A SIX-FOOT tall cyber-dragon is looking for a new home, after the Doctor Who superfan who created it said he hopes it can go somewhere where it can be appreciated by more people.
53-year-old John Williams spent around 3,000 hours building the sculpture over the course of five years at his home.
However Mr Williams, a senior design engineer in the aerospace and automotive industries, has decided it is time the mythical creature flew the nest, due to its sheer size and that no-one gets to see it.
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“My family will definitely miss him, as will I when he leaves,” he said.
Mr Williams previously made headlines in 2011 when, while living in Newport, he built a life-sized replica of the TARDIS in his garden, to go alongside his model of the Doctor’s trusty companion K9.
“That ended up in the local and national press but it was more visible. It’s not so easy to catch a glimpse of my cyber-dragon,” said Mr Williams. “I’m parting with him very reluctantly, partly considering the amount of time I invested in him, and also because he now feels like one of the family.
“However, he spends his life under a sheet in my conservatory these days and is just not getting seen or appreciated, which I believe he needs to be.
“I would feel far happier if he went to a home where he could be in a more prominent position, a place where he can be viewed and appreciated more.
“In other words, it’s time for him to fly the nest.”
The creation was inspired by Mr Williams’ involvement in a Superdragon public art trail in Newport in 2012, where artists were invited to create designs for the Wild In Art community project.
He said: “Newport-based TV set and prop designer Tim Hobbis, who’s worked on Doctor Who, was commissioned to create 60 fibreglass blank dragons. Artists submitted more than 350 designs to decorate them and my dragon was chosen.
“I had five weeks to create it but, because I worked away, I had to take shortcuts to meet the deadline.
“I was frustrated by this so, after the trail ended and before Tim destroyed the dragon mould, I commissioned him to make just one more for my personal project.
“I spent the next five years working on Cyber-dragon Mk2 in my spare time, investing well over 3,000 man-hours.
“All the modification elements, such as armour, eyes, horns, wing edging, new tail and teeth, were undertaken in my workshop.
“It was a total labour of love.
“The dragon went on public display once at the Science of the Timelords annual event at the National Space Centre in Leicester in 2019. While there, he was admired by a couple of real Doctor Who doctors - Colin Baker and Syvester McCoy.”
Mr Williams, now of Daventry in Northamptonshire, had placed the sculpture up for sale with Advanced Auctioneers, and it is due to go under the hammer on Monday, November 29 with a guide price of between £1,500 and £2,500.
Owner of the auction firm, Rik Alexander, said: “This cyber-dragon is an unbelievably cool piece of Welsh-inspired art.
“The time and effort that’s gone into it is incredible.
“Apart from one brief appearance at an exhibition, it’s been hidden away in the conservatory for nearly a decade.
“It would be nice to see it go back home to Wales.”
More information about the auction can be found at the-saleroom.com, and to submit a bid or find out more, email Rik Alexander on rik@advancedauctioneers.co.uk.
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