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Episode 16

Episode 16 of 40

Jay Blades and the team restore a set of bells that once noisily warned people of a horse’s arrival, a 1930s toy car that comforted a wartime evacuee, and a mid-century chair.

The Repair Shop is alive with noise and colour as the experts bring their skills to a set of horse bells and a stunning mid-century lounge chair.

First into the barn is Heather from Abergavenny. She has brought with her a bespoke set of bells mounted to a harness that at one time would have sat proudly on a working shire horse. The noisy bells were used as an effective warning system, alerting anybody nearby that a heavy working horse was on the way through. Decades of use have taken their toll, and the wooden frame of the harness is now broken, while the decorative leather is also in need of thorough restoration. To get the bells ringing loud and clear requires Suzie Fletcher and Dominic Chinea to join forces on a repair that means Heather can put the beautiful bells back into regular use on her own horse.

Meanwhile, visitor Nicki has brought in a unique mid-century chair she hopes Sonnaz Nooranvary can restore to its former glory. The sleekly ergonomic chair belonged to husband Mark, who sadly passed away after a cancer diagnosis. The chair was handed down from Mark’s father and was a comforting place for Mark to sit during his final few years. One of the chair’s timber legs has completely snapped, meaning it can’t be sat on for fear of collapse, and the once-vibrant green upholstery is torn and faded. Sonnaz’s sympathetic and skilful repair returns the chair to the comforting and cherished memento that Nicki was dreaming of.

Last to arrive at the barn are father and son Colin and Steven, who have a job for Steve Fletcher. He’s tasked with reconstructing a very special toy car that was gifted to Colin for Christmas in 1938. The mechanical car accompanied Colin when he was evacuated during the Second World War, and it served as a comforting reminder of home. Years of enthusiastic play have caused the car’s mechanism to stop working, and despite previous attempts at repair, it has not worked for over 30 years. Steve’s determination to use as much of the car’s original mechanism for a truly faithful restoration leaves Colin and Steven both astounded and truly grateful.

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43 minutes

Audio described

Last on

Wed 31 Jan 2024 15:45

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jay Blades
Narrator Bill Paterson
Expert Dominic Chinea
Expert Suzie Fletcher
Expert Sonnaz Nooranvary
Expert Steve Fletcher
Executive Producer Emma Walsh
Executive Producer Hannah Lamb
Executive Producer Paula Fasht
Director Ben Borland
Series Producer Tanveer Bari

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