The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn

First into the barn are cousins Dave and Dom with an extraordinary handmade model fairground created by their grandfather, James Manley. Built from memory over many years using salvaged materials, the intricate miniature recreates the travelling fairground life James left behind after choosing to marry outside his fairground family and being disowned as a result. Decades of storage have left rides damaged, wiring unsafe and key components missing. Mechanical expert David Burville and electronics specialist Mark Stuckey join forces to rebuild the treasured attraction, determined to preserve a remarkable piece of family history and make a heartfelt tribute to a man who never forgot his roots.

Next to arrive is Anne Thomas with a 150-year-old portrait of her great-great-grandfather, John Durdin. Family research revealed that Durdin was the central figure in a notorious Victorian banking fraud that ultimately brought down the institution he worked for. Over the years, the painting has suffered damage, amateur restoration attempts and extensive overpainting that has obscured both the artist's work and the sitter's true appearance. Art conservator Lucia Scalisi embarks on a fascinating investigation, uncovering hidden details beneath layers of paint while restoring a striking portrait connected to the dramatic family scandal.

Horologist Steve Fletcher takes on a mantel clock brought in by Colin from Glasgow. The clock has been passed down through generations of Colin's family and was once a constant presence in the home of his beloved grandmother, Linda. As a child, Linda saved his life during a tragic accident, and her support continued throughout his life, including his career as drag performer Bella Houston. When the treasured clock stopped working shortly after Colin inherited it, it became a painful reminder of her loss. Steve must diagnose a complex mechanical fault and carefully restore the century-old timepiece so that its familiar tick can once again fill Colin's home.

Finally, Dominic Chinea tackles a heavily battle-scarred rugby wheelchair belonging to army veteran Jules. Following a spinal injury sustained during military service, Jules struggled with both his physical and mental health before discovering wheelchair rugby through the Invictus Games. The sport transformed his life and inspired him to establish Somerset's first wheelchair rugby club, helping others find the same sense of purpose and community. One of the club's earliest donated chairs is now damaged, buckled and unusable after years of intense competition. With help from bicycle restorer Tim Gunn and upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary, Dom sets out to return the chair to fighting form, before visiting Jules and his team to see how it is being used by new players of the high-octane sport.

First into the barn are Mira Karavadra and her husband Suraj, who bring a 1970s portable record player, radio and tape deck once owned by Mira's father. Purchased in Uganda in 1972, the device became a lifeline for Mira's family as they fled Idi Amin's expulsion of South Asians. Unable to take valuables or money, Mira's father disguised his remaining cash by buying the music system, which later became central to the family's gatherings as they rebuilt their lives in Yorkshire. Now silent, corroded and broken, the treasured player is entrusted to electronics expert Mark Stuckey, who must tackle battery corrosion, a missing mains lead, a broken tone arm and a failed transformer to bring the beloved machine back to life.

Next to arrive is Joe Riley from Kent, carrying his grandfather Tom's signet ring. Originally crafted in 1932 as a wedding gift for Tom's father, the ring bears the initials 'MC' for Mary Cummings, Joe's great-grandmother. Tom wore the ring every day, becoming a father figure to Joe after his parents divorced. Now wafer-thin, cracked and too small to wear, the ring has been rejected by jewellers unwilling to risk repairing its hollow construction. Goldsmith Richard Talman takes on the challenge, reinforcing the fragile structure with a custom-made internal shim, carefully soldering and laser-welding the cracked top plate, and finally passing the ring to engraver Sam Marsden, who delicately restores Mary's original initials before Richard has a chance to visit Joe and pass on some valuable tips on polishing such a precious item.

The third repair belongs to Rachel Twumasi-Corson, who brings her cherished Ghanaian djembe drum. Rachel spent her childhood travelling between London and Accra, where her grandfather, an influential political figure, encouraged her education. The drum, adorned with hand-carved patterns, a lion motif and traditional kente cloth, was bought during a meaningful visit to Elmina Castle. Over years of family use, church events and children's play, the drum suffered marker-pen scribbles and a severe split in its wooden base. Musical instrument expert Pete Woods must navigate the tension within the dried timber, carefully remove the drum head and craft a precise wooden fillet to stabilise the crack without causing further damage. His repair aims to restore the drum's sound and significance so that Rachel's children can grow up with the same musical connection she cherished.

Finally, camera expert Pierro Pozella investigates a 1950s Rolleiflex camera owned by John Cownley's uncle, royal photographer Jack Barker. Jack, born in 1914, was the photographer responsible for the iconic image of the royal family on a picnic blanket at Balmoral, and the camera reflects the care and pride he took in his craft. The unique top-view design allows photographers to engage naturally with their subjects, but a crucial component has broken away, leaving the camera unusable. Pierro must restore precision placement and structural integrity to ensure the camera can once again capture images as Jack intended.

Arriving first at the barn is Pernilla de Bellis from Glasgow, carrying her family's 1869 edition of Dante's Divine Comedy. Once owned by her great-great-great-grandfather Giuseppe Fermini, the book became a cherished link to her beloved grandmother Nonna Carla, who used it to teach Pernilla to read and to appreciate literature. After Carla's passing during the Covid-19 pandemic, the book became one of the few physical connections Pernilla still has to her. Fragile, torn and falling apart, the volume is entrusted to bookbinder Chris Shaw, who dismantles the book, repairs damaged pages, strengthens delaminated boards and carefully remounts the curved spine using his 'mummification' technique. Finally, he blends the worn cover with watercolours, restoring both strength and dignity to a treasured family heirloom.

Next to arrive is Mikey Akers from Coventry, accompanied by his mum, Louisa. Mikey received the Pride of Birmingham award aged 16 for his work raising awareness of verbal dyspraxia, a neurological speech disorder he has lived with since childhood. His poem I Am the Boy became the foundation of his advocacy, helping others understand the challenges he faced. Years later, Louisa accidentally knocked the award from a shelf, shattering the angel statuette. Ceramics expert Kirsten takes on the delicate reconstruction, navigating glossy resin surfaces, missing fragments and fragile joins. She rebuilds the wings, fills losses with soft wood filler and experiments with layered hand painting to recreate the award's pristine, opaque white finish.

The third repair belongs to Justina Sebag-Montefiore from Cornwall, who brings her grandfather Michael's handmade tsymbaly, a Ukrainian stringed instrument. Michael, known to Justina as Dido Mikeilo, grew up in the Carpathian Mountains before being taken to a work camp in Germany during World War II. After liberation, he settled in England, bringing with him a love of Ukrainian folk music. Unable to bring his original instrument from Ukraine, he built a new tsymbaly using postwar materials, carving wood with the skill of his mountain community. After decades of storage, the instrument is now loose, damaged and painfully out of tune. Luthier Julyan Wallis must reinforce oversized hitch-pin holes, repair weakened dovetail joints and replace more than 78 strings. His careful consolidation is reinforced with a visit to Justina's home to show her how to tune the instrument so that its music can delight further generations.

Finally, arcade expert Geoff Harvey receives a vintage fruit machine, known as a one-armed bandit, from Maxine Armitage and her daughter Ella. The machine belonged to Maxine's late husband Ian, whose life revolved around amusement and gaming equipment. He kept the machine partly because its manufacturer's initials, IA Limited, matched his own. After Ian's passing in 2018, Maxine discovered the machine in their garage and knew it needed saving. Geoff begins by rewiring dangerous electrics, unlocking the cabinet and inspecting the mechanical coin system, jammed microswitch and heavy internal components. He must restore the reels, clockwork timer, payout system and lighting so that the machine can once again spin, click and pay out just as it did in Ian's youth.