0:00:02 > 0:00:05I'm stood above a station that sits on top of the Alps.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08But I'm not in France or even Switzerland. So where am I?
0:00:08 > 0:00:09Find out in just a moment.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Today, we're helping a family of born and bred Londoners
0:00:29 > 0:00:31become village people.
0:00:31 > 0:00:36- Really pretty.- Quaint.- It's pretty in almost a fairytale way.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40But catering to multiple generations means getting creative.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43- We haven't found anywhere for Cheryl yet.- Oh, yeah.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Well, I'm going to show you something for Cheryl.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- There's a garage outside. No, don't laugh.- Sorry!
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Today, I'm in Hampshire and this is the Medstead and Four Marks station
0:00:57 > 0:01:00on historic Mid-Hants Railway.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02The highest station in the south east of England,
0:01:02 > 0:01:05this section of the line was known as the Alps
0:01:05 > 0:01:08due to the steep gradient to the line running up to the station.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11With inclines as steep as one in 60,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14huge engines like this were needed to transport not only passengers
0:01:14 > 0:01:18but also the local crop of watercress up to London.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21In fact, soon after it opened in 1865,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24the while route was affectionately known as the Watercress Line.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Later on in the show, I'll be finding out more about this historic
0:01:27 > 0:01:31railway but also, hopefully, try my hand at driving one
0:01:31 > 0:01:33of these impressive locomotives.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37With the English Channel lying to the south,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Hampshire shares land borders with five other counties,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44including Wiltshire to the west and Surrey to the east.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48It's a county filled with vistas of pastoral beauty
0:01:48 > 0:01:51where hedge-lined hills sit atop chalk bedrock
0:01:51 > 0:01:55laid down over 60 million years ago in the Cretaceous period.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Charles Kingsley is said to have been inspired to write his novel,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02The Water Babies, while staying near the trout filled River Itchen
0:02:02 > 0:02:04in a 19th-century coaching inn
0:02:04 > 0:02:07located in the pretty village of Itchen Abbas.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12The first Doomsday Book entry for Hampshire is found at the
0:02:12 > 0:02:16market town of Odiham, which now sits alongside the Basingstoke Canal.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19The varied historic buildings here include
0:02:19 > 0:02:22the remains of a castle, once the home of King John,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25which he reportedly departed on June 10th 1215
0:02:25 > 0:02:28in order to seal Magna Carta at Runnymede.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32So, whether you're seeking rural idylls,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36an artistic muse or a rich and fascinating history,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Hampshire is a great choice for a country escape.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Now, there is one caveat when it comes to setting up home
0:02:44 > 0:02:48in this beautiful Hampshire countryside and that's the price.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50The average cost of a detached house in this county
0:02:50 > 0:02:53comes in at nearly £400,000.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57That's an incredible 40% above the national figure.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00And that price increases further towards the Surrey border,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03especially around towns like Fleet,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06which has excellent rail links back into the capital.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08So, if you want your money to stretch further,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11then you're better off heading west around towns like Andover
0:03:11 > 0:03:13or towards the Wiltshire border.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16So, what's attracting today's buyers to this county?
0:03:16 > 0:03:17Let's meet them and find out.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Today's house hunters, mother and son, Nicola, a head teacher,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25and Michael, a digital publisher, live in flats just a few doors apart
0:03:25 > 0:03:28in Parson's Green, south west London.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31They want to join forces in order to flee the city for the space
0:03:31 > 0:03:34a country escape would afford.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- In Parson's Green, it's like, a standard house...- Yes, a three bed.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40..that you buy for a million quid. It's crazy. It's absolutely crazy.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43So, if you want to make the money work at its best,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45then you need to move out of London.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47You need to move out to the country.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51We're thinking, if we combine the money we had and we moved out a bit,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54we could get somewhere where we could all live, essentially.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56One of the other reasons is, obviously,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59we want to move for space, because, wherever you go in London,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02you're never going to have a huge amount of space.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06They certainly need space, because Michael's wife, Holly,
0:04:06 > 0:04:07and his mother-in-law, Cheryl,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10will also form part of the new blended household.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14I really like the idea of the multi-generational living.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17The notion that you are close to the people that really matter
0:04:17 > 0:04:21in terms of family, so that you can see them frequently.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23That appeals to me a lot.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26You very often need family.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Plus there are several canine members of the family to consider.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35My little guy, Einstein, has this fear of other dogs,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38so it makes walking them very difficult.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Just to be able to let him run in a reasonable-sized garden
0:04:42 > 0:04:43would be lovely.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46She loves forests.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49Around here, most of the time, it's the parks.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52There's something really nice about watching dogs run. That's really weird!
0:04:52 > 0:04:56- But there is something really nice about watching a dog run. - It's the sense of freedom, isn't it?
0:04:58 > 0:05:01The hope is that life away from the bright lights
0:05:01 > 0:05:04and bustle of the big smoke will give them all a fresh outlook.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09To be able to look at the stars without all the overspill
0:05:09 > 0:05:14of city lights, I would actually invest in a proper telescope. Yes.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17I actually quite like the sound of the country.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20- I like the sound of nature. I quite enjoy that.- Actually, that's true.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21I find that quite relaxing.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23At night, you don't have the traffic noise,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26but you have animal noises and bird noises.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29And there is one particular county they have in mind for the move.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31We're looking to move into Hampshire.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Michael went to school there, so I was travelling up and down
0:05:34 > 0:05:37in it for years. It's kind of got everything.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39It's got history, it's got the open spaces,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42it's got its really quaint villages.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45It's pretty too, actually, Hampshire's very pretty.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Most important of all, they hope that joining forces will mean
0:05:48 > 0:05:51they're all on hand for one another.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Mum's getting older and Holly's mum is also getting older.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56- You are! It's true. - I know.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59I'm extremely lucky to have a son that I'm really good friends with,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and we get on and we enjoy a lot of the same things.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06He is actually the most amazing son to have in the world.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10- I'm inordinately proud of him and love him to pieces.- I do too.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Michael and Nicola are open to living anywhere in the county
0:06:19 > 0:06:23of Hampshire that's within easy reach to London rail links.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26But there are a lot of people to consider in this property search,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29so I'm meeting up with mother and son in the county to get
0:06:29 > 0:06:33a better grip on everything they want from their move.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36We've got quite a different kind of house search, haven't we?
0:06:36 > 0:06:39I'm looking for multi-generations.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40Absolutely.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42So tell me about it, Nicola.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Michael and Holly would have the main house, because, obviously,
0:06:46 > 0:06:47they're going to have a family...
0:06:47 > 0:06:51- No pressure.- Absolutely! No pressure there.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54- And then Cheryl would have a one-bedroom...- Right.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57..and I would have, ideally, a two bedroom.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00- So this house, well, it's a bit like the Waltons, isn't it?- No, no, no.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03- We want our own front doors. - Separate front doors.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05- You want your own front doors? - Definitely.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08By the sounds of it, we're looking for three separate properties
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- on one plot of land. - That would work, yes.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15- I hope you all get on. Tell me you get on.- Yes, we do.- We all get on.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- And all our dogs get on.- Hold on, you've got dogs as well?- Yes.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Oh, yeah.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23There's people watching this around Hampshire thinking,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25"God, I hope that's not next to me."
0:07:25 > 0:07:27THEY LAUGH
0:07:27 > 0:07:31OK, so, the house is big and it's versatile,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34maybe to split up into separate dwellings with annexes.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37What about outside space?
0:07:37 > 0:07:38- Be nice to have some outside space. - Yeah.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41I mean, at the moment, with our dog, we've got a flat
0:07:41 > 0:07:44and there's no outside space at all, which means,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47at one or two in the morning, it's always me going out for the walk.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49It would be quite nice to open a door.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Whereabouts in Hampshire are you particularly keen on looking?
0:07:52 > 0:07:56For Holly particularly, it needs to be close to a train station,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58so we can get into London within an hour.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01- Right, cos that's where a lot of her work is and stuff.- Exactly.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04So, I think that's the primary thing for me.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08OK, you want an awful lot. How much are you looking to spend?
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- It would be a maximum of £1.2 million.- OK.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14We've got three cracking properties lined up. Let's get going.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22By pooling their resources, Nicola and Michael have £1.2 million
0:08:22 > 0:08:26to effectively purchase three homes in one.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29They'd like a one to two bedroom apartment for Nicola.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32A main house with at least three bedrooms
0:08:32 > 0:08:34for Michael and his wife, Holly.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37And another one bedroom annexe for Holly's mum, Cheryl.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41Plus they want a garden for the dogs and to be near rail links.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44We've lined up three very different options to tempt them with.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47And at each one, I'll be asking them
0:08:47 > 0:08:49to guess the price before I reveal it.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52The final property is the Mystery House which, this time,
0:08:52 > 0:08:56could really take our buyers out of their comfort zone.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02You get on really well with your mum, sat here next to me.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Well done, Nicola.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07You're moving your mother-in-law in with you.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Yeah. I actually get on really well with her as well.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13- And then, you obviously get on very well with Holly.- Yes.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15- So, it's all happy families, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17I think it's also nice as well,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- because both our mums are on their own.- Yes.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22So, actually, it's quite nice to have, you know,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26other people around and company and things.
0:09:26 > 0:09:31Never have I witnessed such a thinly-veiled attempt
0:09:31 > 0:09:33to get some ready made baby-sitters.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35THEY ALL LAUGH
0:09:38 > 0:09:41The first property has London rail links three miles away
0:09:41 > 0:09:45in the village of Grately and four miles away in the town of Andover.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48It's located in the village of Thruxton.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52The village has two pubs, including a former coaching inn.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56One particularly quirky feature in the village is a classic
0:09:56 > 0:09:59red phone box that's now being used as a book exchange.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02The proposition I want to show Michael and Nicola
0:10:02 > 0:10:04is located right in the middle of the village.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09This is house number one. What do we think?
0:10:09 > 0:10:11It's lovely. Really nice.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14- I like the double fronted.- Yeah. - Bays, they're really nice.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17- It's attractive.- Very attractive, yeah.- It's very well proportioned.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20- Now that, just remember that.- Right.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Inside is one of the most impressive rooms
0:10:24 > 0:10:26you're likely to see in your budget.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- Really?- Yeah.- OK. - Let's go inside.- OK.- Great.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35'The barn-like addition was completed by the current owners in 2012,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37'but the original house was built in 1870.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42'We're entering through what could be Nicola's front door
0:10:42 > 0:10:46'into the section I think is best suited to become her accommodation.'
0:10:46 > 0:10:49- This is your living room.- Wow.
0:10:49 > 0:10:50- Amazing. And a real fire.- Yeah.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53- It's lovely, isn't it? Really good. - It's fabulous.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55I could move in tomorrow.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58There are a few reception rooms this end of the property
0:10:58 > 0:11:02that I think could be merged together, if you like,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05to give you a nice little ground floor flat.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11'By turning, what is now, a family sitting room into Nicola's bedroom,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15'rearranging the study as a kitchen
0:11:15 > 0:11:19'and expanding the downstairs loo into the hall to make a bathroom,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22'Nicola could have all the accommodation she requires.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25'Closing off the door to the garden
0:11:25 > 0:11:28'and blocking off and turning the stairs would allow Nicola
0:11:28 > 0:11:31'private access to her share of the ground floor.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34'This would leave the remainder of the house for Michael
0:11:34 > 0:11:36'and his wife, Holly.'
0:11:36 > 0:11:39You'd have a completely self-contained one-bedroom flat
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and that garden there could be your very own garden.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45- Not bad, is it?- That's not bad. That's not bad.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- Let's look into the living area here.- OK.- For you, Michael.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52Now, as regards kitchen diners,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56I think this should be adequate for anyone.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- Wow.- Phwoo.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Wow! That is amazing!
0:12:00 > 0:12:02- Look at this glass.- Yeah.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04It's phenomenal.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08- But what a space.- It's amazing.- What a space.- It's absolutely amazing.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Do you remember from the garden, I said, look at that black barn?
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- Yes, I remember that.- Look at it. - This is it.- This is it.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's the materials they've used that gives it that feel,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20the atmosphere, the range.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23The rooms off here, you're going to love this, you've got a dog room...
0:12:23 > 0:12:25- A dog room?- Yes.- Are you serious?
0:12:25 > 0:12:26It's got a little sink in there.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Then you've got a utility there and then, obviously,
0:12:29 > 0:12:33your main entrance to this, you and your wife, Holly,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35- would be there through the boot room.- OK.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Again, putting a bit of pressure on you,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40if you were to hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- this is where you'd like to see them running round.- Oh, yeah.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46They've got all the space. It's fabulous.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49All right, now let's take a look upstairs at the bedrooms on offer.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50OK.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56'On the first floor, Michael and Holly would have a smart family bathroom.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58'It serves two double bedrooms to the front of the house,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02'both with built-in wardrobes and also a good-sized single
0:13:02 > 0:13:06'to the rear with doors to a balcony overlooking the garden.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11'Lastly up here, again with views of the back, we find the master suite.'
0:13:12 > 0:13:15I do like the six wardrobes. That would be good for Holly.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17- Lots of stuff to store? - A lot of stuff.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Lots of clothes, lots of clothes.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21This is an amazing en suite, actually.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25Could you see yourselves en masse living in this house?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28- Yeah.- Yes, actually, I could. I really could.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- Except we haven't found anywhere for Cheryl yet.- Oh, yeah.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Well, I'm going to show you somewhere for Cheryl.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36There's a garage outside... NICOLA LAUGHS
0:13:36 > 0:13:38- No, don't laugh.- Sorry!
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Shall we go out and have a look and then discuss the land
0:13:41 > 0:13:43- and start thinking about guessing the price?- Yeah.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49'With a third of an acre plot, including a gravel driveway,
0:13:49 > 0:13:54'the rear garden is mostly laid to lawn with low-maintenance borders.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'The real bonus here is the outbuilding.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59'On the ground floor, there are garages and a workshop.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02'But upstairs, there's a ready-made studio apartment complete
0:14:02 > 0:14:05'with kitchen facilities and a shower room,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07'which could make an ideal annexe.'
0:14:07 > 0:14:10That could be a fantastic dwelling.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12If you did something with the ground floor of it,
0:14:12 > 0:14:17- you may have second thoughts about being in the main house.- Absolutely.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Of course, all this does cost money.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23So, how much do you think this house is on the market for?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26- Gosh.- It's got to be near the top of our budget I'd say.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28I'd say 1.15 or 1.2 million.
0:14:28 > 0:14:29I'd say...
0:14:31 > 0:14:33..1.75.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Maybe 1.1.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37- 1.1 million?- Yeah.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Well, this house is on the market...
0:14:41 > 0:14:43..for offers around £975,000.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Right, we'll make an offer.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- That's it, sold!- Wow. - That's perfect.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52So, why don't you go and refresh your memory?
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- Discuss who gets what.- OK.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56- See you in a moment. - Thank you very much.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59A great start.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02I think it's not just the house's flexibility that's made it go
0:15:02 > 0:15:05down so well, it's the fact that the conversion, the remodelling
0:15:05 > 0:15:08of this house has been done to the best possible standard.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11And if they don't buy it...I might.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20£225,000 under budget, this detached Victorian property has enough room
0:15:20 > 0:15:24in the four-bedroom house for Michael and wife, Holly.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26As well as enough reception space
0:15:26 > 0:15:28to create a one-bedroom flat for Nicola.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31There's a versatile outbuilding that could provide
0:15:31 > 0:15:33detached accommodation for Holly's mum.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Plus, the garden is ideal for the dogs,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39and London rail links are also nearby.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Much better than I was expecting. It's absolutely beautiful.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46I like the fact that it's easy to split up.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Actually, it's really easy to split up.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52And we've got all this space that's at the moment empty downstairs.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56So, actually, I could put the kitchen downstairs.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58That wouldn't be an issue.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- I can't imagine they can top this. - I think it's definitely a possible.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07I'm just amazed that the guys found this. It's brilliant.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12- Liked it?- Loved it.- Loved it.- Good.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14- So, let's go to the next one, shall we?- Perfect.- Have we got to?
0:16:14 > 0:16:17We have to, yes. Won't take long. I'm not going to do
0:16:17 > 0:16:19- all that research and show you one house, am I? Come on.- OK.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28Although Hampshire's links to the capital make it a popular location
0:16:28 > 0:16:32for commuters, 85% of the county is classed as rural.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37So, to give Londoners and keen animal lovers, Michael and Nicola,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39a taste of traditional country life,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42we're sending them to meet fifth-generation tenant farmer,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Robert Sampson, whose farm is one of the few in the country
0:16:45 > 0:16:48still using working horses come rain or shine.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54- You've got Shire horses here?- These are not Shires, they're Percherons.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56They're actually British Percherons.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59What's the difference between them and Shires?
0:16:59 > 0:17:01The Shires have got the hair around the feet.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04You march them through six inches of mud and you can imagine
0:17:04 > 0:17:06- what they look like.- Not so great.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09It was always a major problem in the stables, was actually controlling
0:17:09 > 0:17:12the disease called grease, which came about through
0:17:12 > 0:17:14using them in muddy conditions.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Originally bred as war horses,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20the breed's efficient use of feed to output soon made Percherons
0:17:20 > 0:17:24popular work horses for both transport and agriculture.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Robert breeds as well as trains both horse and human in equine farm work.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Bring them over. So, walk him over here.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Today, Linus and Axel are joining him to show Michael
0:17:35 > 0:17:38and Nicola how to take the reigns.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40That's it.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44- Bring his head round. Lovely job. - That's a good boy.- That's it.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Right. OK, then, off we go. Axel.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Percherons are well muscled and well known for their intelligence
0:17:55 > 0:17:57and cooperation.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Robert favours them over mechanised options for most of his farm work.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05The jobs may take a little longer, but as all the horse feed is grown
0:18:05 > 0:18:10on his 223 acres, there's a good saving on fuel costs.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Whoa! Whoa!
0:18:13 > 0:18:15One more step.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Good boy.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Right, Axel. Linus.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Good boy.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Come on, hands forward. There you are.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Keep enough control so you can feel them, they can feel you.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Today, the horses are pulling an attachment that is hauled
0:18:38 > 0:18:40across the ground to promote grass growth.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43It's called harrowing and, in this weather, I think Nicola
0:18:43 > 0:18:45and Michael can see why.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49So, in this kind of weather, how long...?
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Would you be out for the whole day?
0:18:51 > 0:18:54There are times when you've just got to get on with it.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56I mean, in the winter when we're feeding stock,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00that's got to be done seven days a week, whatever it's doing.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01Yeah.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05With the harrowing completed, they're pleased the next horse-drawn
0:19:05 > 0:19:08activity they're learning about involves going under cover.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- Can you drive it on the road? - You can drive these on the road.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16- Oh, you can?- Oh, yeah.- Has it got a licence plate on the back?
0:19:16 > 0:19:19- No, nothing whatsoever. You don't need anything.- You don't need it?
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Come on, Linus, no hedge trimming.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Come on, Linus, get your head out of there! Come on. Naughty boy.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31So, if you just wanted to keep one Percheron horse,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35how much acreage would you need?
0:19:35 > 0:19:38You're looking at, sort of, three to four acres.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40So, we want a property with three to four acres!
0:19:40 > 0:19:43- I can supply you with a horse. - Brilliant!
0:19:43 > 0:19:48Please, no more requirements for this already-demanding house hunt.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56House number two is in the east of the county
0:19:56 > 0:20:00close to the Surrey border and just a ten-minute drive from Liphook train station
0:20:00 > 0:20:02in the village of Headley.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06As well as frequent rail links to London, Liphook provides
0:20:06 > 0:20:08a broad selection of shops and services.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Four miles away back in Headley,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13the centre of the village features a 19th-century pub
0:20:13 > 0:20:16and a church with details dating back to the 13th century.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19The rock band, Led Zeppelin,
0:20:19 > 0:20:23recorded the track Stairway To Heaven in a studio nearby.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26And the next house we've lined up for our buyers can be found
0:20:26 > 0:20:28on the outskirts of the village.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35- First impressions? - Pretty.- Yeah.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- Really pretty.- Quaint.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40It's pretty in almost a fairytale way.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43It looks smaller than the last one from the front.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48This option gives you three distinct living areas.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51You don't have to use your imagination as much with this house.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55- This place, I think, you'll get to enjoy straight away.- OK.- Oh, right.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57- Shall we?- Yes, let's.- Absolutely.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02'This was originally a small cottage built around a century ago,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'but has been greatly extended over the years.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08'The main house here would be son Michael and his wife Holly's domain.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11'A spacious entrance hall leads us
0:21:11 > 0:21:13'straight in to an enormous reception room.'
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Our first room. You probably weren't expecting something
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- quite this contemporary, were you? - No, not from the outside.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- It's a lovely room in the day, isn't it?- What a view.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- Actually, what an outlook rather than a view.- Yeah.- It's a pond?
0:21:27 > 0:21:28Yes, it is a pond.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Those bi-fold doors, folded all the way back with the sun streaming in.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Beautiful. It's very nicely proportioned as well.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38- Yeah, I think so. - It feels kind of right.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- Feels warm.- There's a certain atmosphere in this house...- Yes.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44..and that continues through here. Follow me.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48'Also on this floor is a study.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49'A WC.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'A separate utility space.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53'And a dining room.'
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Now, the kitchen is not massively important to anyone in your family,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59- but it'll do for you? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04It's fine. It's fine. I love the oil-fired range. It's amazing.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06- If you like that... - If you like that!
0:22:06 > 0:22:08- Come and look at this.- Right.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Now then, look at that.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14- Wow.- Yeah.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17That really is the gingerbread house. It's amazing.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21- But it's something else, isn't it? - It really is something else.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Michael, you've got two reception rooms to choose from now.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Look at you, lord of the manor.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- This is very much a living...- Yeah. A snug, if you like.- It is a snug.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Yes, it is very much like that, yes.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36But, yet again, French windows opening out.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40The southerly aspect. You like?
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- Very much. Very much. - Let's keep looking through. Come on.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48'A seal of approval for the ground floor of the main house.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51'Upstairs, a family bathroom serves two of the three bedrooms.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55'First - a double room with built-in wardrobes.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58'Then, across the landing, a single bedroom.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03'That leaves the lion's share of this floor for the master suite
0:23:03 > 0:23:06'with its own dressing room and a bathroom.'
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Now, bizarrely, you walk through the bathroom to get to the bedroom,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16- which is just above the new extension.- It's a really nice room.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18- This is nice as well. - It is a really nice room.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22- This whole house is just for you. - Yeah.- So...
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- Amazing.- What are your thoughts, mate? Could you live here?
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Yeah, absolutely could. It's lovely.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30What do you think your wife would think about this house?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32I actually think she'd really like it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- I think she'd like the fact it's a bit quirky, a bit warmer.- Yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- A bit friendlier.- Slightly higgledy-piggledy, sort of nookery.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42- Yeah.- At the moment, you're walking around this building...
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- Thinking, yes, that's great. - But what about me?
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- What about Cheryl? Yes. - You and Cheryl...
0:23:47 > 0:23:49What about the rest of us?
0:23:49 > 0:23:53You and Cheryl could possibly get your own accommodation separate.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- Shall we have a look? - Yeah.- Let's, yes.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02'Set in just under an acre of land,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05'this property is more a self-contained hamlet than a house.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09'A private pool sits in front of a three-roomed pool house,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12'converted to look like a cricket pavilion with enough space
0:24:12 > 0:24:15'and flexibility to provide mother-in-law Cheryl
0:24:15 > 0:24:18'with a bedroom, a shower room and a living space.'
0:24:21 > 0:24:24'And finally, across the gravel drive, is another annexe
0:24:24 > 0:24:26'that could be ideal for Nicola.'
0:24:30 > 0:24:31Now then, Nicola...
0:24:33 > 0:24:34Wow.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36Yeah, good.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40- I love that. Straight out onto the garden.- Perfect, isn't it?
0:24:40 > 0:24:42But also, you'll love upstairs.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47The bedroom upstairs has a balcony completely south facing as well.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51- Wow.- It's pretty special. - Yeah. That is, that is.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54You've got a ground floor bathroom or shower room
0:24:54 > 0:24:57just through that doorway there. No kitchen as yet.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00- I won't need a kitchen!- There's a lovely pub just down the road.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02That's fine, job done.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05There's space to extend to if you wanted to put the kitchen in there.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08But also you've got a garage that way...
0:25:08 > 0:25:11- So you can go both ways. - Is this enough space for you, then?
0:25:11 > 0:25:13There's enough space for me, yes.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17- It's probably bigger than my entire flat at the moment.- Perfect.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24- Look at this setting.- Look at it.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27- It's incredible.- Oh, it is.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31So, how much do you think this house is on the market for, then?
0:25:31 > 0:25:34- Don't know. I'll go for the round million.- OK.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38I was going to go for something similar. Maybe £1.05 million.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41OK. Well, it's... You're closer.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45The asking price for this house is £1.1 million.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47OK.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50The sun's come out. It's a beautiful afternoon and I think you should
0:25:50 > 0:25:53look around all of these houses with a view to who gets what.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57- Enjoy it, OK.- Thank you. - Where are you going to start?- Here.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59- Go on, then.- Thanks. - See you in a bit.- Thank you.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07Despite being £100,000 below budget, this detached cottage offers
0:26:07 > 0:26:10a three-bedroom home for Michael and Holly,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14a one-bedroom poolside pavilion and a one-bedroomed annexe.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17The dogs would have almost an acre of land to play in.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22Plus, there's a private pool and nearby rail links to London.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- I like the high ceilings. - It's quite big.- It is big.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28It's really big. I like it.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30It's amazing.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33I mean, it's in all this ground.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36It's three separate accommodations.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40It's... I'm gobsmacked, to be honest, there was anything
0:26:40 > 0:26:44out there that actually ticked all those boxes.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47And a swimming pool! What can I say?
0:26:47 > 0:26:48It's got everything.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53I love the fact that it's three totally separate properties,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55basically, on one plot of land.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00It's like driving into a little village, like a mini village.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01You all come in and you park
0:27:01 > 0:27:05and then you walk your separate directions to your own properties.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10I think that separation will make a big difference over the years.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15And also means, if anyone is having arguments, then, er,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17nobody can hear it.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22- Now, have you seen enough? - Yeah.- Are you sure?
0:27:22 > 0:27:25I'm happy staying here for as long as you like.
0:27:25 > 0:27:26THEY LAUGH
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- It's glorious, isn't it?- It's glorious.- Absolutely amazing.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33- Yes, it's fabulous. Fabulous.- Well, something to discuss over dinner.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35And all this hanging around the swimming pool,
0:27:35 > 0:27:37we'll have a cocktail first, eh?
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- That sounds like a really good idea.- Nice.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Nother and son, Nicola and Michael from Parson's Green,
0:27:50 > 0:27:55south west London, have £1.2 million to find a Hampshire property
0:27:55 > 0:27:58for themselves and Michael's wife, and mother-in-law.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01We've shown them two great options to give them
0:28:01 > 0:28:04the three separate dwellings they're after.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06Plus there's still the Mystery House which could leave them
0:28:06 > 0:28:08spoilt for choice.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- I can see myself here, definitely.- Yeah.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13You're not going to be living in this big part of the house.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16- That's true.- Yeah. SHE LAUGHS
0:28:16 > 0:28:20And I'm letting off steam in the beautiful Hampshire countryside.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23WHISTLE BLOWS
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Ha-ha! Love it!
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Like a pro. Like a pro.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33When you consider what Michael and Nicola are actually after,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36they're really looking for something that doesn't really
0:28:36 > 0:28:39come on the property market very often.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42In many ways, they're actually after a Mystery House.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45I think, with two really strong contenders in the bag already,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48we can afford to show them something a bit different.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Today, we're going to turn the search on its head
0:28:50 > 0:28:53and show them something far more conventional.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56Let's see how we go.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58For the Mystery House, we're heading over the border
0:28:58 > 0:29:00into the eastern fringes of Wiltshire,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04four miles west of the Berkshire town and train station of Hungerford
0:29:04 > 0:29:06to the village of Shalbourne.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10Facilities in Shalbourne include a 17th-century pub and restaurant
0:29:10 > 0:29:14and a post office and stores where the village's 600-odd residents
0:29:14 > 0:29:17can enjoy a freshly ground coffee.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20Just a short walk away, at the end of a quiet lane,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22we find today's Mystery House.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- You're probably expecting something crazy like a windmill.- Yes.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30We've gone fairly conventional. So here we are.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34I like the fact that it's modern. It's got these clean lines.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36- It's really appealing. - It looks nice.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40It does look nice, I agree, absolutely. It does.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43- Like what you see?- So far.- Like what I see.- Absolutely.- Let's go inside.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48'Since this is Wiltshire, they're getting more build for their buck.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52'This is the biggest principle residence I've shown them so far.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56'Built in the 1970s with 21st-century extensions,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59'we're entering through the front porch into an L-shaped hall.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01'And we're headed for, what I think, would be Michael
0:30:01 > 0:30:04'and wife Holly's main living space.'
0:30:05 > 0:30:06I was hoping you'd rather like it,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08cos I know you like open-plan spaces.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12- Wow! Yes.- Really nice. - It is really nice.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14You don't even realise you're in the kitchen.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17I know you're not big cooks at the moment.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19I mean, things obviously change.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22- Not for me.- But... SHE LAUGHS
0:30:22 > 0:30:25..how much do you think you'd stay or use a room like this,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28because, yes, it's a kitchen, but it feels much more
0:30:28 > 0:30:30- than a kitchen, doesn't it? - I think you'd use it a lot.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33- Yeah.- I think it'd be your primary room during the day.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35- It becomes like the centre, doesn't it? The hub.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39- Would Holly like this?- I think she'd love it.- Good. All right.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Let's keep looking around.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43'On this level, Michael and his wife, Holly,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46'would also get a downstairs toilet,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48'two studies, or office areas...
0:30:50 > 0:30:54'..two utility rooms
0:30:54 > 0:30:57'and a dog or a boot room.'
0:30:57 > 0:30:59This larger wing of the ground floor could then be
0:30:59 > 0:31:02blocked off from the current sitting room and garages,
0:31:02 > 0:31:04which I think could be turned into self-contained
0:31:04 > 0:31:08living accommodation for either Nicola, or Holly's mum, Cheryl.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Shut the door away from them.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19- LAUGHTER This is yours, OK?- OK.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23Now, if you pushed through that wall there, knocked through that wall,
0:31:23 > 0:31:27you've got the adjoining double garage with power, and everything.
0:31:27 > 0:31:32- Uh-huh?- That's the remainder of your apartment.- Right.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37- So, you like what you hear so far? - I do.- Yeah.- Good. All right.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39- Let's keep looking through.- OK.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45'Stairs from the hall lead up to what could be Michael and his wife
0:31:45 > 0:31:47'Holly's five-bedroomed accommodation.'
0:31:48 > 0:31:52Two bedrooms to the front, both with views over the countryside.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58A bedroom to the rear with its own washbasin and the smallest
0:31:58 > 0:32:02of the bedrooms here, right at the back of the house.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05There are also two family bathrooms, one with a shower.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11Four bedrooms, plus this master bedroom.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15That is a fantastic ensuite. Have a quick peek, actually.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17- It's worth a quick look.- OK.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21- Separate bath and shower. - Amazing.- Wow.- Amazing.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Look at that for a walk-in wardrobe.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Wow! That's incredible.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29- Isn't it? Amazing. SHE LAUGHS:- And the view!
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Fantastic views over that beautiful sort of common land, if you like.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- And a balcony, as well.- Is this a door, here?- Out to a balcony.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38So far so good, then. Loads of space.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40The idea of living with this amount of space is really nice.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43- I can see myself here, definitely. - You're not going to be living
0:32:43 > 0:32:46- in this big part of the house. - Well, that's true.- Yeah.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48SHE LAUGHS
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- We could do a swapsies every so often.- No.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52Well, there is some other accommodation
0:32:52 > 0:32:56- that I think you could really taper to what you're after.- OK.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59- Let's go and take a look at that.- OK.- Great.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03'Outside, there's around two thirds of an acre of garden,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07'mainly laid to lawn, including some sheds and a greenhouse.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13'But situated across a gravel drive from the main house,
0:33:13 > 0:33:16'it's the annexe, currently divided into three rooms,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18'plus a toilet, that I think could offer
0:33:18 > 0:33:21'the third self-contained one-bedroom home here.'
0:33:24 > 0:33:28- Wow- It's nice.- It's very nice. Again, it's nicely proportioned.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32I've scratched my head on this one to how best configure it.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34But you've got the space to do it.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37- You've got the shell here. It's up to you how you configure it.- Yes.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40- I think it looks nice. I think it could work well.- Yeah, me too.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44'With an overview of all that's on offer here,
0:33:44 > 0:33:47'it's time to think about price.'
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Well, after this fairly successful tour,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53how much do you think this house is on the market for, then?
0:33:53 > 0:33:57- I'm going to pitch it somewhere near the first one, £975,000.- OK.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01I'm going to take a leap of faith and pitch at £900,000.
0:34:01 > 0:34:06- This place is on the market for offers around £1.1 million.- OK.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08- That's more than I would've thought.- Go back in the house.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11This is your opportunity to really compare it to the other properties
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- you've seen. Catch you when you're done.- Thank you.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Again, £100,000 below budget,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21this modern detached house is the largest so far,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24giving Michael and wife Holly a five-bedroomed home.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26Spacious garages are ripe for conversion
0:34:26 > 0:34:29into an apartment adjoining the main house,
0:34:29 > 0:34:33whilst an annexe provides potential for accommodation number three,
0:34:33 > 0:34:38plus the large, fenced garden is low-maintenance and dog-friendly.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40There's quite a lot of work to do, I think,
0:34:40 > 0:34:44to get the three different living spaces.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47I like the fact that it's modern. I like the clean lines.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50I like the space. There's a huge amount of space here.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Probably not my favourite, but very nice, nonetheless.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Well, thankfully, it's a bit of a journey to where we're going
0:34:55 > 0:34:57to sit down and have a bit of a conflab.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01- OK.- Oh, good. We've time to think! - Chat amongst yourselves. Come on.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Hampshire's fertile soil and climate
0:35:09 > 0:35:12make it the perfect place for crop-growing.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16But it was only in Victorian times, with the arrival of the railways,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19that farmers found a quick and easy way to get fresh produce
0:35:19 > 0:35:22to the lucrative markets of London.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26One such train route, opened in 1865, took so many
0:35:26 > 0:35:29tonnes of Hampshire-grown watercress to Covent Garden,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32it became known as the Watercress Line.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Closed to regular travel in the 1970s,
0:35:37 > 0:35:39the 10-mile stretch was bought
0:35:39 > 0:35:43and renovated by the Mid-Hants Railway Preservation Society.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47I'm catching up with member Derek Simmons, at Ropley station,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51who knows all about the historic significance of trains in Hampshire.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57So, 1865, the landscape of this area changed,
0:35:57 > 0:35:59with these trains coming in and out.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02It was more than the landscape. The way of life changed.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04- Yeah.- People would've lived their lives
0:36:04 > 0:36:06and died within the sound of the local church bell.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08- That would've been their world. - Yeah.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10The railways opened everything up.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15'Commercial steam trains last ran on this line in 1967.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19'Giving them a new lease of life has proved to be a demanding business.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21'The engine boilers alone had to be stripped
0:36:21 > 0:36:24'and rebuilt every ten years.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28'But 21st-century boilersmiths are very hard to come by.'
0:36:28 > 0:36:31One of the challenges we have is that the skills we used
0:36:31 > 0:36:34back in the '50s and '60s, by British Railways,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37don't exist any more. Some of our guys have got those skills,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40but they're older guys, 50, 60, 70, some of them.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44So, that's why we're looking at our apprenticeship scheme.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47You have to get this information passed on before it's too late.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49That's what it's about. The scheme's called Mind The Gap
0:36:49 > 0:36:52and that's what we're trying to do - mind the skills gap.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55Well, I've heard a couple of peeps of a whistle, so I'm off to try
0:36:55 > 0:36:57- and catch a train. I'll catch you later.- Nice to meet you.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04It's no surprise these engines need regular overhauling.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06They're seriously hard workers.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Today, driver Richard Bentley is taking this 140-tonne
0:37:13 > 0:37:16locomotive on three return trips,
0:37:16 > 0:37:21each including the very steep climb to Medstead, nicknamed the Alps.
0:37:21 > 0:37:25- Over seven days... - It's a decent working day, isn't it?
0:37:25 > 0:37:29- There's not much of a retirement for it.- No, I know. Poor old bird.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31So, how many people are involved
0:37:31 > 0:37:35in getting this locomotive on the rails each day?
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Every day, there'll be a crew of three.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39There'll be a driver, a fireman and a cleaner.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42You learn, as a cleaner, how the engine works.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45You then start learning the fireman's job,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47how to make steam from burning coal,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50- and then you gradually start learning the driver's job.- Right.
0:37:50 > 0:37:51So, by the time you're sat in this seat,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54you can do all the jobs together. I'm not paid for what I do.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56- I'm paid for what I know. - THEY LAUGH
0:37:58 > 0:38:00'Well, sadly, I don't have time here to complete
0:38:00 > 0:38:04'a four-year apprenticeship, but as we head uphill towards the Alps
0:38:04 > 0:38:08'at Medstead, I get a taster of life as Richard's fireman.'
0:38:08 > 0:38:11We're going to need a bit more steam in a minute, Jonnie.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14- Can you get some coal on the fire for us?- Yeah, yeah.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17- So, where do you throw it? Right in? - That's it, yeah, in the middle.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22And a little bit either side of it, if you can, left and right.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27- You are adding fuel to the fire... - Absolutely.- ..for more effort.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Keep boiling the water to make the steam that we're using.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32- I chose the wrong line to help out on!- I think you did.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Why did I have to choose the Alps? RICHARD LAUGHS
0:38:34 > 0:38:37When we get to Medstead at the top, we then go over the top
0:38:37 > 0:38:39then we drop down 300 feet the other way,
0:38:39 > 0:38:42so we've got to make sure we've got a full head of steam,
0:38:42 > 0:38:43and a full boiler for the water.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Cos, as we go over the top, that water level's going to drop away.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49It's very good to hear where some of these phrases
0:38:49 > 0:38:52come from, isn't it? Getting up a full head of steam, for example.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58- Right. We'd better start getting some more of that in there.- Right!
0:38:58 > 0:38:59You get some in.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Come on, then, Jonnie. Put your back into it.
0:39:10 > 0:39:11We're coming up to crossing now,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14- so give us a good, long blow on the whistle.- Oh, yes.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Push it down, good and hard.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18TRAIN WHISTLES
0:39:18 > 0:39:20Ha-ha-ha! Love it!
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Like a pro. Like a pro.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25'And I'm on a fast track from whistle-blower to driver,
0:39:25 > 0:39:29'as Richard lets me bring us to a halt.'
0:39:29 > 0:39:31- Right. Aah! There's loads of things. - That's it. We go for
0:39:31 > 0:39:34the vacuum brake, the brake that puts the brakes on the whole train.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Then we bring it down to about 14 on the gauge.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42We can quell this huge beast by this most delicate touch.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44BRAKES HISS
0:39:44 > 0:39:46Slowly...
0:39:46 > 0:39:50and...
0:39:50 > 0:39:52stop.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55- How's that?- Beautiful. Never even broke the egg.- Ha-ha!
0:39:57 > 0:40:00'My spell in this driving seat may have reached the end of the line,
0:40:00 > 0:40:03'as it's time to find out if any of today's properties
0:40:03 > 0:40:04'are on the right track.'
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Well, it's not often we're in a position
0:40:12 > 0:40:15where we've got three really strong contenders.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17Trouble is, the last time I saw Nicola and Michael,
0:40:17 > 0:40:21they looked genuinely confused. So, after a bit of thinking time,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24hopefully, they're a bit closer to making a decision.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Well, normally at this stage, I've got a good idea
0:40:33 > 0:40:35of what your favourite might be.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39But I haven't. So, you tell me. What's going through your mind?
0:40:39 > 0:40:42I think, for me, I like all of them.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46- What about you? Where are you? - I'm pretty similar.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49I think what the difficult part of this process has been is
0:40:49 > 0:40:52the fact that you are buying three homes,
0:40:52 > 0:40:56and you have to look at the entire package, and it's difficult,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58because you'll get blown away by a feature,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01by a finish, by a swimming pool.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04You have to look at you and your wife, Holly,
0:41:04 > 0:41:07your requirements, and your mother-in-law's requirements.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10- Three houses. How does this work for you?- Yeah.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12How do you make this decision?
0:41:12 > 0:41:15The more I think about house two, the space.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- You have that distance between the properties.- Mm-hm.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20It's on the edge of a village.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22- Yeah.- You could walk to the pub, walk to the shop.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24It's on the best train line as well.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26- Best train line, yes. - The fastest train line.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30Well, it sounds like house two is slightly ahead.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- I think more than slightly ahead. - Yeah.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36If you all came down, the four of you, your mother-in-law,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39your wife, yourself included, as well, you're one unit, you should
0:41:39 > 0:41:42all look at a property at the same time, and air everything,
0:41:42 > 0:41:45- all your hopes and all your fears... - Yeah.- ..at the same time,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48- and then it'll help you make the decision.- That's true, actually.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50When do you think you might be coming back down here for
0:41:50 > 0:41:53- the second viewings?- Maybe next week?- Yeah, I would think so.- Good.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56Hopefully soon enough to get in there before anybody else does.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00- Whatever you decide, please let us know, won't you?- Yes, we will.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02- Definitely.- Thank you so much. - Pleasure.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09With a fairly unique property criteria, it's great to see
0:42:09 > 0:42:12that Michael and Nicola's expectations have been exceeded,
0:42:12 > 0:42:17and that they're coming around to the benefits of house number two.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Let's face it, it's only them that have seen it.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23There are four adults in this decision-making process,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26and they all need to get together and look at it at the same time.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29But that's what this second viewing is all about, isn't it?
0:42:29 > 0:42:31I'm looking forward to hearing how they get on and, hopefully,
0:42:31 > 0:42:35they can all get on the same page and move to this beautiful county.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37See you next time.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40'Michael and Nicola returned to view house two
0:42:40 > 0:42:43'with Holly and Cheryl, who also loved the property,
0:42:43 > 0:42:46'but they're still deciding whether to put in an offer.'
0:42:46 > 0:42:49If you'd like to escape to the country
0:42:49 > 0:42:51in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or England
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