Castles in the Sky Page #3

beside the sea.

This can't be it.

I've stayed in worse.

I've lived in worse.

No, this CAN'T be it.

Right, lads, are we all ready?

Oh, come on! Gently.

We've got to get the pulses strong

enough to detect further away.

We need more power.

We need our pulses to go further.

Pass us that, will you?

Equalise the power.

Keep your fingers crossed.

We're picking something up.

So our new transmitter is working?

I wouldn't call it new.

Our "cobbled together with

bits of string" transmitter.

But it works? Barely.

We are detecting a plane out there,

right? Estimated a mile away.

A mile away, Mr Rowe! I assume

you know this is not good enough?

Yes, it works, well done.

Now let's pretend that you've

located an enemy bomber.

One. Two.

Let's also pretend it's

headed in our direction.

A modern bomber

flying at 200 miles an hour

covers the distance of a mile

in what...20 seconds?

You really think that's enough time

to pass on the information

and get our pilots airborne?

19. 20.

Exactly.

Mags!

I caught the train.

Thought I'd surprise you.

How nice.

I struggled to find a little music

on the wireless

with all the talk of Germany.

Yes.

It's a nice little place, isn't it?

The hotel.

Yes, it is.

Can you help me with this?

Right.

Your nephew's called round almost

every day hoping you'd be back.

He's really missing you...

as am I.

It's why I had to come here

to see you.

Be with you.

That's got it.

I'll just pop this away

and then we can spend

some time together.

Yes, erm...

After I've done this.

Look, why don't you go downstairs

and order a spot of dinner?

What about you?

You can order for me.

You know what I like.

And, er, I'll be with you

the moment I've finished.

And then? Yes.

They're sending some

supper up for you.

Oh, sorry.

So am I.

This is the future. It's soup warmed

with a high-power transmitter.

Can I have your attention, please?

Sorry, sir.

Now, we've shown

we can detect a plane

when it is flying right overhead,

but we need to go much further.

How do we do this?

It's obvious we have to go

back to the drawing board.

This is the drawing board.

The first obstacle will be...

power.

We need more power

to transmit our pulses.

And more power allows us

to reach a higher frequency.

Higher frequency improves accuracy.

To increase frequency

and get the range we need,

we need to increase power.

It's like inventing chicken

and egg at the same time.

But we solve one and the other

will fall into place,

so concentrate on cracking power.

We need better valves.

We haven't got better valves.

The ones we got aren't up to it.

They keep blowing.

You don't have to put your hand up,

Higgy. Sorry.

The equipment, if you don't mind me

saying, sir,

it's stuff left

over from the Stone Age.

I think we're going to struggle,

that's all.

We should have been in the navy.

They're awash with cash, that lot.

Boatloads of equipment

they never use.

Well, I'm sorry we haven't got

the funding we need,

but if we show that this can work

then that will change.

But we can't show it will work

without the better equipment.

Chicken and egg.

We have to be canny and clever.

It's up to us to prove that

this can work. No-one else can.

I have faith in you and if we work

together as a team

we will do this.

Crack power and let's make

the invisible visible.

I've got a bad feeling about this.

Couldn't you just ask them

for the equipment? Oh, yes.

'Excuse me, we hear you have some

much larger valves in your stores

'than we've got.

Please can we have some?'

We'd have requests in triplicate,

have them signed, countersigned.

We'd be dead by the time they

approved it. IF they approved it.

Why have I got to do

all the talking?

Nobody would believe a Welshy.

Or a Yorkie.

Yorkshire men are reliable,

unlike the Welsh. Ridiculous.

We pronounce it ridiculous.

I'm going to belt you after this.

Evening. Pass.

The Ministry have contacted you

four times in the last week

without acknowledgement.

We don't need a pass. No, what we

need... No entry without a pass.

We're here under direct orders

from the Ministry

to find the listening equipment

planted by the German agents.

Stand in our way and I'll have you

arrested for treason. Understood?

Thank you.

What's the paperwork?

Just some old radio transmitter

technical plans. Oh.

This stuff is amazing!

We're not out of the woods yet.

Er, this paperwork...

Ah, yes. Thank you.

Ssssh! Don't!

Just don't.

OK?

I think so.

Fingers crossed.

It's working! What is?

Better valves, more power.

New valves. New valves?

New valves that arrived

this morning. From where?

From friends...in the navy.

The navy sent us these?

They didn't really send them. No.

We had to pick them up.

We're building up

to 350 kilowatts of peak power!

I wouldn't celebrate just yet.

Even with more efficient valves,

we're still not getting

enough power output...

Have you not got it yet?

You've not realised

what's at stake here?

Tizard and the committee are coming

at the end of the week

and we have to show progress.

Hey, we're flogging our guts out

here... Looks like it.

..all day, everyday on something

that'll probably never work anyway!

Well, if that's what you think

you may as well go.

I mean it, go. Go on!

That applies to all of you.

Robert.

Robert Watson-Watt!

You're happy to talk, aren't you,

but not as happy to listen?

That bunch of men back there

are working till they drop.

Do...? No!

You don't get to speak here.

You've done enough talking.

You listen!

You said we're working together

and we are. You're not. We are.

We're not YOUR team.

You're part of it and it's high time

you rolled up your sleeves

and mucked in instead of...

You think I'm not working?

You think I am not rolling up my

sleeves and getting to work? I am!

From upstairs maybe, behind closed

doors, away from the shop floor!

I'm dealing with everything else -

the Ministry, Tizard, Rowe -

all this strife.

They're trying to get me to magic

a giant rabbit out of a tiny wee hat!

They are going to come down here,

the Ministry,

ask what's going on,

what progress we're making?

I'm going mad with it and I can't

tell Margaret or anyone because

I am supposed to be in charge

of the unit and know what I'm doing!

Talk to me. Talk to me, Rob.

We are all in the same boat.

You can't do this on your own.

You're part of a team, OUR team.

I'd like...to apologise to you...

..to everybody.

And...I'm sorry.

Taff?

What's that game called?

Yes! Catch it!

Jesus, he couldn't catch a cold,

that one!

Here you are, Rob.

Feed me now and ever more.

You trying to take my head off?

If I wanted to I would have done.

Oh, yeah? Yeah.

Howzat!

No, no. Come on, Taffy.

Come on, Taffy,

back to the valleys!

Hi-ho!

Come on.

I'm going to bloody kill you!

I am going to bloody kill you!

Lads! Lads!

Taff, calm down.

Where you going to go, Bell?

Where you going to go?

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