[UPBEAT MUSIC] NARRATOR: It's the nation's favorite antiques experts, [HORN BLOWS] With 200 pounds each.

I like.

I like.

I like.

NARRATOR: A classic car, and a goal to scour Britain for antiques.

[HORN HONKS] The aim?

To make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

There'll be worthy winners and valiant losers.

It's fine.

NARRATOR: So will it be the high road to glory?

[LAUGHTER] Or the slow road to disaster?

Pull out the ignition.

NARRATOR: This is the "Antiques Road Trip."

Yeah.

Today, we're in the White Rose County that gave us the Bronte's, Geoffrey Boycott, and a very tasty pud that goes so well with beef.

Hints, anyone?

Sunny Yorkshire.

I love Yorkshire.

I think it's a good county, second only to Worcestershire.

What about Argyll and Bute?

All the cool people come from there.

NARRATOR: Really?

Well, Roo Irvine does anyway.

She's the dealer with the thing for glass.

There are some genuine Georgian glasses, so I'm excited.

NARRATOR: What's more, every time she buys some, it seems to make a profit.

I'll tell you what, Phil, the gap has seriously narrowed.

I have you to thank for that.

NARRATOR: Yeah.

After the table trauma of the last auction.

Ouch.

NARRATOR: Our road trip tenderfoot is catching up on old hand Philip.

That was a bit of a learning curve for me.

Phil is an auctioneer from Worcester, but he's not just potty about pots.

Oh, they're lovely.

NARRATOR: Crikey.

Could his reputation for being the road trip grump be wrong?

You're misunderstood, Phil Serrell.

I mean, you must have smiled about 732 times since you started this.

Trapped wind.

NARRATOR: Charming.

Roo has so far managed to expand her 200 pounds stake to 300 and 8 pounds and 64p.

While Phil, despite that last auction disaster, is still out ahead, having upped his 200 pounds to 376 pounds and four pence.

After anchors away back in Herefordshire where hurricanes hardly happen, a Brimfield Roo, Phil, and their 1976 Triumph Stag have cheerfully charted course through middle England before heading up North towards Yorkshire.

They'll then motor on down to London and the Thames before finally traversing the Cotswolds and ending up at Newent in Gloucestershire.

Phew!

Today, they'll be busily buying for an auction in Greenwich.

But our tally-ho point is in Yorkshire, at Cawthorne.

There used to be [INAUDIBLE] around here, now popular with walkers and cyclists.

ROO IRVINE: Hopefully it's big enough for the both of us.

NARRATOR: Yes, it's one of those shared shops.

Let's respect each other's space, shall we?

I'm going to beat you to the door.

NARRATOR: She is, too.

Probably won't make a great deal of difference though.

Enough to suit all tastes in here.

Do you think they do well in London?

Hell fire.

NARRATOR: Quite.

World War I German M16 Stalin helmet.

Like my German?

NARRATOR: Achtung, pet, look out.

Hey oop, [INAUDIBLE].

NARRATOR: Joshing aside, who actually wants to win this competition?

I've done well.

Beat Phil the last legs.

We're one one.

And the gap is slowly getting smaller.

But this is now what I need to step up.

NARRATOR: I think Phil might be about to do just that.

These are probably made out of pine pitch, pine.

Cheap timber.

They were just workman's tools.

But that's the way this job goes now.

People don't want necessarily, as I've discovered, fine Georgian mahogany furniture.

They want things like this.

They're a bit funky, a bit different.

NARRATOR: The ticket price is 48 pounds, might be worth a bit more in Greenwich.

What would you use those for?

Well, they make great shelves in a bathroom, towel rail, all sorts of things.

You can even walk up them.

NARRATOR: Go on.

Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

I think Roo might soon be asking questions of dealer Karen.

Vintage jewelry, even retro jewelry now is becoming so much more fashionable and collectible now than true antique jewelry.

Thank you, Karen.

I'm looking for the Christian Dior sign on each piece of jewelry.

The brooch, I'm actually contemplating whether that was separately and has been matched with it.

KAREN: It's a slightly different design, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

And also slightly different material too, and shade of gold.

NARRATOR: The ticket price is 30 pounds.

Could you put that to the side for me and I'll-- if you could keep that to the side, away from Phil, although I don't think it's his style.

NARRATOR: Hey, he's got all sorts of styles believe me.

Don't pigeonhole him.

This is another possibility for the London market.

This is a set of industrial, they're card index trays.

And every factory and warehouse would have had these.

And they've become redundant thanks to computer systems.

But these are now really, really trendy things.

These are priced at 79 pounds.

For you, this probably looks like a bit of old rusting metal.

NARRATOR: Well-- Actually to me, it looks like a bit of old rusting metal.

But it's now a funny world.

That mahogany chest of drawers over there is less desirable.

Ooh, me foot!

NARRATOR: He'll live.

Now, do we have a deal in development?

ROO IRVINE: Is there anything you can do on the price of that?

You've got it at 30.

Because the brooch isn't much and like you said, and that's going to deflect from it.

What's about 20?

Could you do it for 18?

I think that's fair.

Yeah?

Thank you so much, Karen.

Thank you.

NARRATOR: Thank you.

One down and with Phil seemingly on the case, Roo's already got something else in mind.

Let's try it on for size.

Can you imagine just putting this on and going down in the dark, dusty, smelly, wet conditions of a mine?

Not seeing daylight?

That's a pretty hard life to have.

That's priced at 44 pound.

She says Leeds here, Premier Lamp, an England company, Leeds.

Don't know how that's going to fly in Greenwich, to be honest.

It could be a bit of a risk.

I spot something over my shoulder.

Yes, hello.

Can I help you?

Joe, I thought the trick was to find something London in South Yorkshire and take it to London, not find a miner's helmet in Yorkshire and take it to London.

But if I buy something London-y and take it to London, there'll be lots of London-y things in London.

NARRATOR: Lost me there.

ROO IRVINE: I see right through you.

You might have sold me on it.

Annoyingly, I wish I'd seen that.

NARRATOR: Well, what about what you did find then?

Time for a word with our Karen.

Karen!

Your steps in that room, some little a-frame steps, they've got 48 pounds on them.

KAREN: Right.

PHIL SERRELL: I was kind of hoping they might have a 2 in front of them, 25 quid or something like that.

What could you do those for?

What about 30?

We're getting there.

Let's see if there's something else I can buy off you.

Upstairs, you've got a set of card index trays at 78 pounds.

Would there be much movement on those?

It's quite good, that chap.

Yeah, can be a good deal on those.

How good is quite good?

If they're on at 78, probably 50.

Is that anywhere near?

Well, it's getting close, isn't it?

NARRATOR: I think he might be working up a catch phrase here.

So if I bought the steps and the card index trays and I gave you 55 quid for the two, would that work?

Oh, no.

Ouch.

I just loved the, oh no.

I just love the way you said that.

What about 60 for the two then?

That sounded better.

What about 65?

PHIL SERRELL: I think I would give you 65 for the two.

Is that any good?

Go on, then.

65.

Thank you so much, thank you.

KAREN: You're welcome.

Oh Yeah.

NARRATOR: Phil loves it in there.

One for luck.

NARRATOR: And Arusha loves glass.

Guess what Roo's found?

NARRATOR: Again?

The thing is, it's not just one glass.

There's five of them.

And these are all Georgian hand-blown.

Very wonky and lopsided.

It's almost like the glass has had too much of what's in the glass.

And it can't stand up straight.

And it's a lovely sign of age.

Five of them, seven pounds.

Can you really say no to that?

NARRATOR: Nope.

ROO IRVINE: So I think this could be a good buy.

Bit of a no-brainer.

NARRATOR: Quite.

And with Phil safely off the premises, it might well be time for another word with the boss.

This one's nice and easy.

You've got 7 on there.

Could you do all five for a fiver?

- Yeah, that's fine.

- Yeah?

No worries.

Brilliant.

This is not my usual thing.

Could you do anything on that price of 44 pounds to make it tempting for me?

Would 30 you be tempting?

25 and I take it off your hands.

And give you a big kiss.

NARRATOR: Steady on.

You're going to do the price up now, aren't you?

[LAUGHING] 28?

Go on, then.

I'll shake your hand, Karen.

Thank you so much.

NARRATOR: So a total of 51 pounds for the jewelry, glasses and the miner's helmet.

Quite a pile.

Thanks, Karen.

Do I make it look easy?

NARRATOR: I can't better watch.

See you.

NARRATOR: What about Phil, eh?

Out on the open road.

Boop boop.

Allegedly making for Wentworth, but he's been distracted.

Because Phil does love an old farmyard.

How are you doing?

All right.

- Good to see you.

- Good to meet you.

Yeah.

Now, I'm a bit of a strange one here because I always like to go somewhere that's just a bit different and you strike me as being a bit different.

[LAUGHING] Is it him or her?

GARY: She.

PHIL SERRELL: That's a she.

Can I buy it off you?

If you want.

PHIL SERRELL: How much?

GARY: 5 and 1/2.

We talking hundreds or thousands?

No, hundreds.

If I hadn't bought that table, I could have bought this.

NARRATOR: I'm not sure Greenwich is ready for livestock.

I'm on a mission to try and buy something off you.

Don't mind what it is.

Bit of tack.

Or you know those wrought iron pig feeders.

Anything like that?

No, no.

They got to sell them.

Anything like that?

Nah.

NARRATOR: I'm sure our Gary will find something to tempt him.

Off we go in there.

NARRATOR: Could be almost anything.

This is a possibility.

GARY: [INAUDIBLE] Can you change a pound?

Ahhh!

Hey, how much is that?

12 quid.

My dad always said to me, if you want to find a fool in the country, bring him with you.

NARRATOR: Did he ever say never buy anything in the dark as well?

PHIL SERRELL: I'm having a good old look here.

GARY: Old tables.

That's an old one.

PHIL SERRELL: Let's have a good look at this.

This is an old table top on four new legs.

GARY: Well, I can't make it what it isn't.

It's what it is, isn't it?

PHIL SERRELL: I can't bear legs in that look.

[WHISTLING SOUND] Look.

How much is it?

GARY: Well, I [INAUDIBLE] You know, I often think I need a translator.

You've just done what?

GARY: Thee me is [INAUDIBLE].

Me, that's me.

Yeah, thee.

And me means me.

Right, OK.

I want to tip it up.

Go over that way.

Yeah, there you are.

Look, that's an old top on for brand new legs.

No good?

Well things have potential in life.

But it's not worth a fat lot.

GARY: That away, man.

It's authentic.

PHIL SERRELL: Authentic?

GARY: Authentic.

I will make you one bid for it and that's it.

You can have 20 quid.

Oh, man.

Look at this.

Keep us warm for three days.

PHIL SERRELL: Let's put it back then.

Yeah, no messing about, yes or no.

30 quid for it.

I can't-- I thought 50.

That's what I thought.

I'll give you 25 quid.

That's the end of it and shake your hand.

[SLAP] [INAUDIBLE] for that.

What did he do that for?

NARRATOR: He had his reasons.

Right, 25 quid.

There's a 20.

There's a five.

Have you got a plaster for me hand?

No, I've some of [INAUDIBLE] that buying man always gets [INAUDIBLE].

What's that, then?

All the luck in the world with you.

You're a gentleman.

Can I just-- so that's just cost me 24 pounds, isn't it?

NARRATOR: Time to see it in the cold light of day, eh?

Oh Lord above, Gary.

What have you done to me?

GARY: That's not new.

PHIL SERRELL: I thought you said you had this in the farmer house 40 years?

GARY: It were.

I fetched it out.

That weren't made 40 years ago.

GARY: It were.

NARRATOR: Well, it could easily do better than your antique table, Phil.

If it sells, that is.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Now, where's our Roo?

Well, having just acquired that collier's helmet, she's headed to the heart of Yorkshire coal mining history at South Elmsall to learn about the village's pride in its brass.

Welcome to the home of Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band.

Would you like to go in and see?

- Yes, please.

After you.

Oh, thank you.

NARRATOR: With a history that stretches back to the late 19th century, the Frickley Band is one of the most famous of the hundreds that once performed around the region.

ROO IRVINE: Wow, well you must have every kind of instrument here.

Certainly have, yes.

NARRATOR: Ray Sykes, MBE, was a band member for 66 years and a miner all his working life.

It was full families.

Father, son, grandfather, great-grandfather, they all worked at the pit.

My dad finished up as colliery manager.

He started as a pony driver.

ROO IRVINE: So with the conditions being so unpleasant working in the coal mines, being in a brass band must help the morale of all the miners.

The conditions at the pit were so bad but the actual atmosphere between man and man, it was fantastic.

And the humor was out of this world.

Because if you didn't laugh, you'd cry.

Why brass bands in particular?

I think with manual workers, you have calloused hands.

You're not really able to play a piccolo or an oboe or a violin.

But all brass instruments are either valve instruments or slide instruments, so a lot easier to play.

And of course, the most delicate part of your body is your lips NARRATOR: There's always been fierce competition between the bands.

And the men from Carlton Maine Frickley were regularly amongst the prize winners, picking up trophy after trophy.

You try and get better and better and better and better.

In 1947, to improve the worker's lot, nationalization came in, which meant that every pit had a manager.

Now, every manager had his own trophy cabinet.

And that's for the band, the football team, the cricket team.

And the pit actually looked after all three.

NARRATOR: Nowadays, there's a country park where the Frickley pit head once stood, as the village still struggles to cope with the closure of the mine in 1993.

The brass band went into decline for a while too but they've played on.

[BRASS INSTRUMENTS PLAYING] Good, eh?

Great sound from just a small sample of the 30 plus members.

RAY SYKES: After the '84, '85 strike and the closures of the collieries, 80% of the colliery band folded.

We were down to just six players.

During that strike, nearly all the band were single men.

And they didn't get paid a penny for 12 months.

And basically the other bands were coming around saying, come and join my band.

We'll get you a job.

ROO IRVINE: Right.

And you can't blame the lads for leaving.

Easiest thing in the world to say, that's it.

It's gone.

But we carried on.

ROO IRVINE: So you didn't give up?

RAY SYKES: No.

ROO IRVINE: The band didn't give up?

RAY SYKES: We built it back up.

And not just built it up, we're now ranked in the top 10 bands in the world.

After the pit closed, the pride in the village and the band seemed to fall away.

And just these last few years, we've been playing in the village.

And it's been absolutely full to the rafters.

That pride's come back again.

NARRATOR: Quite a story.

[MUSIC PLAYING] Now, the last time we glimpsed our Phil, he was on his way to Wentworth.

Well, the good news is he finally made it, albeit a bit late.

- Hi, you must be Dave.

- I am.

Phil.

How are you?

- Nice to see you, Phil.

- Nice to meet you.

How's tricks?

Good?

- I'm fine, thank you very much.

- Making a quid?

Well, you try.

NARRATOR: No pennies or farmyard paraphernalia but I'm sure Phil will manage.

This is a lovely little Edwardian mahogany pot cupboard.

Mahogany, that's satin wood, that's boxwood line inlay, that's ebonized line inlay And what I like about this, is that if you look at the boxwood line inlay down the legs, a lot of these have had their legs cut off or shortened.

And this one hasn't.

Because you can see the bottom, where the line inlay goes across.

And how much is that?

DAVE: 170.

We can move on that, Phil.

- Can we?

- Yeah.

That's what I like to hear.

Yep, yep.

Should have had a word with Gary up the road, you.

NARRATOR: Remember, he's bought three items today already.

To all intents and purposes, this looks like another pot cupboard.

But this is in fact a coal bucket.

And a particular type of coal bucket.

You put your coal in there.

That should have a metal liner in there.

Now, if you can imagine upstairs and downstairs.

If you were upstairs, you didn't want to be woken with the rattle of coal buckets being filled and have dirt dragged across your parlor.

So the servants would have got the metal container that fitted in there, filled it with coal.

That way you weren't woken and also your lovely furniture wasn't ruined.

Now, this particular type of coal bucket is called a purdonium, after a man called John Purdon.

And Purdon was associated with the firm in the 19th century called Bell, Massey, and Co. And they were the first people to market the purdonium.

Isn't that a lovely story?

I think it's true.

NARRATOR: Don't worry.

It is.

PHIL SERRELL: Dave, there's something I've seen up here.

I like that.

So John Paul junior is saying, "Why does Mr. Harcourt hang out that funny sign, Daddy?"

And John Paul is saying, "Because, my son, it is TWO TO ONE his pledges will never be redeemed."

NARRATOR: You had to be there.

PHIL SERRELL: It's a satirical cartoon.

But I suspect that Mr. Harcourt was perhaps a 19th century politician.

It's a pity about this here, isn't it?

DAVE: Yeah.

PHIL SERRELL: The way it's been folded.

DAVE: Yeah.

NARRATOR: Ticket price, 48 pounds.

Is it something you're desperate to get rid of?

No.

[LAUGHING] That's what I really want to hear, Dave.

I'll tell you what, I'm going to make me best offer, DAVE: Yes, go on, then.

PHIL SERRELL: And it's 20 quid really.

You know, Phil I always thought Dick Turpin had died.

No, no, me horse is just outside.

DAVE: 25 quid.

Come on, get your money out.

22 and I'll have a deal with you.

It's painful, this.

You do know I've got seven kids to feed, don't you?

Well, whose fault's that?

NARRATOR: He's been busy.

DAVE: It's sad, but I still need some money off you.

PHIL SERRELL: OK. Just for you and the seven kids.

DAVE: Yeah, that's right.

PHIL SERRELL: Thanks Dave, you're a good one.

See you soon.

DAVE: You're welcome, mate.

Thank you.

Cheers, now.

NARRATOR: So with their swag in the back of Rudolph the Stag PHIL SERRELL: I think it's a really nice car, actually.

ROO IRVINE: He hasn't given us any trouble, has he?

And to be honest, occasionally that does happen.

Occasionally?

NARRATOR: Nighty night.

Sounds like Phil may not have enjoyed an untroubled sleep.

I bought something in the dark.

In the dark?

Oh, dear, Phil.

What did you do?

NARRATOR: He bought a kitchen table, actually.

Plus some steps, a satirical print, and metal cabinet.

Ooh, me foot.

Ooh.

NARRATOR: Leaving over 265 pounds to buy things in daylight with.

Whilst Arusha splashed out on some vintage jewelry, a miner's helmet, and-- surprise, surprise, some Georgian glass.

Can you really say no to that?

NARRATOR: But she still has 257 pounds and 64 pence, should anything else catch her eye.

Later, they'll be taking the long road towards an auction in Greenwich.

But their first stop today is in Derbyshire at Bolsover, overlooked by very fine castle.

PHIL SERRELL: Now, isn't that lovely?

I have a soft spot for castles and stately homes.

I've got a country estate.

You do?

Yeah, Volvo.

NARRATOR: He did once.

You can just imagine what he crammed into it.

PHIL SERRELL: Here we are, love.

ROO IRVINE: Bye, Phil.

Take care, hun.

Have a good day.

ROO IRVINE: Bye.

- Hi, are you Phil?

- You must be Andy.

- Yes I am.

- How are you doing?

I'm all right.

How are you?

It's a lovely day in Bolsover, isn't it?

Beautiful, isn't it.

NARRATOR: Generally, in the eye of the beholder when Phil's involved.

[MUSIC PLAYING] If you're going to buy Victorian Edwardian pine chest of drawers, always have a good look at the top.

Because there's a very fair chance that they might have been a cut down dressing table.

And if you look and see a mark like that there, and then other mark over there, that's probably where a set of drawers have been there and there.

And then we've got a mirror in the middle.

Why would you take them off?

Well, basically, a chest of drawers is worth more money than a dressing table.

But you can't lose those telltale marks.

NARRATOR: Thanks for sharing that, Phil.

Now, how about Roo and Rudolph?

Happy?

Loving it.

I'm loving it.

NARRATOR: On their merry way to the nearby town of Chesterfield, where the local landmark is that marvelous crooked spire.

Sends you around the twist.

[MUSIC PLAYING] - Hi.

- I'm Roo.

Lovely to meet you.

- I'm Wendy.

Nice to meet you.

- How are you doing?

I'm fine, thank you.

Gorgeous day.

NARRATOR: But what will it take to make it truly memorable, Roo?

I want something that's going to be risky.

But I want it to be big and make a statement.

NARRATOR: Well, that might just do the trick.

Not so comfy.

Oh.

How cool is this?

It's obviously made of really old oil drums and it's been made into this very retro looking sofa and I love it.

And you can see here where it's been painted over, but the natural wear from it has actually taken off the paint.

This would be such a cool thing buy.

But there's one thing that's putting me off.

It's just this little bit of brown paper.

599 and 99 pence and that's a little bit too rich for me.

I was wanting to go big.

That's a bit too big, I think.

Shame.

I love it, but I'm going to have to walk away from this one.

Carefully.

NARRATOR: Scratch that one.

But don't scratch this.

[GRAMOPHONE PLAYING] Does that not give you goosebumps?

I love it.

WENDY: It's 1910.

It's an oak case gramophone.

And it does include the records.

NARRATOR: Nice and loud too.

Wow.

That's the belly of the beast.

NARRATOR: For a ticket price of 160 pounds.

ROO IRVINE: Now, we're actually going down to London.

This could be quite a charming piece in someone's big old house.

Definitely.

I do like it.

Can you sort of keep this safe for me?

Yes.

Don't let anyone else buy it yet.

NARRATOR: Sounds like Roo's smitten.

What news from Bolsover?

I think it's time just to save Andy's on his toes.

Andy.

Yes, Phil?

I was only testing.

Oh right.

But now I've got you here, can I have a look at that lampshade, please?

So that's what?

1920s is it?

I would imagine so, yes, looking at it.

Yeah.

This is a shame for a pendant light.

So basically, these three bits here, they'll hang to a central rose on the ceiling, won't they?

And the light will be in here.

And what we want to look, Andy is damage in there.

I know.

It's a shame.

Oh look.

ANDY: There's a little bit there.

PHIL SERRELL: Yeah.

If you're doing up a '20s house, it would be really quite cool, wouldn't it?

NARRATOR: Perhaps they'd like a gramophone too.

PHIL SERRELL: It's priced at 80.

Is there much movement on price?

Yeah.

I can do a little bit.

A little?

Yeah.

Well, put it on the counter for me.

Okie dokie.

NARRATOR: One ceiling light, or plafonnier, reserved while Phil makes a foray into the militaria department.

PHIL SERRELL: These are really cool.

Just imagine that you're fighting in the trenches and you're hiding down here behind our trenches.

And these are a set of trench binoculars that you put up like that and you can see what was happening over yonder.

NARRATOR: Good for a shared shot too?

This is really Mr. Laidlaw's country isn't it?

He's more about this stuff than I know.

NARRATOR: OK, let's get down to business then.

Andy, do you know how old those are?

Are they first World War?

Second World War?

ANDY: I would guess Second World War.

NARRATOR: Are we sure, Phil?

PHIL SERRELL: Kind of thinking about, back to your Art Deco lampshade.

But I've really got to hammer you on the price.

Is it going to be acceptable?

ANDY: Well, it's quite a bit of wriggle room.

NARRATOR: The ticket says 80, remember.

I think I've got to bid you between 30 and 40 quid for it.

If I gave you 40 quid, would that do it?

ANDY: Yeah.

- Can you do that?

Yeah.

PHIL SERRELL: Well, that's a really deal of the century, isn't it?

ANDY: It is, really.

NARRATOR: So step away from the militaria.

There's 40 pounds.

Andy: Thank you very much.

PHIL SERRELL: You're a star.

Thank you very much indeed.

NARRATOR: Because Phil's done shopping.

But in nearby Chesterfield, Roo's just getting inspired.

I might be a little bit excited here.

This is an Edwardian wash stand.

This is a lovely thing and it's got a solid marble top to it and also a plaque within the wash stand.

Satin wood, beautiful carving here.

So this would be early 1900s.

The Edwardian era was a funny one.

It was a very romantic era after the Victorian period.

But it didn't necessarily have its own style.

The Edwardian era paid homage to all the styles before.

This is something that definitely could do well.

And it would show that also I can do little and large.

Very large.

NARRATOR: As if we ever doubted.

The large asking price is 180 pounds.

ROO IRVINE: It's always good to check the inside of the drawers to see if there is genuine age within the inside.

If you open it and suddenly you're hit with pine, it's like, oh, it's a bit too new.

I also like to take a good sniff.

Afternoon tea.

NARRATOR: I wonder what Wendy makes of it all.

It's beautiful.

It is heavy.

[LAUGHING] ROO IRVINE: What could you do on that?

WENDY: Ooh, 10% is what the dealers are OK with.

Any less, I have to just give them a ring.

So I mean, we could knock 20 pounds off straightaway, that's 160.

ROO IRVINE: Let me come back to the gramophone.

Would the same rule apply there?

WENDY: Yes.

ROO IRVINE: OK.

So if you could actually grab the dog and bone and call the dealer.

Yeah.

And let me know how you get on.

All right, then.

NARRATOR: So what's it to be?

Wash stand or gramophone?

I'm torn.

I'm really torn.

This wash stand is beautiful.

It's old fashioned craftsmanship.

The gramophone is vintage charm.

I'm going to have to see what Wendy says.

My decision is in her hands.

NARRATOR: Here we go.

WENDY: So 10% is 160.

So that's too high?

It would be.

150.

Is that the absolute best that he can Do 140.

And the gramophone?

WENDY: Again, the 10% off the 160.

We could take it on the chin slightly with the gramophone and come down to 135.

NARRATOR: So are we talking two here?

Remember, she has just over 257 pounds left.

ROO IRVINE: I would need to get both items for 250 pounds.

255?

OK. Yay.

Thank you.

I think we need to hug this one out.

NARRATOR: Bravo.

That's what I call sporting.

ROO IRVINE: That's lovely.

NARRATOR: But while Roo departs with only 2 pounds 64p to her name, Phil's headed into the countryside, taking our route back towards Yorkshire and North Leinster to learn about the county's contribution to an iconic building from local author Mike Ogden.

ROO IRVINE: Mike, how are you?

I'm very well, thanks.

Absolute pleasure to see you.

But I've got one question.

Why have you brought me to what appears to be the edge of a park?

Yes, but up until 100 years or so ago, this was a large working quarry, producing magnesium limestone.

And it was from this quarry that the stone was taken to build the Houses of Parliament in the 1840s and '50s.

NARRATOR: When fire destroyed the medieval palace of Westminster in 1834, a commission selected Charles Barry's Gothic design from the many proposals.

But the next big issue was the choice of stone.

MIKE: Barry was keen that it should be a warm colored stone.

He didn't want a white limestone like the Westminster Abbey or St. Paul.

And they had a visiting committee, that during the course of 1839, toured 102 quarries.

And eventually they chose this quarry here at Northampton.

Why choose here when London is all that way away?

MIKE: The stone was of the right color and it was suitable for carving into quite thick blocks, anything up to 4 feet thick.

And Charles Barry needed that size of blocks, simply easy to work.

And the final selling point for Northampton was the fact that it was only two miles away from the Chesterfield canal.

NARRATOR: Work began in 1840 and was anticipated to last for six years at a cost of 725,000 pounds.

In fact, it dragged on for nearly 30 years with an eventual bill of getting on for 200 million in today's money, sound familiar?

PHIL SERRELL: Where are we off to now, then, Mike?

Well, here's where we can see a piece of the Westminster parliament here in Yorkshire.

This pinnacle was carved in the stone yard at Westminster and not used in the project.

NARRATOR: But Yorkshire's contribution to that famous pile was far from straightforward.

There were problems apparent with the stone long before the building was finished.

And that was down to London's grossly polluted atmosphere in the mid-19th century, and also to the fact that the pressure on the masons and the builders was acute.

It resulted in them having to use the stone that was available on the day and not able to wait for a perfect piece of stone to be available.

The result is that quite a lot of the stone was built into the building with the natural vents that occur in limestone vertical rather than horizontal.

And that meant that the acid rain of Victorian London and the damp river side atmosphere could get into the stone and erode it.

And that started to happen very quickly.

And there's a long history of faults, including in the 1920s.

A large chunk fell off the Victoria tower.

And fortunately no one was standing underneath.

NARRATOR: The quarries of Clipsham in Rutland provided materials to repair and replace the Yorkshire limestone.

But there's an awful lot of it left.

I'm guessing, Mike, that there's still huge chunks of Anston Stone still in Parliament?

Oh, yes.

No one knows for sure.

But they seem agreed that it's at least 50% of the building is still the original Anston stone.

So there's no doubt that this is still very much a Yorkshire building.

Oh, bang up.

Bang up.

[MUSIC PLAYING] NARRATOR: Meanwhile, elsewhere in God's own country, Roo's search goes on, tootling the Triumph towards the village of Bircotes.

Lighter step and even lighter of cash.

ROO IRVINE: Hi Ian, I'm Roo.

Hi Roo.

Nice to meet you.

Welcome to Era Antiques.

Thank you.

This is a very, very cool place.

Chairs hanging from the ceiling, projectors on the floor.

NARRATOR: Not to mention the elephant in the room.

Well, two actually.

Because Ian really does need to know about the, yeah, 2 pounds and the 64 pence.

Own up, Rue?

ROO IRVINE: Would you like to guess how much I have left?

Pick a number, any number.

Pick a number.

Any number between 1 and 10.

Yes.

You're [INAUDIBLE] the pennies in.

I'll give you extra points if you get that right.

NARRATOR: Feels good to get it out there.

That's quite a nasty sound, isn't it?

NARRATOR: Time to find out what can be cut price.

ROO IRVINE: That is impressive, isn't it?

It might be within your price range.

There we go.

That is seriously cool.

Welsh miner, I believe.

And have you had this in long?

It's been here a while.

25 on that.

It could be within your price range, being as it was tucked out of the way.

NARRATOR: Nicely done.

Now, don't drop any of that change.

One pound, two pound, 20, 40, 60, 2, 4.

NARRATOR: The whole nine yards.

- Wish me luck.

- OK. Bye bye.

NARRATOR: That'll go nicely with her miner's helmet as thoughts turn to that London auction.

I'm intrigued now to know what you bought.

Firewood.

NARRATOR: Lordy.

Time for some shut-eye.

[MUSIC PLAYING] [VOCALIZATION] Greetings from Greenwich, a World Heritage site beside the Thames.

But in the meantime, get it?

Greenwich?

PHIL SERRELL: You got any worries?

ROO IRVINE: I do.

My two big bits of furniture.

PHIL SERRELL: Really?

ROO IRVINE: Gramophone and the wash stand.

How bout you?

The stable table's give me a bit of heartache, I can tell you.

- Oh, no.

You'll be fine with that one.

I do hope so.

NARRATOR: Cheer up.

After kicking off in Cawthorne and having a thoroughly Yorkshire time of it, Roo and Phil have motored almost 200 miles south, where there's a full house at the Greenwich Auctions Partnership Phil shelled out 151 pounds on five auction lots.

Is that going to you at the end of today?

No.

It's going to be me.

[LAUGHING] NARRATOR: Well, Arusha spent every penny of her 308 pounds and 64 pence, also on five lots.

Winners and losers, predictions please.

Secretly, I'm really envious of this because I think it's a really cool thing and I can see her making a profit out of that.

That's great, isn't it?

I think Phil has been a little bit too clever when he bought this.

How many people are actually going to know what it's referencing?

It's so niche in terms of history that it's going to be over a lot of people's heads.

NARRATOR: What's the opinion of auctioneer Robert Todd?

ROBERT TODD: The majority of people that I know have all got indoor bathrooms.

They do not need a jack and bubbler water and a wash stand.

The great thing with these is they're fabulous as a drinks table.

The industrial filing cabinet, I personally think, is from the war department.

And it's fireproof.

The kitchen table, I've probably got shirts out of that table, cleaned up it'll be a very useful piece of kit.

NARRATOR: Thanks, Robert.

Now grab that gavel.

Sweaty palm time again.

Why do we keep doing this ourselves?

NARRATOR: It's the money.

And you want a step up in life.

There we are.

Very useful if you're under 5 foot and you want to get to a tall cabinet.

Bids remain straight in on this at 30 pounds only on those, and that's cheap.

32, 35, 38, 42.

I'm out anywhere.

42 there, take 45.

You'll kick yourself 42 there.

Looking for 45.

Well done.

If he doesn't, I will.

ROBERT TODD: 50 pound and 5.

All done at 55.

I'll sell these steps at 55 pounds.

[GAVEL BANGS] Well done.

NARRATOR: You got that right, Phil.

It is the London effect, isn't it?

Everything is suddenly worth a lot more.

NARRATOR: Does that include Roo's vintage jewelry?

With the right hit on, a lady would have to buy this, honestly.

Bids remain straight on this at 20 pounds.

22.5, I'm out if you want it.

28 there, looking for 30.

Can he get more?

30 pound there, I'm looking for 32, 32 and 5.

35, 38, 40 pounds I want.

38 I've got.

We all done?

40 pound new price take 2.

Last time on my right of 40 pounds.

That's jolly good.

NARRATOR: Both off to a sparkling start.

The trip south has proved worthwhile, hasn't it?

It has so far, so far.

NARRATOR: Time for Phil's rusty old cabinet.

Still works too.

You want them yourself, don't you?

Are you going to put your spices in there?

I can't [INAUDIBLE] them.

Chili pepper and your turmeric.

We're going to start with a bid we me of only 20 pounds on that.

PHIL SERRELL: Scrap, I would have thought.

I'll give a 22, 5, 8, 32 I'm out.

It's moving fast.

40 pound there.

42, 42, 45, 48, 50.

50 pound there, looking for 55.

All done.

Last time.

50 pounds.

And looking at it, it's not the most handsome thing, is it?

You did well to get 50 quid for it.

Roo, how could you say that?

But that's its charm.

NARRATOR: Handsome profit, anyway.

It's a bit rough around the edges.

Me or it?

[LAUGHING] No, you're highly polished.

NARRATOR: Roo's regular glass lots spot.

Fabulous little lot.

And the bid remain straight at 15 pounds only.

Oh, I thought it was 50.

On the Georgian glass.

18, 22, 5, 8, 32 I'm out.

5.01 anywhere?

I've got 35 standing.

38, 40 pounds 42, 45, 48 there.

Looking for 50.

They should be 50, come on.

On the glasses at 48 pounds.

Well done, you.

Thank you.

NARRATOR: Yeah, that's a great return.

I want to say I'm really, really pleased for you, but I can't lie.

NARRATOR: Now as found in a dingy barn.

Never buy without a light switch present.

Starting straight in at 25 pound, on this table.

That's a pound profit.

Gorgeous.

Outside in the garden as well, 28, 30 pound with me.

32, 5, 8, I'm out.

38 in front, will they give a 40?

And we all done?

38 pounds.

My lovely farmer, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I apologize profusely for ever doubting you.

NARRATOR: I hope you're watching, Gary.

Every shop I'm going to go in, would you mind if I turn the lights off?

NARRATOR: Roo's little colliery collection now.

It's the sort of thing that I would have bought.

It is actually.

Maybe you're rubbing off on me.

And the bid is with me, straight in at 35 pound, on this 38, 42, 5, 8, I'm out.

48 pound I want?

Yes, 48, 50.

5, I need.

I got 50 here.

I'm looking for 55.

55 on the telephone.

60 pound in the room, take 65.

65, 70 I need.

70 I've got and 75 on the phone.

80 pounds.

There's a lot of miners around here, there's a lot of miners.

I've got flutterbys.

85 pounds.

That's done brilliantly well, isn't it?

I'm really all for moon.

NARRATOR: Yes, another major profit.

She's digging for victory.

He does smack that blooming gavel down, doesn't he?

You can drive six inch nails into a railway sleeper with that.

NARRATOR: Quite.

How about Phil's 19th century satire now?

Don't all laugh at once.

I like this cartoon.

It's very clever.

It's very you.

The bid will be only 20 pounds on it.

2 I want on this.

20 pound I've got.

22.

25 I want.

25, 28, there.

Take 30.

30 pound, the lady take 32.

32 and 5.

35 and 8.

- There you have it.

Done.

Right in front with 35 pounds.

Well done.

NARRATOR: Yep, still no losses so far today.

So I am actually shaking Gets you, doesn't it?

It does get you a bit.

I am so scared right now.

NARRATOR: I can see why.

Roo's big gamble, part one.

[EXHALES] I'm shaking.

I'm practicing my breathing techniques.

NARRATOR: On we go.

The bid's a mere 32 pound.

Looking for 35 only on this wash stand drinks cabinet.

I've got 35.

- Come on.

38 with me.

Looking for 40.

That's really low.

Last one at 38 pounds.

[BANGS GAVEL] Up front-- Don't say anything.

NARRATOR: Well buttoned, Phil.

Not a pretty sight, eh?

Do I regret it?

I love it and I would have it in my house in a heartbeat.

Do you know what?

I'd have in my house, too.

NARRATOR: That's the spirit.

Presenting Phil's pink light fitting.

When I was in Yorkshire I bought a lamp shade but now I'm in London, I was selling a plafonnier.

Oh, well of course, yeah.

At the bench with me, straight in at only 28 pound on that.

32 , 5, 8, 42, 5 I'm out.

48, 55, 55 there, looking for 60.

55.

60 pound I want.

55 pound in front.

60 on the phone.

65 with the lady, look.

70 low.

70 pound I need.

You have a good eye.

65 Pounds.

[BANGS GAVEL] You've got a good couple of eyes.

Mince pies please.

I bought cheap and I've sort of made little profit.

You've taken big risks.

Your road trip this leg is much more exciting than mine because-- I think I'd swap.

NARRATOR: Too late, Roo.

Your gramophone with disks.

Couple of bids on this.

Got to start with me at 30 pounds only.

Looking for 32.

32 looking for 35.

I've got 35.

38 ,42, 5 I'm out.

Looking for 50.

Are we all done?

On my left at 45 pounds.

[BANGS GAVEL] Lot 141, contemporary designed-- That's an ouch.

NARRATOR: Actually gone for a song.

That was nail-biting stuff.

My nails are cut to pieces.

I feel for you, come on.

I'll let you buy me a cup of tea.

NARRATOR: Plenty of sugar, please.

Roo started out with 308 pounds and 64 p, but after costs she made a loss, 98 pounds and 72 pence.

So she has just 209 pounds and 92 pence to spend next time.

While Phil, who began with 376 pounds and four pence, made after costs, a profit of 48 pounds and 26 p. So he has 424 pounds 30.

Victory today and a healthy lead.

Well, that was a roller coaster.

Well, it was.

But I tell you something.

Tomorrow is another day.

NARRATOR: Well, frankly my dears, you are right.

[MUSIC PLAYING]