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00:05I'm Don Chennair. I'm a mechanic and self-taught engineer.
00:13For the last seven years, I've been helping people to fix their treasures on the repair shop.
00:19My God! That's got me my surprise.
00:22Now, together with my wife, Maria...
00:24I still think we should have a castle door.
00:26Yeah, don't know, Don, can't.
00:28See, I'm helpful. Very helpful.
00:31And dog Wendy.
00:33Come on, inside. Test it out for us.
00:36Yeah, very good. That is going to be your seat from now on.
00:39We're embarking on a more personal adventure.
00:42We've packed up our lives in Kent.
00:45This is it. I'm done. We are out of here.
00:48And moved to our dream Cornish farmhouse, complete with outbuildings and two-acre garden.
00:55There's a lot to do, but my first priority is transforming the derelict, very smelly cow shed...
01:03This is very strange.
01:04...into a modern, Cornish weatherproof workshop.
01:07Look at it!
01:10To help me settle into my new home, I'm going to use my skills to fix things in the local
01:16community.
01:17This is what it's all about for me, getting involved with people that need my help.
01:21I've recruited my new local friend and fellow engineering nut, Sam Lovegrove, to help.
01:27Yeah, now we're moving.
01:29Just like the Formula One teams, hey?
01:31As we hunt for some Cornish treasures...
01:33What are they doing here? Why are they not in the field?
01:35Wanted to come and say hello.
01:38...that need fixing...
01:39Hey!
01:40Look at that.
01:41...and polishing.
01:43I've got the vision. You guys have to deliver it, Sam Lovegrove.
01:46Yeah.
01:47Thank you so much.
01:48It's a whole community and more that enjoy this.
01:54Even the chicken's happy about it.
02:02After finally realising our dream of relocating to Cornwall,
02:07one of the biggest challenges has been actually finding time to enjoy it.
02:13Because between our new home, outbuildings and garden,
02:18the list of things to do and fix is getting longer.
02:22Not just a workshop any more, apparently.
02:24Now an office as well, because I've got to sort that.
02:31Hey!
02:32Welcome to the office.
02:33That's good.
02:34For now.
02:34Nice little temporary desk.
02:36Yes, yeah.
02:37You're getting there, though.
02:38Getting there, yes.
02:39You've done so much.
02:40I mean, we were stood, like, knee-high in mud and cow poo, like, not that long ago.
02:47All of that progress comes at a price, though, with a lot of invoices.
02:51Worth it.
02:55It doesn't help that I keep collecting new projects that I never get round to repairing.
03:04Oh, this bike, honestly.
03:11I have spent a fortune and a huge amount of time restoring this bike, and I've not been
03:17able to use it since.
03:18Now it's down here.
03:19I just want to go out and have fun and get to explore Cornwall on this.
03:25Luckily, Sam is on the way over, and this is his speciality.
03:30This is what he does.
03:31Old British bikes.
03:33So, fingers crossed, between us, we can get it working again and go out for a ride.
03:38Stupid thing.
03:39Oh, what was that?
03:41Something else broken.
03:44So, what doesn't it do?
03:46That's the problem.
03:46What's the problem?
03:47This was a classic case of me buying a lemon.
03:51Right.
03:51It looked like an absolute gem.
03:52Yeah.
03:52The shed find, dad's old bike, all original.
03:56You realise, as you take them apart, every nut and bolt has been attacked with the wrong
04:00screwdriver and the wrong spanner, and everything's rounded off, and they've forced the wrong
04:03one.
04:03It got worse and worse and worse.
04:05Does it run?
04:06I have had it running.
04:08How long has it run for?
04:11Not very long.
04:13I was just looking at the pips on the tyres.
04:15You haven't had time to wear those on.
04:16Exactly.
04:17This is what I'm saying.
04:18It's literally gone up and down the yard.
04:20And I can see a very modern, inappropriate-looking carburetor.
04:24Oh, excuse me.
04:25Inappropriate.
04:26Yeah, I know.
04:26It's got a Dell Auto on it.
04:27This is me troubleshooting.
04:28I had the original carb.
04:30Rebuilt that.
04:30Couldn't get it working.
04:31So, I was like, you know what?
04:32Put that on.
04:33I'll go with the Dell, because I had one on an old Vespa that I loved.
04:36I turned the fuel on.
04:37And what have you done ignition-wise?
04:39I'm guessing that is...
04:40All new.
04:41Electronic ignition.
04:42Okay.
04:42New wiring loom.
04:43No battery.
04:45I guess the best way for Dr Sam to offer his diagnosis...
04:50...is to let him hear what he's working with.
04:53I'm surprisingly unfit.
04:55Well, I'm not surprised, all the pushing you've done.
04:57Look, I think I've seen enough and heard enough.
05:00It's not going to go.
05:01And also...
05:02Standing every arm's crossed.
05:05You were kicking it just as well as I would have done.
05:08There are so many things that could be wrong.
05:10Yeah, okay.
05:10Ignition, timing, cam timing.
05:12Yeah.
05:13The carb, carb settings, the fuel.
05:15Like, there's so many things.
05:16Yeah.
05:17It's like, especially when I've taken the whole thing apart.
05:19It's like, where do you start?
05:22Well, before we read the bike, it's last rights.
05:27Sam's agreed to take it back to his workshop.
05:31If we can get it fixed...
05:32That'll do.
05:33Let's hit the road.
05:35Sam's offered to take me on one of the most exciting rides in Cornwall.
05:39That would make all the time and money...
05:41Here we go.
05:42...worthwhile.
05:56Sending my bike off to Sam's workshop means I've freed up a small space in mine.
06:03So, I'm going to finally start on getting the workshop into shape, which is where John comes in.
06:09How are you doing?
06:10Good to see you again.
06:13There's troubles here to help.
06:14No.
06:15Wendy, I know.
06:16Wendy, hello.
06:17Someone else to try and make throw a stick.
06:19It's not going to happen.
06:20We know better.
06:22John's company owns a lot of big equipment, which is just as well as I reckon we're going to need
06:27all of it.
06:29So, this is my plan.
06:32I basically want to break out all of the floor, three bays worth.
06:36Yep.
06:37So, that's four metres each bay.
06:40Yep.
06:40To there, along there, to here.
06:43Leaving that.
06:44Okay.
06:44And leaving the posts.
06:46Yep.
06:46And break out the whole floor to nothing.
06:49Yep.
06:49Is that okay?
06:49You're saying it very calmly.
06:50That's fine.
06:51That's okay.
06:52That's fine, yeah.
06:52I don't know.
06:53Wait for something out of the ordinary.
06:54Yeah.
06:56Yeah.
06:57I need to sort out the floor as it's sloped, which was fine when it was a working farm, as
07:02it was easier to wash the cow muck away.
07:03But it's not so great for me while I'm trying to work with machinery.
07:10That wall is the debate that I've been having, because I feel like it's going to be easier for you
07:16and me, I guess, although more expensive, to just break it, demolish it.
07:21Okay.
07:21Take it all down completely so you can get the massive digger in, break all this up, and then I'll
07:27rebuild a new proper double-skinned cavity wall.
07:30It'd be handy to know what is underneath that, if it's got a good foundation.
07:33If it has, because we can come in this way initially, if it's got a good foundation, just cut down
07:40through and leave the sides there and build on top of the sides again if you want.
07:45But if it's got a rubbish foundation, then take the whole lot out.
07:48Yeah.
07:50If it's good, it's going to save you work.
07:53And money.
07:53And money.
07:54And materials.
07:55But I guess the only way of finding out is to get the digger here, break out the floor and
07:58see.
07:59Break out part of it and see.
08:02Saving time and money would be music to my ears, especially with those invoices piling up.
08:08Fingers crossed.
08:09We don't find any horrible surprises underneath this floor.
08:11As soon as that digger fires up and breaks through that wall, there is no going back.
08:26This is the start.
08:27This is the sign.
08:30Progress is being made.
08:32That dream that I've got of this workshop down here in Cornwall starts today.
08:38This is it.
08:53It seems like once that concrete is out of the way, it's just mud underneath it.
08:56Yeah, it looks just good.
08:58Yeah.
08:58To me, that looks kind of promising.
08:59Yeah.
09:00Yeah, that's good.
09:02Apparently, that red stuff is from Devon.
09:06And that is from Cornwall.
09:08Who knew?
09:10That mud might mean the floor is easier to dig up, but it also means the foundations aren't
09:16strong enough for the cheaper option of punching a hole through that wall.
09:19So, the whole thing is coming down.
09:22Big JCB is going to park there and break the wall out.
09:25So, all the rubble from the wall goes and falls outside, so the dumper could just pick
09:30it up and take it and it's already outside.
09:32It makes sense to me and keeps all the rubble a little bit further away from all my machinery.
09:39But removing that very large wall doesn't come without risks.
09:44Are you worried about anything?
09:45No.
09:46I am.
09:46The sides of the walls are tied to the columns, so we'll just peck down slowly and you'll just
09:52see little pieces fall away.
09:54Yeah.
09:54So, slowly, slowly and safe.
09:56The fear, I guess my fear is I need to keep the actual concrete structure.
10:00Yeah, that'll be fine.
10:01You can be careful.
10:01Even though it's a massive machine, you can do it gently.
10:04Yes.
10:05Yeah?
10:05We can do surgery.
10:06Okay.
10:08No worries.
10:08I appreciate it.
10:09I look forward to seeing it.
10:09Let's get cracking.
10:10I'll get out of the way.
10:24What a crazy machine.
10:25Look at that.
10:26It's lifting off the floor.
10:28At the workshop, the team has promised they can perform surgery as they dismantle my wall.
10:40Let's hope they've got a steady hand.
10:46Look at that.
10:46Look at that.
10:46The whole wall's moving when he leans on it.
10:49Even the bottom.
10:55I just hope that the actual structure is okay.
10:59It's all these vibrations.
11:02Yeah, that's true, yeah.
11:03And he's right next to it.
11:03Oh, the posts are taking all the load, aren't they?
11:05This is just fucking in, Phil.
11:07Yeah.
11:08It's just all...
11:08To see the whole wall vibrate, it's terrifying, Eric.
11:15I can only watch with everything crossed, and hope my dreams of a new workshop don't crumble
11:21before my very eyes.
11:32Oh, I needn't have worried.
11:35Gone.
11:38How weird.
11:39This is bizarre.
11:41This is very strange.
11:44You've only got a view now.
11:46Yeah.
11:46Shame we can't leave it like that.
11:49Now a big tidy up.
11:50Yeah, and a cup of tea.
11:51Absolutely.
11:52Yeah, I'll get the catalogue for you.
11:54Well earned.
11:55That's awesome.
11:57All that's left is the clearing up.
12:02By levelling the floor, it's amazing.
12:04Standing here now, you can see on the wall where the ground level used to be.
12:09There's like a tide mark.
12:10And it's a good four foot nearly up from where we were.
12:14I've gained so much ceiling height.
12:16It is just vast in here now.
12:21The last stage will be putting down some membrane, then steel mesh before the big pour of concrete.
12:27But before that, it obviously needs the final seal of approval from fellow engineer, Sam.
12:34It's totally different already, though, isn't it?
12:36How much ceiling height I've gained.
12:37Yeah.
12:38It feels epic.
12:39It feels huge in there now.
12:40Well, if you run out of space now, you've got room for two floors.
12:43Store all the projects upstairs.
12:44Right at the top.
12:45Yeah, yeah, right in the eve.
12:47Also, if you, or I was going to say if, but when you get cows again, you'll appreciate that runoff.
12:52There's no more cows in this barn.
12:54We'll see.
12:55Cow days are over.
12:56No cows in here.
12:56No over this side, look.
12:58No, no.
12:58Still got the cow.
12:59That'll be, come on, you know me.
13:00That'll be full of projects.
13:01It'll be full of dead cars in no time.
13:02Half of them will be mine.
13:03Yeah.
13:17At Sam's workshop, we're hoping to inject some life support into my ailing motorbike.
13:23Right, I got it.
13:25All yours.
13:29See?
13:29That's it.
13:30You got that?
13:31Yep, got it.
13:32But after getting the patient strapped in...
13:35Yeah.
13:37Perfect.
13:38..the initial diagnosis isn't too positive.
13:41It's got an electronic ignition kit.
13:43Yes.
13:45Yes.
13:46Because I was trying to make life simple.
13:47What we have is an electronic system that is over-advancing, but the real problem is we've
13:54got two parameters, two unknowns at the same time, because the carburettor is also modern
13:58and incorrect and not the original thing.
14:01We need to just check the ignition timing before we begin.
14:04It's a good place to start.
14:05Yeah.
14:05Get the side cover off.
14:06Plugs out.
14:07All right.
14:08You do that.
14:08I'll do these.
14:09Fine.
14:09Yeah.
14:11To investigate the ignition timing, we need to check the piston is timed to the air and
14:16fuel mixture correctly, so the spark plug can ignite it at the right moment.
14:22So we just want to find top dead centre, so, you know, when the piston's at the top of
14:26the stroke.
14:27Building compression.
14:28There you go.
14:29So I've just felt the compression, and then the piston's at the top.
14:32And you know that's a compression stroke.
14:34Yep.
14:34So I know it's compression stroke.
14:36There we are.
14:37I can just feel it rocking over the top.
14:40And that's in the middle of it.
14:41So that is top dead centre within a degree or two.
14:45With that done.
14:48Right.
14:48Let's try that, I reckon.
14:50We should be good to go.
14:51We should be good to go.
15:07Mmm.
15:08This cylinder, exhausted, this is completely cold.
15:11Yeah.
15:11This side, the whole side of the engine wasn't firing at all.
15:14But it did run.
15:15But it's running, so let's change the plug for another plug.
15:18We'll go again.
15:19Here we go.
15:22The frustrations that I'm having now with Sam, I've had before.
15:26I've been here for the last year.
15:27This has been finished and built and sitting in front of my workshop.
15:30I've been desperate to ride it, and I can't.
15:41That would have got hot by now, wouldn't it?
15:43That's interesting.
15:44Yeah.
15:45I have a fairly competent idea around these Vikes, but nothing like Sam.
15:48And I feel like between us both, we're still standing here scratching our heads.
15:52It's like, what is wrong with this bike?
15:55It's quite mysterious.
15:57I know.
15:58Yeah.
15:58Yeah.
15:59Welcome to the last year of ownership.
16:02It's weird, isn't it?
16:04It's going to be one of those.
16:05It's a 10 cup of tea sort of job.
16:08I have complete confidence that Sam will be able to figure it out.
16:12What's wrong with it?
16:14But, oh, goodness me, it's so frustrating.
16:17This is where the plot thickens.
16:18With Dom's bike, he's changed the carburettor to a completely non-standard item from a company
16:24that you can't remember who they were that supplied them, assures me they got it right.
16:28Same with the ignition.
16:30Yeah, I just really don't know where we're at.
16:33And it seems all the commotion has attracted the neighbours.
16:37How's it going on out here?
16:38Hey, these, these are the cows.
16:42This is Alice.
16:43What are they doing here?
16:44Why are they not in the field?
16:45Ah, because they wanted to come and say hello.
16:47There's another one.
16:48How many are there?
16:49Five.
16:50They're friendlier than you think.
16:52They're friendly.
16:54There you go.
16:55Hey.
16:56Oh.
16:57You think it's an issue having a dog.
16:59Perfect.
16:59Right.
17:00I'll get the poo bag, shall I?
17:01Ha!
17:23As well as transforming my workshop, I'm keen to improve our outdoor spaces too.
17:31Both me and Maria loved gardening at our old house.
17:35And although we've made a start with planting veg in our new patch, I'm keen to keep things growing.
17:42I am on a fact-finding mission today.
17:45I need to learn about fruit trees because I want to plant some in the field.
17:50But this is a very different climate down here and I've got a feeling that I need to speak to
17:55some locals to find out what grows best down here.
17:57What's the best thing to plant?
17:59Apparently, these guys are the people to speak to.
18:05Colin and Lorraine, like me and Maria, upped sticks from the southeast to live here on the other side of
18:11the country.
18:12They run a cider-making business in Red Roof, using fruit from their orchard of nearly 2,000 trees.
18:20They make a lovely cider, these, don't they?
18:22Yeah.
18:23Lovely cider.
18:25The art of Cornish cider-making goes back all the way to the 13th century.
18:30This is beautiful.
18:32Oh, my goodness.
18:34Because they've got so many apples on them.
18:35Many farms like mine would have had an orchard to provide fruit for the kitchen and cider for the workers.
18:42I love the idea of recreating that slice of history.
18:46Oh, here they are. Here they are.
18:49This is impressive.
18:51How many apples are on these trees?
18:53Overall, with the orchard, we seem to get around 7,000 to 8,000 litres a year.
18:57It started with two apple trees in our back garden in Kongbrook.
19:00We used to live under Heathrow Flight Path.
19:02They were dessert apples, so they weren't the best to make cider with.
19:07Right.
19:07So, Colin started driving down to the West Country, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall,
19:11picking apples and bringing them back to Kongbrook.
19:13Was this just a hobby, then?
19:14Just a hobby, really.
19:15We had kind of a vision of what we wanted to do.
19:18That's so funny.
19:18It's a very similar situation to me, that sort of moment of, like, why not?
19:22Yeah.
19:22Life's too short.
19:23Exactly that. Give it a go.
19:24Give it a go.
19:25Sorry, and if it all goes wrong, yeah.
19:27You might regret it.
19:27We've got plenty of apples.
19:29When these apples are picked, they're pressed on site and fermented in stainless steel tanks.
19:35And best of all, it's driven entirely from power produced from the couple's own wind turbine
19:41and solar panels.
19:44What grows best down here?
19:46Are any of the apples traditionally Cornish?
19:48We've got some Cornish gillyflower.
19:51We've got some cloggets, King John brood, Tommy Knight.
19:55Tommy Knight's a very local one, St Agnes, which is quite wind-resistant.
19:59Probably be good on your orchard.
20:01I imagine some of them are quite rare.
20:02I mean, at Tommy Knight, we went in search.
20:05We had a day out in St Agnes, looking at old orchard maps and trying to find this tree.
20:10And it was in someone's back garden.
20:12And the lady kindly let us in, after she sees us peeking in her garden, to take a cutting
20:17of a tree.
20:18And then Colin's grafted it onto our own trees here.
20:20No.
20:21So we've now got that tree here.
20:23That's so funny.
20:24That's the sort of thing I end up doing with old classic cars.
20:26Peering in people's back gardens and sheds and trying to get in there and buy the cars
20:30off them, but you're going in there doing the same thing with apple trees.
20:33With apples, yeah.
20:34This is all very inspiring and quite promising, to be fair, for my field.
20:40But where on earth do you get all of these trees from?
20:42We've got one that you can take and should work well.
20:46You're part of the country.
20:47Can I have a look?
20:48Yeah.
20:48Yeah, sure.
20:48That's amazing.
20:49Oh, so that'll be the first tree.
20:51If we take some of these...
20:51First tree going in the garden, that'll be.
20:53Oh, ideal.
20:55Obviously, there's never such a thing as a free lunch, so I have to help bring the harvest
20:59in first.
21:01This is hard work, isn't it?
21:02Just this one.
21:03It is, yeah.
21:04Yes.
21:04Look at this meat.
21:05Normally, these are full to the top.
21:07Sometimes you have up to 50 crates to bring in.
21:10Really?
21:10Depending on the harvest.
21:12But it's all good fun.
21:13Yeah, it is.
21:14But all that effort is worth it.
21:17So this is your tree.
21:18Yeah, it's a Cornish aromatic.
21:21It's about 18 months old, and it would make a nice feature in your new orchard.
21:26Absolutely.
21:26And this is the first tree that's going to go in the field, which is quite a moment for
21:30me.
21:30There's so many things that you're doing here being self-sufficient.
21:33I can see the solar panels, the wind, the turbine on the roof.
21:36It's like so many things that I'm thinking about trying to do.
21:38Yeah.
21:39You're doing it.
21:40It's a real passion.
21:41I think we've just got to keep going now.
21:44We're this far in.
21:44Well, I'm going to get out of your way.
21:46I know you're very busy, so thank you very, very much.
21:49I really appreciate it.
21:51Good luck.
21:52My first tree.
21:54Look at that.
21:55I can't wait to get this home and into the ground.
22:08At home, my new apple tree is happily in the Cornish ground.
22:12In a few years, the blossom of that Cornish aromatic will attract bees and in early autumn
22:19provide fruit with a rich, spicy, aromatic taste.
22:23We're not quite at the same level as Colin and Lorraine, but it's a start.
22:29It was great meeting another couple who, like us, have jumped into Cornish life with both
22:35feet.
22:36While I was visiting their orchard, though, I noticed they didn't have a sign for their
22:41shop.
22:41So, as a thank you for the tree, I'm making them one.
22:45I'm happy to help, as we know how challenging it can be settling into a new community.
22:50Wendy!
22:51Come here!
22:52Come on!
22:55It's been tough moving.
22:56I still don't know anyone, really.
22:58Like, we're starting to meet people slowly, but, I mean, that'll happen.
23:01Like, when we moved to Kent, we didn't know anyone and we made friends.
23:04And I'm not worried about it so much.
23:06Like, it will happen.
23:07It's just giving it time.
23:09Painting requires a different set of skills to metalworking.
23:12A little less brute force and a little more finesse.
23:16I'm not the only one who's been enjoying getting a little artistic.
23:21So, I'm utilising tester pots just to add some colour and make things a bit less boring.
23:26So, I painted the guttering and the window and the doors pink.
23:29And I will do this door.
23:31I don't like the green.
23:32I know that eventually they're all going to be replaced, but it's just temporary.
23:35We both love design.
23:37I mean, Dom did graphic design, but also just loves...
23:39He likes interiors as well, and just art.
23:41I think it's kind of...
23:42He's quite knowledgeable in art, but his mum was an artist,
23:46and it's just very aesthetically inclined.
23:51It's done.
23:52Let's hope they like it.
23:56I know.
23:57Good morning.
23:58How are you, bud?
23:59It's great to have an excuse to come back,
24:02to walk through these gorgeous trees again,
24:04even though the end of the season means they're not quite so full.
24:08This is a bit of a tea method, isn't it?
24:10Find a hope.
24:11You have this done in no time.
24:12Oh, everyone sounds like they're having far too much fun down here.
24:18Hello, everyone.
24:19I'm back.
24:20Oh, hi.
24:20Oh, hello.
24:21I come with gifts.
24:22Oh, exciting.
24:24Oh, well, I just wanted to say thank you so much for my first tree.
24:27Oh, you're welcome.
24:27It's doing well.
24:28So, I thought I'd paint you a sign for your workshop.
24:31Oh, that's amazing.
24:32So, I hope you like it.
24:33It's fantastic.
24:35Hopefully, with this on the wall...
24:37Woo-hoo.
24:38It's perfect.
24:39Woo!
24:42Cheers.
24:43Every shop needs a sign.
24:44It's brilliant.
24:46Colin and Lorraine's business will keep growing, bigger and better.
25:03What are we on?
25:05And that is just so...
25:06Number eight still.
25:10At Sam's workshop, although there's still plenty of work to do on the bike, I've managed
25:16to find time to feed my latest addiction, sniffing out a bargain for things for the house.
25:21Sam, I know we've got stuff to do today, but of all the days, as you can probably hear,
25:26there's an auction.
25:27There's always an auction.
25:28But this is a particularly good auction.
25:30There's a handful of things that I really want.
25:33There's a couple of nice granite troughs for the garden.
25:36Huge piece of slate for a tabletop.
25:39And how heavy is it?
25:41That's massive.
25:41Two-inch thick.
25:42Yeah.
25:43Six metre long.
25:44Five, six hundred kilos of slate.
25:46You know what it's like when you find...
25:47Oh, yeah, absolutely.
25:48When you find these things...
25:49You've got to grab.
25:50You've got to grab it.
25:51Yeah, yeah, yeah.
25:53While leaving the bike in Sam's capable hands, I'm heading to the auction house.
25:58I'm mindful of those invoices piling up in my new office, so I need to make sure I bid cautiously.
26:07I've come with the grand plan in my head of this seating area outside the house with a lovely
26:13big slate tabletop.
26:14I can see the image, and this table fits perfectly.
26:17I've got my number.
26:19I just need to wait it out, keep everything crossed, that nobody else wants it, and I
26:23get it for a sensible price.
26:25Let's see how it goes.
26:29I need to remember to not get too carried away.
26:34Lot 673 is the large granite trough.
26:40130, 140, 115, 160, 170.
26:47180, yes, 200.
26:51220, no.
26:54200 pounds, the bid is online, I'm asking 220.
26:58We're at 200, 220, 250.
27:01At 220 pounds then, I'm about to sell at 220.
27:07220, I'll take that.
27:10250.
27:10Oh, yeah.
27:12It's my job.
27:13280, I'm now asking.
27:15Okay.
27:16300.
27:18I'm asking 300.
27:20There was a flicker of interest on the other platform.
27:22Are you about to bid?
27:23No, come on.
27:24I'm asking 300.
27:25Don't listen to me.
27:26I'm asking 300 pounds.
27:29We're at 280 in the room.
27:32There's a big straw man.
27:33You can lift that.
27:34So I will sell it to him.
27:37Maybe a little higher than I'd like, but one down, one to go.
27:41It's fast, slate table.
27:43Hoping that stays the right side of sensible, too.
27:46The bidding starts here with me at 600 pounds.
27:49It's 26.50.
27:50Okay, not great.
27:52But I'm still in with a shout, as long as it doesn't get any more silly.
27:56I'm asking 700.
27:58750, 780, 800.
28:01Oh, right.
28:02Okay.
28:03It is now at 2,400.
28:05Now I'm asking 2,500.
28:08Is there any further interest?
28:09The room looks like we're out.
28:11I'm asking 2,500.
28:13I'm about to sell then.
28:15The final time at 2,400 pounds.
28:20Thank you, anyway, in the room that goes by online bidder in the sale room.
28:24Well, not what I'd hoped.
28:26Damn it.
28:27But just as I was about to give up...
28:316.72 is the outside slate table.
28:35It's not quite the same scale as the one I wanted,
28:38but I reckon I could make it work.
28:40Online, I'm asking 110.
28:42110 in the room.
28:44I'm now asking 120.
28:46130.
28:47140.
28:49117.
28:51180.
28:52250.
28:53280.
28:55350.
28:56380.
28:57400.
28:58420.
29:00500.
29:01550.
29:04580.
29:05600.
29:07Is there any further interest?
29:09If not, the gentleman's bid wins it at 580.
29:14That's yours, sir.
29:16He's paid.
29:161, 2, 7.
29:17Thank you at 580.
29:20Well, might not all have gone according to plan,
29:23but an interesting day out.
29:25I can't quite decide if I'm happy or sad.
29:28I'm so confused at the moment.
29:29I was convinced that that big slate table,
29:33nobody else was going to want it.
29:34But I did get another slate table,
29:37smaller for home.
29:39That's going to go outside the house in the field,
29:40which I can't wait for.
29:41That's good.
29:42A granite trough.
29:43So there are some victories.
30:03Back home, I've managed to get the slate tabletop
30:06out of the auction house and into the garden.
30:10Spike is going to help me make a base for it
30:12from concrete blocks as it's very, very heavy.
30:18Spike, I've never done anything like this before.
30:21I don't even know where to start.
30:22We'll just do this rather than the cutter
30:24because it's not cleaner, isn't it?
30:27How is that going to cut that?
30:28That's not sharp.
30:29You're just scoring the edge.
30:31It's like telling it where you want it to split.
30:33Persuading it.
30:34Yeah.
30:35Yeah?
30:35And then keep going.
30:39A bit stubborn.
30:42Should I go and get the saw?
30:43Yes, go and get the saw quick.
30:48Oh.
30:49There you go.
30:50Nice.
30:51That's clever.
30:52That's it.
30:52Get it in the hole.
30:53Perfect.
30:53See if it'll fit.
30:55You didn't even measure it.
31:04Is that luck more than judgment?
31:06No.
31:06Yeah, no.
31:07It's half a block.
31:09Perfect.
31:12Now he's shown me how it's done,
31:14we can get cracking.
31:20Now that's what I call teamwork.
31:23Ta-da!
31:26But there's still the small matter
31:28of getting that slate on top of the base.
31:31And a few days later,
31:33I was lucky enough to round up some friends
31:35to give us a hand.
31:38Let's get it to there, I think.
31:40Then we'll try a lift with the bars.
31:44Then we'll put a bed on there.
31:46It sounds great.
31:47Yeah.
31:47Yeah.
31:47I'm just dreading having to lift it.
31:49It'll be fine.
31:51I'm just going to use this
31:52to prise it forwards.
31:54And the rollers need to be...
31:56Parallel.
31:57Yeah, parallel and head in that way.
31:59Right.
32:00So we need to steer first.
32:01Yeah.
32:02I'm not going to stand there.
32:02Time for some old school engineering.
32:05These rollers are thought to be
32:07the same technology
32:08the ancient Egyptians
32:09used to create the pyramids.
32:11One more pole there.
32:12So now we're looking to line it up
32:14close to where it's going on.
32:16So if you look on it sideways...
32:18Yeah.
32:18We're nearly there.
32:19Keep going.
32:20About there.
32:20Yeah.
32:21About there.
32:22Right.
32:22So now,
32:23what I want to do ideally,
32:25if you could give us that piece of block
32:26under there.
32:28Don't let this roll,
32:29so get my brake back on it a minute.
32:31I want this one to roll forward.
32:33Although the pharaohs
32:34didn't have to deal with Spike
32:35barking orders.
32:36I've never seen him so bossy.
32:38Yeah.
32:38Sorry, guys.
32:39It's just enthusiasm.
32:41Dictatorship, I know.
32:43This is when everyone stops.
32:45You're on your own, mate.
32:46Yeah, exactly.
32:47I didn't mean it.
32:50Now we're in position.
32:51Time for the lift.
32:52If it's too long,
32:54we'll tie a knot in this.
32:55Right.
32:56Because it's about
32:57how high we can lift it.
32:58Okay, got you.
33:01How's that?
33:01Too easy.
33:02We'll be fine now.
33:03So this is the technical piece.
33:06I usually do on my own.
33:07She's six.
33:08Are you looking for your overhang?
33:09Yeah.
33:10So it's 10 inches
33:12either way.
33:13It's important we get it right
33:15as Spike is going to fix it down
33:17with cement
33:17to keep it firmly in place.
33:19Have you built the plinth square, Spike?
33:21Find out in a minute.
33:25Time for the moment of truth.
33:27Right.
33:27Just putting off the inevitable.
33:29I think that's what's happening, isn't it?
33:30Right, here we go.
33:31Take it straight.
33:32Yeah.
33:33You can't see Spike.
33:34Everyone up.
33:34Up.
33:35And across.
33:36This pond's not that awesome.
33:38All right.
33:39All right, keep going.
33:41Right, just leave the down there a minute.
33:42Down there a minute.
33:44Okay.
33:46Well done.
33:48How's that?
33:53It looks not bad.
33:54Oh, yeah.
33:54What's happening?
33:55The 10 mil.
33:56How about that?
33:57Got an eye for it.
33:59Spike, that's perfect.
34:00Yeah.
34:00Well done, everyone.
34:03There's only one way to celebrate.
34:05Got you some tea.
34:06Oh, look at that.
34:07Yeah.
34:07Oh, my gosh.
34:08Can I put it on the table?
34:09Yes, put it on the table.
34:10The first use of the table.
34:12Don't tea stain it, mind.
34:13Yeah.
34:14Might want to watch the heavy cake, though.
34:17It looks lovely.
34:18It's ginger parking, but it's completely overbaked.
34:20You haven't tried it yet.
34:21Yeah, exactly.
34:22You haven't tried it yet.
34:22I'll have a nice corner.
34:24Oh, this is quite exciting.
34:25Now we just need some chairs to go around it.
34:27Oh, thank you guys so, so much for coming to help, honestly.
34:31I wish I could say it's the end of a long road,
34:33but this, I think, is just the beginning.
34:35It brings you many years of happiness.
34:37Oh, well, thank you.
34:38It's not going anywhere now, is it?
34:40So...
34:51Back at the workshop,
34:53I'm pleased to say we finally got the membrane
34:55and steel mesh down on the floor.
34:57All that was left was to pour the concrete.
35:04Wonderfully satisfying.
35:07It's all looking great,
35:09but it's definitely taking a toll.
35:11I'm not going to lie.
35:12I was not...
35:13I woke up this morning
35:14and I was not expecting to be doing this,
35:16but...
35:19I'm trying to make
35:20the absolute most of
35:23the giant digger being here.
35:25The digger, the dumper truck,
35:26the other mini digger,
35:28are only here for a limited amount of time.
35:30And getting all of this rubble
35:32down the end of the workshop,
35:33around and out,
35:34would take me
35:36a week worth of evenings
35:37of just
35:39wheelbowering it all by hand.
35:40Whilst the big digger's here,
35:42I'm just trying to make the most of it.
35:44But this is hard work.
35:46I have a new appreciation
35:48for Spike and John
35:49and all the team here doing this.
35:50But every day,
35:51I couldn't do it.
35:53I'm knackered.
35:56And, of course,
35:57the wall I had to knock down
35:58to get the floor level in the first place
36:00needs to get back up too,
36:02in time for the coming Cornish winter.
36:06But at least,
36:07with the extra room in the workshop,
36:09I can't complain
36:09about the lack of space
36:10for my projects.
36:12And it did look like
36:13my misfiring motorcycle
36:14was going to be the first
36:16to be brought back inside.
36:19Sam, welcome back over.
36:22But Sam's returned
36:23with some good news.
36:25It's fixed.
36:26It's great.
36:27It's perfect.
36:28It's perfect?
36:29Yeah.
36:30It's the first time
36:30anyone's ever said that about it.
36:32Let me have a look.
36:32Yeah.
36:33Oh, it's nice to see it again.
36:35Yeah.
36:35I've missed it.
36:36It took a couple of days
36:37of head scratching.
36:39Tell me about it.
36:40A year, nearly,
36:41of me having it
36:42sitting in the workshop,
36:42looking at it,
36:44and not being able to use it,
36:45and not being able
36:45to figure out what's wrong.
36:47Here it is.
36:48Coming home,
36:49your functioning,
36:50rideable,
36:52usable motorcycle.
36:56But hopefully,
36:58we'll look after you
36:59everywhere you want to go.
37:00So, what was wrong?
37:02Go on.
37:02Well, basically,
37:03after we finished looking at it,
37:05came back to it,
37:06I checked the cam timing.
37:07So, tappet clearances first,
37:09just to make sure
37:10they were wide enough.
37:11It had ample.
37:12Couldn't find anything wrong.
37:13Obviously, you can't check
37:14the timing of the electronic ignition,
37:16but it was running on one cylinder,
37:17and I was revving it up,
37:19and if you put the choke on
37:20and revved it up,
37:21it picked up the other cylinder.
37:23I just realised
37:23it had to be an air leak.
37:25It couldn't be anything else.
37:25Couldn't be anything else.
37:26Yeah, so I went back out,
37:28took the carburetor off,
37:29took the manifold off,
37:30and found a dirty great hole
37:33through the manifold.
37:34Oh, no.
37:35Yeah, from one of the old stud holes
37:36for the old carburetor.
37:38So, the stud here
37:39was just open,
37:40open to atmosphere
37:41from where the old carburetor stud
37:43used to be.
37:44Because the air leak's
37:45just on one side,
37:46so that was why
37:47it was just dropping one cylinder
37:49so the other side
37:49had enough carburation
37:50and this side
37:51just had too much fresh air.
37:52Just putting one bolt in there,
37:54and then as soon as that was in there,
37:55close that hole,
37:56Absolutely fine, yeah.
37:57Oh, my God.
37:58I think you're going to enjoy it.
37:59What a relief.
38:00I think finally
38:00you're going to get to enjoy it.
38:01Get to enjoy it.
38:04Well, I don't need telling twice.
38:07I'll wake the neighbours up now.
38:12I've waited a long time
38:14to see what this bike can do.
38:16And she's going to look great
38:18riding alongside
38:19Sam's own 1958
38:20Royal Enfield Works trial bike.
38:24How's that?
38:25Oh, it's brilliant.
38:27Yeah, is that all right?
38:28Yeah, so much fun.
38:29No, you're welcome.
38:30It's great to get it running properly.
38:31Yeah, I'm over the moon.
38:32We need to take that on the road now.
38:34Sam's promised
38:35that its maiden voyage
38:36is going to be somewhere
38:38pretty special.
38:40And he's not wrong.
38:42He's taking me to the Blue Hills Trial
38:45near St. Agnes.
38:46It's part of the historic
38:48Land's End Trial,
38:49famous for its very steep hillside
38:52that definitely sorts the men
38:54from the boys.
38:58And he's arranged for us
39:00to meet someone
39:01pretty special too.
39:03Toby Martin,
39:04an international
39:05motorbike trial champion
39:06who clearly knows
39:08a thing or two
39:08about handling bikes,
39:10even if it's an electric one.
39:16That was seriously impressive.
39:20I don't think
39:21you'll be doing it
39:22on those bikes.
39:23Absolutely no chance.
39:24I would like to see it,
39:25but I don't think you will be.
39:29Toby's a local lad
39:30who was clearly born
39:31with engine oil
39:32in his blood.
39:33Grown up here in St. Agnes,
39:34obviously the home
39:36of the famous
39:37Blue Hills Trial.
39:38I would say it's probably
39:39one of the biggest road trials
39:42realistically in Britain,
39:43probably worldwide
39:44and probably one
39:45of the most famous.
39:46And we've got
39:46one of the most famous sections
39:48here just down on the cliff.
39:51What makes it
39:51the most famous section?
39:52I'm kind of scared to ask.
39:53I feel like I know
39:54the answer already.
39:55It is a hard section.
39:56It definitely has
39:56a lot of crashes,
39:57a lot of bikes breaking.
39:59Really?
39:59Over the years,
40:00yeah, definitely.
40:01I've obviously grown up
40:01watching the trial
40:02and yeah,
40:03there's been a lot of bikes
40:04breaking down there.
40:05So, wow.
40:07I think it would be cool
40:08to go down
40:08and have a look at it.
40:09I would love to.
40:10And especially on those
40:11bikes because
40:11a lot of people
40:12would have ridden up
40:13on those ones.
40:14I think this one's
40:15done it in the past.
40:16Has it?
40:16Yeah, I think more than once.
40:18Absolutely no excuses
40:19for you guys now then.
40:22Well, I guess
40:22show us the way
40:23if you don't mind.
40:24Yeah, exactly.
40:24Yeah, so
40:25let's head down there.
40:26Take it easy.
40:27Give us a chance though.
40:29My bike's a little bit
40:30easier to fire up
40:31than yours.
40:31Yeah, right.
40:32Yeah.
40:33Just the press of a button.
40:34Mine's all right.
40:35I just pressed my leg.
40:36Yeah.
40:36It's the same.
40:40Toby may have grown up
40:41watching the trials
40:42but bikes have been
40:44attempting this challenge
40:45longer than any of us
40:46have been alive.
40:56Perfect.
40:57So here we have
40:59the motorcycle magazine
41:01and here we have
41:02the famous Blue Hill section
41:03which the bikes
41:04are heading to
41:05just here
41:06looking up to the top
41:07of the hill.
41:08Oh wow.
41:08Starts at the bottom
41:09and on bikes here
41:10they're actually bikes
41:11that are older than yours.
41:13No excuses.
41:14That's amazing.
41:15To be standing here
41:15literally where these guys are.
41:17Yeah, right.
41:17Looking exactly at that
41:18a few years later.
41:19And that's 1940.
41:201940 edition.
41:24Well, if those bikes
41:26could make it up there
41:27I'm hoping ours
41:28can be part of
41:28this fine history too.
41:32Time to see
41:33if all our work
41:34has been worth it.
41:39It looks a lot steeper
41:40from here.
41:44Yeah.
42:16So one of the toughest sections
42:18of one of the toughest trials?
42:20On a road bike,
42:21a trials bike
42:22and an electric bike.
42:24Yeah.
42:24That's pretty cool.
42:25With a world champ.
42:26Yeah.
42:27I love it.
42:27No, but I'm not going to lie
42:28I think I had the easiest bike
42:30to go up there.
42:32I've had such an amazing time.
42:34This is its first,
42:35my bike's first proper outing.
42:37Show me some of Cornwall.
42:38I think we've done just that.
42:41Ended up in a pretty cool location.
42:43Look at it.
42:44It does not get much better
42:45than this, does it?
42:46No.
42:46One more time?
42:48Yeah.
42:48Come on.
43:03Come on.
43:05Next time,
43:06we have some big ideas
43:07for a little mini.
43:09Of course it's going to work.
43:11I'm going to turn it on.
43:14Hmm.
43:15Nothing.
43:16And I battle against the elements.
43:19I lie in bed.
43:20I hear the rain beating at the window.
43:22I'm thinking,
43:23that is coming in.
43:24All of my stuff is getting wet.
43:27Oh, it's so close.
43:28Are you nervous?
43:29Yeah.
43:29I am.
43:30It's a lot of work in this.
43:39I don't know.
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