Working from a vague description in a script, Ray Cusick went through several designs before arriving at the look that basically lasted throughout Doctor Who's 26 year run and continued on into the new series in 2005.

The script specified "hideous machine-like creatures, they are legless, moving on a round base. They have no human features. A lens on a flexible shaft acts as an eye. Arms with mechanical grips for hands."

Early designs showed the Daleks' two flexible claws (pictured above left). Familiar elements were present from quite early on such as in the version (below right) which has a louvre section for the operator to see through that was retained into the final design, and glowing circles covered the skirt. From this point until just prior to the eventual build it was the intention to have the skirt of the Dalek adorned with glowing fixtures of some kind.

On the sketch below left the circles had become protruding spikes, arranged in vertical rows of seven. These designs also show Cusick's proposal for propulsion by tricycle but this was not viable. This sketch also shows that the Dalek's dome might be moved by means of an attachment to the head of the operator inside.

The other notable feature of this design was the fact that the arm and gun were on different levels although they were intended to be offset, having a telescopic arm on the right and a gun set higher over to the left.

The most advanced set of plans available for reference today were drawn up by draftsman A. Webb based on Cusick's work. These plans are headed "Zero 20th Nov" which would have been the deadline for the project. The plans most likely originated on or around 27/10/63 as that is the date next to the signature of the "Estimator".

Studio recording was due to begin on 15th November 1963 and although sources state that this day's material was never used, it may have been planned to include the first glimpse of the Dalek, hence the footnote on these plans:"1 Dalek arm to be ready for episode 1 - 15/11/63".

These plans have some extremely interesting features. As with the tricycle sketch above, the gun and arm are set at different levels, each on its own chrome band running around the shoulder section. These bands were retained, even after the gun and arm were repositioned on the same level.

In the cross-section diagram (left), the arm has no attachment and the accompanying note says that "the end is tailored to allow fitting of various items. Suction Pad, Pincers, etc." Clearly pincers were still an option late in development but were dropped, likely for cost and ease, particularly as the script demanded the Daleks held very little.

What is clear on both external labels and on the cross-section, is the fact that until very near the final build, the Dalek's hemispheres were intended to be illuminated. In the diagram (left) clear labels appear pointing to "lights" set inside the hollows of the hemispheres. On the external diagram (above right) one example hemisphere is labelled as "flashing light."

Another interesting feature is the fact that the hemis were not intended to feature on the rear faces of the Dalek skirt at all. This is shown on both the top, side and rear elevations, the latter of which specifies instead a large oval shape at the back being a "large hinged panel in base."

To download a larger view of these plans showing each elevation, click here.

Both BBC Visual Effects department workers Jack Kine and Bernard Wilkie recall the building of the first-ever attempt at a Dalek at the BBC, with Ray Cusick himself. This prototype was a full-sized attempt to create the basic shape of the Dalek for the first time and was constructed from 2x1 inch timber, hardboard and wooden balls. Kine located an early electric fan heater to serve as the head. This design was then contracted out to Shawcraft Models to replicate, and Bill Roberts added his design contributions in refining it. The four Daleks together cost just under £500 which is equivalent in today's money to approximately £5,000 per Dalek!

The props were made mainly of fibreglass and painted silver, with light blue hemis. The iris of each Dalek was illuminated, and one was fitted with a mechanical device that allowed the iris to contract making it appear that the Dalek was 'focusing'. This prop's eye was naturally used for the majority of shots that required a close-up because it was more visually interesting (this iris can be seen on the image right). The tops of the vertical neck rods of this "iris Dalek" had a downward slope to them, whereas the other three props all have flat tops.

At least one Dalek had a large electromagnet inside its plunger allowing it some ability to hold objects and there is an instance where one Dalek passes a note-board to another to the accompaniment of a loud noise as it snaps onto the end of its arm! One of these electromagnets is visible inside the plunger in the image right.

Despite the good-quality of the builds, there were differences between the four props right from the start. Some of these differences were deliberate, such as the markings on the back of the props between the collars to differentiate between them. Each of these marks was unique and made with black marker pen. On the image above left the Dalek can be seen with two horizontal lines.

Other differences between the props were flaws in the build. One of the most noticeable features is to be found on the rear skirt panels of one prop. The bottom two hemispheres of each column are out of alignment, being pushed further apart from each other than on the other props. It is such that they are visibly out of line with the other hemispheres at the top of the panel. Not only that but other hemispheres along the top line are set too low, making the whole arrangement rather haphazard.

This bad alignment is illustrated in the image below where you can see a comparison overlay of three skirts. The first image shows two of the skirts whose hemispheres are roughly okay, in blue and green, with very little difference between them.

The other half of the image shows the difference between one of these normal skirts and the prop which has quite bad alignment problem, in pink.

Thanks to this misalignment the skirt is quite notable in various places and can often also be seen with a very pronounced "split" up the centre line at the back. Whilst the split is not unique to this prop it seems to be most often and most easily seen on this skirt.

It shows that there was no rigid design method early on, or any set way of cutting the holes for the hemispheres in the same way for all four props. Two of the skirts also had prominent bolts on the rear panels.

In research carried out by RobertK (a member of the Project Dalek Forum), there is very good evidence that one of the props was given a perspex gun (see pictures below) rather than the standard gun. Firstly, Robert had many conversations with Ray Cusick, and he recalls that a perspex gun was made for "costing". Shawcraft were known to be experienced in perspex at the time, more so than fibreglass even.  Its clear that on the original plans that a perspex gun had been considered. The plans also show the moveable "exterminator" part of the gun to be a claw shape. This part was made. A final piece of evidence is the photograph of the prop with a cardboard tube over its gun. It seems likely that this was to protect the perspex. The evidence coupled with the pictures make a compelling argument. (Thanks to RobertK)

In studio it was very difficult to choreograph the Daleks' movements as the director couldn't tell which operator was in which prop. The unique identifying marks between the collars were not helpful when the director was in the gallery so numbers were stuck  to the domes (see above left), and coloured tape rolls were jammed in the shoulder braces for rehearsals (see right).

Pictures from these rehearsals were unfortunately used as reference by merchandise producers and inaccurate drawings of Daleks soon appeared in annuals with a speaker grille inspired by the tape roll, and with numbers on the casings (shown right).

When the Doctor and his companions are trapped in a lift, the resourceful Daleks bring forth one of their number which is either fitted with, or carrying (it is never made clear which) a cutting device. Once the door is opened the Daleks shoot at an empty casing which has been "borrowed" by Ian as part of the escape. For the destruction of this Dalek, a partial dummy was put together using mainly proper components such as gun, arm, neck, skirt and eye but with light-weight shoulders which could be burnt away easily allowing the upper part to collapse. Curiously the head of this dummy has the top cut off and a light cap placed on.

At least nine life-sized photographic blow-ups were used on the right-hand size of the control room set to bolster the numbers of Daleks but sadly when the camera level is anything other than head-height and looking directly at the image, they are shown up rather badly (right).

Confidence in the Dalek creatures wasn't high and so initially it was thought that the props wouldn't be needed again. Two were given to Dr Barnardo's children's charity, and the other two were put into store. But the response to the Daleks was huge, and Dalekmania was born...

Next Chapter: 'The Dalek Invasion of Earth' >>>

Text© Jon Green & The Mind Robber, 2007