antiques experts... RAJ: That's me.

PAUL: I like that.

VO: ..behind the wheel of a classic car.

TIM: Hold on!

IRITA: (SQUEALS) VO: And a goal, to scour Britain for antiques.

En garde!

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

But it's no mean feat.

I don't believe it!

VO: There'll be worthy winners... PAUL: Yes!

VO: ..and valiant losers.

I was robbed.

VO: Will it be the high road to glory...

Right, come on, let's go.

VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?

DAVID: Oh, Roo!

Oh, Roo!

ROO: (SQUEALS) VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip!

Dig that!

(GENTLE CLASSICAL MUSIC) VO: Ah, a glorious day in the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside.

So tranquil, isn't it?

(ROCK MUSIC) VO: Well, it was until these two showed up.

DAVID (DH): Oh!

You're really getting with this, aren't you?

VO: We're burning rubber with boisterous buddies, Roo Irvine and David Harper.

This really is my dream come true.

Do you know why?

ROO (RI): Why?

Because I've got you in an AC Cobra.

This is what dreams are made of.

VO: Well, actually, it's a recreation of the iconic '60s sports car.

With the real deal selling for a million pounds and upwards, we just didn't trust you.

DH: It'll do nought to 60, this car, in five seconds.

Do you think I will manage to do that?

I think with you driving, it will be four seconds.

VO: We'll have none of that on this show, thank you very much.

Now, enough of the car, what about the competition?

IM: We are here to buy antiques.

DH: I know.

You are right, and we're here to beat one another, Roo.

Do you understand that?

I haven't done it yet, so maybe I don't!

VO: Yes.

Always the bridesmaid, is Roo.

Never quite made it to the top spot.

Our dealer from Argyll and Bute is a big fan of sparkly glass and silver.

RI: £5.

Job's a good 'un.

VO: Huh.

And who knows?

Maybe this trip will be her moment to shine.

Yes!

VO: Durham dealer David, on the other hand, has had his share of success in the past.

But it's fair to say that some of his purchases are a little off the wall.

Come off it.

Gonna have to have it.

When you go antique buying, you get little mini buzzes.

Oh yes.

Don't you?

Like little electric shocks.

Like, like when you were a kid, did you ever put your tongue on the end of a battery?

No.

VO: Probably not a sensible idea.

They've each got £200 to spend and a lot of shops to visit.

So let's get to it, shall we?

Go through the puddle, go through the puddle, see what happens.

Go on.

RI: Oh I don't want to!

DH: Go on, give it some welly.

Do it, do it, do it.

Yeah, baby!

We've got our own fog machine.

VO: Our excitable pair start this trip south of the Humber at Grimsby.

And after a few lengths up and down the east coast, they'll head across the country towards a final showdown.

On this run out, their items will be heading to an auction in Rayleigh in Essex.

But Grimsby is where we start our tale today.

Very nice, too.

This is door to door.

Oh, and I've put the wipers on for you as well!

DH: You're getting all excited, aren't you?

RI: Ha-ha!

Have a fantastic day.

You too!

DH: See you later.

RI: Mwah!

See you.

VO: David's first shop is Vintage Lincs.

Because we're in Lincolnshire.

Very clever.

Hello.

DEALER: Good morning.

Hello.

This looks exciting.

I'm David.

I'm Graham, nice to meet you.

Good to meet you, Graham.

Good to meet you.

Can I just have a dive around?

You certainly can.

Help yourself.

Feel free.

OK.

I'll shout you for discounts, eh?

OK then, you can do.

VO: There's 14 dealers housed in this warehouse, all specializing in retro and vintage items.

Perfect for scratching out that mid-century modern itch.

That is so up my street it is unbelievable.

You might think it looks horrible and manky and ruined, and you'll probably burn it.

I think exactly the opposite because it's an original circa-1930 art-deco three-piece suite.

And it screams that period.

It's in its original fabric, that brown rexine, which is a cheap alternative to leather.

You might be asking yourself why on Earth are all the arms ripped open?

But just think back to Granny's old three-piece suite, when you took a chair and you shook its arm.

What did you hear?

Jangling of coins.

And whoever put this thing into sale slashed open the carcass to remove all those ancient old coins.

VO: Sacrilege!

And because of that the whole suite is a mere £40.

I know it's wrecked.

It's a restoration project.

It's just waiting for someone to come along and restore it to its original fineries.

And then you're going to have an art-deco three-piece suite worth £3,000, £4,000.

VO: It's a bit too big to fit in the motor, though.

Perhaps something smaller, David.

Ha-ha!

VO: Now, out on the road, our Roo is coaxing the Cobra towards the town of Market Rasen, which in 2008 was the epicenter of an earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale.

Wow!

Wold Antiques will be Roo's first retail experience.

She's hoping for some good vibrations here.

Hello, hello.

Hello.

I'm Roo.

How do you do?

I'm Lin.

Oh, thank you, Lin, lovely to meet you.

I have to say, looking around, we are two peas in a pod.

The amount of glass that's in here...

I love glass.

My weakness.

RI: Mine too.

VO: Yep, they've got a lot of it.

I bet they had palpitations when that earthquake hit!

Ha!

Packed with lots of other goodies too, something to suit every budget.

There's something there that is stunning, that copper stick stand, probably arts and crafts, very heavy.

£130.

I only have 200.

So I'm not going to stretch to that.

But this is not bad, actually.

Arts and crafts, probably art nouveau style.

So turn of the century, late 1800s and it's priced up at £75.

And it's got this lovely twin... ears, I suppose.

VO: Handles, I think.

RI: I like it.

Is it putting a fire in my belly?

Not quite.

I would love it to have more weight.

The condition isn't great.

It's a wee bit higgledy-piggledy.

If anything it's like me at the end of a hard day shopping.

But it is charming.

I still like it.

One to think about.

VO: A promising start.

Back in Grimsby, David's still on the hunt for that killer bit of vintage.

DH: Look at that.

Priced, can you believe it, at £6.50.

Come and have a look at this.

VO: He thinks he's found a sleeper.

A funky hand-blown blue glass vase with a metal framework made to fit the glass vase exactly.

From the 1950s.

So it's got that mid 20th century shape, design and feel.

You can see that it's hand blown.

Look at the bubbles.

All those little imperfections that make it completely perfect.

And the great thing about this is the ticket price of £6.50, would relate to its value 20 years ago, when they were languishing in skips and nobody wanted them.

Now everybody wants to buy a piece of the mid 20th century.

So I absolutely guarantee you this at £6.50 will make a profit.

VO: That's confidence for you.

Better go and buy it, then.

Graham?

Yes?

What do you think of that funky monkey?

It's very beautiful, that.

Isn't it?

Absolutely, yeah.

Quirky.

Now there's a big problem, however.

Mm-hm.

And the problem is this, the price.

What, do you want me to double it?

DH: (LAUGHS) You'd pay double?

You know what?

I would.

I actually would.

If it was ticketed up at double I would have paid double.

But I will pay you the ticket price.

How's that?

VO: Last of the big spenders, our David.

Cheers, Graham.

Thank you!

Thank you.

All the best.

Bye-bye.

VO: Now, 20 miles away in Market Rasen, we're getting serious.

The coat's been ditched and Roo is currently rifling through the window display.

She must be on to something.

It's not often I get to do a spot the difference in an antique shop.

Opera glasses.

I do like them, but you see them quite a lot.

Now these ones, on the other hand...

These ones have got a beautiful mother-of-pearl handle.

So you don't even need to touch them.

Now this is taking the elegance to another level.

Take a look there, the attention to detail.

These ones are definitely more quality.

Here, you've got the mother-of-pearl all around the lens as well.

Look at the luster, the sheen.

That's far more iridescent and pearlescent than the ones on the left.

These are definitely the superior of the two.

Sometimes it's nice to see two examples, because you then know what quality you're buying.

VO: No price on those.

Let's go and have a conflab.

RI: Hi, Lin.

LIN: Yes.

I've had a good look around your shop, and there are a few things that catch my eye.

OK.

But these mother-of-pearl opera glasses... LIN: Yes.

RI: I like the handle on them, but there's no price.

LIN: They are particularly lovely.

And they're top quality.

Beautiful quality.

Very different to these ones as well.

Well, these, these are just the run of the mill, LIN: ordinary glasses.

RI: Yes.

And these are...

But these are the ones you want to be seen with.

Yes.

How about 28?

28, you're saying on those?

LIN: Yes.

RI: OK. Um... Ooh!

VO: Her magpie instinct has just kicked in.

A pair of bud vases.

LIN: They're silver.

RI: Oh!

Have you been polishing?

I know.

Not very much.

Birmingham 1894.

So this is late Victorian, and these would reflect the light so beautifully, wouldn't they?

LIN: Yeah.

One of them has a slight dent on the top.

RI: They are lovely bits.

It's a shame.

Yes, I know.

But I can reflect that in the price.

VO: Which is currently £78.

35 for the pair.

VO: Wow, that's quite a discount.

RI: I also spotted the twin-handled copper large... LIN: Ah, yes.

RI: ..jug.

You've got 75 on there.

LIN: I've had it some time.

Shall we say 38?

VO: Add in the opera glasses and that comes to a grand total of £101.

I would shake your hand right now on all three... LIN: Right.

RI: ..at 95.

I'll shake your hand on 98.

I'm very, very happy with that.

So I owe you £98.

Thank you very much.

VO: Thank you, Lin.

£28 for the glasses and 35 each for the copper urn and the pair of bud vases.

RI: Thanks, Lin.

Bye!

VO: So, £102 left and that's a healthy start to her shopping.

VO: Meanwhile, David has made his way to the port city of Hull, and the Humber Estuary.

VO: This vast body of water has been a major trade route for centuries.

But it's also one of the most dangerous waterways in the world.

With strong currents and shifting sand banks, it's no place for the unwary.

David's meeting Robin Diaper from the city's maritime museum to discover how mariners were aided in navigating these treacherous waters.

DH: Now, that actually looks like a lighthouse on a ship.

Is that what it is?

ROBIN: Yeah, that's exactly what it is, yeah.

There were several light ships in the Humber Estuary.

DH: I've never seen anything like it before.

ROBIN: It's not got an engine.

This was towed into position and then secured there.

And it would just bob around, would it?

Yeah, I mean, it was important it stayed in the same position, cuz it was a navigational marker to highlight where the danger was.

VO: They've been using light ships on the estuary since the early 19th century.

This one, Light Vessel 12, Spurn to give its proper title, was built in 1927 and was the first to be anchored off Spurn Head, a sand bank right at the mouth of the Humber.

The ship was manned all year round, with crews left out in the water for weeks at a time.

They worked around the clock in shifts - four hours on, eight hours off - to keep the light shining.

So this is the access to the light.

You are kidding me.

Seriously?

And what's that, just a ladder?

ROBIN: Yes.

DH: Sorry, I was expecting at least a spiral staircase.

ROBIN: Well, it's quite a sturdy ladder.

I'll pop up if you like first.

Do you want to?

Yeah, you go and then... as long as you survive... ROBIN: Yeah, I'll test it.

DH: ..I'll follow you up.

Oh my goodness me.

I think I'm now regretting this.

VO: Go on, scaredy cat!

Up you go.

DH: Tell you what, Robin, I wouldn't want to come up here in rough seas, that's for sure.

ROBIN: No.

This is the special lantern.

Cuz it's tilted, so the beam always goes horizontally.

DH: Right.

ROBIN: Whatever the ship's doing.

DH: Amazing.

Absolutely amazing.

VO: In the 1970s, after nearly 50 years of service, this ship was replaced with an automated unmanned beacon.

Light Vessel 12 is now registered as a national historic ship.

But light ships weren't the estuary's only safety measure.

David's gone back to Grimsby to meet Martyn James, one of the Humber pilots whose job is to board incoming ships and steer them safely through this dangerous waterway.

It looks quite calm there, but it gets a bit tricky out, doesn't it?

Yeah, today it's blowing a good force-seven.

When we get out there, it's gonna be a bit bouncy.

I don't know how good my sea legs are.

I don't know at all.

MARTYN: Well, we'll find out.

DH: Alright, OK. VO: Today, around 120 pilots work on the Humber for Associated British Ports.

But guiding ships through the estuary's hazards has gone on since Roman times.

In 1541, Henry visited Hull and witnessed a Scottish ship getting into trouble.

He decreed that all foreign ships must be brought in by a local pilot.

DH: So we're moving, where are we heading to?

MARTYN: There's a vessel outbound from Immingham at the moment, so that pilot needs to get off that ship, so he's not taken to wherever she's going in the world.

So we're on our way to go and collect him, around the Spurn Point area of the Humber.

When we get out to the vessel that we're taking the pilot off, that vessel doesn't stop moving.

Right.

It continues on his way.

Yeah.

And then this... We'll come alongside, match his speed... DH: Right.

MARTYN: And the pilot will come off, so it's not a stationary maneuver.

VO: Gosh.

Choppy, isn't it?

Ha!

Nowadays, around 16% of the UK's seaborne trade comes through the ports along the Humber.

That's some 17,000 ships that need guiding through these waters by Martyn and his colleagues.

So Paul now, the coxswain, will hold this, this vessel in position while the pilot comes down.

So there's Andy.

Nice and easy.

He's off.

DH: And that was pretty quick, wasn't it?

MARTYN: Yeah.

VO: And with their passenger safely on board, it's time to head back to the harbor.

Full ahead, Captain!

DH: (CHUCKLES) It's better than driving a car, and I love cars.

VO: Just you keep your eyes peeled for those sand banks, Mister.

Now, back on terra firma, there's no slouching for Roo either.

(ENGINE PURRS) RI: Listen to that engine.

Absolutely stunning.

VO: Rrrrr!

Ha-ha!

She's pointed the beast towards the village of Messingham, hoping to part with some of her remaining £102 at the Old School.

Originally built in 1906, it's been given a new lease of life.

There's a bar in the library, clothing in the classroom, and it looks like the standard of school dinners has improved too.

But it's the shiny stuff that our apt pupil has come to see.

Hello.

Hiya.

Hello!

Hi there, I'm Roo.

Nice to meet you.

I'm Steve.

Lovely to meet you, Steve.

I'm the owner.

So, this is where the bulk of your beautiful shiny antiques are.

I think I'm just going to look around here.

I'm not gonna leave... STEVE: Brilliant.

RI: ..this desk.

Because the minute I start looking around, it all goes a bit crazy up here.

OK. Aha, who doesn't love a peacock?

STEVE: Peacock.

RI: I mean...

The workmanship?

Look at the twisted threads of silver.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

This is just so intricate and handmade.

STEVE: Yeah.

RI: That's beautiful.

STEVE: Silver.

RI: Silver.

Marked silver, 925.

925.

Now that's quite unusual, because with filigree work, you can only ever really advertise it as white metal.

Sure, yeah.

But this is the rare time when actually it is stamped continental.

STEVE: Yeah.

RI: What is the price on this?

Er, £100.

Yeah.

Right, which is pretty much what I have left.

STEVE: Oh, OK. £99, then.

RI: (CHUCKLES) VO: There you go, instant discount.

Could it be round about the half mark?

STEVE: Are you gonna buy anything else?

I might.

If you buy something else, I will shake your hand on 50.

VO: Now that's worth crowing about.

Do you want to hear my impression of a peacock?

STEVE: (CHUCKLES) RI: Are you ready?

(CLEARS THROAT) I will perfect this.

I know what they sound like as well.

RI: (HOWLS) STEVE: Oh, right.

OK. No?

VO: She's no Percy Edwards, that's for sure.

Moving swiftly on.

Is that a piece of Mouseman?

Yes.

Yes.

And with paperwork.

With the little... Yeah, absolutely, with the paperwork.

The care of your mouse furniture.

Robert Thompson's craftsman, York.

VO: Ah, the famous furniture makers, with that signature mouse carving.

The napkin rings are officially the smallest pieces of Mouseman you can buy.

Yeah, christening presents, something like that.

Yeah.

But they are probably the most affordable pieces RI: to get on the market.

STEVE: Sure, yeah.

What do you have on this?

60.

60?

OK. Could you do both lovable creatures... for 75?

I would be over the moon.

Listen, I will do you a deal on that.

75?

Yes, I will.

Oh...

I would like to see you make a profit.

I'd like to see you make a profit.

You are a good man.

I need to stop buying things, don't I?

That's a done deal at £75, thank you very much.

You're welcome.

I'll give you some moolah.

VO: So that's 50 for the peacock and 25 for the mouse.

Quite the menagerie.

Now with my haggling, I'm not getting detention, am I?

Yes, you can.

Yes, definitely.

You can do some lines on the chalkboard.

"Must try harder", 100 times.

VO: With five items in the bag, I think you get the gold star.

Now, school's out.

Time to hang out with your pal.

DH: First day down, eh?

RI: I know.

On a very long journey, which I think is gonna be quite exciting.

Do you know what, today's just reminded me why I was so excited.

Oh, go on.

Tell me, Roo.

Go on, say something nice.

People don't usually say anything nice.

RI: Your orange pants.

DH: (CHUCKLES) VO: Yeah, fashionistas the pair of them.

Night-night.

And now, a warning to motorists in the York area - David Harper is behind the wheel.

(ENGINE REVS LOUDLY) DH: Morning.

(SQUEALS) Well, I wasn't expecting that.

Morning.

I thought to myself, you need waking up.

Well that's woken me up.

VO: Yeah, along with half the county, I expect.

DH: Isn't it nice to be in Yorkshire?

RI: This is beautiful.

DH: This is just perfection.

And you know what, once you head out to farming country, it's all about nature.

It's the sound of the birds.

Although the King Cobra's drowning that out slightly.

VO: Blooming noisy beggars!

Whilst he's nippy in that motor, David was slow off the mark with his buys yesterday, only plumping for a 1950s glass vase.

This, at £6.50, will make a profit.

VO: But he's keeping his powder dry with £193.50 still in hand.

At the other end of the scale, Roo went to town with the shopping.

I need to stop buying things.

VO: She now has just £27 left after picking up some smart opera glasses, a copper urn, a Mouseman napkin ring, a pair of silver bud vases, and one feathered find.

This little darling.

What's unusual about it... is that it's stamped silver.

Is it?

Yeah.

Cuz usually you get filigree and it's white metal, but this is continental silver.

RI: And I love it.

DH: OK.

The amount of work that's went into it.

RI: You're not that impressed.

DH: No.

RI: No?!

DH: No.

Is it a peacock?

It's a peacock.

I like peacocks.

I like real peacocks.

And I like really nice models of peacocks.

That's all I'm saying.

VO: Where was he when they were handing out tact, eh?

DH: Oh, Roo.

Oh, Roo!

RI: (SQUEALS) Oh, Roo!

Roo!

Sorry about that.

Ah, David, my leg warmers!

VO: Somebody's looking for a clip round the ear 'ole.

Their items will be auctioned in Rayleigh later, but we start the day in the wonderfully named Ruston Parva... ..where David, on his tod, has made his way to Phil Edmond Antiques.

Ah, that'll be the man himself.

Hi, Phil.

I heard you before I saw you.

DH: Hello.

How are you doing?

PHIL: Now then.

DH: Good to see you, good to see you.

VO: Phil's got lots of quirky items in his barn, from fine furniture to farming implements.

It's quite literally packed to the rafters.

I think a guided tour might be in order.

What about this?

It's not a mouse.

DH: It's not a mouse.

VO: No, it's a fleur-de-lis.

DH: You're thinking, aren't you, it's one of the cabinet makers that worked at Mouseman.

And that's only down the road from here, isn't it?

VO: And it's where Roo's napkin ring was made.

DH: It has the feel of the Mouseman factory, the famous Yorkshire makers of pieces of furniture that look pretty much like this.

Mouseman was formed in the early part of the 20th century.

And over the years, they've had hundreds of apprentices go through their workshops.

And this guy, I think, probably worked there, because it has that feel, an apprentice or something.

But I don't recognize his mark.

It's actually a very sweet table, that.

It's very good quality as well.

VO: Whoever made it, Phil's got it priced at £65.

I don't know what that would be to me.

Probably 20 quid, I'd guess.

Would you agree, Phil?

30 quid, yeah.

30.

We were near enough, weren't we?

Yeah.

OK, potential, potential.

VO: What else can we find?

DH: And what is that, Phil?

PHIL: Railways carriage jacks, I think.

DH: How do they work?

So they put that under the railway carriage.

I presume the wheel goes in there.

DH: Right.

And then when you wind it, they both go up.

So it's like a jack you might use on a car?

But literally for a railway carriage?

PHIL: For a carriage.

DH: For a carriage?

That's quite interesting, isn't it?

Really heavy.

OK. You've got two handles to carry them by.

OK, they're interesting.

Get a hold of that end.

Wait, really?

VO: Watch your back, boys.

DH: Oh my Lord.

They were stronger in those days.

They will be, I reckon, probably 1870, 1880.

Yeah, they've sort of got that look haven't they?

That kind of feel to them.

Made from oak and cast iron.

So it says it can lift 12 tons.

12 tons.

VO: Handy to have around the house, then.

DH: What would you use them for now?

PHIL: The horrible word, upcycling.

Upcycling.

Well just a cool object, I suppose.

PHIL: Polish it up, burnish all the metal.

DH: I have no idea what that's worth.

How much could it be?

It can be...75 quid.

VO: Well, you get a lot of poundage for your pounds.

105, if you add in that table.

How about if I make you a bid for the two?

Go on then.

OK.

So, for the two... 80 quid.

Can't do it.

What can you do?

For the two, hundred quid.

DH: Make it 90 and we're done.

PHIL: I can't, it's 100 quid.

DH: Meet me halfway.

PHIL: Can't do it.

DH: 100 quid.

PHIL: 100 quid.

You see, this is what happens when you come to Yorkshire.

(THEY CHUCKLE) Go on.

Good man.

Thank you very much.

VO: I think you met your match there, David.

So, £75 for the jack and 25 for the table.

Time we were moving on.

I've just lost my knob!

My knob's fallen off!

VO: And that's why we wouldn't let you drive the real thing.

No shopping for Roo just yet.

She's made her way to Acomb on the outskirts of York, where in the middle of this unassuming housing estate, there's a chilling reminder of one of the darkest chapters of world history.

She's meeting Kevin Booth from English Heritage to find out how this ominous building would have helped protect the nation in the event of a nuclear attack.

What happened inside this building?

KEVIN: Essentially, you're monitoring Armageddon.

From 1961 onwards, this is a key part of the government's response to nuclear attack, to the Cold War, to this sort of battle between East and West, Soviet and capitalism.

And the threat, the ongoing threat, of nuclear weapons being sent across to devastate the country.

VO: After World War II, tensions grew between the Soviet Union and America and its allies.

Vast arsenals of nuclear weapons were built on both sides, and an uneasy stalemate developed based on mutually assured destruction.

At the time, a global nuclear war seemed a very real prospect.

Oh my goodness, that's using every ounce of my muscles.

VO: This bunker was a major hub in a network of thousands of monitoring posts all across the UK.

Their role, should a nuclear strike occur, was to track the clouds of deadly radioactive dust, or fallout.

Just how safe would we have been here?

You're safe from radiation, more or less.

But you're not really safe from a bomb, certainly not one within eight miles.

That could blow the place away.

But you have bunkers in other places doing the same role, repeating the test.

VO: The whole network of bunkers was operated by the Royal Observer Corps.

But inevitably, it was mostly staffed by an army of some 20,000 volunteers of all ages and walks of life.

People would be here manning it - three crews, 12 hours at a time.

And they just keep on rotation.

Right.

Unless they really had that sense that something was about to happen.

Then whoever's in here, stays in here.

They're on lockdown?

They're on lockdown.

The door's closed.

Yeah, there is no escape until the job is finished.

This is about protecting society.

This is about people giving up their lives, in a sense, for the benefit and the safety of everyone else.

VO: One of the volunteers here at the York bunker was Tim Kitching, who joined up at the age of 17 in 1976.

Tim and his fellow volunteers spent their time here training and taking part in drills to be ready in the event of an attack.

TIM: 20 Group.

RI: How did it work?

We have information coming in here from the monitoring posts.

The information is then transcribed on forms and taken over here into what's called a triangulation team, where it's plotted on maps.

And from that we can identify where the burst has occurred.

And importantly, whether the burst was an air burst, as in clear of the ground and wouldn't produce too much fallout, or a ground burst where fallout would be a particular problem.

VO: This data was then passed on to the corp's team of scientists.

Their job was to plot the path of these deadly clouds of radiation, and get that information out quickly and accurately to protect the armed forces and the public from the worst of the fallout.

Ultimately, this was all about the silent killer, the invisible killer, radioactive fallout arising from nuclear bursts, and trying to protect people from something that they couldn't see, they couldn't feel but ultimately was lethal.

VO: Thankfully, the worst never happened.

In 1991, following the thawing of relations between the East and West, this network of monitoring stations was shut down.

Today, the York bunker is the only one of its kind preserved just as it was during the Cold War.

It stands as a monument to those brave volunteers and the threat we all faced.

VO: Meanwhile, talking of threats, David's motored on, heading into the heart of York, where in the shadow of the imposing Minster, his last shop of the day resides.

It's called The Red House Antique Centre.

Should be easy to spot, then.

Our man still has a little under £90 left.

And with 60 dealers selling their wares under this one roof, the world should be his oyster.

Just look at that.

It's Chinese.

It is 2,000 years old.

Terracotta, and that was the most aspirational thing a young man could lust after 2,000 years ago.

If you couldn't afford the Arabian stallion, you could always have a model of an Arabian stallion.

And that's what that is.

It's not even priced up.

Of course he isn't.

And the reason for that is because it's very expensive, and rightly so.

VO: Manage your expectations, David.

Shopkeeper Lucy's on hand to help out.

LUCY: What have we spotted?

DH: Um, that elephant.

Isn't he just completely comical?

LUCY: Yeah.

Fab, isn't it?

DH: He is, isn't he?

Yeah.

It's a chocolate mold, I think.

It is, absolutely.

You know your stuff.

I know, cuz I really like this.

DH: Do you?

LUCY: Yeah.

Yeah, I do as well.

So there you have it, a chocolate mold from the 19th century.

So imagine being a Victorian child in about 1880 having a big chunk of chocolate.

And it would be a big chunk of chocolate, wouldn't it?

LUCY: Yeah, it would.

DH: In the form of an elephant.

LUCY: Yeah.

What would you eat first?

Would you eat his head?

I don't know.

Yeah, probably.

VO: I'd go for the back end - thicker chocolate.

So, price 35.

What can we do on that one?

He'll do... 20.

Can't do 20.

You can't?

I can't.

He will do 10%.

So 3.50 off.

DH: Oh, blimey.

I could give him a ring and see if he'll push 25.

Go on, then.

Go on, then.

You want me to do that?

I want you to do that.

You can trust me.

Can I keep on looking in there?

LUCY: Yeah, sure.

DH: Do you trust me?

LUCY: Yes, I do trust you.

DH: Fool!

Fool!

(THEY CHUCKLE) VO: It's alright, Lucy.

We'll keep our eyes on him.

DH: Now look at that.

That is quite interesting, I think.

So we have a 19th century door knocker.

Very detailed.

OK, I'm sure it is period.

You can see the evidence of white paint there.

So taken off a white painted door.

But what's interesting, I think, is the date, 1837.

So 1837 was the year that Queen Victoria came to the throne.

And I think it's absolutely charming.

Depicts a young couple, obviously their new house, hand in hand.

How very romantic.

VO: That's ticketed at £42.

And I think that's the original paint from 1837.

And it's missing in areas, but it's just lovely.

A remarkable thing.

Really sweet.

VO: I think he's hit a rich seam in this cabinet.

Meanwhile, look who else has shown up.

£27 still burning a hole in her pocket.

Oh, I've just seen a flash of yellow.

(THEY CHUCKLE) RI: I'm trying to blend in.

Mind you, that's very sedate for you.

DH: What?

RI: Are you getting subtle in your old age?

DH: My trousers?

RI: Yeah!

DH: They've got flags on them.

How many people do you know will wear trousers with flags on them?

Well where's the Harper color?

Well...

I don't know.

I just want to try them.

Don't worry.

I will be wearing the brighter ones next time.

VO: When you've finished dispensing fashion advice, there's a whole shop to explore.

Not that you need to buy anything with five items already in the bag.

I always find myself, when the antique center is huge with lots of dealers and cabinets... Where do I go?

Right to the top, in the furthest corner, because that's often where the bargains are found.

And in this beautiful center, I found this one cabinet with very welcoming prices on the ticket labels.

And down here is a miniature silver bud vase for £5.

VO: Haven't you got two of those already?

That is a bargain price.

Either the dealer has picked up a job lot, or it's not in the best condition.

Oh!

Look at that.

VO: I think you'd call that a ding.

Hallmarks, here we go.

Brilliant, Birmingham.

So same town as the bud vases I've got now.

A little bit later, so this is probably more Edwardian as opposed to Victorian.

And at a fiver, despite its condition that is still a bargain.

VO: Huh.

Now, isn't our other shopper expecting a call from the dealer?

He's got that door knocker and chocolate mold under consideration with a total on the tickets of £77.

60 for the both, Brian?

Yep.

We've got a deal?

Yeah, OK, we've got a deal at that, Brian, yep.

Alright, thank you.

Bye.

OK, 60 quid, I'll have them both.

DH: That's fantastic.

LUCY: Yeah?

OK.

Thank you very much indeed.

OK, I'll go put them at the front.

Thank you, well done you.

VO: Huh.

Let's call that £25 for the mold and 35 for the knocker.

Now, back to Roo, who had already found an extra bud vase for her collection.

And she's still shopping.

Look at that.

Now, the tag says mother-of-pearl with silver.

So unless that's been tested, it 100% looks like silver, but I can't see any marks at all.

But £38.

I've only got £27 left.

So the bud vase is £5, which means this would have to be 22.

I'll speak to the dealer and see if I can get both for every single penny I've got left, £27.

If so, this is going with my opera glasses.

And the bud vase will go with my other two.

And then I can tell David with pride, I have spent every single penny.

And I've got seven items and five lots.

No stopping me.

VO: I think she's going for some sort of record.

Now let's see if Lucy will be kind to you.

Now, here's my situation.

I only have £27 left... OK. ..in total, and that's every penny gone.

But could these two be £27?

We'd only really do like 10% off.

But because you're buying both and they're from the same dealer, I'll give him a ring and see...

If you could.

..if he'll do a little bit better.

I'm not sure, 27, but we'll give it a go.

RI: Have faith.

LUCY: Yes.

VO: Never one to have a breather.

Roo's taken to polishing while she waits.

Voila.

That has doubled its value from a fiver to a tenner for sure.

Lucy, any news?

I have spoken to the dealer of these items.

And surprisingly, yes, he will do them both for 27.

RI: That is fantastic.

Alright?

Alright?

Thank you very much.

So here we go, every last penny.

25, six, £7.

VO: Right, Roo, that's you cleaned out.

No more buying.

Thank you so much.

Alright, good luck at auction with them.

VO: I think Lucy earned her money today.

Time for our two to head for the hills.

RI: Oh, David!

DH: What?!

I'm serious, I've got...

This is suede, darling!

VO: Someone's had a little bit too much excitement.

Let's get some shuteye, I think.

VO: It's auction day.

Hurrah.

Our groovy twosome started the leg in Grimsby and trekked around the northeast coast.

They're about to park up in Terringtom in York, from where they'll tune in to watch their goodies going under the hammer.

The town's famous lavender fields are looking plush and rambunctious, as of course are David and Roo.

The smell...

I don't know whether it's your perfume or the plants.

Either way, it's fantastic.

It's Eau de Roo.

DH: Eau de Roo?

RI: Eau de Roo.

Now there's a marketing opportunity!

My natural scent, my darling.

VO: Ha-ha.

Rayleigh in Essex is home to Stacey's Auctioneers and Valuers.

It's a closed auction today with bids only accepted online, on the phone and left with the auctioneer.

VO: Mark Stacey is the man in charge.

Do any of David's five lots, on which he spent £166.50, take his fancy?

MARK (MS): The railway jack, never sold an object like this before, but I think it should do quite well today.

The door knocker, I really like this lot.

It's really unusual, got a good age.

It's nicely detailed.

I think this is gonna be the highlight of the sale.

VO: Great stuff.

Roo spent every penny of her £200 on her five lots.

Thoughts, Mark?

Unfortunately, mother-of-pearl opera glasses these days, people don't collect them like they used to.

I've got my doubts whether we're gonna get a price for this.

Do my best.

VO: We can't ask for more.

So, are we ready?

Eyes down.

Here we go!

First up, Roo's silver bud vases.

MS: 20 online, commission bid.

DH: OH.

MS: At 25.

25 bid.

RI: It's got to make money.

MS: 25, 30.

DH: That's...

It's going.

35.

At £35 now.

Come on, someone has got to do 40.

DH: 35!

RI: Come on, one more.

Egg 'em on, Roo!

One more!

MS: Hammer's up.

All done, all finished.

MS: 40 just in time.

DH: Ooh!

Ah, in the nick of time!

Thank you, whoever you are.

At 40.

Hammer's up.

DH: Go on.

Oh!

VO: Never mind.

Better than a loss.

Wiped its face.

Yeah, unfortunately.

At the very last second as well.

VO: David's up.

It's the mid-20th-century table with fleur-de-lis.

I have one, two, three, four commission bids on this.

Oh.

Ooh.

And I must commence the bidding to clear the book at £60.

DH: Yes!

RI: Wow!

Well done!

At £60.

At £60 is the bid.

You're all done.

You're all finished.

It's commission bid.

MS: It's the maiden bid at 60.

DH: No!

We hate maiden bids!

MS: Fair warning.

MS: Sold at 60.

DH: But that's OK. VO: Sure is.

One bid did the trick.

You've doubled your money.

And it goes to show if there'd been another bidder, that coulda crept RI: into triple figures.

DH: I know.

VO: Ah.

Now, center stage, Roo's mother-of-pearl combo.

The opera glasses as cataloged with the tin there.

Internet's busy.

10... RI: Really low.

At 15.

20, five, 30 bid.

Advance of £30, where's the five?

Come on!

The internet bidding at 50.

All done, then?

Final bids, fair warning.

At £50.

Fair warning.

RI: One more, fiver!

RI: Ooh.

DH: That actually wasn't so bad.

Because I felt there he was gonna sell for like 28 quid.

VO: Yeah.

It's still disappointing, and a second break even for Roo.

But the more items you have in a lot, the less people will spend as a cumulative.

VO: Time for David's elephant choccie mold.

Straight in online at 12.

Commission, I have bid at 15 against the internet.

RI: Oh, it's flying up though.

DH: Come on.

MS: Coming in online.

DH: Come on, online!

18.

18, I'm out.

The hammer's up at 18... That's the cheapest elephant in the world.

VO: That leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, doesn't it?

I'm really surprised.

I thought RI: that would have been more.

DH: I know, that's a shame.

VO: Yeah.

Next up, Roo's silver filigree peacock.

Have internet busy.

18, 20, five.

30, five.

40.

40 is the bid online.

Come on!

It flew.

At £40.

Do I see the five?

Against the phones now.

45.

45.

50 internet bid.

Internet's in at 50.

55.

55, 60.

65.

I'll tell you what, David, you won't find another.

Phone bid at £75.

Last chances, final bids.

It's on the phone.

It's going down.

DH: Done.

(GAVEL) DH: Roo!

RI: Oh!

VO: Hurrah!

That's Roo's first profit of the day.

I have to say, I was a bit nervous there.

VO: No need.

Now, will David increase his lead with his bargain mid-century hand-blown vase?

This has been my best buy, I promise you.

I have a commission here with me at 10.

Internet's busy at 12.

15 online.

Yes!

Come on, baby!

18 I've got, back on commission.

DH: Come on.

Commission bidder.

MS: At £18, back in online.

DH: Come on!

£20, the bid.

All done, then?

Final bidding, last chance then, please.

DH: There you go.

That's the only one I felt confident about.

RI: Really?

DH: Well, at £6.50?

VO: You could hardly lose.

I knew that had to make money.

VO: Huh.

Let's hope the same can be said for Roo's Mouseman napkin ring.

Straight in online and on commission at 50.

MS: 55 now bid.

DH: There you go.

Very good.

60 advance.

At £70 now.

Where's the five?

One more?

It's all done.

Internet bidding at £70.

Fair warning, last chances, the hammer's up.

At £70... RI: Fantastic.

MS: Done, finished?

£70, saleroom bid.

VO: Quality will out.

No, seriously well done.

Very well bought for 25 quid.

Brilliant.

I have to say, RI: that was a great price.

DH: Yeah.

VO: Indeed it was.

David's rare 19th-century railway jack is up next.

Internet's running quite quickly for this lot.

Ooh?

I've seen 10, I've seen 12, I've seen 18 bid.

Come on!

All online at £25.

You're on fire, David.

35 is against you.

DH: Where are my railway fans?

MS: This will sell at £40.

DH: Don't sell it!

£40... DH: Oh!

RI: Ooh!

VO: Ouch!

Moving on.

Some people will think, "I love it, "but I'm gonna have to transport it.

Yeah, "I can't lift it."

VO: Roo's final item is the copper arts and crafts vase.

MS: Where are we gonna be with this one, then?

I have commissions at 10.

Ooh.

Oh, that's very low.

12, internet bid.

15 back with me.

Oh, that's so slow!

On the commission, against the internet.

Final bids.

£15 commission bid.

Fair warning.

RI: Oh!

MS: At 15, hammer's up.

DH: Oh that's cheap.

RI: That's very low.

DH: That's cheap.

VO: What a shame, Roo's only dip of the day.

Thing is, sometimes when people are buying online, they don't get an idea of the size.

VO: Stand by.

It's David's final item, the Victorian door knocker.

Straight in online at 40.

MS: Commission bid at 45.

DH: Yes!

RI: Fantastic!

DH: Come on!

MS: 50 bid.

DH: Yes!

Against the internet, 60.

(GASPS) David, brilliant.

Five back on commission.

70 on the phone.

DH: Come on!

RI: Wow!

David... 85, phone bid.

85 now.

Yes!

That is phenomenal.

All done, all finished.

DH: Come on!

Get a hundred!

MS: One more?

One more, one more.

MS: One more?

95.

DH: Yes!

Ooh!

RI: Will it keep up to 100?

DH: We need 100.

MS: Back online at £100.

DH: Yes!

Oh, David, you've done it.

Well done!

MS: It's still on the internet at £100.

That's nice.

The first 100 of our road trip.

Internet bid, thank you.

100.

VO: What a result, eh?

Ho!

You can't knock that!

Well, Roo, how do you fancy a jaunt around the Vale of York?

I think that sounds very well deserved.

Good.

This is the county of my birth.

I'm gonna tell you all about... me.

Riveting.

Right, just what I need.

VO: Roo started with £200 and after a steady auction has increased her pot a smidgen, to exactly £205.

VO: But David, who began with the same amount, now has £228.66, and has won the day.

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