In 1968, the Cybermen – who are second only to the Daleks in the
Doctor Who universe – invaded London in an eight-part adventure,
The Invasion, which was written by Derrick Sherwin and starred Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor.
The serial produced one of the most iconic images from the long-running BBC science-fiction drama, when the silver giants marched in unison down St Peter's Steps in front of the capital's famous St Paul's Cathedral.
Yesterday, the Cybermen returned to London – for what has been dubbed
The Re-Invasion by fans – to help promote the BBC's forthcoming
Doctor Who Experience, an interactive exhibition due to open at the Olympia 2 in February 2011.
As well as retracing their steps at St Paul's, the Cybermen were seen at Tate Modern, having crossed the Millennium Bridge, and boarding a Tube train at an Underground station on the Jubilee line.
Mike Paternott was on hand
to take a selection of photographs, which can be viewed at the
Doctor Who News Page.
To date, the Cybermen have attempted to invade Earth on several occasions, appearing alongside nine of the eleven actors who have played the Doctor on television. Their first appearance was with William Hartnell's first Doctor in 1966, in
The Tenth Planet (by Dr Kit Peddler and Gerry Davis). They last met Matt Smith's eleventh Doctor earlier this year, in Steven Moffat's
The Big Bang/
The Pandorica Opens.
St Paul's Cathedral was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century. It is situated on Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the Anglican seat of the Bishop of London.
St Paul's is one of the British capital's most distinguishable buildings. It is where the parents of
HRH The Prince William – HRH The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer – were married in 1981.
