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Episode 11

Jay Blades and the team restore an inspector’s ticket machine, a Victorian automaton, a world champion’s trophy and an unusual reminder of a secret agent’s wartime record.

Jay Blades and the team bring four treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.

Steve O’Donnell from Galway has brought in an item that requires the mechanical expertise of Steve Fletcher. The bus ticket machine had belonged to his uncle, a ticket inspector. Steve was fascinated by the machine as a boy, playing with it during visits to his uncle’s house, charging family members to sit on the sofa! It's a first for horologist Steve, and before he can even attempt to fix it, he must work out exactly what all the cogs and levers inside do.

A team effort is called for when Emma Sadek from London arrives at the barn with a Victorian automaton. Vintage toy expert David Burville is first to cast his eye over this long-retired musical curiosity - a piano-playing doll powered by clockwork. It was Emma’s elderly mother’s most treasured possession, but now lies broken and battered in many parts. Music-box restorer Steve Kember tinkers with the musical mechanism, while soft toy specialists Julie and Amanda give the tired doll a total
makeover, leaving David the responsibility of refurbishing a myriad of tiny mechanical parts.

Kirsten Ramsay finds a story of triumph and tragedy in a damaged symbol of Helen Bannan’s life as a world champion kickboxer. Helen won the trophy in a bout that turned out to be her last, as shortly after her win injury forced her to retire from the sport. The trophy took pride of place in Helen’s flat until it was damaged in a fire that gutted the flat and tragically killed Helen’s beloved dogs. After losing most of her possessions in the fire, this trophy, though damaged, is one of the few reminders of her life as a world champion, and it’s down to Kirsten to restore it so it can once again stand proudly on display in Helen’s flat .

59 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jay Blades
Series Producer Tanveer Bari
Series Producer Cat Green
Executive Producer Rob Butterfield
Executive Producer Hannah Lamb
Executive Producer Alex Raw
Production Company Ricochet Limited

Broadcast

Take Part

If you have a treasured possession that needs restoring, please get in touch.