Going Off the Rails (short story)
Summary
Young Sam (a girl) and Harry were both mates at school, both of their dads had bought train sets about the same time but while Sam’s dad had completed an impressive layout, Harry’s dad hadn’t even really started his. Sam and Harry decide to build it themselves in the garage, the train set is in bits in the garage and while they are rummaging around in the boxes of spare parts (some salvaged from a factory explosion where Harry’s Dad worked), they gradually uncover enough parts to build a complete robot man which they sit in a chair to watch them work. Once the head is put into place however, the robot comes to life. It identifies itself as a Cyberman with the intention of upgrading Harry and Sam – to make them into machines like itself, with their brains electrified and resistance and emotion burnt out. Harry and Sam are trapped by the Cyberman in the garage and Sam, who knows a bit about electronics, is made to follow instructions that will build a Cyber-conversion unit. As a very frightened Sam reluctantly completes the Cyberman’s machine, she tries to push the Cyberman into the exposed wires but she is not strong enough. Harry has been working on a plan and sending one of the heaviest trains round the incomplete track at a great speed the train flies off the end catches the Cyberman off guard and causes it to stagger back onto the wires. The equipment is broken, sparks fly and there is a sheet of flame in the garage as the Cyberman’s head crashes lifelessly onto the floor- just as Harry’s mum calls them in for tea.
Characters
References
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Notes
- The original short prose fiction featured in the Doctor Who Files series of hardbacks from BBC Children's Books was officially sanctioned by the Doctor Who production office.
Continuity
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