What's this site about?

This site is dedicated to the study and appreciation of one of the most celebrated episodes of the 1970s post-apocalyptic BBC TV series 'Survivors' — the third series classic Mad Dog. The episode was seen by almost 7.5m viewers when it was broadcast on 6 April 1977. Though never repeated on the BBC, Mad Dog has been transmitted (as part of the full run of Survivors) five times on the cable-satellite channel UK Gold between 1993 and 1998. In 2005, the third series of Survivors was released on a four-disc DVD set.

The Making of Mad Dog

Download As Dangerous Dead as Alive an exhaustive account of the making of Mad Dog, featuring new interviews with actors Denis Lill and Morris Perry, scriptwriter Don Shaw and director Tristan de Vere Cole.

Review a range of material on the production of the episode, including correspondence and interviews with actors and production staff; character studies and acting credits for the principal cast members, production credits and a range of reviews of the episode.

Filming locations

View clickable maps of the three locations where Mad Dog was recorded — Ilam and Monsal Dale in Derbyshire, and the Severn Valley Railway. Alternatively, view of each of the locations scene-by-scene. Photographs of the filming locations in the present day are matched with screen shots from the episode itself. Details on 'unseen' and 'lost' locations are also provided.

Location 'walkthroughs' and organised visits

Download illustrated 'walkthroughs' of all the Mad Dog filming locations — Ilam and Monsal Dale in Derbyshire, and the Severn Valley Railway (.pdf format, requires Abode Reader).

Find information on accommodation in the area and details on how to reach the separate locations.

Organised fan trips around the filming locations for Mad Dog have been held in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006. The most recent Mad Dog location trip took place on Saturday 27 January 2007 — see the illustrated report here.

Mad Dog 2008: Monsal Dale 18-19 October

Adrian Hulme reports: "The Mad Dog 2008 location visit will take place over the weekend of Saturday 18 October and Sunday 19 October."

"On Saturday 18 October, it is planned to join a guided walk through the Monsal Trail, which will probably include a tunnel walk. This is not strictly a Survivors themed day, and will involve joining in with a larger group of Dale walkers. It is just a chance to meet up and enjoy a walk in the Derbyshire countryside around Bakewell."

"The Peak District Rangers organise these walks. They are free to attend, but you must book in advance (You can ring the Ranger service directly on: 01298 871869 to make a booking). There is a loose Survivors connection to the first day (including the company of fellow fans) but avoid mentioning Survivors when you book. Please note - you cannot just turn up on the day for this walk - you must pre-book."

"On Sunday 19 October, meet up in the main Monsal Head Car Park between 10.00am and 10.30am, in anticipation of a descent into the Mad Dog valley below for a Survivors location tour."

"Depending on the weather and other factors we tend to finish around mid to late afternoon. Walking boots or good shoes and raincoats are probably essentials. Some of the terrain is a bit tricky, but if I can manage it, and I have done for the past 10 years, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem for anyone else."

If you're interested in attending, please contact the Survivors: Mad Dog site to be put in touch with organiser Adrian Hulme.

If you cannot make this trip, but would like to make your own solo tour of the Monsal Dale locations, take a look at the walkthrough guide to the Monsal Mad Dog locations.

Watch the YouTube videos of a September 2007 independent visit to Monsal: >>> Monsal valley, by the Viaduct; >>> Weir; >>> Approaching the Viaduct; >>> Sealed railway tunnel.

Other TV connections

The locations in which Mad Dog was recorded also feature in two other TV productions from the 1970s. Discover the connections between Mad Dog and the 1972 Granada TV Country Matters drama 'The Watercress Girl' and between Mad Dog and the 1972 BBC2 Drama Playhouse series pilot 'The Incredible Robert Baldick' — scripted by Survivors creator Terry Nation.

Derbyshire’s ‘plague village’

Learn about the real-life history of the plague which devastated the Derbyshire village of Eyam in the seventeenth century. Study a 'clickable' map of the main 'plague' landmarks, read reviews of a fictional and factual history of the plague outbreak and access a feature on the 1973 BBC2 play 'The Roses of Eyam'.

Find out about the influence that the Eyam story exerted over Survivors scriptwriter Don Shaw's work on the series through an assessment of his script for Greater Love and a review of the series two episode.

Mad Dog available on Series 3 DVD: with commentary!

Mad Dog is now available to buy on DVD, following the release of Survivors third series on a four-disc, twelve-episode DVD set (see link below, left), complete with an exclusive commentary track.

Read more about the recording of the Mad Dog audio commentary here; and of the presentation and subtitling of the episode here.