The Repair Shop

S05:E28 - Theodolite, Ice Cream Bell, Leather Football

Surveyor's Theodolite, Ice Cream Bell, Leather FootballToday in the Repair Shop, Jay Blades and the team bring three treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.Mechanics wizard Steve Fletcher takes receipt of a theodolite. This beautiful piece of 100 year old engineering was used by David Brown's father, who was a chartered surveyor. The brass instrument measures distance and angles and was an essential piece of kit throughout his father's career. And now provides a cherished link to David's departed dad. This is a first for Steve, he's excited to be working on such a quality, precision instrument. For the telescopic elements, he calls on expert Richard Biggs's half century of experience, who refurbishes and cleans the dirty lenses. Steve meticulously dismantles the 200 plus brass parts and soaks them in clock cleaning fluid, then rebuilds the ultimate 3D jigsaw and pulls in a favour from his sister Susie, who crafts a new leather strap for the carry case.Silversmith Brenton West restores a memento of a once flourishing family ice cream business, when he takes on the brass bell that was used to herald the presence of the ice cream man in the East End of London. Michelle Amato's grandfather was the first to make and sell ice cream in Newham, in the late 1800's and would peddle his wares from a push cart, ringing the bell. Her father then followed in his footsteps and was loved by all. She dreams of seeing the bell, that is much the worse for decades of wear, brought back to its former glory. Brenton removes the years of tarnish and hands it over to Dom, whose skills in painting metal transform it. Brenton turns his attention to refurbishing the wooden handle and creates a brass finial to top it all off and the barn is filled with the resonating sound of the Amato family's beloved bell.And leather expert Suzie Fletcher breathes new life into a deflated, shrivelled leather football. The ball belongs to Kevin Towell from Derby. He received it as a boy for Christmas over 60 years ago and it sparked a lifetime passion for the beautiful game – a passion then passed from father to son and grandson. Although it's days being kicked about may be behind it, Kevin would love to have it restored as a keepsake. Susie sets to work with saddle soap to clean and nourish the parched leather, reinforces the failing structure by inserting a lining and packs it with sheeps wool to restore the spherical shape. Thus preserving the childhood treasure and making it a fitting heirloom for future generations of family football fans.