BBC TV: The Repair Shop

[stevehertz]

Don't be too critical of it guys, like I say, it's a programme about restoring old things and it's much better viewing than a good lot of what is on TV these days.

[Lucien Nunes]

Having worked on and alongside productions of many shapes and sizes, I can see both sides of the argument that the production values of programmes like TRS should respect the ideals of the protagonists of whatever fields they portray in the programme. Various factors conspire against this just as they do in any form of journalism, where sometimes the simplest of details such as an interviewee's name get garbled along the way. Even with a clear and honest vision at commissioning level, and a dedication to the cause at the sharp end, it's sometimes quite a feat just to get the bare minimum of necessary shots without running out of time or cash. Anomalies like 1930s transistors and which of two faults was pre-existing and which was caused during repair, are surprisingly hard to eliminate. Theoretically possible, and historically more often achieved, but not on today's budgets especially as the attention in this type of programming has shifted from content towards presentation.

As for the jeopardy, I was once working out the economics and logistics of a rather audacious rescue and restoration of a large piece of heavy plant from the 1920s. The production assured me that sufficient funds were available for such a scoop. For my part, I relished the idea of securing funding for the project and put in some legwork. However, when I had started to detail the specifics of overnight road closures, excavations, service diversions that would be needed, the project rapidly went off the boil. The programme that eventually got made instead was full of cheap plastic imitation jeopardy that I found cringeworthy. Jeopardy must be manufactured in order to be controllable for budgetary, planning and insurance reasons. Real risk is not on the storyboard.

as for swapping over two wires to fix it that was suspicious too; as it was working OK for years before?

The electric action of pipe organs can be both extensive in scale and logically complex, with electromechanical logic comprising thousands of electromagnets and tens of thousands of contacts. During tuning and maintenance on a large instrument, my colleague and I were amused to find two crossed-over notes that had evidently been like that since the console cable (of around 800 cores) had been extended decades earlier. A spare core in the original cable had been used to bypass a break, but had been jumpered to the wrong note in the extension. The original core had seemingly regained its continuity and been mistakenly connected in place of the one missing note. To be fair, at the very bottom end of the manual, it was not the most noticeable error, but many eminent performers had played on it over the years.

[avocollector]

Must admit I'm hoping for a good spoof on The repair shop sometime with exchanges like 'Did you notice the intricate pattern on that plate - before you dropped it' and 'Yes you are right! Teddy's head DOES seem a bit loose - oooops!. Could be hilarious - wonder if they have any bloopers tapes - 'yep it's now good as ne- oh dear!!

[duncanlowe]

Can't complain about the work that 'the Bear Ladies' do. Not done as part of the programme, but here are photos of the before and after of one of ours. A bit OT for the forum, but consistent with this thread I feel.

[Mike-repairman]

The bear ladies and the one who restores ceramics are both wonderful.

What I did notice was one of the recipients saying something like 'been thinking of this for the last 3 weeks'; the program does give the impression that all repairs were normally done in a few days, with the exception of parts that have to be sent away.

Still one of my favourite programs.

[Telleadict]

Hello

The mention of Salvage Hunters somewhere in this thread (I can't find it now) reminded me of a spin-off from that called something like Salvage Hunters - The Restorers. Also on Quest but not showing ATM but will probably come round as a repeat sooner or later it takes a look at the work of some of the craftspeople the Drew Pritchard uses for restoration of some of his larger projects. The programme items are something like Repair Shop but in a bit more detail and without the "human interest" content so might be of interest to some members here.

Sorry for going a bit off thread there.
Will

[Dave Moll]

Originally Posted by Telleadict

The mention of Salvage Hunters somewhere in this thread (I can't find it now) ...

First mentioned in post 14.

[Mike-repairman]

There are a lot of episodes of 'salvage hunters the restorers' on Youtube.

[akuram1]

Sometimes the commentary running behind on those type of programmes are annoying. Surely they are not needed so much.

[David Simpson]

Several times, quite a few posts ago, it was clearly established that the R-S workshop set-up is completely false. Those draughty thatched wooden boarded round huts were built as empty 16th century replicas on a heritage site. That's it. All the R-S experts normally work in their own proper workshops many miles away.
The expert's workshops that we see on Drew Pritchard's "The Restorers" are genuine. As was Fred Dibnah's, whose programs many of us used to love. However, most are in old industrial era buildings and are probably a sod to set up camera teams, but at least they are genuine.
Can anyone be daft enough to believe that the horologist guy would normally want to work in the same room as a carpenter or furniture guy merrily drilling & sanding away on some woodwork & creating clouds of dust, shavings, etc. Or with thatch debris a constant problem. No way !

Regards, David

[stevehertz]

David, I'm quite surprised that you might think that anyone would think otherwise, the nature of the setup is a given, it's entertainment TV for the masses, not tutorial for nerdy eggheads like ourselves.

[Electronpusher0]

Originally Posted by David Simpson

Those draughty thatched wooden boarded round huts were built as empty 16th century replicas on a heritage site.

I must take exception to that statement, I live close to the Weald and Downland museum and am a regular visitor. 90% of the buildings are genuine, having been rescued from demolition and resited.
I don't disagree about the barn being a film set but the Weald and Downland is well worth a vist.

Peter

[Dave Moll]

I assume that the Weald & Downland museum is a similar setup to Avoncroft in Bromsgrove, consisting of rescued buildings re-assembled on site. The latter (where the Telephone Heritage Group holds an annual gathering) is also well worth a visit when possible again.

[David G4EBT]

Those who like the hugely popular Repair Shop (I don't - can't do with the mawkish sentimentality), or Salvage Hunters, (can't do with all the 'sellit 'n soon' bodging), if you haven't already spotted it, there's yet another low budget light entertainment series entitled 'Mend it for Money' which might appeal. It start tomorrow - Easter Monday on Channel 4 at 8pm. Restorers compete to give objects a new lease of life, pitching against each other to win jobs and estimate how much profit items will make after their 'makeover'. The first on the one-hour programmes in the series features an 'Allwin' penny arcade gambling machine, a vintage British postbox, and a Porsche 928 car.

[Telleadict]

Hello

There are a lot of episodes of 'salvage hunters the restorers' on Youtube.

It looks as though a re-run is starting on Quest from this coming Monday 5pm for anyone "confined to barracks" and without enough internet speed for Youtube.

Bye
Will

[akuram1]

Most nights Quest is about the only channel worth watching.

Bangers for Cash is also worth a look if you are interested in old cars.

[David Simpson]

My apologies to Steve & Peter for the disparaging remarks about the resurrected buildings at the Weald & Downland Museum. I'm sure they give a good representation of pre-industrial revolution buildings.
But, they certainly don't look technically suitable, weather-proof wise, damp-wise, H & S - wise, fire-safety wise, etc., for using electrical machinery, a multitude of lighting fitments & so on. They whole wishy-washy sentimentality orientated program just doesn't ring true.
Referring to another questionable restoration program "Find it, Fix it, Flog it" - they often visit a scouse lassie's workshop in an old converted Liverpool Docklands building. Now that looks the bees knees.

Ta Ra, Wackers, David

[Techman]

A bit of insider info. regarding tonight's show.

A chap has just phoned in to the local radio station this end to say that he's going to be featured on the show. He's apparently a church warden from a village church near Spalding, Lincolnshire and the feature is about the restoration of a couple of carved angels that I think he said were given to the church at the end of the first world war by a POW.

He said that a lady connected with the church contacted the TV show via a website regarding possibly getting the angels restored on the show, as the church had just been re-painted the the two angels looked a bit scruffy. They told the lady to send pictures of the two carved angels, which she did. They then messaged her to tell her that the two chaps who were responsible for the angels and would like to go down with them and appear on the show, would need to make, or have made, a video of them both with the angels and send it to them to review - so I guess if you don't look right or speak right, then you may not get on the show. They were then told that they had been accepted.

The church warden and the other chap said that they got up and set off at about four in the morning to go down for the filming. When they got there they said that it was just like you see it, with the barn and that there were a few sheds round the back and they were given a cup of coffee. When it was time to start filming, everyone was there and the two angels were covered up on a table and apparently this was the first time that the restorers were able to see them, so no preview of the actual items before filming. He said that it was Will and Jay who were there at the table, Will being the restorer and Jay the presenter. After the filming, the other chap that went down with the church warden (I think he's also connected to the running of the church in some way) wanted to go and have a chat with the clock man because he has an interest in clocks and suchlike, so wandered over to the back of the barn to have a chat with him, but the presenter and his associates quickly stopped him and told him that it wasn't allowed.

I think the chap who was relating the story said that this all took place around June last year and they didn't hear any more until the October, when he receive a phone call to go down the next day to film the finish and collection of the angels. He had to tell them that it was too short notice and that he couldn't drive all the way down the next day, so in the end they brought the angels back up to Lincolnshire to present them to him.

So you'll see what actually happens on this evenings show if you watch it. What I've just said is all from memory from just listening to the chap on the radio in the last half hour, so could possibly be some slight inaccuracies.

[Techman]

Something I've just remembered regarding the above - the radio presenter tried to quiz him on a bit more information on what would be seen on the show, but he was very good and said that he was under instructions not to give too much away, so have to watch the show to find out.

[Phil G4SPZ]

Originally Posted by David G4EBT

There's yet another low budget light entertainment series entitled 'Mend it for Money' which might appeal...

It didn't appeal. It was dire.