Shirt...

...The Mysterious Affair at Slough.

Seventh Galaxy Events had teamed up with another company, POD, for a grand signing event, back in the hotel in Slough. The headliner was GOD (or Tom), but the announcement of guests from ‘Poirot’, Hammer Horror, Classic and New WHO, and classic TV comedies meant that Dufus and Shirt decided to buy entry tickets. However, between booking for the event and the date itself, Dufus found himself unable to attend due to completing the buying of his new home that weekend. Therefore, Shirt made his way by train to Slough, and unable to see any other attendees at the Station, decided to walk through the wind and rain for fifteen minutes to get to the venue.

Reaching the hotel, Shirt joined a queue to pick up his registration packs which also included his pre-bought autograph and photo-shoot vouchers, as well as free autograph vouchers for Richard Franklin and Peter Miles, and a photo of Tom Baker against a background of meteors. The ‘Poirot’ guests were signing in reception, but Shirt decided to go into the main hall first. This contained the majority of signers, as well as a waiting area for photo-shoots.

First up was Anthony Higgins, whom Shirt had previously got to sign the video cover of “221b Baker Street: Sherlock Holmes Returns”, who signed Shirt’s “Young Sherlock Holmes” (in which he plays ‘Rathe/Moriarty’) DVD cover. The steward with Anthony insisted on giving Shirt a ‘loyalty card’ with a sticker to allow him to ‘Buy 4, get 1 free’. Shirt attempted to explain that he had already had this offer in his pre-order, but was ignored.

Moving along, Shirt joined the queue for 80’s pop-star, Toyah Willcox, getting her to sign the cassette sleeve of the first collection of ‘The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ starring Clive Merrison, with Andrew Sachs replacing the late Michael Williams, in which she appears. Toyah initially did not remember the production until seeing Andrew’s name. The steward with Toyah was clearer on the ‘loyalty card’, this was only for autographs bought at the table.

Moving back into the reception area, Shirt made his way to the ‘Poirot’ guests, beginning with Philip Jackson (Inspector Japp), who signed a photograph that Shirt had previously got signed by Hugh Fraser at Big Finish Day 8. Next up was Pauline Moran (Miss Lemon), who signed a photo that Shirt picked up from her table. Having decided not to meet Hugh again, Shirt moved back into the main hall, finding long queues for both Peter Miles and Richard Franklin. Deciding to start with Richard, Shirt patiently waited as the queue moved slowly with Richard seemingly pleased at his popularity (‘I wonder if anyone told him that he’s free with entry’ thought Shirt). As he reached the front, it became clear that Richard was encouraging attendees to purchase his book – ‘Operation H.A.T.E’. Stepping up, Shirt placed down the two free autograph vouchers (no point in Dufus’ going to waste), getting a ‘Day of the Daleks’ DVD sleeve and ‘Destiny of the Doctor’ CD sleeve signed.

It was allegedly time for his photo-shoots, but a quick visit to the waiting area revealed that due to the popularity of the Tom shoot, they were running around half-an-hour late. Shirt therefore looked around the signing desks, and seeing an image on Gary Raymond’s table of him with Peter Cushing in the 1968 TV version of ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’, decided to use his remaining autograph voucher to meet Gary again. Returning to the waiting area, Shirt took a seat whilst a multitude of guests’ names were called out, with Toyah seeming to be the most popular. Finally they called forth those for the ‘Poirot’ group-shot (Hugh, Philip & Pauline), and next was for Philip on his own. Shirt joined this queue, and around ten minutes later was entering the photo studio, stepping up to Philip, shaking his hand, whilst the other two stood looking on. Photo taken and Shirt was exiting the studio and joining another queue for Pauline, which went in five minutes later. Second photo taken and Shirt was making his way back to the main hall, where after another long wait he met Peter Miles, who signed his ‘The Adventure of the Diogenes Damsel’ CD sleeve (refusing to believe that it had been recorded in 2008) and his ‘More Than A Messiah’ DVD sleeve (not remembering it until he saw Bill Baggs’ name). Returning to the reception area, Shirt checked his list of items to be signed.

The final guest that he wanted was Frank Williams, Reverend Timothy Farthing from ‘Dads Army’, who was not due to be signing for half-an-hour. Shirt therefore spent the time getting some fresh air and having a brief chat with IndyTimelord, who along with many others had foregone the second day of ‘Pandorica 2016’ in Bristol to attend.

Frank was to be signing in the hotel restaurant, and a large queue had formed prior to the doors being opened. However, after some investigation he found that this queue was for ‘Star Wars’ actors, Julian Glover and Michael Culver, and that Frank has almost no queue. The attendees in front struggled to take photos with Frank, but finally Shirt was paying the steward and picking up a photo of Rev. Farthing, which Frank slowly signed in very wobbly handwriting.

Shirt then stood in reception for around half-an-hour waiting for his photos with Philip and Pauline to be laid out. This finally done, he grabbed them, stowed them in the folder containing his covers, and walked briskly back to the Station, just missing a train. Finally ensconced on a train, Shirt mused on another excellent signing event - it was just a shame that Dufus couldn’t make it. Well maybe next time !

[PL]