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00:01Here at The Repair Shop,
00:03countless treasures have been brought back to life.
00:07Cha-ching.
00:08That reveal so much about who we are
00:11and where we're from.
00:14It's like it's brand new.
00:15But there's so much more out there.
00:17Let's do it.
00:18That's not yet made it to the barn.
00:20This is amazing.
00:22So the team are hitting the road.
00:25I just love getting up close and personal with the objects.
00:27And we're going to get a glimpse into some amazing heritage crafts.
00:31Yes.
00:31I cannot wait.
00:34On a unique adventure.
00:36Oh, yes.
00:37This is terrifying.
00:39To join forces with expert craftspeople.
00:43Whoa!
00:44If we don't point these joints, moisture's going to penetrate.
00:47On their most ambitious restorations yet.
00:50To think every day you come up, this is your office.
00:52Wow, it's big.
00:54Keeping heritage crafts alive.
00:56Keep going.
00:57Keep going.
00:58It's getting hot in there.
01:00On precious restorations around the country.
01:03I can't even imagine what it looks like.
01:06Wow!
01:07There's a legacy here that needs to be protected.
01:15Today, taking the repair shop out on the road.
01:19Are we there yet, Dad?
01:20No, no, don't start that.
01:22We've got a long way ahead of us.
01:25Dom's joined by radio and electronics expert Mark Stuckey.
01:29So it's a bit like a whodunit.
01:31Who's hoping to bring the light back to a cinema that's been in the dark for decades.
01:36If I get it wrong, I could get a short, which means bang.
01:40But it's going to be fun.
01:41Also in need of restoration, is an instrument with a long family history.
01:49This is my grandad's accordion and it's been with us for about 60 to 70 years.
01:54And Dom takes time out to learn the intricate art of watch dial enameling.
02:00Good start.
02:01A little bit lumpy in places, but...
02:04I haven't finished yet.
02:05Give me a chance.
02:06Give me a chance.
02:11In the southwest of Scotland, on the glorious Ayrshire coast, the town of Prestwick developed as a holiday resort after
02:22the railway arrived in the 1840s.
02:24Still popular today, it's a coastline of sweeping views and historic castles.
02:32But some local landmarks have seen better days, including a striking Art Deco cinema, now derelict and disused.
02:44What are you up to in Ayrshire?
02:46Well, I'm actually meeting this fantastic community group who are dealing with a cinema.
02:52Oh.
02:53Now that is right up my street.
02:55What are you doing?
02:56Do you know?
02:56I know that the equipment in there was originally installed in 1956.
03:01And if you say that's really old, that's the same age as me.
03:05Notice I didn't say a word, Mark.
03:09The long-abandoned cinema sits on the town's Main Street.
03:14And a community group, the Friends of the Broadway Prestwick, have plans to restore it.
03:22But there's plenty of work to be done before another film can be shown.
03:27Thank you for inviting me to such a fantastic place.
03:30Mark is meeting project development officer Kyle Macfarlane.
03:34We are now standing in the foy, opened in 1935.
03:38Drived all the way through the golden age of cinema up until the last film, which was 1976.
03:44And you can see the original ticket booth standing there in the centre.
03:46That's gorgeous. I love that.
03:48Yeah, it's good.
03:48I want one of those.
03:50And this is just a trailer before the main attraction.
03:54OK, Mark. Well, welcome to the auditorium.
03:58Wow.
03:59Look at it.
04:01It's such a grand scale.
04:03It was a homage to film.
04:05Yeah, so our original capacity, 1,060.
04:08You had 385 seats up in the balcony.
04:11And that is what it looked like in 1935.
04:15Wow.
04:15When the Broadway was built, cinema going was an affordable luxury.
04:20A taste of the high life for a thrutney seat in the stalls.
04:24Cinemas like this truly were picture palaces.
04:28These art deco cinemas were popping up all over the country.
04:32It's a massive part of Scotland's cultural and built heritage.
04:35Scotland actually had the highest rate of cinema going per capita in Europe.
04:38Yeah.
04:39So the Broadway would have been a massive deal for everyone in Prestwick.
04:43It would have been like a spaceship had just landed.
04:45This brand new picture palace had appeared right in the middle of Main Street.
04:49But in time, the fortunes of the Broadway cinema fell back to earth with a bump.
04:56It did eventually go over to Bingo in the 60s.
04:59After a short period of dereliction, the building then became a leisure centre in 1981.
05:04And that consisted of an amusement arcade in the foyer.
05:07And here, where we are sitting, three championship standard squash courts.
05:12When the leisure centre closed, the Broadway once again fell into disuse.
05:19Until now.
05:21The community group plans to repurpose empty rooms as a museum of Scottish cinema
05:26with a film education centre and a hub for learning the Gaelic language.
05:33But that's all in the future.
05:35Because as things stand, this is a cinema that cannot show a film.
05:41What are you hoping I can do for you?
05:43Well, if you look to the very back of the balcony, Mark, you'll be able to see the original
05:47Gormont Cayley Type 20 projectors peering out.
05:50It would be fantastic if you could perhaps get our GK20s working again.
05:55So you'd like me to fix the projectors.
05:57But when they're fixed, assuming I get them working, what's your intention?
06:02Well, our intention is that we will be showing analogue film on a regular basis.
06:06That preservation of the art of golden age projection is really important to us.
06:10Carl, you've got me so excited. I just can't wait to get up there.
06:14All yours.
06:16The Broadway does have two analogue film projectors, but they've been unused for nigh on 50 years.
06:25When films were physical, 35mm prints on spools, two projectors were required because each spool held a maximum 20 minutes
06:35of film.
06:35So the projectors would switch seamlessly, allowing one to reload as the other continued the presentation.
06:43Look at this.
06:45Yeah.
06:46That is brilliant.
06:48Helping Mark with the restoration is a specialist in analogue film projection, Steve Rowley.
06:55From this end, everything looks quite nice.
06:58But if you come round the business side of things...
07:00There's going to be a but.
07:01Oh, there's a big but.
07:03What have we got?
07:04All the original wiring, because it was asbestos, has all been gutted out of it.
07:08OK.
07:09That all needs to be replaced.
07:11Yeah.
07:11The mirrors need to come out and need to be cleaned because they're absolutely filthy.
07:16And the rust.
07:18This is the gate that holds the film totally flat and still.
07:23Yeah.
07:23As the light is projected through each frame of film.
07:27Yeah.
07:28And the rust marks on all of these, those all have to be cleaned.
07:32They have to be absolutely shiny.
07:35So, Steve, what's the best way for us to actually fix that film gate?
07:39Polish.
07:39Elbow grease.
07:40Elbow grease.
07:41Nothing more.
07:42But that is totally salvageable.
07:45That's good.
07:47Steve's confident that the mechanical workings can be restored.
07:51But every film projector needs a strong light source.
07:55And the original lamp was powered by a carbon arc.
07:59By passing electricity across the gap between two carbon rods, an intense light is produced, rated at around 8,000
08:09watts.
08:09Steve, in your experience, do you often see arc houses now?
08:14No.
08:15They've all been replaced by modern zenith maps.
08:18So, looking at the position and condition of these, what are they like?
08:22I state my reputation on we will get light out of these.
08:27Yeah.
08:28It's a bold claim.
08:30Because if Steve's right, the Broadway will be the only cinema in the UK regularly showing films using this heritage
08:38projection method.
08:40And also because the lamps currently have no power source.
08:46Okay.
08:46So, what do we reckon we've got to do first?
08:49Replacing all the wiring that's been gutted out of the lamp houses.
08:52Okay.
08:53I thought you were going to say you wanted a cup of tea.
08:56I'm...
08:57Cup of tea.
08:58Then you can do the arc lamp wiring.
09:00Sounds better.
09:00Why?
09:01I concentrate on doing the projector heads.
09:04Okay.
09:04And the mechanical parts of the sound head.
09:06We've got a plan.
09:08As Mark and Steve split forces in the projector room,
09:13Out on the road, Dom's focusing on finding a treasured and time-worn heirloom to take to the barn.
09:21He's meeting Victoria Byrne McCombie, originally from Shetland, but now a student in Edinburgh.
09:28What have you brought in?
09:30I've got an accordion.
09:31Can we have a look?
09:32It's fine.
09:33Wow.
09:33Just sit down.
09:35That is absolutely beautiful.
09:39So this is my granddad's accordion and it's been with us in the family for about 60 to 70 years.
09:45Wow.
09:45What was his name?
09:46My granddad was Sandy McCombie.
09:48He was from Aberdeenshire, my dad's dad.
09:51What was he like?
09:51Will you tell us a bit about him?
09:52He was a joiner and he loved playing the accordion.
09:57So he saved up all his money from playing in the pubs and from his joiner work to get this
10:02accordion.
10:02Also, he just rode his bike to the pubs, so he had the accordion on his back.
10:07With this?
10:08Yeah.
10:08Like a backpack?
10:09Yeah.
10:10Wow.
10:12I've heard that he was a big character and a lovely guy.
10:15Wow.
10:15And from what I've heard, he was an amazing player.
10:19Did you meet him?
10:20No, so he actually died when I was a baby.
10:23So I guess that makes this very special for you then?
10:26Exactly.
10:27It's nice to have something of his, especially an accordion.
10:30Do you play then?
10:31Yeah, so I've played the accordion for about 10 to 12 years now.
10:35This instrument?
10:36No, so I have my own accordion, which is a bit smaller.
10:39It's quite a big tradition where I'm from, I'm from Shetland, so the music scene is quite lively.
10:44Yeah.
10:45So just from hearing and seeing people play it, that really got me started.
10:50With the first television broadcast not reaching Shetland until 1964, the Islanders are long accustomed to making their own entertainment.
11:01And still today, few social occasions pass without live music.
11:07So have you played it since now it's yours?
11:10I've had a couple of goes, but...
11:12It's not working?
11:12Yeah, it's in some disrepair at the moment.
11:14Okay.
11:15Does it actually play a note though?
11:16Can we have a go?
11:17Mm-hmm.
11:17Just gently?
11:19Victoria's accordion hasn't been played since her granddad died.
11:25And it's not sounding its best.
11:28The basses are quite sticky, whereas they should be quite quick and agile.
11:33While you're playing they sound slightly out of tune as well.
11:36Yeah, okay.
11:37And then some of the issues with the exterior, with like the leather.
11:42This is probably your granddad slinging it over his shoulder.
11:45Yeah.
11:46He's been cycling down the road.
11:48Why do you want to get it repaired?
11:49I want to get it repaired so I can play it at concerts,
11:52because accordions should be played.
11:55Yeah.
11:55So it'd be lovely to share granddad's legacy as well.
11:59It feels like I've got to kind of, you know, keep it going,
12:02keep this tradition alive.
12:03Brilliant.
12:03Well, leave it with us.
12:04We'll do the best we can.
12:06I know that David Burville is going to be over the moon to work on this.
12:08Thank you so much for taking it on.
12:10No problem at all.
12:11We'll see you soon.
12:11See you.
12:13With one fix heading south to the barn,
12:18in Prestwick, everything has to be done on site.
12:24Mark and Steve are working separately to get the 1950s film projectors up and running.
12:31Mark's concentrating on the electrics, or at least what's left of them.
12:36One of the issues I'm going to have here is because all the cables have been removed,
12:41it means I've got nothing to reference to.
12:43I've got no road map now to show me how to get from A to B.
12:47So I'm going to have to work it all out.
12:49The main circuit board is on the back panel of the projector.
12:53If Mark can discover what each bit does, or did, he can plan how to reconnect it all.
13:00Now what I've got here is remnants of wiring.
13:05These were rheostats so that when this turned, you adjusted and varied the current flow or the voltage.
13:11They will need to be replaced.
13:13These undoubtedly are fuses.
13:16Another fuse line here to go to somewhere.
13:18So it's a bit like a whodunit.
13:20We have a situation, and I've got to work out from the evidence here as to what goes where.
13:26The wiring will power the motors which run the film, and the powerful arc light which projects it onto the
13:34screen.
13:35If I get it wrong, I could get a short, which means bang, or it doesn't do anything.
13:42But it's going to be fun.
13:50At the front of the projector, Steve's looking at the drive mechanism.
13:54And this is the actual beating heart of the projector that pulls each frame of film down, one by one.
14:05At some point in the past, somebody has put grease on everything to protect it.
14:11So we can take all this off, clean it all, make sure everything's polished and aligned, and put it all
14:20back.
14:20We're going to take the mirror out because they need to be cleaned.
14:25There.
14:28And now you'll be able to see exactly how bad the mirrors are.
14:34The mirror focuses the projector's light beam onto the film.
14:38It's vitally important. These are really highly polished.
14:43And we've got some of the proper cleaning fluids on it.
14:46It will come up almost like new.
14:48One step closer to getting a picture back on the screen again.
14:51As Steve gets polishing...
14:56..at the barn...
15:00..organ builder and mechanical music specialist, David Burville,
15:05is taking a look at Victoria's accordion.
15:08Oh, it's a Crucinelli.
15:10Victoria has inherited a really, really lovely accordion from her grandfather.
15:17What's really worrying me is what's going on inside.
15:21So, in order to find out, I'm going to put it on and see what noises it makes.
15:33Sticky note there.
15:37That's not going to be any good if you're playing it fast.
15:42So, it sounds like I've got a bit of work to do on the base end.
15:48Oh, we've got a dead note there.
15:52With accordions, you've got two sets of reeds for every one note.
15:58So, basically, when you push the bellows, they're under pressure,
16:02so you have a pressure reed.
16:04And then when you pull them, they're under vacuum, so you have a vacuum reed.
16:08So, that one, the pressure reed is actually working,
16:12but the vacuum reed isn't working.
16:14So, it might be a little bit of stuff that's got in under the reed.
16:24So, I think the first thing I'm going to do is actually take these straps off,
16:29and then I can give those to Sue's.
16:33get the back panel off, and then I should be able to remove that.
16:39David will give the straps to saddle maker and leather expert,
16:43Susie Fletcher.
16:45Now the straps are off, I can actually start getting inside.
16:48It's literally just these pins, and they peg the bellows on.
16:58So, it should just separate now.
17:03Yeah, the quality of these Crucianelli accordions is just absolutely amazing.
17:12Even internally, the whole thing's varnished.
17:15All the reeds are beautifully set in beeswax.
17:18It really is a quality instrument through and through.
17:28So, I've now got the accordion all the pieces, and it's absolutely filthy.
17:34I mean, this is years and years of playing and sucking in dust.
17:48I'm just going to carry on removing all of this dust and muck,
17:53and stop it from actually infiltrating into the instrument and causing more problems.
18:05As David cleans, back at the Broadway cinema,
18:10Mark and Steve are getting their hands dirty.
18:13And the next job is to get the oil pump out of the bottom of the projector,
18:18which means I've got to take the drive gear off.
18:21Oh, okay.
18:22And then undrew four screws, and the oil pump should come out of my hand.
18:26Is there any oil in it?
18:27We'll find out when I take the oil pump out.
18:30As in a car, the oil pump keeps the gears and sprockets of the drive mechanism running sweetly.
18:36If you hold your hand under there as I take the pump out, you can catch any.
18:40Yeah, thank you.
18:41Should it fail...
18:43No, I don't want to do any twisting.
18:44...the restored projector would grind to a halt.
18:48So, Steve, while you're busy, how did you get into projectors in the first place?
18:52My father, after the Second World War, was chief projectionist at a cinema in Northern Ireland.
19:01And he bought me my first 35mm projector for my seventh Christmas present.
19:11And that was a Cayley Model 8 from 1928.
19:17Between them, Steve and Mark have spent more than a century tinkering with film projectors.
19:23But even experienced fixers can struggle...
19:28...with an oil pump that's stuck fast.
19:31You're closer than I am to that Allen screw that's holding that flywheel on.
19:35Where's it holding it? Oh, I've got it.
19:38That screw goes all the way through the shaft, so you've got to take it all the way out.
19:42You're kidding.
19:43No.
19:43Want a light?
19:45No, I don't need a light, I need a miracle.
19:49Ready?
19:49Yep, when you are.
19:53Come on.
19:55Good.
19:56So, oil pump.
19:58One, two, three screws?
19:59Yep.
20:05Oh, I know.
20:07Oh, it is.
20:08How do you come?
20:09There we go.
20:10You see how dirty it is.
20:13For its age.
20:14And then you think how long it's been sucked in doing nothing.
20:18It's not bad.
20:19Good.
20:20Get it sucked overnight.
20:22And it would be as good as new.
20:23Excellent.
20:29In the barn, on David's bench,
20:33Victoria's accordion is also being stripped down for an overhaul.
20:38I've now got all the reed banks out of the accordion, and I must admit, they're actually in really good
20:45condition.
20:46The reed, basically, it's a metal strip, which is actually a spring metal, and it's attached at one end, and
20:56then it vibrates when you pass air through it.
21:00I can give you a little demonstration if I just suck on this.
21:06So you can actually see the reed vibrating.
21:14The bigger the reed, the slower it goes, so the lower the note.
21:17There's actually almost 400 reeds in this accordion alone.
21:22Now, I know there's a dead note, so what I've got to do is just test through and actually find
21:27that dead note, and then see if we can fix it.
21:36Right, so we've got one there.
21:43I can actually see that there's just a little tiny black dot that's just down one side of the reed.
21:51So I'm just going to use a dentist tool and just move the reed very carefully, and I can feel
22:03that that's moving.
22:07So now that's working, you can actually see that little flat valve opening in and out as I blow in
22:13and out.
22:14So I'm just going to go through the rest of them and check all of them individually on pressure and
22:19vacuum, and then hopefully that will sort that out.
22:26These higher reeds are operated by the keyboard, by the right hand, playing the melody.
22:33On the left hand, the buttons play either the bass notes or chords.
22:39So I'm just lubricating the bass end mechanism of the accordion.
22:44This is frighteningly complicated, and there's lots of points of contact.
22:51I'm actually using liquid graphite, and basically it's the same as pencil lead.
22:57So if ever you've rubbed a pencil continuously on a piece of paper, it goes really nice and slippery and
23:04shiny.
23:04It just is a really, really good lubricant for this sort of application.
23:24I've done all of the reeds, got those all sounding nice, and I've also done the exterior of the accordion,
23:32because it was really scuffed and dirty, and so I've buffed it all up.
23:38Once Susie's worked her magic on the straps, I put it back together.
23:44In Prestwick, at the Broadway cinema, the team are aiming to have the first film showing in nearly 50 years
23:51by the end of the week.
23:55It's a tall order, but the team are working together to make it happen, hauling a heavy-duty rectifier salvaged
24:03from a now-closed cinema in Stirling into position.
24:09Among the high-vis and hard hats is Guy Walker, director of the Friends of the Broadway.
24:16His day job is in academia, but he was also once a cinema projectionist.
24:22So these are the little rectifiers down here, these are the massive power supplies needed to drive the super bright
24:29carbon arcs here, which get the image down onto the screen.
24:33And it's blooming heavy inside of them.
24:36With the power supplies in place, Mark continues working on the projector wiring,
24:43as Steve makes final adjustments to the drive assembly.
24:47Come on, you know you need to get in one or two slots.
24:50Ready for a test run.
24:53The arc lamps may not be working yet, but if the motors run and the film spools, this will be
25:00a massive step forward.
25:07But cinema needs sound, as well as light.
25:11And in the auditorium, Guy has made a welcome discovery.
25:15So we've just found the original 1930s wiring for the speaker back here, and unbelievably we're going to be able
25:22to use it.
25:23There's plenty work still to be done, but Mark's happy with progress.
25:29Overall, we're doing really well, and I'm very confident we're going to get closer and closer to that final moment
25:35where we'll actually, for the first time, hear sound, and importantly, see the picture.
25:41With recent history being revived in Prestwick, further north in Glasgow, Dom is seeking out a traditional craft that predates
25:51the cinema by centuries.
25:54There was a time when Britain produced half of the world's watches, and today, after a long decline, many of
26:03the varied skills that go into watchmaking are being revived.
26:07Morna, hi. What are you up to?
26:10I'm currently doing one of the first processes, using a mortar and pestle, to grind enamel.
26:17Morna Darling works for Anne Ordain, whose handcrafted creations sell to an international clientele.
26:26Dom's here to find out more about the craft of watch-dial enamelling.
26:31So this is not paint?
26:33No, this is essentially almost like grains of glass.
26:37Wow, right.
26:39So in here, it looks like water?
26:42Yes, so water and the powdered enamel.
26:46The technique of grinding glass, then firing it, so that it melts, flows and hardens, goes all the way back
26:54to Roman times.
26:56But the use of enamel on watch-dials dates back to the 17th century.
27:02When we apply the enamel, we want every single grain to line up really neatly next to each other.
27:08That nice, flat, smooth surface.
27:10Yeah, but if they were a large grain and a small grain, that could cause, like, a little ear bubble
27:15or a pit,
27:16and we want to make our dials as perfect as you can, making them handmade anyway.
27:21Wow.
27:22OK.
27:23How long would you typically be doing that for, then, grinding?
27:25Depends how much you're doing, but it could take up to about an hour.
27:30Because perfection takes time...
27:32So I've got some that's here.
27:35Oh, wow, I can see how it's finer than that.
27:36Yeah, so it's much finer than that.
27:38Yeah.
27:38You can see it there.
27:40Morna has some well-grown enamel to hand, ready for the next stage.
27:44So that's now ready to apply to a dial?
27:46Yes, so I've actually got one for you to do today.
27:49And so I'll show you the best way to pick it up is using your paintbrush.
27:53Traditional enamelists would have actually have used a quill, but we find it easier using a paintbrush.
27:59Yeah.
27:59Start in the middle and work your way out.
28:02Dom is painting a watch face pressed out from a sheet of silver.
28:08How long has it taken you to learn how to do this?
28:10A fair while, if I'm honest.
28:13Watch dial enameling is incredibly precise.
28:17We work within like a tenth of a millimetre.
28:19It has to be...
28:20A tenth of a millimetre.
28:21It's nothing like paint at all.
28:24No.
28:24It's like painting with sand.
28:26Yeah.
28:27How much should I be putting on though?
28:28Look, is that too much over here?
28:30It's a little bit lumpy, but it's good for a first attempt, I think.
28:35I haven't finished yet.
28:36Give me a chance.
28:36Give me a chance.
28:40Next, Moana is placing the dial in a hot kiln.
28:44Two minutes at between 790 and 840 degrees.
28:49That's going to sort of melt, essentially, the enamel particles that we've been put on there.
28:54And then it's done?
28:55So after that, you've got quite a few more layers to add.
28:59Oh, is that?
28:59Yeah, so up to about six or seven more layers to reach that really kind of beautiful glossy finish that
29:05we're after.
29:06For one dial, that's going to take hours.
29:07Yeah, it's time consuming work.
29:09With two minutes up, time to see the results of the first filing.
29:14Oh, look at that.
29:15It comes out a completely different colour initially.
29:18So as it cools down, it'll turn green.
29:22Now they're starting to cool, I can see the colour popping out.
29:25And this one is one that's actually had all of its layers applied.
29:29That's the same colour.
29:31Yeah, same colour.
29:32Just after six more tries.
29:33Yeah, same colour.
29:33So it's now at a stage that it would be ready to move on to be ground and polished.
29:39And this is the result.
29:42It's amazing.
29:43This looks absolutely beautiful.
29:45So that's now ready to go into a watch.
29:47So not quite yet.
29:49And my colleague Martin is waiting for you next door and you're going to apply numerals with him.
29:53Oh, okay.
29:54The enamel application is complete, but the face looks a little bare.
30:00Adding numerals is the responsibility of Martin Andriy Koval.
30:05Hello, I've got a dial that needs some numerals.
30:07Until 2022, Martin ran his own enameling workshop in Ukraine, creating custom handmade jewellery.
30:17But for this stage of the watchmaking process, he's using a pad printing machine, a specialist printer designed for use
30:26on a range of surfaces.
30:29Okay, this is a good result for the first layer.
30:32You can see.
30:32You're happy?
30:33Yeah.
30:33Yeah.
30:36So fine.
30:37The details are very fine.
30:38Amazing.
30:39Yes.
30:40But not fine enough.
30:41We'll see how it's going with second and third layer.
30:45And they all have to be perfectly printed.
30:48Like Mona, Martin will repeat the process until the watch face is flawless.
30:54Push this bottom a few times.
30:57Oh.
30:58And again.
30:58That's loading.
30:59Yeah.
30:59And again.
31:01And go.
31:02This is it.
31:02Yeah.
31:08Brilliant.
31:09We'll see.
31:09Here we go.
31:11Use the loop to see.
31:16How do you find?
31:17It's absent.
31:18No, you can't see.
31:18Can I see?
31:19No.
31:22It's perfect.
31:23How does this compare then to a finished watch dial?
31:27Oh, I can show you.
31:30Look for this.
31:32You can see how it have to look like.
31:36Having spent time with you and Mona here today, I can really start to appreciate how much work is involved
31:43in making one of these beautiful watches.
31:51In the barn, saddle maker and leather expert Susie Fletcher is making a new strap for Victoria's accordion.
32:00Okay.
32:01Just trim that off.
32:04She's wrapped new leather her own padding to exactly match the dimensions of the original.
32:10So now that's all nicely glued into position, I'm just going to put some metal holding tacks in this just
32:18to hold it before I start stitching because the padding likes to move around.
32:24And I want to keep an equal distance from both edges so that when it's stitched together, it looks really
32:33neat.
32:37Now I've got that all tacked into position, I can start stitching it together.
32:42I'm just going to pop it in these clams so that both my hands are completely free because much like
32:49an accordion player, both my hands are busy at the same time.
33:02So I've got all the stitching done and I'm now attaching the original fittings to the new strap.
33:10It's nice to keep as much of the originality of the item as possible and there's absolutely nothing wrong with
33:18these fittings.
33:19So these are going to be held in place with some pop rivets.
33:35So that's the old fittings remounted onto the new strap.
33:39I just need to go ahead and clean the rest of the straps and then I can give everything back
33:44to David.
33:49Right on cue, David is also almost done.
33:53Right, well that's all back together.
34:00Great, that's sounding really good.
34:03Time now for the finishing touch.
34:05Susie's straps.
34:06It's actually been really quite fun to work on this and I think Victoria will really enjoy playing it.
34:14With the quality of these accordions, it will go on for many, many years.
34:21Out on the coast in Prestwick, the team renovating the Broadway cinema are also forging a new future from the
34:30past.
34:31In the auditorium, Guy's made another discovery.
34:36So this is the enormous cinema loudspeaker which blasts the sound out to the audience.
34:42It's actually called a Vitavox which stands for living voice and this is quite a famous brand back in the
34:47day.
34:48But Guy's loudspeaker will sit silent until in the projection room, Mark gets the amplifiers working.
34:56This is the power amplifier and what this does, takes a signal from the projectors, amplifies it and sends it
35:04down to the auditorium to the loudspeaker.
35:06Now I've replaced all the appropriate components.
35:09What I'm going to do now is put it back in.
35:12This is always a bit of a struggle.
35:14Here we go.
35:16It's a bit stiff.
35:18All I need to do now, turn it on and without any luck, we should hear a bit of a
35:23buzz in the monitor speaker behind us.
35:25That tells me it's fully operational.
35:28That's what I wanted to hear.
35:30With Mark sounding positive in Prestwick, over on the East Coast, Dom's also getting close to what promises to be
35:39a musical reunion.
35:40So today is the day Victoria is getting her accordion back.
35:45I'm quite in the mood for hearing a good tune.
35:48Since accordion's been a way to be repaired, I've been thinking a bit more about my granddad and kind of
35:53about how he felt when he was playing it.
35:56I also think it represents a lot of music because he would play it around about for everyone and it
36:02was just sharing that joy.
36:06Hi.
36:07Hi-hi.
36:08How are you doing?
36:09I'm really excited to see the accordion now and to see what it's looking like and how it sounds.
36:14Seeing it is one thing.
36:16Yeah.
36:16So it was a little bit out of tune the last time I've heard it.
36:19It was frustrating, especially when you have like a sticky bass or something on the accordion.
36:24So what's the dream then?
36:25What are you hoping for?
36:26Just to be able to play it at concerts and at Cayley's and be able to share his legacy with
36:32people.
36:32Well, are you ready to take a look?
36:34Yes.
36:35Excited?
36:36Yeah, very excited.
36:37Yeah?
36:37Yeah.
36:40Oh wow, yeah.
36:41I can tell that it's looking quite new.
36:44Looks brand new again.
36:46Have a proper look around.
36:47Yeah?
36:48Yeah, absolutely.
36:50New straps.
36:52It looks really nice.
36:54So Susie has made all new leather straps for it.
36:57Yeah.
36:58And the bellows are so clean as well.
37:00David Burbell has gone through the whole machine internally, had it all apart, cleaned it all out.
37:05No, I'm very excited to hear how it plays.
37:07You'll be the best judge really of if it's now in tune and if it plays okay.
37:11Yeah.
37:11So if you don't mind.
37:12Yeah, absolutely.
37:13Love that.
37:17Yeah.
37:24Yeah.
37:26Yeah.
37:51That was absolutely brilliant.
37:55Wow.
37:55Wow.
37:56Whilst you were playing, you had the biggest smile on your face.
38:01Your face just lit up.
38:02How was that for you?
38:04Really special.
38:05Yeah, really nice.
38:06And for it to actually be able to, like, keep up with while I'm playing.
38:10I know you.
38:10Your fingers are moving so fast.
38:12That was part of the problem before.
38:13It was all sticky and slow and couldn't keep up with you.
38:15Yeah, exactly.
38:16Your granddad would be so proud.
38:18If he was sitting here now, I think he'd be so proud of you playing his instrument.
38:22Something that he loved so much.
38:23Well, thank you.
38:25I hope it inspires you.
38:26Yeah, especially when I'm thinking of him playing it.
38:29And although the accordion's been repaired and it looks brand new,
38:32it's still got that same, like, aesthetic of how it used to when he was playing it,
38:36which I think is really special.
38:37That history is still there.
38:38Yes.
38:38Which is so important.
38:39Exactly.
38:40Brilliant.
38:41Well, I guess it's time to get it back home, back to Shetland, where it belongs.
38:45And I hope you enjoy it.
38:46Honestly, thank you so much to the whole team.
38:49I'm really excited to take it home and sit down with it and see what it's capable of.
38:53I'm feeling really, really happy.
38:55I'm really happy in the way that it's turned out and how it sounds
38:58and hear what it would have sounded like when my grandad first played it.
39:04I am going to be using it to busk
39:07and I'll also be playing it for concerts in Cayley's
39:11so it can get a bit of action again.
39:14With Victoria's accordion restored and ready for a new audience,
39:20at the Broadway cinema, the show is about to begin.
39:27Announcing the first film presentation in nearly 50 years,
39:31the team restoring the Broadway have invited friends and supporters
39:35for what promises to be a historic occasion.
39:38It was 1976.
39:39I saw The Poseidon Adventure, one of the last films that was shown in there.
39:43And it's going to be really, really good to see film again live in Westwick.
39:50It's really great to be here today.
39:52Actually, it's getting your little ticket.
39:55It's wonderful. It's a really great experience.
39:58It's incredibly exciting to have started the project 13 years ago
40:01and to have this milestone. It's just incredible.
40:04We're so happy to be part of it and just to see how far they've come.
40:08It's incredibly proud and exciting to be here.
40:12Up in the projection room, Steve is ready and waiting.
40:17As a hard-hearted audience file in,
40:21Project Development Officer Kyle kicks off proceedings.
40:25Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Broadway cinema.
40:28We've been waiting a long time to say that
40:29and we've got a long way still to go,
40:31but this is a massive first step on our journey
40:33of bringing this amazing cinema back to Prestwick.
40:36The film you're about to see today is a murder mystery set in Italy.
40:39We can't wait to see the projectors running.
40:41So, incredible thanks.
40:42I have to go to Mark and Steve for making this incredible achievement possible.
40:49It's been a great honour to be asked to come to this magnificent building
40:53to see already what you've actually achieved.
40:56And I just can't wait to see in the future
40:58what else you'll be able to do
41:00and bring this Art Deco building back to life.
41:03Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in 50 years,
41:06I have the honour to say this.
41:09When you're ready, Chief...
41:11Today, local school student Ross Bain is a trainee
41:15under the watchful eye of Chief Projectionist Steve.
41:19Right, we all ready?
41:20Yeah, I think so.
41:21Start the motor and then count to three.
41:24Together, they fire up the projector.
41:26Right, I'll strike the arc.
41:49Now, it's a pincer lady named Twelch.
41:52Isn't it awesome?
41:53Old pincer lady is always a peculiar name that fits her.
41:57Well, it's a pincer lady named Twelch.
41:58Yes, it's the main character.
42:00What about you on there?
42:01Trump.
42:03Then one.
42:04My local computer.
42:08Watching a film on the Broadway has been a dream for over ten years.
42:14Seeing the old equipment been put into full use is just such a thrill ride.
42:18And today is another amazing step in the journey of this really lovely community group.
42:25Absolutely fantastic.
42:26Just to see what it would have been like when my grandparents were just children.
42:30It's just wonderful.
42:33It's been great to hear the rattle of the projectors, the applause of the audience,
42:37the film soundtrack echoing through the building.
42:39It's been brilliant.
42:41It just feels like the building's come back to life.
42:43Again, after half a century, all of a sudden it's woken up.
42:46And again, all thanks again to Mark and Steve for making that happen.
42:50It's been unbelievable.
42:52I've been immensely impressed by the amount of enthusiasm and dedication here.
42:58This, without doubt, has been the best project I've ever been involved in.
43:03It's been a brilliant experience.
43:05If you'd like to see more fantastic fixes and restorations,
43:10search BBC iPlayer for The Repair Shop on the road.
43:38I did love to see the guys.
43:43Indeed.
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