The TrekCollector

Last time when I publihed my interview with The IrishTrekkie I've got quite a few feedback and I can't be more greatful for everyone who took the time and read the interview. As a continuation of this series, today we have another special guest, a fellow Youtuber and Star Trek fan, Chris aka The Trekcollector. You know him from the well known Nerd Escape Podcast that he does with Damien, but you might don't know his full story. Today we have the chance to get to know him better...

What is your first memory about Star Trek a how long have you been a fan of the show?

My first memory of Star Trek would be back when I was young, I would say about five or six Watching reruns of Star Trek on BBC The original series. I think one of the first episode I seen was The Corbomite Maneuver and from then on I was hooked.

How has your life changed since you’ve discovered Star Trek?

Well I wouldn’t say my life has changed over Star Trek but one thing it helped me as a child was to become a better person teaching me to respect everyone’s beliefs and never to judge anybody on race, colour, religion, gender or sexuality.

Favourite Series / Movies?

Well that for me has to be DS9 I was 14 when it hit the air and I can still remember the build up to the show. I was hooked the way Sisko spoke to Picard in Emissary and I loved the runabouts and the Station. The storyline was amazing, it was darker Star Trek. The character development and story line over the 7 years was excellent and it was great to see the likes of stories from the Klingons, Ferengi and Cardassian’s point of view than just the Federation.

I always use to break this answer in to two answers but now I’m really happy to say it’s 3! By The TOS crew it has to be Star Trek The wrath of Khan! By the TNG crew First Contact, and finally one from the Kelvin time line Star Trek Beyond.

(Chris posing with the amazing Jeffrey Combs)

Favourite Captain / Villain?

Well I loved them all but I would have to say it’s Sisko. His relationship with Dax right from the start having a friend to lean on. The way he got angry with his senior staff for disobeying orders and of course his love hate relationship with Gul Dukat. Favorite Villain? Can only be Khan from space seed and The Wrath of Khan TOS

Any memorable encounter with a Star Trek Actor/ Actress you met?

Last year finally meeting one of my all time favourite actors has to be Walter Koenig. I had a great chat with him a few times over the weekend in Birmingham last year and he is such a wonderful person. He told me of a trip to Belfast years ago during marching season, and outside the comic book store where he was doing signings, there was some soldiers and they asked for a photo of him and he said yes if he could hold there gun! A photo he has at home to this day with UK Soldiers in combat gear and rifles but it was a very funny story and he has a great way of telling funny stories. He also scared my wife over the aeroplane we were going to take to Barcelona by claiming the plane was late due to the front wheel do being able to lock! What a cheeky funny guy just like Chekov in Star Trek. I do have to say this about all the Actors and Actress over the years from Star Trek I have met, they are such great people whole have amazing love for their Fans .

(Commanding the Enterprise with Walter)

What made you make videos on youtube?

Well I love collecting Star Trek stuff for years but what I hated so much was missing out on something really cool and having to pay over the price for it on the likes of ebay. So I decided to do a youtube channel showing stuff I had already or new releases and looking for the best price online so that people could add to their collections at home without paying over the odds. That is my own channel The Trek Collector. Myself and Damien aka Irish Trekkie use to message one another and then started The Nerd Escape and I love that channel due to Damien liking different parts of Star Trek than I do and the two of us are so passionate about Trek. I do think we work well and we have both got to talk to some petty cool people over the last year, who have worked on the shows behind the scenes.

As a Youtube which of your videos are you most proud of?

I hate to watch myself on my own lol but from my channel it would have to be on Designing Starships  Volume one by Eaglemoss as I got the book before it when on sale online but the Book sold itself as I love all concept art work for Starships. But The Video I’m most proud of is the interview that myself and Irishtrekkie did with Rick Steinbach, What a lovely guy! We had already interview John Eaves who is AMAZING and Sean Hargraves again such a wonderful person but by the Time we got to Rick Myself and Damien seem to have nailed the way to do an interview like that.

What part of your Star Trek Collection are you most proud of?

This is quite an easy one and to this day I look back and go man I was lucky on find out about these when they were released is The USS Voyager 1/850 pre-paint light up model kit by Bandai, I also have the nx-01, the Refit Enterprise and the E but what makes Voyager stand out is her size and all the work Banadi put into this model kit with the help of Rick Steinbach who gave them colour charts and lots of blueprints used for the Studio model which really shows so well in the detail and paint in this model.

Any dream collectible on your list?

Myself and John Eaves have a joke about this one but a 1/350 USS Enterprise E model from Polar lights but something that might fit on a shelf I would love to see Bandai get the licence back to reissue the models I said above and Also bring us a USS Reliant and one or two more fan favorite ships.

(Posing with Robert O'Reilly, aka the mighty Chancellor Gowron!)

Apart from Star Trek which other Sci-Fi shows do you like?

Lost in Space, Battlestar Galactica old and new, The 100, The Expanse, Doctor Who, Space 1999, Space Above and Beyond, Buck Rogers, Red Dwarf and all the Stargates.

If you would be able to live in a world of Star Trek, what would you do and who would you be?

This is an easy one I would have to be a Dax having old those memories of the Federation from the start to the current. I would love to be a first officer on a ship maybe after the Enterprise E.

What does Star Trek mean to you?

The best humanity could be if we followed in Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future.

I would like to extend my thank you for Chris aka The Trekcollector for this interview. If you never heard of him please search for The Trekcollector on youtube. I really enjoyed reading his answers and get to know him and his love for Star Trek over this article and I hope you will enjoy it too. Please keep watching the website as interviews like this will be published every week. _\\//