VOICEOVER (VO): It's the nation's favorite antiques experts.

This is beautiful.

That's the way to do this.

VO: With £200 each, a classic car and a goal to scour for antiques.

Joy.

Hello.

VO: The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

(LAUGHS) (GAVEL) VO: There will be worthy winners and valiant losers.

Sorry, sorry!

VO: So, will it be the high road to glory or the slow road to disaster?

The handbrake's on.

VO: This is Antiques Road Trip!

Yeah.

It's the final leg for auctioneers Christina Trevanion and Thomas Plant.

THOMAS (TP): So it's been a total pleasure crossing these Celtic countries.

And it's your last chance to tell me how much you love me.

CHRISTINA (CT): (LAUGHS) VO: Christina was bowled over in Ireland.

The people are so friendly and so sweet.

VO: And Thomas was wowed by Wales.

There's some lovely things here.

VO: Their 1962 Bedford van has done them proud so far, especially as it was made before it was compulsory to fit seat belts.

VO: Both our experts started this trip with £200.

Despite triumphing at two out of four auctions so far, Thomas has less than he started with - just £186.14.

Christina took an early lead and hung on to most of her winnings, so has £269.07.

You are a tiny snifter away from me now.

TP: You've have held the lead all week.

I have held the lead all week.

And I have a very sneaky feeling that you might pip me to the post at the very last minute.

VO: Their adventure began in Cashel, Tipperary.

After tootling around Ireland, they crossed into North Wales then over to England, where they'll be finishing up over 700 miles later in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Today's trip gets under way in Gwersyllt, Wrexham, aiming for auction in Stoke-on-Trent.

CT: I love your new jumper!

I know you do.

It's gorgeous.

Look, look.

We're matching, slightly matching.

VO: This former coal-mining village is snazzy dresser Thomas's first stop this morning.

I'm feeling, you know, positively wealthy.

I think you should spend it all.

TP: Well, you never know.

CT: (LAUGHS) I might do.

Ow!

Enjoy.

Did you just hit your head?

TP: Yes!

CT: Oh!

(CHUCKLES) CT: Bye!

TP: Bye.

VO: Thomas has his work cut out on this leg.

He's settling in.

Time to meet the folks in charge.

Hello.

Hello.

Nice to see you, I'm Thomas.

Hi, I'm Carol.

Carol.

Nice to see you.

And...

This is my husband, Dennis.

TP: Hello.

DENNIS: Nice to see you, Thomas.

VO: The Pryces run this place, full of bygone treasures.

This is a shop of shops, isn't it?

If you can't find anything here there's something wrong with you.

VO: Sounds promising.

That's so cool!

You could have that in your house and you could play with it for hours and hours.

VO: But at £250 it's slightly out of his price range.

There's a number of things in here.

I quite like the eclectic mix of what's going on.

What I have seen was this cup.

It says here.. .."Unusual stone goblet, the Holy Grail."

CAROL: (LAUGHS) Is this the Holy Grail of the Antiques Road Trip?

Look at that.

Yes.

It is beautifully done.

It is done in a soapstone.

Yes.

What's he got on that?

£32.

I think that's brilliant, don't you?

CAROL: Oh gosh.

Quite heavy.

TP: Yes, a bit of a weight.

Yeah, well I'm super-strong, you see.

1920s, I would say.

Yes.

Probably from a church communion.

VO: It's not the only thing he's spotted.

What a cool thing, it's got this trademark here.

VO: Crikey!

Where did you get that from?

That's better.

Westbourne Grove, London.

You could put your teddy bear on there.

Little friend.

And it's £35.

Carol?

Yes.

TP: I found the chair.

CAROL: Oh, that's quaint.

So, there's a label on here which says £35.

Really cheeky offer.

OK?

Sort of like... CAROL: (LAUGHS) TP: ..a tenner.

VO: While Carol calls the dealer, Thomas spies something else.

Oh!

Look at that!

Love those.

So what it is, it's a goblet.

And on the goblet are Masonic engraved designs.

50 quid on it though, it's a lot of money.

VO: Oh Carol.

I like this because it has a yellow to it so it sort of dates it early 20th century, I would have thought.

He's got £50 on it.

Oh, I'm sure Roy's open to offers.

So where are we with the other items?

CAROL: OK, the chair.

TP: Yeah?

The answer is yes on that.

TP: For a tenner?

CAROL: Yes.

Oh deal done, yeah.

yeah.

VO: Carol's also managed to get the Masonic goblet's owner on the phone.

Hi, Roy?

I want to make you a cheeky offer.

25 quid?

I'd love a two in front of it.

Can we deal at 28?

PHONE: If it helps you, yes.

It does.

Oh, you're a star.

Thank you very much, well, that's a buy.

VO: That's a generous deal as Masonic items often do well.

Now, what about the soapstone goblet?

CT: We have an answer.

TP: Oh yes?

The goblet.

Yeah?

CAROL: 25.

TP: £25?

Yes.

That's his best.

Yeah, that's alright.

I think I'd be very happy with that.

CAROL: Oh you're tempted?

TP: It's really unusual.

VO: So that's £63 for the 19th-century Masonic goblet, the soapstone goblet and the Edwardian bamboo chair.

Meanwhile, rival Christina has traveled 20 minutes north to Mold in the stunning border county of Flintshire.

The Normans were the first to settle these parts and there's been a street market here since medieval times.

Christina's at her first shop of the day.

Oh Lordy.

CT: Hello.

HOLLY: How are we?

Hello, you must be Holly?

I am, nice you meet you.

Hello, Holly, lovely to meet you.

Can you show me round?

Absolutely.

Start in the back room.

Oh right, I love a good back room.

(THEY LAUGH) She's rather gorgeous, isn't she?

HOLLY: She's elegant, isn't she?

CT: Isn't she fab?

Doesn't look like it's got a huge amount of age to it but she's certainly got a look to her, hasn't she?

Yeah, I mean with the art-deco at the moment, there's just so much import and it's really hard to find and define the original.

Sometimes it's nice to have a bit of modern.

And also obviously it's reflected in the price.

As an original art-deco lamp...

Absolutely.

..that would be hundreds if not thousands.

And probably at home!

(LAUGHS) In my house!

She's got 64 on her now, is there a deal that can be done on that, Holly?

I can certainly consider it.

Ooh!

VO: Let's not be too hasty.

You haven't been upstairs yet.

CT: Oh my goodness.

We like our weird and wonderful.

CT: That's a pair of stocks!

HOLLY: It is indeed.

Is it a pair or is it just...?

HOLLY: I wouldn't want to share it.

So if I don't pay... Oh, we'll leave you here.

Gosh, there's a deterrent if ever I knew it.

These are fab.

We could get Thomas in there and throw sponges at him.

Sounds brilliant, I'll be front of the queue.

Would you?

(LAUGHS) HOLLY: Come in this room.

CT: No you'd have to beat me to the front of that queue.

(LAUGHS) VO: Look out Thomas!

That's caught my eye.

The light?

Yes.

The light fitting, it's cool, it is cool.

We've had it wired so it can be run off a plug.

It is built to be a pool table... HOLLY: Yes.

CT: ..light.

I'm thinking it could also be for over a kitchen island.

Mm, love that idea.

It's got that kind of look - is it very expensive?

How does 60 sound?

CT: Expensive.

HOLLY: Expensive.

VO: Maybe so, but the ticket price is £78.

CT: What did we have on our lady downstairs?

CT: 65.

I would want to pay £50... for the two.

Ooh!

OK. How are you feeling about that?

Rather faint.

Don't, look - there's a bed.

Do you want to have a lie down?

Erm, OK. Tell me what you think.

Tell me what you can do for me.

If you can't do that, then that's...

Absolutely understand that.

I think if I can squeeze another £10 out of you, I'd be happy.

OK, so if we said £60 for that lamp and our lady lamp downstairs - happy at that?

I'm happy at that.

It's a deal.

VO: So that's £60 for the art-deco style lamp and the snooker table light.

Here we go, darling.

CT: 20.

40.

60.

HOLLY: Spot on.

That's what we agreed, isn't it?

HOLLY: Pleasure.

CT: Brilliant, you're a star.

HOLLY: Thanks very much.

CT: Thanks so much.

CT: See you again.

Take care.

HOLLY: Take care.

Bye now.

VO: Meanwhile, Thomas has traveled east, just over the border into Cheshire to the historic city of Chester.

It's not only famous for its medieval walls and 1,000-year-old cathedral, but it's also home to the oldest shopping facade in England.

These unique two-tiered black-and-white shopping galleries were created over 700 years ago.

Thomas is here to check out a local gem.

Hello.

Hello.

I'm Thomas.

Hi, I'm Simon.

Simon, nice to meet you.

VO: Simon specializes in antiques and decorative items for the home and garden, sourced from round the world.

That's a stylish thing, isn't it?

This is a hunting horn but what it really is, is a cigar or cigarette lighter.

And it's by the famous maker, Dunhill.

This would be passed round as the table light.

You can see it's been bashed a bit.

I think these evenings can get a little bit raucous.

I think it's going to be quite expensive.

It's going to be a lot of money.

But what a cool thing.

How much is it?

It's going to be £200.

Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely.

Purely because of the name.

Oh, of course.

Oh, gosh.

I didn't even have £200 at the start of the day.

VO: More like the start of the week.

Sweet pup.

Aw.

What's this?

That is a model from a hat shop.

It's for a woman's... ..milliner.

Actually that could be a potential purchase.

It could be quite good fun.

I quite like the angular lines to her.

VO: It's made from rubber and could have come from an old department store.

It's priced at £35.

Let's talk about the head, the model.

Do you think we could do something slightly on the price?

I can help a little.

I could do it for £30.

£30?

I think I'm going to have to go for her and give you £30 for her, is that alright?

That's fine.

Thank you, thank you very much.

VO: £30 for the rather odd rubber mannequin head.

Got to think of a name for her.

If you come up with any bright ideas, give me a call.

You could always name her after my little pup, Ella.

Ella!

Done.

VO: Christina's traveled west to Hawarden.

A charming village in Flintshire and home to Gladstone's library, which tells the story of the secret love of William Gladstone, one of Britain's most revolutionary prime ministers.

Christina's come to meet warden Peter Francis.

Hello, you must be Peter?

Hello Christina, welcome to Gladstone's library.

Thank you so much, lovely to meet you.

VO: Born in 1809, William Ewart Gladstone, was educated at Eton and Oxford university before becoming a Conservative MP at the tender age of 23.

He rose through the ranks, eventually becoming prime minister.

But outside politics, his passion was reading.

Throughout his life, he amassed a collection of over 30,000 books, now on display along with his papers.

PETER: People know about Gladstone because he was a four-times prime minister and what they don't know is he was a voracious reader, he read about 22,000 books in his lifetime.

He always listed what he read every day in his diary.

CT: Mmm.

If you add them up, it comes to 22,000.

CT: Oh my goodness.

PETER: That's about PETER: a book a day.

CT: A book a day!

And most of those have his annotations throughout.

VO: These self-penned thoughts give later readers a fascinating understanding of the great man.

Here is a book that's life of William Wilberforce, the great slavery reformer.

Yeah.

He wrote, "I breakfasted with Mr Wilberforce "four days before his death.

"He asked for my father and, 'How is your sweet mother?'

"His conversation was cheerful, musical, and flowing.

"His prayer like that of one already released."

And signed by him.

CT: "At peace."

Isn't that wonderful?

Yeah.

And here's one that's a biography of his great rival, Disraeli.

And it's quite heavily annotated throughout and Gladstone has written across the page, "Untrue, untrue, untrue."

I think that's wonderful, that says... That tells you quite a lot about the man as well, doesn't it?

Yes, it does.

VO: Gladstone moved to Liberalism and his radical views saw great reform in the Victorian era.

He championed free trade and home rule for Ireland and introduced the secret ballot.

He brought about an education act that gave numeracy and literacy to all children at a time when it was predominantly the rich that were educated.

However, like many great reformers, Gladstone didn't please everyone, and experienced a famously frosty relationship with the monarch.

PETER: This was a present from Queen Victoria to Gladstone.

CT: Oh, really?

They didn't get on very well.

But she gave him a book?

"The right honorable William Gladstone from Victoria Regina."

CT: 1868.

PETER: Eight... yeah.

That's a pretty special book.

And what's this?

This some sort of library security measure?

PETER: (LAUGHS) No.

It probably functions as that as well but actually it is one of Gladstone's axes.

Gladstone was very struck when they were building the railway in Hawarden by the dignity of human labor and he wondered what he could do and so he began to cut down trees.

He thought that cutting some down would help him enter into the spirit of this.

He seems like quite a diverse character.

Very diverse character.

VO: Gladstone believed reading was key to people bettering themselves.

He helped set up libraries across the country and often lent out his own books.

When he retired from politics aged 85, he wanted to share his huge private collection with a wider public, hoping to, "Bring together readers who had no books "and books who had no readers."

PETER: Aged 85, he built a sort of corrugated iron hut.

He then packed up the 33,000 books with little piles with string on the top and he put them in a wheelbarrow and with the help of one of his daughters and a member of staff, he wheeled the 33,000 books the mile from his house... CT: Peter, he didn't!

..to the corrugated iron hut.

Really?

Yeah.

When he died it was thought a leaky corrugated iron hut wasn't a suitable place for the great man's books.

No, quite.

So this was built as the national memorial to him.

VO: Gladstone died in 1898 and this impressive building was erected soon after.

Gladstone's intention was to create a haven for students and readers, a legacy that has stretched across the pond too.

It was also the model for American presidential libraries.

CT: This library was?

PETER: This library was.

Oh, wonderful.

And Gladstone's example of giving his books and papers to the public and available to people was taken by Woodrow Wilson, who was American president at the time of the First World War.

And then Roosevelt played on that a bit more and built his own library and every president since then has had their own library.

But this is the only prime ministerial library in the UK.

VO: This truly unique library gives us an extraordinary insight into this revolutionary man - a befitting tribute to one of Britain's greatest statesmen.

VO: And on that note, it's off to bed.

So nighty night.

What a lovely morning.

TP: Well, this is beautiful, isn't it?

I can't believe how well you're driving this van.

I know, here we go, going up... CT: I'm so impressed.

TP: Going up a hill now.

OK, maybe...

When we started out, you were hopeless.

VO: Yesterday, Thomas picked up four items, spending £93 on a soapstone goblet, a Masonic goblet, an Edwardian bamboo chair and a mannequin head.

He's now got just over £90 left.

Christina spent £60 on two items - an art-deco-style lamp and a snooker-table light - so she still has just under £210.

And sadly it's nearly the end of this road trip.

This is it!

I cannot believe it has gone so quickly.

It really has gone quickly, hasn't it?

And we seem to have covered an awful lot of miles together.

VO: With the auction nearing in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Christina starts her final buying day just outside Northwich in the heart of Cheshire.

VO: This attractive market town is known for its beautiful timber buildings and canal network.

TP: Here we are.

An antique shop.

Looks lovely.

CT: I'll see you this afternoon.

Oh my goodness.

Look at this.

Ah, Lister.

So, we have got in here a butter churn.

So you would have stood here for about 10 hours, churning and churning and churning.

It was the most thankless task, churning your butter.

It's quite fun, isn't it?

VO: Owner Jan Gnatiuk has a passion for old furniture amongst other things.

JAN: Hello.

Nice to meet you.

CT: Ah!

CT: Hello.

Who are you?

JAN: I'm Jan. Jan, lovely to meet you, Jan.

Thank you.

VO: What will she spot in here then?

You've got some interesting pictures here.

Marcel Pic was quite well known for doing caricatures... JAN: Yes.

CT: ..of military themes.

Yes.

He looks like he's sort of almost gone to select his horse and you've got this dear old horse over here which is propped up with crutches.

Looks like something from a pantomime!

(LAUGHS) What have you got on that?

JAN: I can do you for a tenner.

CT: That might be interesting.

You should be able to make some money on that.

It looks like an original, cuz you've got...

It's actually in pastel and it's picked out in white.

JAN: It has got the pencil date mark on it as well somewhere.

Signed and dated 1891.

OK, well, that could be a goer.

VO: Cor, she works fast.

You've only just arrived, Christina.

As I'm going to Stoke, I think I'd like to buy some pots.

I've got a dinner service which you may...

It's going cheap.

I've had it for a while.

Have you?

It's in the bottom cupboard in the chest.

Have you got things stashed in drawers?!

JAN: Yes, I've got things... CT: Have you?!

Oh!

Always have things stashed... CT: Have you?

JAN: ..in drawers.

Go on, show me your drawers, Jan. VO: Hey, he's not lying - there are all sorts of things hidden away.

It's in the bottom drawer.

I think it's 1960s or 1950s but it's complete.

Oh my goodness.

That's Denby isn't it?

Yeah.

It's got the pepper, tea, the butter.

CT: I have sold one of these quite recently.

You can have the lot for a fiver.

CT: Really?

JAN: Yes.

I'm being serious.

I need it out.

I mean, it has got that retro look about it.

JAN: Yes.

CT: And its saving grace is it's quite nice.

It is quite a nice pattern.

And there's no damage but it will take half an hour to wrap it all up.

CT: (LAUGHS) VO: The service for six is circa 1970 and comes complete with dinner plates, side plates, soup bowls, tureens, a teapot, cups, saucers and condiment items to boot.

CT: Let's think about this.

What about the picture... and the dinner service for a tenner?

Oh!

Go on.

I'll twist you.

CT: Really?

JAN: Yes.

You're an angel.

You're welcome.

Do I have to wrap it up now?

Yes!

I'm not wrapping it up.

I hate wrapping up.

VO: That's fair enough and Christina's managed to bag herself two fabulous lots for just £10.

CT: Take care.

See you again.

JAN: Bye, thank you.

VO: Meanwhile, Thomas has taken the Bedford van 10 miles east to just outside the old farming village of Goostrey in Cheshire.

He's come to Jodrell Bank Observatory to find out about a world-famous pioneer whose groundbreaking inventions helped put our nation among the front runners in the golden age of the space race.

VO: Thomas is meeting astrophysicist Professor Tim O'Brien to hear more.

Hello, I'm Thomas.

Hello, I'm Tim.

That's not going to be confusing, is it?

No, no.

That's very easy - Tim and Tom.

VO: Ha-ha.

Sir Bernard was born in 1913.

By the outbreak of the Second World War, he lead a team to develop new radar technology, helping to significantly halt the Nazi campaign by sea.

Once the war ended, Lovell's career turned to astronomy.

So what happened then, after the war?

Lovell wanted to use radar that he'd helped develop to do some physics.

They were throwing away a lot of war surplus equipment.

The people here at Jodrell got a big army truck and they drove around the country piling electronics into the back of the truck because it was being chucked down mineshafts.

It was ripped apart, cannibalized, and built into... TP: Other things.

..this equipment that was used to look at space.

VO: Components of these electronics became vital to Lovell's future scientific pursuits.

He realized that larger equipment would allow him to delve further into the unexplored universe.

So, in 1952 work began on a huge 250-foot telescope, the largest steerable telescope in the world.

But despite its original intention, it was soon called on for another purpose.

At the beginning of the space race, when Russia launched their beach-ball-sized satellite, Sputnik 1, into space to orbit Earth, Lovell and his telescope made history, suddenly playing a key role in the Cold War.

TIM: He got a phone call from somebody in government who said to him, actually, you know, the thing that carried Sputnik into space, the rocket, is actually a missile, an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Would you be able use a radar transmitter on your telescope not to track Sputnik itself but to track the rocket?

Because the next thing that might be launched by the Soviet Union might be something rather more serious - a nuclear warhead.

VO: In October 1957, Lovell's telescope tracked the rocket that had launched the Russian satellite as it too circled the Earth, passing over the Lake District at five miles a second.

It was the only instrument in the world capable of following such a missile - technology that has since evolved into the basis for our current missile defense systems.

Lovell and his team continued to track rockets launched by Russia and America, and in 1966 they made headlines again.

What else has been used for in that golden period of space race?

We actually tracked a Russian rocket onto the moon that landed in 1966.

It took the very first pictures of the moon from the moon.

Developed the photographs, scanned it, sent it back to Earth as a radio signal.

We eavesdropped on that signal.

TP: You couldn't help.

You c... You would, wouldn't you?

One of the astronomers here recognized the sound of the signal and he said, "You know, it sounds like one of these newfangled fax machines."

Not very many people had them.

They put out a call, the Daily Express in London answered the call.

They drove up the road an early facsimile receiver, plugged it into the telescope and out came a picture of the surface of the moon, the very first picture ever sent from the moon.

And they'd used fax technology basically to do it.

TP: Wow!

TIM: We hacked into it.

Printed it on the front page of the Daily Express the next day.

Gosh.

VO: Britain published these pictures before the Russians got chance to release their own official images - a major worldwide coup.

VO: The telescope is now the third largest of its kind in the world and as technology evolves, it's upgraded, keeping it at the forefront of cutting edge science.

It's discovered distant galaxies powered by supermassive black holes and two thirds of all known pulsars, which are remnants of exploded stars.

Every day we make a new discovery.

We are creeping our way forwards.

But we also discover things we don't understand.

(THEY CHUCKLE) So the sort of boundary of our knowledge is ever increasing but equally there's stuff outside that boundary that still are yet to understand.

That's what makes it so exciting.

It's exciting, sometimes frustrating.

VO: Sir Bernard Lovell died in 2012 but his passion for science and innovation made him a visionary leader in his field.

His incredible inventions continue to assist astronomic discoveries today and hopefully will do well into the future.

Just a few miles south though, Christina's made her way to Congleton.

The town's settlers date back to Neolithic times but it grew in the 18th century, thanks to the textile industry.

Christina's come to a former ribbon mill.

I've been here before and I made a friend the last time I was here.

Is he there?

Eric?

Hello, hello, my old friend.

Hello.

How are you?

You alright?

Yes fine.

Very nice to see you.

Now, last time I was here, you had some really interesting things.

So have you got anything for me this time?

Oh, I love your Fry's chocolate sign.

ERIC: Mm-hm.

CT: That's fabulous.

What have you got on that, Eric?

180.

Oh!

Oh, sorry.

Thanks but no thanks.

VO: Christina's got just under £200 left but probably best not to risk that lead on one item.

Those are nice, aren't they?

That one's in good condition, this one's been a bit... That's been re-painted.

Yeah, it was how I got them.

Pair of vintage black coach lamps.

On your horse drawn coach, these would have gone on the sides, they would have slot in so you could light your way.

32.

OK, alright.

ERIC: Worth thinking about.

CT: Yeah, I quite like those and they've certainly got some character to them as well.

VO: There are two other floors to check out, Christina.

Right, what have we got in here?

Oh, this looks good.

Quite nice to have a look at a piece, something sparkly anyway.

Georgian caddy spoon.

So, that's really rather sweet.

Caddy spoons are eternally collectable.

And this is quite... a sweet one.

We've got the duty mark there, George III Q1791, so I think that's quite lovely.

VO: This 18th century silver tea caddy spoon has a ticket price of £28 but Eric thinks the spoon's dealer might be able to do better.

What did Kate say about a best price on our caddy spoon?

17.

That is a good price but only really want to buy one more thing.

And I do like your lanterns downstairs.

How much do you have on your lanterns?

32.

Can you do any better than that?

Oh yeah, I can do them for 20.

With the damage on the glass and the fact that they've been re-painted, I'd want to be getting them for £15 maximum.

Is that something you could do?

Yeah, go on.

VO: Generous of you, Eric.

Ooh, look - the center even has a cafe.

That was my very last purchase of the week.

So, I owe you some money.

Okey doke.

There we are, my darling.

5, 10, 15.

CT: Cheers, thank you very much.

ERIC: Cheers.

VO: Look who it is.

Brace yourselves, lads.

Hello.

Hello, hello.

How are you?

Very well.

Can I join you?

Yeah, do, absolutely.

I'm done.

I've got... TP: Five items?

CT: Five items.

All done.

Really?

Yeah, how many have you got to buy?

TP: One.

CT: One more to get?

One more to get.

I'll see you back here for some cake, go and do some shopping.

VO: Oh, bossy!

The pressure's on Thomas now.

He's got just under £90 left to spend.

I quite like a center, I really do.

There's loads of stuff.

VO: And soon enough, Thomas spots something rather interesting.

In the First World War, when you were shot, your family were sent a bronze penny called a death penny or a death plaque.

"Arthur Preece, Private, Royal Worcester Regiment, "died 7th of the 9th '16, aged 39."

God, so he was just a year younger than me.

Very nice.

I mean, that is an amazing thing.

And it's only £55.

VO: While Eric is sharing cake with Christina, dealer Kate takes care of Thomas.

This death penny, here.

Yeah?

I notice he's got 55 on it.

Yeah.

Yeah, do you think there'd be anything to be done on that?

It's pretty near the mark what he paid for it but I'm sure we could, er... Give him a call.

VO: While he waits to hear, Thomas is covering all bases.

Hang on a minute!

I've got a coffee cuz I think I deserve one.

VO: A bit premature, perhaps but what about that £55 death penny, Thomas?

That death plaque is such a emotive thing.

I think there is a profit in there, definitely.

VO: But there's still no word from the dealer, so Thomas is having a last look.

This is a Victorian jug.

It's in... Made probably in Stoke-on-Trent.

It's quite good, sounds OK. Has a little bit of a hairline up there but what is so delightful about these hand-painted flowers is... ..the token it says underneath it so this is something you give to your lover, forget me not.

Isn't that sweet?

And for £27.

VO: Time to find Kate again.

TP: I found this.

KATE: Yeah.

Do you think we can do anything on that price?

Normally that would be about £25.

OK.

But for you... 16?

Round 16?

Yeah alright.

I mean we could round it up and say 15.

Go on then.

TP: Yeah?

KATE: 15.

£15.

15.

Or I have news on the death penny.

Oh yes?

35 would be the very best.

Oh my gosh.

So, you have a choice.

Or buy both.

VO: That's a handsome £20 discount on the plaque.

Take your time, Thomas, no need to rush.

I've made a decision.

Right.

I'm going to buy them both.

VO: So, that's £50 for an early Victorian jug and the First World War death plaque.

Wish me luck and thank you.

Thank you.

VO: That's shopping complete.

Along with the death plaque and jug, Thomas bought an Edwardian bamboo chair, a vintage mannequin head, a 19th-century Masonic glass and a soapstone goblet for £143.

Christina spent £85 on a snooker-table light, an art-deco-style lamp, a Marcel Pic sketch, a Denby dinner service and a pair of Victorian carriage lanterns.

So, what do they think?

CT: Thomas is so clever.

To buy ceramics to bring to the homeland of the ceramics industry and that sentiment, forget me not - I certainly won't forget him.

So Christina has gone out and bought an art-deco-style table lamp in the form of a beautiful woman.

They are very decorative and I think it's going to do quite well.

Certainly where we are selling.

The Masonic goblet, again, very, very, very savvy buy - there is going to be a good market for that.

All in all, I think Christina's got, you know, a chance to make a profit.

The only thing I think she is going to risk on is the snooker-table light.

Secretly...

I'm a little bit nervous.

VO: Christina and Thomas's last leg left from Gwersyllt, in Wrexham with the final auction of the week finishing up in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Well, it's a lovely day, isn't it?

TP: It's gorgeous.

CT: It is a beautiful day.

TP: And I'm so happy.

CT: Well...

But I'm also sad!

That's exact...

I mean, the weather does not match my mood, Thomas, because I am...

I feel like it should be matching the misery I feel inside at leaving you.

TP: Are you crying inside?

CT: I am crying inside.

You might be smiling on the outside.

I'm almost externally crying as well.

VO: The city of Stoke-on-Trent, affectionately called the Potteries, was formed in the early 20th century of six neighboring towns.

CT: Are we ready?

TP: I'm going to be very sad at the end of this.

CT: Are you sure?

TP: Yeah.

CT: Oh van.

I'm going to miss our van.

Right, let's go!

Sun shines on the righteous, Thomas.

12, 14... VO: Well, we'll see about that.

Holding fort at the rostrum today is auctioneer Lee Sherratt who's been running ASH Auctions for over 20 years.

We've had interest in quite a number of the items to be honest with you.

Denby tea set.

I think we've got a telephone bid coming through plus commission bids come in on that item.

The thing that most interests me, really, is the death plaque.

Usually those things go well.

My least favorite lot, really, is the jug.

I think that one might struggle.

VO: It's the final auction of the week.

LEE: On the phone then.

VO: First up is Christina's Denby dinner service.

Quite a lot of interest in this next item.

Quite a lot of interest.

We've got two or three commission bids, we've also got a telephone bid.

Telephone bid, I don't believe it.

For the lot, start the bidding.

ASSISTANT: 26.

LEE: I've got £26.

£26!

On the phone, 28.

Phone bid straight in.

Four, on the phone at 32 for the Denby.

Wonderful, Christina, well done you.

Sold at 32.

High five.

VO: A fantastic profit to start things off, Christina.

I sincerely hope we carry on in this way, although I very much doubt it.

VO: Continuing the pottery theme, Thomas's early Victorian jug is up next.

Nice jug there, 10?

Fiver?

A fiver?

Five, commission bid.

Got six, I've got seven.

Seven bid, eight?

Eight I'm bid now.

Nine?

Nine I'm bid now.

10?

10 bid now.

12?

Go on, go on, go on, go on.

At £12, commission... At £12 going.

VO: Don't worry, it's early days, Thomas.

And only a small loss.

Forget you not, forget the jug.

VO: Let's hope Thomas does better with his Masonic glass.

I've got £30 bid straight in on commission, at £30 now.

I'll take five if you like it?

32 I'll take then?

At £30.

If not I'm going to sell it to commission buyer.

At £30, only bid at £30, and all done?

CT: Oh no, come on.

(GAVEL) LEE: Commission buyer gets it.

TP: £30.

Thomas, I'm disappointed for you, that should have made more.

TP: Made a £2 profit.

VO: It all adds up.

Are you OK?

Don't be glum on me.

VO: Back with Christina and her pair of Victorian carriage lamps.

I am going to say £50 to get on?

£50 to get on?

£40?

CT: No, no!

LEE: £20 gone?

CT: Maybe.

LEE: For the two this is.

£20 for the two?

10 then somebody.

CT: (GASPS) LEE: 10?

10 I'm bid now.

There we go.

Now 12.

Is that a bid?

On my right, 12, 12, bid 14?

14, here we go.

16, 18, 18, 20, 20, 22?

Rightly so.

Can you imagine either side of a front door?

I think they're very good.

Dead smart.

26, where's eight now?

I'm going to sell.

At £26 and the hammer's up.

Anybody else?

VO: Another decent profit for Christina.

See, I'm finding my feet now.

I think that's a brilliant result.

Well done, Christina.

VO: Indeed.

Thomas has bundled together his vintage mannequin head and Edwardian bamboo teddy's chair.

Bit random, but let's see how it goes.

£15 commission bid, straight in now at 15, I'm looking for 16.

If not I'm going to sell.

VO: Oh dear!

16, I'm going to sell it.

At £15 all done?

That was pretty quick, wasn't it?

CT: It was jolly quick.

TP: Jolly quick.

VO: He's still got two more items to wow the auction goers of Stoke with, though.

If I hadn't bought the head that would have been a profit.

Yeah.

(LAUGHS) VO: That's one way to look at it.

Can Christina make a third profit in a row with her art-deco-style lamp?

£20 bid me, somebody, 20 bid, straight in at 20.

At £20 bid where?

Two.

At 22, 24... Well done, Christina.

Again, another profit.

Brilliant.

On the second row, you are all out now, at 36.

LEE: Eight!

TP: Got 38 now.

Really?

Doubling money.

Right lot.

£40 being sold.

I'm going to be selling at 40.

VO: Go Christina.

VO: Another brilliant profit!

Another great success.

I can't believe this, Thomas.

VO: Can this soapstone goblet make Thomas some money?

Put it in somebody, what's it worth?

£20?

Whoo.

Nice piece this is, £20, £10 bid me somebody.

Who's going to bid me?

10 on my right.

At 10 and we're off now.

At 10 but well short.

Got to be more than this.

What did you pay for this?

25?

TP: Yes.

LEE: £10 only.

You've got a chance.

You're going to lose it.

At £10.

VO: Shame, but maybe he's saving his best for last.

It will be fine, Thomas, it will be fine.

The thing is Christina, if I'd have known, if I had got a sort of flavor of the auction I think I would have bought slightly differently.

VO: Too late for that now, Thomas.

We're back with Christina again for the snooker-table-light trio.

£40 for it somebody?

40, £30.

£30?

It's worth that, surely.

Who's got a snooker table without lights?

Come on.

£20?

CT: Not going to make any money.

TP: Snooker table.

Take five now.

Five.

25, 30.

30 bid, now five.

It's not going to make any money.

TP: No, it's gonna make it.

CT: It's not.

TP: It's going to make it, £40.

CT: Oh.

At £40, the hammer's up.

£40.

VO: It's a loss after auction costs, but it gives Thomas chance to catch up.

TP: Well done, Christina.

CT: Thanks.

VO: Now it's Christina's final item, the Marcel Pic charcoal sketch.

Come on, bid somebody.

£20 for it?

15, come on, who's gonna start?

Give me 10?

£10?

£10?

Where are we?

We've got a bid of 10.

I think people think it's a print but it's not.

No, you said it's a sketch.

Oh, good, I've got a bid.

Right hand side, 12.

12 bid.

At 12 bid, now 14?

14.

14.

16?

TP: Yeah, for you... CT: My last item of our road trip!

£14.

Well, it's making a profit.

At £14.

VO: She's almost tripled her money on that last item - great stuff!

Thomas.

(CHUCKLES) Are you crying?

Are you crying cuz this is it?

So glad.

The first time on our road trip I'm glad that you've got your pocket square.

VO: But now it's Thomas's World War I death plaque.

It's auctioneer Lee's pick and could be just what Thomas needs to take Christina's Road Trip crown.

We've got loads and loads of commission bids.

See!

£40.

£40 I'm bid, straight in at £40.

See?

Brilliant, instant profit.

LEE: 45.

ASSISTANT: 50.

50, five?

55.

ASSISTANT: 60.

LEE: 60 I'm bid, five?

Thomas, this is brilliant.

70 bid now.

75?

75.

We've got £70 commission.

We haven't finished yet.

Go on!

Go on!

Go on!

CT: (CHUCKLES) LEE: 80.

80 I'm bid.

Five?

TP: Go on.

85.

90.

I'm out.

All commission bids are now out.

In the room at £85, where's 90?

I'm going to sell it.

Come on, one more!

£85, the hammer's up.

All finished?

Yes!

Well done, £50 profit - that's amazing.

VO: What an incredible finish for Thomas.

Well done.

Well done.

VO: But has he done enough?

Thomas began this leg with £186.14.

Despite that great last profit, he's down £18.36 after auction costs, leaving him £167.78.

Christina kicked off with £269.07.

After a great auction, she's made £39.64.

She finishes with £308.71, making her this week's queen of the road trip.

All profits, of course, go to Children In Need.

Blimey.

Christina.

Go on, tell me.

I need to drive you.

Why?

Because you've again annihilated me.

Did I win this auction?

You did, you've done it.

So does that mean I get chauffeured?

TP: You get chauffeured by moi.

CT: Oh!

Oh my goodness, how spoilt.

TP: I know.

CT: How spoilt.

(THEY LAUGH) VO: That's it for these two and what a week, hey?

Their trip took them from Ireland...

I don't want to go back to the United Kingdom.

VO: ..to Wales... (SQUEAKING) It comes with a free squeak.

How could a girl refuse?

VO: ..and England.

This could be my lucky day.

VO: Luckily, Thomas's driving has improved.

Go on, go on, go on.

You can do it.

CT: You can do it.

Go on, go on.

TP: Go on, go on, go on.

TP: Third's easy.

Third is easy.

CT: Yay!

VO: Sadly, his singing hasn't!

BOTH: # Why, why, why, Delilah?

# VO: But they've had a blast.

Probably really ought to start doing some more shopping, hadn't I?

VO: Next time, a brand new pair hit the road.

Charlie Ross is doing everything he can to reach new heights.

Ow!

VO: But James Braxton has a secret weapon up his sleeve.

I bring a new thing in my life, which is yoga.

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