After queuing up at 09:30 and waiting in line to purchase an "early bird" ticket to allow early entry into the fair – we were eventually allowed into the exhibition at 10:30.

The huge number of stalls were carefully examined first, by myself, and my friend, Louise.

I spotted a playmates Tricorder – something I wanted to go along with my phaser from the same set, and haggled the vendor down to £35 for the fully boxed, mint condition piece, whilst Louise bought some framed artwork.

Then we spotted the original 1960’s series Batmobile – batbike – and Del Boy’s van, from "Only Fools & Horses", which made up for the entry fee alone.

Next, we saw a highly unorganised queuing system for all the star’s autographs. Basically a huge queue at each and every desk, instead of just one huge queue.

Luckily – I spotted Richard Bigg’s (Babylon 5 – Dr. Franklin) desk was free, and since he wasn’t there yet, there wasn’t a queue, and I asked his assistant what the procedure was, which she dutifully explained.

Richard Biggs then turned up. He was very gracious – and as I pondered over which picture on his desk I wanted to buy for him to sign – I asked him which uniform he preferred the most. Personally, I always thought that the original blue ones looked smarter – but he said "They were like wearing a corset", and "that I preferred the later ones, which I could at least breathe in". However, being a keen fan of the blue uniform – I got him to sign that one.

I then asked him about J. Michael Stratzinski, (spelling!), and said that I loved the spin-off show Crusade (which he guest starred in), and that I loved Legend of The Rangers (the new Babylon 5 spin-off movie).

Spotting that Alice Krige’s (TNG/VOY – Borg Queen) queue was small, we joined that one next. She looked beautiful with long, curly hair, and I got her to sign my large Voyager poster with the expression "You will be assimilated" (like she’d never heard that one before!), and she asked "how do you spell that again?!", and I pointed out that that could be her trademark for a genuine signature – that "assimilated" was always spelt wrong!

Next, I saw poor Herb Jefferson Jnr (Battlestar Galactica – Boomer) without a queue – so feeling kind of sorry for him – I went to see him next. He was a lovely chap to talk to – and said "They’re always talking about a remake of Battlestar Galactica".

Q. I asked that if they offered you a role (or a cameo) would you so it?

A. He said "Of course I’d be interested."

Q. If they offered you a measly sum of money – would you please still do it?

A. "Well, I wouldn’t do it for free."

Next, we queued for Ethan Philips (VOY Neelix) who, to put it tactfully has a face for prosthetics! I didn’t talk to him very much because I didn’t like the Neelix character, but since I have a Voyager poster signed by a few people, thought he’d might as well sign it too.

Next, we queued (and boy did we queue a lot that day!) to see Siddig El Fadil (DS9 Dr. Bashir) – who was a joy. He signed the photos with his real name, and with the stage name Alexander Siddig, which was great of him. I said I was delighted to meet him, and that I was looking forward to meeting him the next day at Page’s Bar. (To read about that event – click here). He said that we were the first to say we were going to see him, and he’d look forward to meeting us there.

Next – we went to see, in my opinion – a living legend – Walter Koenig (TOS – Checkov, Babylon 5 - Bester). I am a major Original Star Trek series fan, and the honour of meeting him was breathtaking. Luckily, we’d come at a good time – everyone in the queue was being allowed to stand next to him to get their photograph taken. Standing side by side with an actor from the original Star Trek series was unbelievable. Hell, I couldn’t believe I was standing next to someone from the 1966 series (OK, 1968 for him!).

When he signed the pictures, I commented on how much I loved him in the last ever Futurama episode.

Q Did you enjoy it?

A I loved it! It was a great deal of fun.

Q Would you mind saying what that fan on the show wanted you to say?

A What? Nuclear Wessels?

Q Yeah!

(He dutifully signed one of the pictures with that expression).

Next, when he was signing the Bester photograph I asked him to sign it "Space The Final Frontier", thankfully he knows which series is which, and pointed the error out to the very embarrassed me.

Q So why did James Doohan not want to be in the Futurama episode?

A It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be in it – he was just to ill.

After standing in various different queues for several hours, with a rucksack getting heavier by the minute, (and carrying a huge poster tube), it was time to set off back to Louise’s place before meeting Siddig El Fadil the next day. (To read about this – click here).

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