The tale was rooted in the recently-built Post Office Tower. Deadly supercomputer WOTAN hatched its plot to take over the world from this now-familiar talking point, instructing the trundling menace of the story's title. Nowadays it resembles a stack of licquorice allsorts, but back in 1966 it was the height of futuristic design. The stage was set for Ian Stuart Black's machine-on-military showdown that in some ways predated the UNIT stories of the Troughton era onwards. And though clunky-looking, it's worth noting the resemblance between the War Machines and a rusty adversary unveiled as part of the upcoming Series Nine.
I am a journalist and comedian who enjoys American movies of the 70s, Amicus horror compendiums, Doctor Who, Twin Peaks, Naomi Watts and sitting down. My short fiction has been published as part of the Iris Wildthyme range from Obverse Books.
