Last Alteration: Sunday 07 April 2013
BBC (Kendal Avenue)
BBC (Kendal Avenue)
Kendal Avenue, Acton, W3 0RP
The northern end of the estate used to be the traditional home to the BBC's Outside Broadcasting department. Though the main office moved to Langley (Slough), the depot at Kendal Avenue still held the OB stores and van/trailer parking for a number of years, until finally demolished in the late 2000s. It is now a number of office units.
The southern end is still BBC property, now named the BBC Park Western. When Doctor Who returned in 2005 the Visual Effects department were based here, but the buildings are now the standing set for Silent Witness.
3 Mar 2011: The units still appear to be mostly empty even after a couple of years!
How to get here:
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Underground (Central): West Acton - Turn right out of the station, then right again onto the footpath that runs parallel to the station. This leads to the BBC Warehouses and then into Kendal Avenue. +
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Bus: Hanger Lane Bus Map - Nearest stop is "Western Avenue Concord Road" (routes 487, 95). Alliance Avenue is on the southern side a little further east from Concord Road. Follow this down and Kendal Avenue is on the right. +
This location is private and has no or limited access only. The northern end is now open with the new buildings, but the southern end is still private, though the building exteriors are still visible through the fence.
Access: privateStatus: recognisableFormer Depot
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»Photograph taken: 3rd March 2011 by Chuck Foster
"The place where the Doctor and Jamie run after the TARDIS is about where UNIT 10 of the new office units now stands."
The Evil of the Daleks (1)
Filmed: 21 Apr 1967
The Doctor and Jamie discover the TARDIS on a lorry.
Additional Notes:
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The BBC runs along the whole of this side of Kendal Avenue; the filming was towards the northern end of the depot.
Access: privateStatus: n/aVisual Effects Department
« »Photograph taken: 3rd March 2011 by Chuck Foster
"The Visual Effects warehouses signs still remain, though the site - now termed BBC Park Western - is now used as the standing set of Silent Witness"
Where to walk to next?
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Diageo (Park Royal) (The Invasion). No route recorded to this location.
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BBC (Victoria Road) (The Invasion, Spearhead from Space, The Ambassadors of Death). No route recorded to this location.
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Horn Lane (site of former TAVC) (Remembrance of the Daleks). No route recorded to this location.
Additional locations as the crow flies:
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KJP Trading: 0.58 miles. 
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Wimbledon Studios (An Adventure in Space and Time): 0.72 miles. 
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Birkbeck Road (Attack of the Cybermen): 1.11 miles. 
Production Notes:
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Matt Irvine: "When I left (1993) the Department moved round the corner to Wales Farm Road. Then - not quite sure when as I wasn't there then, but possibly '97 or '98?? - moved to its final resting place which was Kendal Avenue in Park Royal. This is the long-time site for OBs, which occupied the majority of the buildings, but there was small separate complex of four units at the very end, (next to John Lewis' place), of which two Units, 3 & 4, became the FX Department. However it ceased in 2003, but Mike Tucker ran a new 'miniatures unit', literally next door in Unit 2. However that only lasted to 2005 and now he's at Ealing with his own set-up. The FX workshop space meanwhile got converted to the standing set for Waking the Dead."
Related Stories
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The Evil of the Daleks [21 Apr 1967]: Gatwick Airport hangars
Related Studio Stories
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Warriors of the Deep Visual Effects Workshop [4-7 Jul 1983]
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Rose [14-16 Sep 2005]
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Aliens of London [14-16 Sep 2005]
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World War Three [14-16 Sep 2005]
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The Empty Child [8-9 Feb 2005]
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The Doctor Dances [8-9 Feb 2005]
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Bad Wolf [22-23 Mar 2005]
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The Parting of the Ways [22-23 Mar 2005]
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The Christmas Invasion [6-7 Sep 2005]
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New Earth [6-7 Sep 2005]
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School Reunion [8 Sep 2005]
Information, downloads, photographs and other media are provided for reference and for personal use only (planning visits etc.) - they remain the copyright of their respective authors and may not be duplicated on any other website or media without prior permission.
All screen captures are the copyright of the BBC and appear here as reference to illustrate the location in comparison with how it looked at the time of filming and the present day; no attempt is made to supercede this or any other copyright.
