Episode 6

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0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to The Repair Shop,

0:00:03 > 0:00:06where cherished family heirlooms are brought back to life.

0:00:06 > 0:00:08This is the workshop of dreams.

0:00:08 > 0:00:11Home to furniture restorer Jay Blades.

0:00:11 > 0:00:15Nowadays, everybody spend a fortune on stuff that, once it's broken,

0:00:15 > 0:00:19they just bin it, but everybody has something that means too much to be

0:00:19 > 0:00:21thrown away, and that's where we come in.

0:00:21 > 0:00:22Working alongside Jay

0:00:22 > 0:00:26will be some of the country's leading craftspeople.

0:00:26 > 0:00:28Every piece has its own story.

0:00:28 > 0:00:31It's amazing to think that some of my work becomes part of that story.

0:00:31 > 0:00:33I've always played with things,

0:00:33 > 0:00:36I've always repaired things, and I just love it.

0:00:36 > 0:00:40There is a real pleasure in bringing people's pieces back to life again.

0:00:40 > 0:00:43Each with their own unique set of skills...

0:00:43 > 0:00:45Right tool for the right job.

0:00:45 > 0:00:47..they will resurrect,

0:00:47 > 0:00:49- revive... - Come on, man.

0:00:49 > 0:00:52..and rejuvenate

0:00:52 > 0:00:54treasured possessions

0:00:54 > 0:00:56and irreplaceable pieces of family history.

0:00:56 > 0:00:59Wow! She's fantastic!

0:00:59 > 0:01:01Bringing both the objects...

0:01:01 > 0:01:03This is what I remember.

0:01:03 > 0:01:05..and the memories that they hold...

0:01:05 > 0:01:07- Wow!- ..back to life.

0:01:07 > 0:01:10Oh, my God!

0:01:25 > 0:01:27In The Repair Shop today,

0:01:27 > 0:01:30Will has his work cut out with an antique table.

0:01:30 > 0:01:33There are some jobs that you think are a really good idea

0:01:33 > 0:01:37and then halfway through you just think, "Oh, my gosh!"

0:01:37 > 0:01:40While Julie and Amanda attempt to breathe new life into a precious

0:01:40 > 0:01:4350-year-old cuddly toy.

0:01:43 > 0:01:46We've been waiting for this for a long time.

0:01:51 > 0:01:57But first, The Repair Shop is taking delivery of a real collector's item,

0:01:57 > 0:02:00belonging to Betty Raymond and her son, Michael.

0:02:01 > 0:02:03- Hello.- Hello.

0:02:03 > 0:02:06- I'm Steve, hi.- Hello. I know you can't shake my hand.

0:02:06 > 0:02:09- Pop it on the table here... - Thank you.- ..whatever it is.

0:02:09 > 0:02:13- What have we got here?- OK, this is an antique steam gunboat

0:02:13 > 0:02:16- that my parents found some years ago.- Oh, my word.

0:02:18 > 0:02:20This is fantastic.

0:02:20 > 0:02:23Part of the rudder. That's good.

0:02:23 > 0:02:25We've got a cannon and another cannon.

0:02:27 > 0:02:31I found it on the beach at Goring-by-Sea in 1952.

0:02:31 > 0:02:35- Right.- It was just that part, protruding from the sand.

0:02:35 > 0:02:39My husband said, "Don't touch it, don't touch it, it will go bang."

0:02:39 > 0:02:40But I stayed with it

0:02:40 > 0:02:43and eventually that was what came out from the sand.

0:02:43 > 0:02:44It was absolutely buried.

0:02:44 > 0:02:48- Have you researched the history? - We tried.

0:02:48 > 0:02:52My husband wrote to the address that is on the stern of the boat

0:02:52 > 0:02:54but we never got a reply.

0:02:54 > 0:02:55And have you ever had it working?

0:02:55 > 0:02:59Yes, in the boating lake in Poole Park.

0:02:59 > 0:03:04Michael was two at the time and we took it down and had it going.

0:03:04 > 0:03:05Would you like to see it running?

0:03:05 > 0:03:07I'd love to see it running, yes.

0:03:07 > 0:03:10After my husband died, I'd had it for a few years

0:03:10 > 0:03:13and I passed it over to Michael to look after.

0:03:13 > 0:03:17And then take it to his son, to keep it in the family.

0:03:17 > 0:03:22- Yes.- Because it's such an unusual piece of history.

0:03:22 > 0:03:27Absolutely. So I'm going to really enjoy this project.

0:03:27 > 0:03:29Wonderful. That would be great.

0:03:29 > 0:03:31- Thank you very much for coming in. - Thank you very much.

0:03:31 > 0:03:33- Thank you.- Thanks very much.

0:03:39 > 0:03:42Built by French toymakers Radigue & Mathieu,

0:03:42 > 0:03:46this steam-powered battleship is at least 125 years old.

0:03:46 > 0:03:49But the years of being buried under a Sussex beach

0:03:49 > 0:03:52have clearly taken their toll.

0:03:52 > 0:03:56The first thing Steve needs to do is strip off all the components

0:03:56 > 0:03:59and find out if the boat is seaworthy.

0:03:59 > 0:04:02Steve. I heard you need a bucket?

0:04:02 > 0:04:03- I did.- Full of water.

0:04:03 > 0:04:05- I do. Yeah.- Why?

0:04:05 > 0:04:08I just fill it with water to see if it's watertight and basically

0:04:08 > 0:04:11- what I need you to do is put your finger over that hole there.- OK.

0:04:11 > 0:04:14- Have you got your finger in the right...- I've got it in the...

0:04:14 > 0:04:16Look, I'm going to show you.

0:04:16 > 0:04:19- It's there, right? - That's the right one, yeah.

0:04:19 > 0:04:21- OK.- Fill her up.- Right, yeah.

0:04:23 > 0:04:27Right, I think that's enough. How's that looking?

0:04:27 > 0:04:30That's all right, actually. There's no water in the bucket, is there?

0:04:30 > 0:04:32Lift that up.

0:04:34 > 0:04:36- Nothing. - That's absolutely brilliant.

0:04:36 > 0:04:38If you can stay there for about half an hour and just...

0:04:38 > 0:04:40THEY LAUGH

0:04:44 > 0:04:47The Repair Shop takes in all manner of artefacts

0:04:47 > 0:04:50steeped in family history.

0:04:50 > 0:04:53But not many of them span four generations.

0:04:53 > 0:04:56Mark and Carol Bentley have brought along a much-loved

0:04:56 > 0:04:59200-year-old heirloom,

0:04:59 > 0:05:01which they hope the team can restore to its former glory.

0:05:04 > 0:05:07Will, we've got a table.

0:05:07 > 0:05:09- Lovely table.- Thank you.

0:05:09 > 0:05:12- Looks like it's standing up on all three legs, so...- Just about.

0:05:12 > 0:05:16If we leave it too much longer, I think we'd have pieces rather

0:05:16 > 0:05:18- than a complete table.- I see.

0:05:18 > 0:05:21- Where did you get it from? - It came from my mother.

0:05:21 > 0:05:23Before her, her grandmother

0:05:23 > 0:05:27and, before her, my great-great-grandmother.

0:05:27 > 0:05:30So this looks like a triangular top but I presume these...

0:05:30 > 0:05:32Yeah, these come up.

0:05:32 > 0:05:34Looks like rosewood to me.

0:05:34 > 0:05:36The thing with the rosewood is it's quite a dark wood,

0:05:36 > 0:05:39but, as time goes on, it really lightens

0:05:39 > 0:05:41and it goes this really nice blonde colour,

0:05:41 > 0:05:46which looks lovely but it's really tricky to then patch certain areas.

0:05:46 > 0:05:48Oh.

0:05:48 > 0:05:51And it looks like we're missing a massive patch of veneer

0:05:51 > 0:05:52from the inside.

0:05:52 > 0:05:55- That's the most serious problem. - If you leave that with us,

0:05:55 > 0:05:57we will let you know when it's ready to be picked up.

0:05:57 > 0:05:59- Great, lovely. - Thank you very much for coming in.

0:05:59 > 0:06:02- Thanks, Will.- Cheers, thanks. - Thank you.

0:06:04 > 0:06:08To get a clear view of the beautiful veneered top,

0:06:08 > 0:06:13Will first deep cleans the table, which reveals a challenging issue.

0:06:13 > 0:06:16You can actually see where everything is quite light

0:06:16 > 0:06:19but there are areas where it's quite dark,

0:06:19 > 0:06:22and the only way to make that light again is to bleach it out.

0:06:22 > 0:06:26Bleaching isn't really my favourite task.

0:06:26 > 0:06:30It's something I've used sort of as a last resort.

0:06:33 > 0:06:35To get the table back to its best,

0:06:35 > 0:06:38Will has to colour match some rosewood veneer.

0:06:40 > 0:06:43So right now, I'm putting on the first bleach.

0:06:43 > 0:06:45What that does is it soaks into the wood

0:06:45 > 0:06:48and actually makes it look a lot darker.

0:06:48 > 0:06:52And once that's dried in about 20 minutes, half an hour,

0:06:52 > 0:06:56then you put on bleach B and then that turns it lighter.

0:07:05 > 0:07:09So I'm really pleased with this.

0:07:09 > 0:07:11I know that this looks really bleached out and a lot lighter

0:07:11 > 0:07:14than the table, for now.

0:07:15 > 0:07:19However, once I neutralise this

0:07:19 > 0:07:22with a bit of water and white vinegar,

0:07:22 > 0:07:25you'll see it's not actually too far off, is it?

0:07:27 > 0:07:30That looks pretty good. I've actually surprised myself in a way.

0:07:33 > 0:07:37But with a 200-year-old wooden piece like this,

0:07:37 > 0:07:41even a seemingly straightforward job has hidden problems.

0:07:43 > 0:07:44I'm not sure what to do.

0:07:44 > 0:07:46Instead of patching it there...

0:07:46 > 0:07:50- Yeah.- I am considering on

0:07:50 > 0:07:53patching it there,

0:07:53 > 0:07:57so taking it right up to that line of inlay.

0:07:57 > 0:07:58- Really?- Yeah.

0:07:58 > 0:08:02- Seems like quite a big, big job to me. I don't know.- Gosh.

0:08:02 > 0:08:04There are some jobs that you think are a really good idea

0:08:04 > 0:08:07- and then halfway through you just think...- "Why did I start this?"

0:08:07 > 0:08:09.."Oh, my gosh!"

0:08:16 > 0:08:18The possessions we treasure most

0:08:18 > 0:08:23are often those that represent a connection to loved ones.

0:08:23 > 0:08:26Next to arrive at the repair shop is Jill Padmore,

0:08:26 > 0:08:30with an adored childhood friend in need of some serious TLC

0:08:30 > 0:08:33from soft toy restorers Julie and Amanda.

0:08:33 > 0:08:35This is Panda.

0:08:35 > 0:08:37I had Panda when I was one.

0:08:37 > 0:08:39My father bought me Panda.

0:08:39 > 0:08:41As you can see,

0:08:41 > 0:08:44he's been well-loved and well-cherished over the years.

0:08:44 > 0:08:47- He's sweet.- Sadly, my father died when I was nine.

0:08:47 > 0:08:49And...

0:08:50 > 0:08:53He's very precious to you for that reason.

0:08:53 > 0:08:56Yeah, he's very precious because I didn't really come to terms with my

0:08:56 > 0:09:00father's death for probably about 20 years.

0:09:00 > 0:09:04But Panda, throughout that time, when I couldn't talk about him,

0:09:04 > 0:09:06he was always there.

0:09:06 > 0:09:10We didn't have to have a conversation. He was my connection.

0:09:10 > 0:09:12I knew that my father, who loved me, had bought me the panda.

0:09:12 > 0:09:14So he knows everything?

0:09:14 > 0:09:17He knows everything and there's a lot of tears shed on him.

0:09:17 > 0:09:22He's a very special panda. Deserves to be looking beautiful again.

0:09:22 > 0:09:24- Did he have a little red tongue? - He had a little red tongue, yeah.

0:09:24 > 0:09:26We had tea parties, you see,

0:09:26 > 0:09:29so I think obviously during a tea party he must have lost his tongue.

0:09:31 > 0:09:34- Enough that he can sit up?- Well, he never did sit up by himself.

0:09:34 > 0:09:35- Oh, right. - He always had to be propped up.

0:09:35 > 0:09:40I just want to be able to, you know, cuddle and love him again...

0:09:40 > 0:09:41Absolutely, we understand.

0:09:41 > 0:09:43..and pass him on to my son as well.

0:09:43 > 0:09:47I just want to reassure you that we won't change his look

0:09:47 > 0:09:48or his character.

0:09:48 > 0:09:51He will still be the panda that you remember.

0:09:51 > 0:09:53- Aww.- We'll look after him.

0:09:53 > 0:09:55- He'll be fine.- Don't worry, we will look after him.

0:09:55 > 0:09:56- We will.- Thank you.

0:09:56 > 0:10:00Come on, Panda. You're with us now for a little while.

0:10:00 > 0:10:03- Thank you very much.- No, you're more than welcome.- You're welcome.

0:10:07 > 0:10:10I feel as though I'm, sort of, honouring Dad's memory, really.

0:10:10 > 0:10:14And being able to pass him onto my own son is...

0:10:16 > 0:10:19..you know, is very special.

0:10:19 > 0:10:22The first step for Julie and Amanda is to carefully unpick this

0:10:22 > 0:10:26distinguished old friend and remove all of his stuffing.

0:10:26 > 0:10:28No going back, as they say.

0:10:28 > 0:10:30- I know.- It has to be done, though, doesn't it?- I know.

0:10:30 > 0:10:32That's the thing. I always think it's lovely when you first

0:10:32 > 0:10:35- undo seams that you see the fur as it would have been...- Yes!

0:10:35 > 0:10:38..cos that's the bit tucked inside.

0:10:38 > 0:10:40- How cute is that?- Yeah!

0:10:43 > 0:10:45Just that last little bit.

0:10:45 > 0:10:47- Yeah. There we go.- OK.

0:10:47 > 0:10:49There he is in two pieces.

0:10:54 > 0:10:55Well, there you go.

0:10:55 > 0:10:58- You wouldn't believe that all came out of him, would you?- No.

0:10:58 > 0:11:02- Bear innards.- Good job. Back to the unpicking, then?- Yeah.

0:11:05 > 0:11:08Back at his bench, Will has made a bold decision

0:11:08 > 0:11:10about the rosewood table.

0:11:10 > 0:11:14So, I'm going to take a giant leap

0:11:14 > 0:11:17and remove the veneer on the inside.

0:11:20 > 0:11:24Veneer of this age can be especially stubborn to remove,

0:11:24 > 0:11:27but Will's got a trick up his sleeve.

0:11:29 > 0:11:34So the iron is melting and softening the glue underneath the veneer.

0:11:34 > 0:11:36You can sort of just roll it up like that.

0:11:36 > 0:11:39But there's a risk of me damaging the surrounding area,

0:11:39 > 0:11:40which is what I don't want to do

0:11:40 > 0:11:43because I might end up having to replace the entire top.

0:11:51 > 0:11:53HE EXHALES AND LAUGHS

0:11:53 > 0:11:57Right, I am happy to see the back of that process.

0:12:04 > 0:12:07Now, Will can begin to apply the rosewood veneers

0:12:07 > 0:12:08he bleached earlier.

0:12:08 > 0:12:12This is the point where, almost the point of no return.

0:12:12 > 0:12:14Measured 50 times and cut once.

0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's going to pay off, it's going to pay off.

0:12:33 > 0:12:38It's really tricky because if I cut everything symmetrically,

0:12:38 > 0:12:39it definitely wouldn't fit.

0:12:39 > 0:12:42So I'm actually having to partly use my imagination

0:12:42 > 0:12:46and partly just go with the feel of the table top.

0:12:48 > 0:12:52What I'll do now is put some glue on the back and then clamp it down

0:12:52 > 0:12:55because I don't want any air pockets or pockets of loose glue.

0:12:57 > 0:12:59Sweet.

0:13:14 > 0:13:19Steve is painstakingly reviving the 19th-century toy battleship that was

0:13:19 > 0:13:22discovered on a beach 65 years ago.

0:13:22 > 0:13:25I've already cleaned up one cannon.

0:13:25 > 0:13:27That's what it looked like before.

0:13:27 > 0:13:28It's come up quite nice.

0:13:28 > 0:13:30I've got to repair the propeller.

0:13:30 > 0:13:32It doesn't feel smooth.

0:13:32 > 0:13:36So I think the whole thing might need stripping out and cleaning.

0:13:36 > 0:13:38So how are you getting on with the other bits, then?

0:13:38 > 0:13:42Yeah, good. This is the actual main burner.

0:13:42 > 0:13:44So you put methylated spirits in there and you've got three flames

0:13:44 > 0:13:47coming up, which sits under here

0:13:47 > 0:13:49and heats up the tank.

0:13:49 > 0:13:51- Come on!- Yeah.

0:13:51 > 0:13:53- Really?- This is the piston.

0:13:53 > 0:13:55So the steam drives this piston,

0:13:55 > 0:14:00which goes up and down like that and actually turns this flywheel,

0:14:00 > 0:14:03which is attached to the propeller.

0:14:03 > 0:14:04- This piston...- Piston.

0:14:04 > 0:14:07..is the really important piece.

0:14:07 > 0:14:08That was full of sand,

0:14:08 > 0:14:11but now I've cleaned it all out and it's as smooth as anything.

0:14:11 > 0:14:14So it's a matter of just putting everything back on now

0:14:14 > 0:14:17and firing it up.

0:14:18 > 0:14:21As Jay overseas repairs across the workshop,

0:14:21 > 0:14:25he's keen to find out if Will's big gamble on the rosewood table veneer

0:14:25 > 0:14:27has paid off.

0:14:27 > 0:14:30- This is like Christmas. Come on. - You do that side, I'll do this side.

0:14:33 > 0:14:36- I'll let you do the last one.- Yeah.

0:14:39 > 0:14:43- Oh, that looks nice.- And it's flat.

0:14:43 > 0:14:46The only thing is, that goes in like that, doesn't it?

0:14:46 > 0:14:48Yeah, roughly.

0:14:48 > 0:14:51But we're still going to have that bit missing in the middle.

0:14:51 > 0:14:53- I can patch that.- Can you?

0:14:53 > 0:14:56If I can do that, I can patch that.

0:14:56 > 0:15:00- All right, I'll leave you to it, then.- Yeah.- All right.

0:15:03 > 0:15:06Before the precious toy battleship is relaunched,

0:15:06 > 0:15:10Steve needs to be confident that its steam engine still works.

0:15:10 > 0:15:14After all, it's been out of action for almost 70 years.

0:15:17 > 0:15:19- So you're going to wait for it to get a pressure...- Yeah.

0:15:19 > 0:15:22..and then the steam should go through?

0:15:22 > 0:15:25I've got Dom's welding mask here, so once it gets to a certain heat,

0:15:25 > 0:15:27I'm going to put on the...

0:15:27 > 0:15:30- Actually, I'm going to do it now! - Yes, please.

0:15:32 > 0:15:35- Did you see that? - Yeah, yeah, I saw it.

0:15:35 > 0:15:39- Come on!- You can see it's got some energy there.

0:15:39 > 0:15:43- What's stopping it, do you reckon, then, Steve?- I'm not sure.- No?

0:15:43 > 0:15:45Because, obviously, it should go, shouldn't it?

0:15:45 > 0:15:47It's almost there, it's almost going.

0:15:53 > 0:15:55- Right.- Back to the drawing board?

0:15:55 > 0:16:00What I'm going to do, I'm going to loosen up the propeller end

0:16:00 > 0:16:02because that might be causing too much friction.

0:16:02 > 0:16:04- Right, come on, then.- OK.

0:16:17 > 0:16:19Over on Julie and Amanda's workbench,

0:16:19 > 0:16:21emergency surgery is being carried out

0:16:21 > 0:16:24on the threadbare 50-year-old panda.

0:16:24 > 0:16:29We have now lined all the body and the arms and legs.

0:16:29 > 0:16:33I will put some stuffing into this head.

0:16:33 > 0:16:36Julie will get his tummy panel into place

0:16:36 > 0:16:37and finish putting his paw pads in.

0:16:37 > 0:16:41We see pandas right back from early, early bear-making.

0:16:41 > 0:16:43I'd say as early as the '20s.

0:16:43 > 0:16:45This one came from the 1960s

0:16:45 > 0:16:50and I would say around the '60s, I think they had pandas at London Zoo,

0:16:50 > 0:16:53and, of course, all the children wanted a panda.

0:16:53 > 0:16:56So it's quite nice to see one that's survived.

0:16:56 > 0:16:59The fact that he's been played with so much and, you know,

0:16:59 > 0:17:02he's still in reasonable condition.

0:17:02 > 0:17:03He is.

0:17:08 > 0:17:11Now that I've got more stuffing behind there,

0:17:11 > 0:17:13there's a bit more substance to his muzzle.

0:17:13 > 0:17:19I'm going to be able to stitch his little nose into place

0:17:19 > 0:17:23and his tongue will be going there.

0:17:23 > 0:17:25This is how he would have originally looked,

0:17:25 > 0:17:28so I'm really pleased with how that's looking.

0:17:28 > 0:17:33He'll be ready to pop it back onto his body when Julie's finished.

0:17:33 > 0:17:36- That's if she catches up. - And stops faffing.

0:17:36 > 0:17:38Yeah, she's good at faffing!

0:17:49 > 0:17:51We've reached a tricky stage now.

0:17:51 > 0:17:55We have this area here around the edge of the fabric which,

0:17:55 > 0:17:58quite delightfully, is as his fur would have been.

0:17:58 > 0:18:01However, if we don't match this properly,

0:18:01 > 0:18:04that's going to show and it's not going to look right if it shows.

0:18:04 > 0:18:07White fluffy armpits are not a good look.

0:18:07 > 0:18:10No, it won't be quite right.

0:18:10 > 0:18:13Once I have stitched all the way to the top here,

0:18:13 > 0:18:16that will be, effectively, the stitching complete.

0:18:16 > 0:18:18And then I'll be able to turn it through

0:18:18 > 0:18:21and check that I did actually get it lined up.

0:18:21 > 0:18:23It's kind of a bit exciting.

0:18:23 > 0:18:25She's got her smug-mode look on.

0:18:25 > 0:18:28She's definitely confident.

0:18:28 > 0:18:31I'm a bit scared to look now, you're making such a thing. Oh!

0:18:34 > 0:18:36Look at that!

0:18:37 > 0:18:40Look, look. Well done.

0:18:47 > 0:18:48Will has made good headway

0:18:48 > 0:18:51on a much-loved 200-year-old rosewood table,

0:18:51 > 0:18:54handed down through four generations.

0:18:54 > 0:18:56But his work isn't done quite yet.

0:18:59 > 0:19:01Whilst I was dismantling this table top,

0:19:01 > 0:19:03I realised that one of the panels

0:19:03 > 0:19:07sat prouder than the actual triangular surface.

0:19:07 > 0:19:09I thought that it was actually warped and curved,

0:19:09 > 0:19:14but instead I realised some of these hinges are actually bent.

0:19:14 > 0:19:16So I thought, why not take them off,

0:19:16 > 0:19:19get them into a clamp and see if I can clamp them flat?

0:19:19 > 0:19:20That's almost perfect.

0:19:20 > 0:19:24If I compare that to a hinge I haven't actually flattened out yet,

0:19:24 > 0:19:27you can see the massive difference there.

0:19:29 > 0:19:32Hopefully, they should all be just as easy to flatten out.

0:19:37 > 0:19:42Once the hinges are back in place and the table reassembled,

0:19:42 > 0:19:46Will and Jay have just enough time to add some finishing touches before

0:19:46 > 0:19:48Mark and Carol return to collect it.

0:19:50 > 0:19:53- Hello, Will. Nice to see you. - OK, Will.- Nice to see you.

0:19:53 > 0:19:57- All right.- Would you like to have a look?- Yes, please.- Yes.

0:20:00 > 0:20:02Wow!

0:20:04 > 0:20:09- That's beautiful. - You have done a brilliant job, Will.

0:20:09 > 0:20:12I just wish my mother was still around to see that,

0:20:12 > 0:20:13and my grandmother as well.

0:20:13 > 0:20:16Like me, they'd be lost for words.

0:20:16 > 0:20:19I just didn't believe it would be...

0:20:20 > 0:20:22Well, look that good.

0:20:23 > 0:20:27- It's amazing. - It was a pleasure to work on.

0:20:27 > 0:20:30I really, really owe you for that.

0:20:30 > 0:20:31Thank you.

0:20:31 > 0:20:34If you're ever down our way, you're welcome for a coffee any time.

0:20:34 > 0:20:37I might hold you to that!

0:20:39 > 0:20:44I'm stunned by what Will's done with the table.

0:20:44 > 0:20:47When he took that blanket off and we looked at the inlay...

0:20:48 > 0:20:51- ..I got very emotional.- It's just brought it back to life.

0:20:51 > 0:20:54It's as though it's just come out of the showroom.

0:20:54 > 0:20:58And it just brings back so many memories of my mother and my grandmother.

0:20:59 > 0:21:02The story doesn't finish here.

0:21:02 > 0:21:06- It's four generations and counting. - Mmm.- Yeah.

0:21:15 > 0:21:18Clockwork expert Steve has been engaged in an epic struggle

0:21:18 > 0:21:21with a vintage toy battleship.

0:21:21 > 0:21:25He's painstakingly cleaned up all of the components,

0:21:25 > 0:21:27and although the boat's steam engine works,

0:21:27 > 0:21:30it has so far refused to actually turn the propeller.

0:21:33 > 0:21:35So, it's going to work this time?

0:21:35 > 0:21:37Do you know what? I'm confident this time.

0:21:37 > 0:21:39So do you know why it didn't work?

0:21:39 > 0:21:42Yeah, the whole hull was slightly bent,

0:21:42 > 0:21:46which meant that the actual propeller shaft

0:21:46 > 0:21:48wasn't quite in line and it was binding.

0:21:48 > 0:21:50I do trust you.

0:21:50 > 0:21:53You ready? There we go.

0:21:55 > 0:21:57OK.

0:21:59 > 0:22:01It's coming out. That's a good sign.

0:22:01 > 0:22:03MOTOR WHIRS

0:22:03 > 0:22:05Come on, man!

0:22:08 > 0:22:11Wow, that's fast, isn't it?

0:22:11 > 0:22:12- Cor blimey!- Feel the air.

0:22:14 > 0:22:18Oh, wow. So in the water, that would just go like that, wouldn't it?

0:22:18 > 0:22:20- It would go like a rocket. - That's a point, yeah.

0:22:20 > 0:22:23- It might go really fast. - Go too fast! I like that.

0:22:23 > 0:22:27- I'm chuffed to bits.- You should be, man. Well done. That's a good job.

0:22:27 > 0:22:30- Michael's going to be well-chuffed with that.- Really?- No, well done.

0:22:37 > 0:22:42The conditions on the local duck pond are perfect for a vintage toy

0:22:42 > 0:22:44steamboat's relaunching ceremony.

0:22:46 > 0:22:48Betty and Michael are back to see how Steve has got on with the

0:22:48 > 0:22:52restoration of their much-loved family heirloom.

0:22:52 > 0:22:54Hello, Betty.

0:22:54 > 0:22:55Hello, Michael.

0:22:55 > 0:22:58- How are you doing, Michael? - Good to see you.- You all right?

0:22:58 > 0:23:00- Hello.- You all right?

0:23:00 > 0:23:03I'm really excited to see this.

0:23:03 > 0:23:05I don't know if you've been as excited as Steve.

0:23:05 > 0:23:08He was like a little boy in a sweet shop and a toy shop.

0:23:08 > 0:23:09I've never seen him this excited.

0:23:09 > 0:23:11So we're going to show them?

0:23:11 > 0:23:14- Yeah, OK.- Oh, wow!

0:23:14 > 0:23:16Look at that.

0:23:16 > 0:23:19I haven't polished it all up. I didn't want it gleaming.

0:23:19 > 0:23:22This is just how I'd like it if it was mine.

0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's amazing, it's brilliant.

0:23:25 > 0:23:28It's really brought it back to life.

0:23:28 > 0:23:30So what would your husband think of it now?

0:23:30 > 0:23:34He would be absolutely thrilled to bits and beside himself.

0:23:35 > 0:23:39He would have been absolutely out of this world.

0:23:41 > 0:23:43Well, I'm going to fire it up now.

0:23:43 > 0:23:47Once it's heated up, I'll launch it.

0:23:47 > 0:23:50You're going to launch it? You're not going to let Michael launch it?

0:23:50 > 0:23:52- Oh, come on! - I don't want you to fall in.

0:23:52 > 0:23:54Oh, you don't want him falling in? All right.

0:23:54 > 0:23:55Take the last bit of pleasure away from you.

0:23:55 > 0:23:58Yes, it would, actually!

0:23:58 > 0:24:01There we go.

0:24:01 > 0:24:03Right, I'm going to put it in the water now.

0:24:13 > 0:24:16Brilliant. Look.

0:24:16 > 0:24:18That's great.

0:24:24 > 0:24:27That's fantastic. I was just blown away.

0:24:27 > 0:24:33To see it just chug off from his hands, it really was amazing.

0:24:35 > 0:24:39Look at them, they're like two little schoolboys, aren't they?

0:24:39 > 0:24:42Proper made-up.

0:24:42 > 0:24:44It took me back

0:24:44 > 0:24:47to the time when it was first put on the water

0:24:47 > 0:24:52and I could see my husband and Michael,

0:24:52 > 0:24:56and that's one of the most precious things there is, remembering.

0:25:07 > 0:25:09Back in the workshop,

0:25:09 > 0:25:13the repair of the old toy panda is almost finished.

0:25:13 > 0:25:16There's just one thing missing.

0:25:16 > 0:25:21So it's my job now to marry up head with said body.

0:25:21 > 0:25:23This can be a little tricky at times.

0:25:23 > 0:25:26Vintage fabrics do stretch over a period of time.

0:25:26 > 0:25:29Now, we have stabilised this by lining it,

0:25:29 > 0:25:32but we still have to make sure that, as we put it on,

0:25:32 > 0:25:36we're not going to get any, you know, head to one side

0:25:36 > 0:25:38or not fitting him properly,

0:25:38 > 0:25:41otherwise he's going to have a crick in his neck forever.

0:25:48 > 0:25:52- How are you doing? - Just the last couple.- Well done.

0:25:53 > 0:25:56- There he is, all ready for his bow. - Yeah, it's really good.

0:25:56 > 0:25:58- I love doing this. - Get the bow on him.

0:25:58 > 0:26:00- It's our finishing touch, isn't it? - Absolutely.

0:26:00 > 0:26:02The final test to see if he's done.

0:26:02 > 0:26:05The one thing Jill said was he never was able to sit up on his own.

0:26:05 > 0:26:08We know we've got it right if he falls over.

0:26:08 > 0:26:12- Right, OK.- OK, are you ready? - Yep, yep.- Ready, steady...

0:26:12 > 0:26:13BOTH: Perfect!

0:26:13 > 0:26:16THEY LAUGH

0:26:16 > 0:26:20With her son, Edward, Jill is back at the repair shop

0:26:20 > 0:26:23ready to be reunited with the precious bear

0:26:23 > 0:26:26that her late father gave her 50 years ago.

0:26:26 > 0:26:28- Hello.- Hello.

0:26:28 > 0:26:30- Hello.- How are you feeling?

0:26:30 > 0:26:32Nervous, excited.

0:26:32 > 0:26:36So you must be Edward, who's going to eventually own panda bear?

0:26:36 > 0:26:39- Yes.- So, are we ready?

0:26:41 > 0:26:43You've been waiting for this for a long time.

0:26:43 > 0:26:47Go on, then. Ready?

0:26:47 > 0:26:49There you go.

0:26:52 > 0:26:54Oh, my goodness me.

0:26:57 > 0:27:00He's perfect.

0:27:00 > 0:27:01He looks just...

0:27:05 > 0:27:08- Bless you.- Thank you so much.

0:27:08 > 0:27:12You're more than welcome. It's a pleasure.

0:27:14 > 0:27:16He looks better than I remember.

0:27:16 > 0:27:19He looks better than I remembered.

0:27:19 > 0:27:23- So now he looks like that, does it take you back?- It does.

0:27:23 > 0:27:27Just lovely that the connection you have with him and your father,

0:27:27 > 0:27:30it's just like that link that you're always going to have

0:27:30 > 0:27:32all the time you've got Panda.

0:27:32 > 0:27:36It is because you go through a process when you're grieving and,

0:27:36 > 0:27:39as I said, it feels like

0:27:39 > 0:27:41he's the last jigsaw in the healing process...

0:27:41 > 0:27:45- Yes.- ..after all these years. I'm so grateful to you.

0:27:45 > 0:27:48You're welcome.

0:27:48 > 0:27:51- The Repair Shop of dreams. Thank you.- Thank you.

0:27:51 > 0:27:53Thank you.

0:27:57 > 0:28:00Come on, you. Come on.

0:28:00 > 0:28:02They've just given me a piece of my childhood back

0:28:02 > 0:28:06and a link to my dad that I've got, hopefully, for the rest of my life.

0:28:06 > 0:28:10- It's the last piece of the jigsaw. - Yeah, last piece of the jigsaw!

0:28:10 > 0:28:14I knew they were the people to do it for me and I'm so very grateful.

0:28:20 > 0:28:25Join us next time, as more treasured possessions are revived,

0:28:25 > 0:28:28and their precious memories restored.