Not only does Thanet boast a Dr Who companion in the shape of Ramsgate’s Janet Fielding – playing Tegan from 1981 until 1984 – but it is also home to a ‘Tardis’ at the Broadstairs home of sculptor Gordon Fox.
Gordon’s Tardis is in fact a partially roofed gate which leads not to other space and time dimensions but to his back garden – although it has attracted a visit from ‘Tegan.’
The Tardis gate has just undergone a renovation but was first created by Gordon in 2019.
The former design and technology technician and now Fox Forge Art owner said: “It all started with a throwaway comment whilst watching Peter Capaldi as Doctor Who in 2017.
“We had been in need of a new side gate for quite some time and I said ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we had a TARDIS for a side gate.’
“I started to do research on the internet and I found the plans for the original BBC prop. Then l found that there had been five different versions of the TARDIS, all with a different shades of blue. Trying to find information about the colour was almost impossible!
“You can buy TARDIS blue paint in Australia but not here. It all got a bit too complicated. So l forgot about it until my lovely wife Rachel said ‘are you ever going to make the gate.”
Gordon is a Time Lord fan. He said: “I have always watched Dr Who every since I was old enough with Jon Pertwee and the big one, Tom Baker, I never miss an episode. I don’t do the conventions though, I’m not a nerd!”
In 2019 Gordon began his challenge once more, copying plans to a design program, scaling it to fit the space, creating the font and then the roof.
He said: “I couldn’t find a lamp that looked right so I created one from a garden glass tea light holder and laser cut and turned a wooden top cap.
“I laser cut the signs and started the build. Paint was still a problem so l printed out a picture of Tom Baker’s TARDIS and had the paint shop colour match it.”
The build was completed in August 2019.
By September 2021 Time and Space, sun and rain had taken its toll on the roof and Gordon needed to replace it. He upgraded it with concrete construction board, sealing the joints with bitumen flashing and adding a new hardwood lamp cap covered with copper.
That same year he created the Jon Odell commemorative shield as part of a Kent Police initiative to thank its officers for keeping the district safe. The shield was made from weapons seized by Kent Police through knife amnesty bins situated around the district.
The following year he was part of an art exhibition where fellow artist Peter Campbell Saunders was invigilating when his friend Janet Fielding popped in to see him. Gordon said: “Pete told her that l had a Tardis for a side gate and she said she would have to come and see it. I was very flattered by this but didn’t expect to see her.
“In May 2023 Pete phoned me to tell me Janet was on her way over. She was very generous with her time and despite the wind we did a photo shoot with the gate and she stayed for a cup of tea.”
Janet said: “’That magical blue box is so loved – and what a cool way to show your love.”
Janet Fielding (Photo Gordon Fox) and Gordon and Janet (Photo Rachel Fox)
This year the ‘Tardis’ has undergone another refurb – a six week operation to cut out rotted parts and replace them, Paint proved tricky to match and so the Tardis has had a slight shade change- Gordon says “the chameleon circuit is on the blink again!”
Broadstairs-born Gordon is a sculptor working in iron, steel, copper, brass, stone and wood.
It was while working at Charles Dickens School that a senior technician and Master Blacksmith inspired him to pick up a hammer and beat hot metal into beautiful objects.
From there he progressed to sculpture and related arts.
Gordon describes himself as a ‘human womble’ saying: “ I use the traditional skills and techniques of the blacksmith, making art from metal, stone and driftwood scavenged from local beaches; reshaping old tools, bits of machinery or any steel objects that I can find. Since then I have exhibited in several local galleries.
“I am basically a human Womble recycling given and found materials into art and useful things.”
Find Fox Forge Art on Facebook here
Gordon’s is not the first Tardis to land in Thanet.
In 2018 a 9ft Tardis was installed in the yard of Union Church in Margate.
The full-size time-travelling machine was created by church handyman Bill Forrest and included a mini Tardis and planet decoration inside as well as that all essential Time Lord gadget -the telephone.
Craftsman Bill spent six months creating the work of art and said it was his “last hoorah” project for the church.
Art work for the inside was created by Darren Main and Ian at Eyeball Signs made the signage and polo shirts with Tardis logos.
Bill, who knew the entire list of Dr Who actors -yes, we asked- said his motivation behind the creation was “the challenge.”
