Episode 15

Jay Blades shows how three items repaired in the barn have influenced modern transport.

The first item is a penny-farthing bicycle belonging to Peter Swash. Jay uncovers eye-opening footage that reveals how the penny-farthing helped transform cycling in the UK in the 19th century, paving the way for inventions like the pneumatic tyre and laying the foundations for the country’s cycling revolution that continues to this day.

Second is an old-fashioned tram seat owned by Dora Paul from Salford. Dora used to love riding the trams as a child, and when they were taken out of service in the 1940s, her family rescued a seat to use in their garden. Jay uses footage dating back to the early 1900s to chart how the tram changed the face of public transport, its disappearance in the 1940s, and how it is now making a comeback as cities across the UK try to reduce car traffic.

Finally, a speedometer from a classic 1920s Lagonda car. Incredible archive footage of early car crashes demonstrates how and why speed limits and speedometers were introduced as the car grew in popularity from the 1920s onwards.