As I increasingly seem to find myself doing these days I was sorting through a cupboard that had become another ‘throw in’ cupboard when I found hidden at the back my A to Z of Red Dwarf.

This is a genuine prop that I purchased several years ago and promptly tucked away and forgot about.  Seen throughout the early series as set dressing in various parts of Red Dwarf the A to Z featured heavily in the first series episode Me 2 (squared.)

Scene From Red Dwarf

The book, which is in reality a copy of ‘Lecture Notes on Pathology’ with a false cover presumably printed by the props department has a cut out section inside in which according to Red Dwarf legend Rimmer hid his diary.

A new series of Red Dwarf is currently scheduled for release in 2012.  I am a huge fan of the programme, and although the later series’ were a tad disappointing the early classics are well worth revisiting.

The images below show the book in detail and also some more stills of it on set.

I don’t know what the text on the back refers to, or if I’m honest even what language it is.  Below you can see where the book pages have been cut out so that Rimmer’s diary can be concealed inside, although of course Lister knew it was there and takes great delight in reading it.

Hot gazpacho soup anyone?