The Wilder Way: The Power Game of The Plane Makers

By Harry Dobermann, Scatola Publishing, paperback, £16

Two 1960s businessbased drama series produced by ATV featuring Patrick

Wymark as a ruthless entrepreneur will be remembered by some readers for their gritty portrayal of political infighting inside and outside the boardroom. Subtitled An Unofficial and Unauthorised Expose of the Business Techniques of Sir John Wilder, we learn the history of the fictional character who set out to become “a damn good businessman”.

The first series, The Plane Makers, was shown on ITV 1963-1965, telling the story of an aerospace company, Scott Furlong, and its development of a new jet plane. While the company collapsed by the close of the programmes, its anti-hero was to reappear in The Power Game (1965-1969) as a board member of a merchant bank. So convincing was Wymark, who died in 1970, that he was apparently offered real roles in business even though the real man was very different to the fictional one.

There is also reference to the interim two series, Front Page Story and The Curtis Affair. In addition to featuring Wymark, there are details of other leading cast members and the main writers.

This is an in-depth study of the two intriguing series with a breakdown of each episode, script excerpts and its influence with special emphasis on its star, enthusiastically presented by Harry Dobermann, who runs the Patrick Wymark Boardroom page on Facebook. Much more exciting than The Apprentice.

London’s Advert Buses

By Matthew Wharmby, Key Publishing, paperback, £16.99

Coming from a part of the world where the local bus company kept its on-vehicle advertising subtle and usually confined to promoting its own services, moving to London revealed a more commercial scene. The RTS and RMS carried advertising on their side and end panels that restricted their promotions. However, things were to change as the 1970s progressed.

In line with royal anniversaries and weddings, buses received commemorative liveries, but as transport concerns looked for more financial input, the whole vehicle became a mobile advertising hoarding. By 1984, it was felt that the process had gone as far as it could, thanks in no small way to the prevalent yellow and green colour scheme of Underwood film developers.

Transport For London continued to look for funding and in 2004 began a new phase of all-over advertising using the so-called New Bus for London or New Routemaster covered with huge commercial messages and often far from subtle colour schemes. As far as they were concerned, in the name of making money, it seemed that their buses became part of the “look at me” generation.

The captive audience of Underground trains has produced some memorable artwork, but a passing bus must register its message quickly and Matthew Wharmby’s book, containing 230 images, presents the best and worst of the genre that uses overall vinyl wraps.

A revelation, though not always in a good way.