The Repair Shop S2024E05 - Episode 5

The barn welcomes Anthony from Norwich, who has brought in a very rare model car for the attention of Brenton West. The gold-plated model of the Lotus Esprit, the submarine car, was one of only ten made for the premiere of the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977, and was presented to his father Michael. For Anthony, the car represents his father's rise from humble apprentice to CEO of one of the most recognisable car brands in the world. Full of guilt for playing with the car as a child, wearing out the mechanics and ruining the gold plating, Anthony wants the car returned to its former glory to say thank you to his dad for all that he's done. 

Next to arrive is Rhona from Paisley with a set of military bagpipes that belonged to her dad Jim. Jim grew up in Port Glasgow and loved the sound of bagpipes. He joined the boy's brigade so he could learn the instrument and spent many years travelling and playing, most notably performing for the king of Norway. Sadly, Rhona's never heard these bagpipes being played, as when she was born, the family moved away from where the pipe band practised and her dad packed them away, never to be played again. Since her dad passed four years ago, it's been Rhona's dream to hear these pipes being played. Musical expert Pete Woods has a challenge on his hands to get these pipes that meant so much to her dad back in working order. 

Next, with a musical assignment for ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay, are Rachael and her mum Bev from Kent. They've brought a pair of jazz musician statues that belonged to Rachael's grandparents and were at the centre of many family parties and gatherings for many years. The jazz duo were gifted to Rachael by her grandma Claudette when she got married in 2010, but sadly, during a house move, the statues were damaged and the male figurine's leg was broken. A cherished reminder of beloved parents and grandparents, Kirsten sets to work to get these jazz musicians looking smart enough to take centre stage in Rachael's home. 

The final visitor to the barn is Harriet, with a precious memento from a very special day. A metal-detecting enthusiast, Harriet discovered the locket buried in a field during a day of metal detecting with her then boyfriend. Unbeknownst to her, her boyfriend had also buried an engagement ring in the field as a grand romantic gesture for her to find, and both the locket and the ring are reminders of one of the happiest days of her life. Harriet wore the locket on her wedding day, but having spent many years buried in the mud, it's very thin and fragile and cannot be worn as a pendant. Richard Talman sets to work.