The Repair Shop S2024E09 - Episode 9

The team repair an iconic toy that has given up the ghost. Elsewhere in the barn, there are restoration jobs on a dilapidated bench, which began life as a family bed, and a handmade guitar that links a son with his inspirational father. On Suzie Fletcher's list is the substantial repair of a taxi badge given to black cab drivers upon completing ‘The Knowledge' memory test of London's street routes. 

Arriving first are the Willis-Cox family from Northampton, who are hoping that woodworking maestro Will Kirk can repair the repurposed bench that began life as parents Andy and Madeleine's first bed 30 years ago. The bed held important memories for the couple as the place where they brought home premature son Ade and where their youngest daughter, Freya, was born! The creative couple couldn't let go of this sentimental item and so recycled it into a garden bench which has been much loved by the family but is now weather-worn and seriously unstable. 

Will's plan begins with dismantling the bench so he can assess which parts need to be replaced and remade, with the bench's legs needing extensive strengthening. So it's onto the lathe, where Will turns a whole set of new feet before turning his attention to the mortise and tenon joints that will keep the bench together for generations to come. 

Next to arrive are Andrew and Kirsty from Glasgow, who've brought with them a guitar that Andrew himself made at college inspired by his father, Del, the man who gave him a passion for both woodwork and music. But despite crafting a stunning guitar, Andrew made a crucial mistake, meaning the neck is attached crooked and unplayable. The repair is a tricky job which numerous restorers have already turned down, but luckily expert Julyan Wallis is made of sterner stuff! Julyan has the job of getting the guitar singing once again and wastes no time in coming up with a solution: a complete neck reset. But a job of this size and skill is a complex task. Julyan has to delicately remove the neck without damaging the body of the guitar, employing a jig for the careful procedure. With the guitar finally fixed, Andrew is excited to finally play the instrument he built in memory of his inspirational father. 

Horologist Steve Fletcher has an appointment with Gemma from Colwyn Bay, who is entrusting him with a very special sketchpad toy that her father Bill gave her when she was eight years old. The toy was given to Gemma when her parents divorced, and she would write secret messages to her beloved Dad using it, but now the limited-edition gold ‘Etch-a-Sketch' has stopped working entirely. Steve is in uncharted territory as he attempts to solve the mystery of how two small knobs magically create a drawing on the screen, and it all starts with the careful dismantling of the iconic toy. That's if he can figure out how to take it apart, of course. 

The barn's final guests are sisters Kelly and Dawn, who have a unique challenge for leather expert Suzie Fletcher. They've brought with them an official taxi badge that belonged to their father, John, a black cab driver for 38 years. The taxi badge was presented to black cab drivers once they passed the infamous ‘Knowledge' test of London's roads by memory alone. It's a proud reminder of the hard-working father that Kelly and Dawn remember as a dedicated cabbie. Suzie has the job of repairing the badge's cracked leather surface and reinforcing the stitching where the strap threatens to break away entirely. She enlists Brenton's help to revitalise the brass badge itself. Their teamwork means that Kelly and Dawn can proudly display their father's taxi badge once again.