1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:03,520 Welcome to The Repair Shop, 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,960 where cherished family heirlooms are brought back to life. 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:08,800 This is the workshop of dreams. 4 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,800 Home to furniture restorer Jay Blades. 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,680 Nowadays, everybody spend a fortune on stuff that, once it's broken, 6 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:19,400 they just bin it, but everybody has something that means too much to be 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:21,240 thrown away, and that's where we come in. 8 00:00:21,240 --> 00:00:22,960 Working alongside Jay 9 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,280 will be some of the country's leading craftspeople. 10 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,200 Every piece has its own story. 11 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,400 It's amazing to think that some of my work becomes part of that story. 12 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:33,320 I've always played with things, 13 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,160 I've always repaired things, and I just love it. 14 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:40,200 There is a real pleasure in bringing people's pieces back to life again. 15 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,560 Each with their own unique set of skills... 16 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,200 Right tool for the right job. 17 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:47,480 ..they will resurrect, 18 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:49,920 revive... Come on, man. 19 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:52,040 ..and rejuvenate 20 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:54,040 treasured possessions 21 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,880 and irreplaceable pieces of family history. 22 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,520 Wow! She's fantastic! 23 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:01,800 Bringing both the objects... 24 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:03,840 This is what I remember. 25 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:05,840 ..and the memories that they hold... 26 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:07,680 Wow! ..back to life. 27 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:10,280 Oh, my God! 28 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,360 In The Repair Shop today, 29 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:30,840 Will has his work cut out with an antique table. 30 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,560 There are some jobs that you think are a really good idea 31 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,040 and then halfway through you just think, "Oh, my gosh!" 32 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:40,840 While Julie and Amanda attempt to breathe new life into a precious 33 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,160 50-year-old cuddly toy. 34 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,320 We've been waiting for this for a long time. 35 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:57,280 But first, The Repair Shop is taking delivery of a real collector's item, 36 00:01:57,280 --> 00:02:00,400 belonging to Betty Raymond and her son, Michael. 37 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,240 Hello. Hello. 38 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,920 I'm Steve, hi. Hello. I know you can't shake my hand. 39 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:09,600 Pop it on the table here... Thank you. ..whatever it is. 40 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:13,080 What have we got here? OK, this is an antique steam gunboat 41 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,960 that my parents found some years ago. Oh, my word. 42 00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:20,360 This is fantastic. 43 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,600 Part of the rudder. That's good. 44 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:25,880 We've got a cannon and another cannon. 45 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:31,360 I found it on the beach at Goring-by-Sea in 1952. 46 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,840 Right. It was just that part, protruding from the sand. 47 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:39,040 My husband said, "Don't touch it, don't touch it, it will go bang." 48 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:40,480 But I stayed with it 49 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,240 and eventually that was what came out from the sand. 50 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:44,920 It was absolutely buried. 51 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:48,040 Have you researched the history? We tried. 52 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:52,000 My husband wrote to the address that is on the stern of the boat 53 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,160 but we never got a reply. 54 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:55,960 And have you ever had it working? 55 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,520 Yes, in the boating lake in Poole Park. 56 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:04,400 Michael was two at the time and we took it down and had it going. 57 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:05,880 Would you like to see it running? 58 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,800 I'd love to see it running, yes. 59 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,600 After my husband died, I'd had it for a few years 60 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,800 and I passed it over to Michael to look after. 61 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,640 And then take it to his son, to keep it in the family. 62 00:03:17,640 --> 00:03:22,760 Yes. Because it's such an unusual piece of history. 63 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:27,360 Absolutely. So I'm going to really enjoy this project. 64 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,120 Wonderful. That would be great. 65 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,760 Thank you very much for coming in. Thank you very much. 66 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:33,320 Thank you. Thanks very much. 67 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,880 Built by French toymakers Radigue & Mathieu, 68 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,880 this steam-powered battleship is at least 125 years old. 69 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:49,680 But the years of being buried under a Sussex beach 70 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,560 have clearly taken their toll. 71 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:56,720 The first thing Steve needs to do is strip off all the components 72 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,280 and find out if the boat is seaworthy. 73 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,440 Steve. I heard you need a bucket? 74 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:03,800 I did. Full of water. 75 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,280 I do. Yeah. Why? 76 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,400 I just fill it with water to see if it's watertight and basically 77 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,360 what I need you to do is put your finger over that hole there. OK. 78 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,640 Have you got your finger in the right... I've got it in the... 79 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:16,440 Look, I'm going to show you. 80 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,200 It's there, right? That's the right one, yeah. 81 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,760 OK. Fill her up. Right, yeah. 82 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,320 Right, I think that's enough. How's that looking? 83 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:30,480 That's all right, actually. There's no water in the bucket, is there? 84 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,200 Lift that up. 85 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,480 Nothing. That's absolutely brilliant. 86 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,920 If you can stay there for about half an hour and just... 87 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:40,840 THEY LAUGH 88 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:47,520 The Repair Shop takes in all manner of artefacts 89 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:50,040 steeped in family history. 90 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,880 But not many of them span four generations. 91 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:56,720 Mark and Carol Bentley have brought along a much-loved 92 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,000 200-year-old heirloom, 93 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:01,880 which they hope the team can restore to its former glory. 94 00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:07,600 Will, we've got a table. 95 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,400 Lovely table. Thank you. 96 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,840 Looks like it's standing up on all three legs, so... Just about. 97 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:16,720 If we leave it too much longer, I think we'd have pieces rather 98 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:18,640 than a complete table. I see. 99 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,600 Where did you get it from? It came from my mother. 100 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:23,920 Before her, her grandmother 101 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,760 and, before her, my great-great-grandmother. 102 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,840 So this looks like a triangular top but I presume these... 103 00:05:30,840 --> 00:05:32,880 Yeah, these come up. 104 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:34,320 Looks like rosewood to me. 105 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,880 The thing with the rosewood is it's quite a dark wood, 106 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:39,240 but, as time goes on, it really lightens 107 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:41,560 and it goes this really nice blonde colour, 108 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:46,120 which looks lovely but it's really tricky to then patch certain areas. 109 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,560 Oh. 110 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,560 And it looks like we're missing a massive patch of veneer 111 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:52,680 from the inside. 112 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,400 That's the most serious problem. If you leave that with us, 113 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,480 we will let you know when it's ready to be picked up. 114 00:05:57,480 --> 00:05:59,520 Great, lovely. Thank you very much for coming in. 115 00:05:59,520 --> 00:06:02,080 Thanks, Will. Cheers, thanks. Thank you. 116 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,280 To get a clear view of the beautiful veneered top, 117 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:13,200 Will first deep cleans the table, which reveals a challenging issue. 118 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:16,400 You can actually see where everything is quite light 119 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,520 but there are areas where it's quite dark, 120 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,840 and the only way to make that light again is to bleach it out. 121 00:06:22,840 --> 00:06:26,800 Bleaching isn't really my favourite task. 122 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,080 It's something I've used sort of as a last resort. 123 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,440 To get the table back to its best, 124 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,200 Will has to colour match some rosewood veneer. 125 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:43,240 So right now, I'm putting on the first bleach. 126 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,520 What that does is it soaks into the wood 127 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,360 and actually makes it look a lot darker. 128 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,400 And once that's dried in about 20 minutes, half an hour, 129 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,360 then you put on bleach B and then that turns it lighter. 130 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,080 So I'm really pleased with this. 131 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,680 I know that this looks really bleached out and a lot lighter 132 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,360 than the table, for now. 133 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,280 However, once I neutralise this 134 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:22,080 with a bit of water and white vinegar, 135 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,720 you'll see it's not actually too far off, is it? 136 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,320 That looks pretty good. I've actually surprised myself in a way. 137 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:37,520 But with a 200-year-old wooden piece like this, 138 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,240 even a seemingly straightforward job has hidden problems. 139 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:44,520 I'm not sure what to do. 140 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,880 Instead of patching it there... 141 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:50,640 Yeah. I am considering on 142 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,000 patching it there, 143 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,640 so taking it right up to that line of inlay. 144 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:58,960 Really? Yeah. 145 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,560 Seems like quite a big, big job to me. I don't know. Gosh. 146 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,840 There are some jobs that you think are a really good idea 147 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:07,560 and then halfway through you just think... "Why did I start this?" 148 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,280 .."Oh, my gosh!" 149 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,640 The possessions we treasure most 150 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:23,400 are often those that represent a connection to loved ones. 151 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,080 Next to arrive at the repair shop is Jill Padmore, 152 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:30,280 with an adored childhood friend in need of some serious TLC 153 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:33,800 from soft toy restorers Julie and Amanda. 154 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,720 This is Panda. 155 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,200 I had Panda when I was one. 156 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:39,320 My father bought me Panda. 157 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:41,400 As you can see, 158 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,640 he's been well-loved and well-cherished over the years. 159 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,720 He's sweet. Sadly, my father died when I was nine. 160 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:49,600 And... 161 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:53,080 He's very precious to you for that reason. 162 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:56,760 Yeah, he's very precious because I didn't really come to terms with my 163 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:00,760 father's death for probably about 20 years. 164 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,800 But Panda, throughout that time, when I couldn't talk about him, 165 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:06,200 he was always there. 166 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:10,040 We didn't have to have a conversation. He was my connection. 167 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:12,880 I knew that my father, who loved me, had bought me the panda. 168 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:14,240 So he knows everything? 169 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,520 He knows everything and there's a lot of tears shed on him. 170 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:22,080 He's a very special panda. Deserves to be looking beautiful again. 171 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:24,840 Did he have a little red tongue? He had a little red tongue, yeah. 172 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:26,120 We had tea parties, you see, 173 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,840 so I think obviously during a tea party he must have lost his tongue. 174 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,160 Enough that he can sit up? Well, he never did sit up by himself. 175 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:35,960 Oh, right. He always had to be propped up. 176 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:40,080 I just want to be able to, you know, cuddle and love him again... 177 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:41,960 Absolutely, we understand. 178 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:43,880 ..and pass him on to my son as well. 179 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,360 I just want to reassure you that we won't change his look 180 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:48,880 or his character. 181 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,320 He will still be the panda that you remember. 182 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,160 Aww. We'll look after him. 183 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,280 He'll be fine. Don't worry, we will look after him. 184 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:56,480 We will. Thank you. 185 00:09:56,480 --> 00:10:00,320 Come on, Panda. You're with us now for a little while. 186 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,720 Thank you very much. No, you're more than welcome. You're welcome. 187 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:10,520 I feel as though I'm, sort of, honouring Dad's memory, really. 188 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,840 And being able to pass him onto my own son is... 189 00:10:16,560 --> 00:10:19,160 ..you know, is very special. 190 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,880 The first step for Julie and Amanda is to carefully unpick this 191 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,320 distinguished old friend and remove all of his stuffing. 192 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,080 No going back, as they say. 193 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,280 I know. It has to be done, though, doesn't it? I know. 194 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,680 That's the thing. I always think it's lovely when you first 195 00:10:32,680 --> 00:10:35,840 undo seams that you see the fur as it would have been... Yes! 196 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,600 ..cos that's the bit tucked inside. 197 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:40,960 How cute is that? Yeah! 198 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,040 Just that last little bit. 199 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:47,040 Yeah. There we go. OK. 200 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:49,640 There he is in two pieces. 201 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:55,920 Well, there you go. 202 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,560 You wouldn't believe that all came out of him, would you? No. 203 00:10:58,560 --> 00:11:02,800 Bear innards. Good job. Back to the unpicking, then? Yeah. 204 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,040 Back at his bench, Will has made a bold decision 205 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,920 about the rosewood table. 206 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,040 So, I'm going to take a giant leap 207 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,360 and remove the veneer on the inside. 208 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:24,400 Veneer of this age can be especially stubborn to remove, 209 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,880 but Will's got a trick up his sleeve. 210 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:34,000 So the iron is melting and softening the glue underneath the veneer. 211 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,120 You can sort of just roll it up like that. 212 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,040 But there's a risk of me damaging the surrounding area, 213 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:40,840 which is what I don't want to do 214 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,680 because I might end up having to replace the entire top. 215 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:53,480 HE EXHALES AND LAUGHS 216 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:57,000 Right, I am happy to see the back of that process. 217 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,400 Now, Will can begin to apply the rosewood veneers 218 00:12:07,400 --> 00:12:08,760 he bleached earlier. 219 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,320 This is the point where, almost the point of no return. 220 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,600 Measured 50 times and cut once. 221 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:17,680 It's going to pay off, it's going to pay off. 222 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:38,040 It's really tricky because if I cut everything symmetrically, 223 00:12:38,040 --> 00:12:39,640 it definitely wouldn't fit. 224 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,960 So I'm actually having to partly use my imagination 225 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,080 and partly just go with the feel of the table top. 226 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:52,400 What I'll do now is put some glue on the back and then clamp it down 227 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,840 because I don't want any air pockets or pockets of loose glue. 228 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:59,040 Sweet. 229 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:19,480 Steve is painstakingly reviving the 19th-century toy battleship that was 230 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,800 discovered on a beach 65 years ago. 231 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:25,640 I've already cleaned up one cannon. 232 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:27,440 That's what it looked like before. 233 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:28,720 It's come up quite nice. 234 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,760 I've got to repair the propeller. 235 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:32,840 It doesn't feel smooth. 236 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,520 So I think the whole thing might need stripping out and cleaning. 237 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:38,880 So how are you getting on with the other bits, then? 238 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,040 Yeah, good. This is the actual main burner. 239 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,840 So you put methylated spirits in there and you've got three flames 240 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,480 coming up, which sits under here 241 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:49,640 and heats up the tank. 242 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:51,320 Come on! Yeah. 243 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:53,600 Really? This is the piston. 244 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,880 So the steam drives this piston, 245 00:13:55,880 --> 00:14:00,440 which goes up and down like that and actually turns this flywheel, 246 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,160 which is attached to the propeller. 247 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:04,720 This piston... Piston. 248 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,040 ..is the really important piece. 249 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:08,480 That was full of sand, 250 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,440 but now I've cleaned it all out and it's as smooth as anything. 251 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,360 So it's a matter of just putting everything back on now 252 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:17,040 and firing it up. 253 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,760 As Jay overseas repairs across the workshop, 254 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,800 he's keen to find out if Will's big gamble on the rosewood table veneer 255 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:27,440 has paid off. 256 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,840 This is like Christmas. Come on. You do that side, I'll do this side. 257 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,240 I'll let you do the last one. Yeah. 258 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,280 Oh, that looks nice. And it's flat. 259 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,760 The only thing is, that goes in like that, doesn't it? 260 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:48,520 Yeah, roughly. 261 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:51,840 But we're still going to have that bit missing in the middle. 262 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:53,760 I can patch that. Can you? 263 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,280 If I can do that, I can patch that. 264 00:14:56,280 --> 00:15:00,200 All right, I'll leave you to it, then. Yeah. All right. 265 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,560 Before the precious toy battleship is relaunched, 266 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:10,360 Steve needs to be confident that its steam engine still works. 267 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:14,960 After all, it's been out of action for almost 70 years. 268 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,560 So you're going to wait for it to get a pressure... Yeah. 269 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,160 ..and then the steam should go through? 270 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,880 I've got Dom's welding mask here, so once it gets to a certain heat, 271 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:27,840 I'm going to put on the... 272 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:30,400 Actually, I'm going to do it now! Yes, please. 273 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,000 Did you see that? Yeah, yeah, I saw it. 274 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:39,520 Come on! You can see it's got some energy there. 275 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:43,520 What's stopping it, do you reckon, then, Steve? I'm not sure. No? 276 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:45,800 Because, obviously, it should go, shouldn't it? 277 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:47,680 It's almost there, it's almost going. 278 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,360 Right. Back to the drawing board? 279 00:15:55,360 --> 00:16:00,440 What I'm going to do, I'm going to loosen up the propeller end 280 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,680 because that might be causing too much friction. 281 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:04,880 Right, come on, then. OK. 282 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:19,720 Over on Julie and Amanda's workbench, 283 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,920 emergency surgery is being carried out 284 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,520 on the threadbare 50-year-old panda. 285 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:29,720 We have now lined all the body and the arms and legs. 286 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,240 I will put some stuffing into this head. 287 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,120 Julie will get his tummy panel into place 288 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:37,880 and finish putting his paw pads in. 289 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,680 We see pandas right back from early, early bear-making. 290 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,680 I'd say as early as the '20s. 291 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:45,960 This one came from the 1960s 292 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:50,720 and I would say around the '60s, I think they had pandas at London Zoo, 293 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,880 and, of course, all the children wanted a panda. 294 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,080 So it's quite nice to see one that's survived. 295 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,560 The fact that he's been played with so much and, you know, 296 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:02,240 he's still in reasonable condition. 297 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:03,880 He is. 298 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,240 Now that I've got more stuffing behind there, 299 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,280 there's a bit more substance to his muzzle. 300 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:19,000 I'm going to be able to stitch his little nose into place 301 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:23,280 and his tongue will be going there. 302 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,480 This is how he would have originally looked, 303 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,920 so I'm really pleased with how that's looking. 304 00:17:28,920 --> 00:17:33,400 He'll be ready to pop it back onto his body when Julie's finished. 305 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,360 That's if she catches up. And stops faffing. 306 00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:38,240 Yeah, she's good at faffing! 307 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:51,040 We've reached a tricky stage now. 308 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:55,560 We have this area here around the edge of the fabric which, 309 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:58,840 quite delightfully, is as his fur would have been. 310 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,560 However, if we don't match this properly, 311 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:04,800 that's going to show and it's not going to look right if it shows. 312 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,360 White fluffy armpits are not a good look. 313 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:10,080 No, it won't be quite right. 314 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,720 Once I have stitched all the way to the top here, 315 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,440 that will be, effectively, the stitching complete. 316 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,880 And then I'll be able to turn it through 317 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:21,480 and check that I did actually get it lined up. 318 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:23,560 It's kind of a bit exciting. 319 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,760 She's got her smug-mode look on. 320 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,480 She's definitely confident. 321 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:31,640 I'm a bit scared to look now, you're making such a thing. Oh! 322 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,040 Look at that! 323 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,200 Look, look. Well done. 324 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:48,520 Will has made good headway 325 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,280 on a much-loved 200-year-old rosewood table, 326 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,320 handed down through four generations. 327 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:56,760 But his work isn't done quite yet. 328 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,440 Whilst I was dismantling this table top, 329 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:03,400 I realised that one of the panels 330 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,360 sat prouder than the actual triangular surface. 331 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:09,840 I thought that it was actually warped and curved, 332 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:14,160 but instead I realised some of these hinges are actually bent. 333 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,320 So I thought, why not take them off, 334 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,360 get them into a clamp and see if I can clamp them flat? 335 00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:20,680 That's almost perfect. 336 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,720 If I compare that to a hinge I haven't actually flattened out yet, 337 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,400 you can see the massive difference there. 338 00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:32,320 Hopefully, they should all be just as easy to flatten out. 339 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:42,000 Once the hinges are back in place and the table reassembled, 340 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,120 Will and Jay have just enough time to add some finishing touches before 341 00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:48,320 Mark and Carol return to collect it. 342 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,560 Hello, Will. Nice to see you. OK, Will. Nice to see you. 343 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,000 All right. Would you like to have a look? Yes, please. Yes. 344 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:02,840 Wow! 345 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:09,160 That's beautiful. You have done a brilliant job, Will. 346 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,200 I just wish my mother was still around to see that, 347 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:13,560 and my grandmother as well. 348 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:16,360 Like me, they'd be lost for words. 349 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:19,160 I just didn't believe it would be... 350 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:22,480 Well, look that good. 351 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:27,640 It's amazing. It was a pleasure to work on. 352 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,280 I really, really owe you for that. 353 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:31,560 Thank you. 354 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,920 If you're ever down our way, you're welcome for a coffee any time. 355 00:20:34,920 --> 00:20:37,080 I might hold you to that! 356 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:44,080 I'm stunned by what Will's done with the table. 357 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,200 When he took that blanket off and we looked at the inlay... 358 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:51,280 ..I got very emotional. It's just brought it back to life. 359 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:54,400 It's as though it's just come out of the showroom. 360 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:58,880 And it just brings back so many memories of my mother and my grandmother. 361 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:02,200 The story doesn't finish here. 362 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:06,080 It's four generations and counting. Mmm. Yeah. 363 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,960 Clockwork expert Steve has been engaged in an epic struggle 364 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,480 with a vintage toy battleship. 365 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,040 He's painstakingly cleaned up all of the components, 366 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,720 and although the boat's steam engine works, 367 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:30,640 it has so far refused to actually turn the propeller. 368 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,280 So, it's going to work this time? 369 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,040 Do you know what? I'm confident this time. 370 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,600 So do you know why it didn't work? 371 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:42,840 Yeah, the whole hull was slightly bent, 372 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,040 which meant that the actual propeller shaft 373 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,400 wasn't quite in line and it was binding. 374 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,760 I do trust you. 375 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:53,800 You ready? There we go. 376 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:57,560 OK. 377 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:01,880 It's coming out. That's a good sign. 378 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:03,560 MOTOR WHIRS 379 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:05,840 Come on, man! 380 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:11,400 Wow, that's fast, isn't it? 381 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:12,920 Cor blimey! Feel the air. 382 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,040 Oh, wow. So in the water, that would just go like that, wouldn't it? 383 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,400 It would go like a rocket. That's a point, yeah. 384 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,320 It might go really fast. Go too fast! I like that. 385 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:27,400 I'm chuffed to bits. You should be, man. Well done. That's a good job. 386 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:30,880 Michael's going to be well-chuffed with that. Really? No, well done. 387 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,400 The conditions on the local duck pond are perfect for a vintage toy 388 00:22:42,400 --> 00:22:44,480 steamboat's relaunching ceremony. 389 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:48,880 Betty and Michael are back to see how Steve has got on with the 390 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,280 restoration of their much-loved family heirloom. 391 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:54,040 Hello, Betty. 392 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:55,800 Hello, Michael. 393 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:58,840 How are you doing, Michael? Good to see you. You all right? 394 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:00,120 Hello. You all right? 395 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:03,120 I'm really excited to see this. 396 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:05,240 I don't know if you've been as excited as Steve. 397 00:23:05,240 --> 00:23:08,360 He was like a little boy in a sweet shop and a toy shop. 398 00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:09,760 I've never seen him this excited. 399 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,600 So we're going to show them? 400 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,480 Yeah, OK. Oh, wow! 401 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,640 Look at that. 402 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,360 I haven't polished it all up. I didn't want it gleaming. 403 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:22,240 This is just how I'd like it if it was mine. 404 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:25,080 It's amazing, it's brilliant. 405 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,560 It's really brought it back to life. 406 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,440 So what would your husband think of it now? 407 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:34,080 He would be absolutely thrilled to bits and beside himself. 408 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:39,160 He would have been absolutely out of this world. 409 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,880 Well, I'm going to fire it up now. 410 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,200 Once it's heated up, I'll launch it. 411 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,000 You're going to launch it? You're not going to let Michael launch it? 412 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,120 Oh, come on! I don't want you to fall in. 413 00:23:52,120 --> 00:23:54,040 Oh, you don't want him falling in? All right. 414 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:55,920 Take the last bit of pleasure away from you. 415 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:58,920 Yes, it would, actually! 416 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:01,280 There we go. 417 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,880 Right, I'm going to put it in the water now. 418 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:16,120 Brilliant. Look. 419 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:18,120 That's great. 420 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,680 That's fantastic. I was just blown away. 421 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:33,360 To see it just chug off from his hands, it really was amazing. 422 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:39,440 Look at them, they're like two little schoolboys, aren't they? 423 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,440 Proper made-up. 424 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:44,560 It took me back 425 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:47,920 to the time when it was first put on the water 426 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:52,320 and I could see my husband and Michael, 427 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:56,280 and that's one of the most precious things there is, remembering. 428 00:25:07,360 --> 00:25:09,240 Back in the workshop, 429 00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:13,160 the repair of the old toy panda is almost finished. 430 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,320 There's just one thing missing. 431 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:21,640 So it's my job now to marry up head with said body. 432 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:23,880 This can be a little tricky at times. 433 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,960 Vintage fabrics do stretch over a period of time. 434 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,680 Now, we have stabilised this by lining it, 435 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:32,960 but we still have to make sure that, as we put it on, 436 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,280 we're not going to get any, you know, head to one side 437 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,280 or not fitting him properly, 438 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,120 otherwise he's going to have a crick in his neck forever. 439 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:52,640 How are you doing? Just the last couple. Well done. 440 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:56,360 There he is, all ready for his bow. Yeah, it's really good. 441 00:25:56,360 --> 00:25:58,360 I love doing this. Get the bow on him. 442 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:00,440 It's our finishing touch, isn't it? Absolutely. 443 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,600 The final test to see if he's done. 444 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,960 The one thing Jill said was he never was able to sit up on his own. 445 00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:08,200 We know we've got it right if he falls over. 446 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,200 Right, OK. OK, are you ready? Yep, yep. Ready, steady... 447 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:13,840 BOTH: Perfect! 448 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,600 THEY LAUGH 449 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:20,400 With her son, Edward, Jill is back at the repair shop 450 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:23,440 ready to be reunited with the precious bear 451 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,200 that her late father gave her 50 years ago. 452 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,440 Hello. Hello. 453 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,480 Hello. How are you feeling? 454 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:32,040 Nervous, excited. 455 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:36,200 So you must be Edward, who's going to eventually own panda bear? 456 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,160 Yes. So, are we ready? 457 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:43,520 You've been waiting for this for a long time. 458 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:47,080 Go on, then. Ready? 459 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,240 There you go. 460 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,440 Oh, my goodness me. 461 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,000 He's perfect. 462 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:01,760 He looks just... 463 00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,760 Bless you. Thank you so much. 464 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:12,160 You're more than welcome. It's a pleasure. 465 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,560 He looks better than I remember. 466 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,920 He looks better than I remembered. 467 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,360 So now he looks like that, does it take you back? It does. 468 00:27:23,360 --> 00:27:27,960 Just lovely that the connection you have with him and your father, 469 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,760 it's just like that link that you're always going to have 470 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,600 all the time you've got Panda. 471 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:36,320 It is because you go through a process when you're grieving and, 472 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:39,040 as I said, it feels like 473 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,920 he's the last jigsaw in the healing process... 474 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:45,320 Yes. ..after all these years. I'm so grateful to you. 475 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,000 You're welcome. 476 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:51,280 The Repair Shop of dreams. Thank you. Thank you. 477 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,640 Thank you. 478 00:27:57,480 --> 00:28:00,440 Come on, you. Come on. 479 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:02,760 They've just given me a piece of my childhood back 480 00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:06,400 and a link to my dad that I've got, hopefully, for the rest of my life. 481 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:10,120 It's the last piece of the jigsaw. Yeah, last piece of the jigsaw! 482 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:14,560 I knew they were the people to do it for me and I'm so very grateful. 483 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:25,480 Join us next time, as more treasured possessions are revived, 484 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:28,280 and their precious memories restored.