Episode 1

First into the barn is John from Holywell, with a unique family heirloom – a detailed working model of a Welsh coal mine, built by his grandfather over 100 years ago. The model normally takes centre stage in the mining museum John runs, but the intricate mechanism that powered its moving parts was lost during a failed repair, and John’s pride and joy is currently out of service. Horologist Steve Fletcher faces the head-scratching challenge of recreating the entire mechanism, while art conservator Lucia Scalisi restores its painted surfaces, ensuring this miniature marvel honours John’s family history and the memory of generations of miners.

Next, Sarah and her daughter Laura arrive from Belfast, bringing along a tattered Victorian writing box steeped in family history. Originally gifted to Sarah’s grandmother Dolly by her fiance, it was later used by Sarah’s mum, Kay Kennedy, an inspirational reporter and one of Northern Ireland’s first female newspaper editors. Woodworker Will Kirk and bookbinder Chris Shaw join forces to restore the box’s battered veneer and torn leather, preserving its legacy for future generations, including Laura, who was inspired by Kay’s feats to become a writer and journalist herself.

From Barrow-in-Furness, Jacquie arrives with Rosebud – a 75-year-old doll that once belonged to her late mother, Myra, and became Myra’s treasured companion at a difficult time. After losing her father at the age of seven and her mother just two years later, Myra was adopted and given Rosebud by her new parents. Decades of loving and affection have left Rosebud with her head hanging loose, hair matted and missing, and lacking both her legs. Toy restorer Charlotte Abbott sets out to rebuild the missing limbs, secure the head and recreate Rosebud’s wig, returning this cherished doll to the family in one piece.

Finally, Tillie Newnham from Rugby presents an extraordinary piece of British engineering history: an original 1930s design for the Humber Bridge, drawn by Sir Ralph Freeman and later passed to her grandfather, Bernard Wex, who oversaw the bridge’s eventual construction. Paper conservator Angelina Bakalarou tackles decades of damage, from creepy crawly insect droppings to tears and tape stains, to ensure this rare drawing can be cherished by Tillie’s family for years to come.