with the wind blowing powerfully in their faces. Jo hangs onto the Doctor, who fires a grapple out towards the front of the train. It sticks onto the top of the front, helping keep them aboard. The driver hears the bumping above the roof. He then opens the hatch above the roof but is almost sucked out. The Doctor and Jo are nearby, clinging onto the grapple that has now pulled them over.

Bertie:

Here! Let me help you in!

We see the train accelerating again from an exterior shot. The Doctor and Jo are now inside safe and sound, and with the hatch closed again.

Doctor:

Thank you. Now, we understand the situation. How long do you think we have?

Bertie:

I don't know. We keep accelerating all the time. I can't give us an estimate.

We watch from the train's front the speeding of the craft, now zooming at around 200MPH. The Doctor begins fiddling with the circuitry.

Doctor:

Are all the passengers at the back of the train? It will be the safest place.

Bertie:

Already done, sir. Are you two from UNIT?

Jo:

We are.

Doctor:

Jo, I'm going to need your help here. Driver, you head back to the train and keep you and your passengers safe.

Bertie:

Alright, but shouldn't I be here to help you if you need to know something about the train?

Doctor:

Look, please do as I ask! We have very little time left!

We see the view of the front of the train, speeding off at a terrific speed, and a doomed end...