TARDIS console (The Eleventh Hour)

TARDIS console
Type:	TARDIS control console
Used by:	Eleventh Doctor, River Song
First appearance:	The Eleventh Hour

Main TARDIS consoles on TV

The Eleventh Doctor's first control room had an eclectic TARDIS control console.

Layout

When the TARDIS regenerated itself, the console was also drastically different. The shape of the console had returned to hexagonal, but control panels maintained a very unique shape, with the panels themselves being slightly separated from each other. The panels were mostly made of glass and plastic materials with Gallifreyan shapes etched into them and lights present underneath. This was the second console to have a primary dematerialisation lever, which appeared similar to the throttle of a 21st century plane, but with yellow lights.

The time rotor was a different shape and the structure inside was a rising and falling glass structure illuminated by a green light from underneath. (TV: The Eleventh Hour to The Angels Take Manhattan) The Eleventh Doctor made all repairs to the console from underneath the glass floor on which the console was stationed; the console structure continued through the glass floor with an entire system of wires emerging from the base, which the Doctor was constantly reconnecting to improve the console's functionality. (TV: The Vampires of Venice et al.)

According to some accounts, each of the six panels controlled discrete functions. (GAME: TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"], PROSE: The Visual Dictionary ^[+]Loading...["The Visual Dictionary (2010 reference book)"])

Monitor

The console had a pull-down monitor which was built from a Magpie Electricals television. (TV: The Eleventh Hour ^[+]Loading...["The Eleventh Hour (TV story)"])

Fabrication panel

The fabrication panel contained the materialise/dematerialise function, harmonic generator, time altimeter, a fabrication dispenser (which was able to produce sonic screwdrivers and other technology) which eventually housed the laser screwdriver, and a Heisenberg focusing device which was used to break Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. (GAME: TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"])

Communications panel

The communications panel contained an analogue telephone, digital com, voice recorder (so the Doctor could leave himself memos), analogue radio waves detector/monitor/changer and a scanner/typewriter. (GAME: TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"])

Diagnostic panel

The diagnostic panel contained the inertial dampers, the cooling systems (gauges), a bunsen burner and a microphone/water dispenser. (GAME: TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"])

Navigation panel

The navigation panel contained a time and space forward/back control, directional pointer, atom accelerator (the spinning spiky ball) and the spatial location input (a computer keyboard). (GAME: TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"])

Helm panel

The helm panel contained the eyepiece (an alternative to visual scanners), the time rotor handbrake and the space-time throttle. The navigation panel contained a time and space forward/back control, directional pointer, atom accelerator and the spatial location input (a computer keyboard). The diagnostic panel contained the inertial dampers, the cooling systems (gauges), a bunsen burner and a microphone/water dispenser. (GAME: TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"])

Mechanical panel

The mechanical panel contained the engine release lever, door release lever, gyroscopic stabiliser, locking down mechanism (described as a physical handbrake) and the TARDIS display dials. (GAME: TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"])

It also had the wibbly lever, which helped the Doctor and companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams escape after the exterior shell of the TARDIS had materialised inside its interior shell. (TV: Time)

History

Regular usage

• As the Eleventh Doctor was getting used to his new console, he adjusted two faucet taps labeled "hot" and "cold" and dinged the bell. (TV: The Eleventh Hour ^[+]Loading...["The Eleventh Hour (TV story)"])
• The TARDIS generated the Eleventh Doctor's sonic screwdriver in its fabrication dispenser. (TV: The Eleventh Hour ^[+]Loading...["The Eleventh Hour (TV story)"])
• After Amy Pond accepted his offer to leave Leadworth, the Doctor began flipping the three switches on the mechanical panel. He then typed something on the typewriter, then pushed the black-handled lever on the materialise/dematerialise function, then pulled the navigation panel's pinball launcher (which made the atom accelerator start spinning and making pinball bouncing noises). After this, to set the TARDIS in flight, he pulled back the time rotor handbrake. (TV: The Eleventh Hour ^[+]Loading...["The Eleventh Hour (TV story)"])

Behind the scenes

Official labels for the sections of this console. (CON: Call Me the Doctor)

• This console notably had official designations from the TV prop designers for the names and functions of many of the controls. (CON: Call Me the Doctor) From this, various tie-in media was able to give the same information about the console, with these names and functions appearing in TARDIS ^[+]Loading...["TARDIS (video game)"], The Visual Dictionary ^[+]Loading...["The Visual Dictionary (2010 reference book)"], and the pages of Doctor Who Adventures.