Cathy seems to get rather deeply involved in this tale of murder and big business among Britain’s shipping yard magnates. Her connection appears to be a very close school friend, and there is a tangle of friendships and relationships among these people. The murder occurring within a circle of friends close to Cathy seems to be a remarkable coincidence (it’s only late in the story that, with the usual admirable thoroughness, any such convenience is explained away). Cathy is said to be working at the British Museum (as she was in Warlock).

There are some production problems: a crucial line is fluffed, the act 1 cliffhanger is confusing (it has to be explained afterwards), and the musical cues are, er… rather sudden, and somewhat unexpected, in places. There’s also what is possibly the worst Geordie accent ever.

Despite all that, this really is a terrific tale or industry, empire, and industrial relations. There’s another guest spot for the young Philip Modoc (his second after The Decapod, this really is starting to feel like rep) and he is terrific, as usual. Steed is showing all of his best (as in entertaining, rather than admirable) characteristics in this. And the unexpectedly unambiguous love story for Cathy works surprisingly well – plus she gets a great fight scene. I’ve not heard of the writer Reed R de Rouen, so I wondered if it was perhaps a pseudonym, but apparently not (as it turns out he went on to appear in the Doctor Who serial The Gunfighters…)

Oh, and there’s a mention of the channel tunnel… Futuristic!