VOICEOVER (VO): It's the nation's favorite antiques experts with £200 each, a classic car... CHARLIE: (SCOTTISH ACCENT) We're going roond!

VO: ..and a goal - to scour Britain for antiques.

I want to spend lots of money.

VO: The aim - to make the biggest profit at auction but it's no mean feat.

Oh no!

VO: There'll be worthy winners...

Yes!

We've done it.

VO: ..and valiant losers.

You are kidding me on.

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

What am I doing?

Got a deal.

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Today we're firing up a brand new road trip with a couple of darlings - Thomas Plant and Anita Manning.

Do you know, it's the first time I've ever been with a woman?

Oh Thomas!

At your age?!

On the trip!

On the trip!

VO: Road Trip legend Thomas Plant is an auctioneer who oozes style.

It's a bit tight!

I think it's made for the slightly smaller man.

VO: And he is extremely handsome, even though he says so himself.

How do you like my new look?

VO: His road trip partner is Anita Manning.

She's a feisty auctioneer with a small head... VO: ..and she talks to the animals.

Well, kind of.

Am I going to be the winner on this one?

VO: Yes, I think that's a maybe.

Our lovely pair begin their thrilling adventure with £200 each, and they'll zip around Blighty in this canary yellow 1968 Lotus Elan.

Nice one.

THOMAS: Do you like the car, Anita?

I love this car, Thomas.

ANITA: It's like a lovely wee speedo banana.

"Speedo banana"?

A "speedo banana"?!

(LAUGHS) VO: Oh dear.

VO: Thomas and Anita will travel over 500 miles from the village of Redbourn in Hertfordshire to the town of Maidstone in Kent.

Today they start in Redbourn, Hertfordshire and head towards their first auction in Banbury, Oxfordshire.

VO: This pretty village was renowned for straw hat-making, which might have taken the fancy of headgear lovers Thomas and Anita.

Oh this is extremely rural, and we're driving up a little lane.

Thomas, I thought we'd be sitting behind angry folk in a traffic jam.

VO: Quite the opposite, Anita.

THOMAS: Isn't this marvelous?

Look at this.

ANITA: Thomas, look at that big horse!

ANITA: It's wonderful!

THOMAS: I know!

VO: Crumbs, this is very grand.

THOMAS: But it looks expensive.

ANITA: Oh, good good good good good good!

Oh no no no, I never thought you'd be like this Anita!

I never thought you'd be competitive!

ANITA: I know!

THOMAS: Right, am I going to be able to get out?

THOMAS: Oh!

See you soon.

ANITA: Good luck.

Good luck Thomas.

THOMAS: Bye bye.

VO: Right, we'll catch up with Anita later.

Thomas's first shop of the day is at Bushwood Antiques, nestled deep in the rolling Hertfordshire countryside.

One of the largest antique emporiums in the land and also home to dozens of happy horses.

The beautiful Julie will be on hand to assist young Thomas.

THOMAS: So where are all the antiques?

JULIE: Well, they're spread out in three areas.

This is our top showroom.

Really?

So you're bringing me into the most expensive when...?

JULIE: Sort of.

THOMAS: ...I have, I have very little.

JULIE: But we do have more little things in here... THOMAS: Oh do you?

OK. ..whereas the rest is more dedicated to furniture, so you may well find something in here.

JULIE: Something for everybody.

THOMAS: Really?

JULIE: Yeah, yeah.

THOMAS: Gosh... VO: Yeah, good luck Thomas - you've only got £200 in the kitty.

I've wandered around, it's great... Erm... VO: And?

I do feel it might be quite rich.

VO: So Thomas tries outside for something affordable.

THOMAS: This is more my scene.

Seen better days though, haven't they?

VO: Maybe assistant Lawrence can point him in the right direction.

THOMAS: By gosh.

Wow.

LAWRENCE: You want to be looking in the corners if you want to find any gems, to be honest.

THOMAS: Loving your style.

VO: What's caught your interest here then?

It's Anglo-Indian, a hardwood piece, 19th century, inlaid with these very pretty motifs.

THOMAS: You would have put your inkwells in there, your dip pens along here, and it would be for traveling.

THOMAS: I don't think it's going to be in my two-figure bracket but there is no price-tag on it, there is nothing here and it is a bit knackered.

THOMAS: We've found this writing desk... JULIE: Yes.

THOMAS: ...which is sort of ...in some form of distress.

Yes, it is.

There's no price on this.

Does that mean it's free?

VO: Ha!

Nice try Thomas - the ticket price is £250 actually, and Julie's gone off to consult with colleagues about a cheeky Tom offer of £80.

Can you believe it?

And she's back, look out.

I've checked with Jim the accountant, and we bought this piece with a number of other items that have sold, so we can do it for the price of £80.

THOMAS: Can you?

JULIE: We can.

£80, deal.

Thank you very much, that's very kind.

JULIE: OK!

VO: That's £170 off the original ticket price.

Even with a huge discount, Thomas has blown £80 already.

Now, where's the delightful Ms Manning?

VO: She's making her way six miles south to Fleetville in St Albans.

VO: Anita is all set for her first antiques mission of the trip in her amazing pirate boots.

I wonder if that's where she stuffs her doubloons?

Hello girls, I'm Anita, lovely to meet you.

DEALERS: Hi, hello, nice to meet you...nice to meet you.

Wow, this looks absolutely fabulous.

VO: With over 50 dealers here, Anita may be some time.

Now I'm not going to buy these, but I think they're absolutely fabulous!

VO: Keep your mind on the job now, Anita.

Something in the window's caught her eye.

There's a bust there, and I quite like pieces of sculpture and artworks, so I'm going to ask to get that out so that I can have a closer look at it.

ANITA: It is Alexander the Great but the form is quite nice, it's a pottery piece, and it's quite nicely molded, and it's on this sort of marble base.

ANITA: There's £25 on it.

Because it's not old, I think I'm going to try and get it down a wee bit.

VO: So go and do your best with assistant Sophie, Anita.

ANITA: Could I be buying that for round about 15 - 12, 15?

SOPHIE: 18?

18?

We're getting there!

ANITA: You know, every pound counts.

16.50?

16.50, let's go for that.

Yeah?

ANITA: Thank you very, very much, that's smashing.

VO: Now, in such a vast rabbit warren of antiques, what's she found now?

Now what is this for?

"FM".

I took it to be a car mascot of some description, but I don't know.

ANITA: I quite like that.

What's the best that you can do on that?

I'd do that for a fiver for you.

Could do that for a fiver.

VO: Hey, that's £3 off the asking price of a 1950s advertising gizmo, which could work actually as a paperweight.

Girls, I'm intrigued by this wee thing, and I do like it, so I'm just going to go for it.

And you said £5 on it?

I did, yeah.

That's great.

VO: Well done Anita - a fiver on the 50s advertising gizmo and £16.50 on the bust of Alexander the Great.

VO: That's great.

Now, Thomas has ventured south to Hampstead in London.

THOMAS: So here we are in London.

I do really feel like a man about town.

Quite excited actually.

You never know what you might find.

It's a metropolis, you never know what comes into the shops.

There could be that bargain which is going to make me so much money.

VO: That's the spirit Thomas.

VO: Thomas is visiting an antiques dealer that knows a thing or two about the antiques world, oh yes.

THOMAS: Hello.

KEITH: Hello!

I'm Thomas.

A very warm welcome to not so sunny Hampstead!

THOMAS: It's lovely, isn't it?

It's lovely to see you.

THOMAS: And you as well.

THOMAS: Now Keith, there's one awkward question: you haven't got prices on anything.

KEITH: No... VO: Uh-oh, we know what that means - time for a battle plan, maybe.

THOMAS: So I could make up a lot - we've got a camera lens.

I don't think somehow this one's in very good condition.

The glass is good.

We've got a box brownie covered in bird poo.

VO: Charming.

This is the sort of first type of instamatic camera you had, as a youth.

THOMAS: All these camera accessories, made in Germany.

Quite fun really, isn't it?

Don't know how it would work.

I'm seeing you double.

THOMAS: Praktica Flex.

Not somebody I've heard of, looks like a 1960s camera, I would say.

We could make up a camera lot, I could ask Keith about the cameras.

VO: That would be a good idea.

THOMAS: We've got a camera, how much is the camera?

£15.

THOMAS: And then you've got a sort of box brownie and there's a lens and a little sort of light.

KEITH: The box brownie is nothing.

THOMAS: Is nothing, yeah.

The... that and the other one would be £25 the lot.

THOMAS: Would you take a £20 note for the lot?

KEITH: (SIGHS) KEITH: That's a little bit on... THOMAS: Well I'm... VO: Oh dear, that's too steep for Keith.

What if you combine it with something else, eh?

Oh, that's lovely.

This is a piece of Brannamware.

Still going today, Brannam, actually.

VO: Brannam pottery is a Devon firm, popular in the 19th century when it was sold by retailers such as Liberty & Co. THOMAS: I like that.

How much is that Keith?

£10.

THOMAS: £10?

What a - you can't go wrong with that fabulous country jug.

£10?

Isn't that wonderful?

Made by Brannam, terracotta, dried flowers with- What is lovely is it's glazed inside with that beautiful glaze, with that green ash glaze, and you could put homemade lemonade in or display flowers, but it's got...

It's very sort of cool and in.

THOMAS: So Keith, can we do a deal on the cameras and the Brannam.

So the cameras there, that little group lot... KEITH: Cameras I asked you £25 for.

THOMAS: Yeah.

And then with the... KEITH: Say £33 on the lot.

So let's deal at 33.

Is that alright?

KEITH: Done.

THOMAS: Thank you very much.

VO: Well, that was wonderful.

£23 for the combo camera lot and £10 for the big old jug.

VO: Anita meanwhile is making her way to Wanstead in the east end of London.

ANITA: I like London, I find it very exciting.

I always find it exciting, and I love the different characters of all the different sort of, it's almost like village upon village upon village, you know, so I always enjoy that.

VO: Now where could she possibly be off to?

Well I'll tell you: she's off to meet a certain Doreen Goldie.

Oh, hi Doreen!

DOREEN: Hello Anita!

ANITA: Oh, you look wonderful!

And so do you my dear, beautiful.

Have you got a cup of Rosie Lee going?

DOREEN: I've got a cup of Rosie Lee all ready for you.

Come on up, I'll buzz you in.

VO: Doreen is a right royal pearly queen, and love a duck, she's going to spill the beans on the history of the famous Londoners.

DOREEN: Oh, a pleasure to meet you my dear.

ANITA: Let me see.

Twirl around.

ANITA: Oh wow.

I've never met a pearly queen before.

And I have never met you before, so it's wonderful.

Should I call you "your majesty"?

Yes, and you should curtsy.

Oh!

VO: Begging your pardon ma'am.

VO: In the late 19th century, the streets of foggy London were tough.

Market traders, keen to stand out from the crowd, would wear mother-of-pearl buttons on their clothes to attract customers.

A flamboyant bunch, they also helped the needy.

Young road-sweeper Henry Croft was so inspired by their sartorial extravagance, he developed this east end tradition into the pearly kings and queens.

By the time he died in 1930, he'd raised the equivalent of £200,000 in today's money.

Wow.

VO: Doreen is pearly queen of the Old Kent Road, and is proud to keep the custom alive and kicking.

Tell me the significance of all these wonderful decorations on your suit.

Right, well, the badges are all charity badges that we've supported, or borough badges, different mayors that we've helped, but the actual buttons all signify the different styles, so bow, bells, because I'm pearly queen of Bow Bells in my own right.

My late husband was pearly king of Old Kent Road cuz he was born south of the river.

And on your jacket you've got the zigzags, the ups and downs of life.

(GASPS) These have got significance!

Mm.

Flowers are friendship; horseshoes good luck signs; so it all means good luck - we're wishing everybody good luck.

VO: And in the late 1800s, Londoners had the good luck to have a plentiful supply of a certain delicacy.

DOREEN: Now, that is stewed eels.

Mind the bone in the middle.

The River Thames was full of eels, and the poor people had to eat something!

It's lovely.

Do you like these?

No.

I'm not a lover of them, quite honestly!

VO: Ha!

Ha!

I wonder if Doreen would be so quick to try a bit of haggis, Anita.

ANITA: I must say, the most wonderful, wonderful thing about the pearly kings and queens, is this...just this marvelous, marvelous costume.

And I like clothes and I like style, and I think that... Have you got anything I could try on?

Oh, definitely.

Would I not have anything for you?!

VO: And with a sprinkling of pearly magic... ANITA: ..that way?

DOREEN: Oh, absolutely.

Is that me?

You're like... You won't be able to see in the mirror!

ANITA: Oh, wow!

Doreen, I want to you to teach me cockney.

DOREEN: Oh, right!

I want you to teach me the words.

Teach me words.

DOREEN: Alright, I'll teach you the words of "The Lambeth Walk".

# Any time you're Lambeth way, any evening # any day, you'll find us all... # ...doing the Lambeth walk!

Oi!

# You're not having the hat!

VO: 'ey!

Have you two been down to the rub-a-dub-dub?

DOREEN: Off we go, but before you go, I shall want that jacket back!

(LAUGHS) VO: Well, that's enough excitement for one day.

Anita and Thomas are back together and off for a rest.

The journey continues tomorrow, so nighty night, you two.

VO: Ha!

It's the start of a brand new day, and Anita and Thomas are stuck in London traffic - surprise, surprise.

THOMAS: So Anita, how'd you like the smell of carbon monoxide in the morning?

When we were driving yesterday, I thought the traffic congestion in London was a myth!

ANITA: I feel slightly different about it this morning!

Here we are, next to juggernauts, in the lowest car possible!

ANITA: Ah, these are too big!

THOMAS: I know, I know.

We could...may as well just...just mainline on the exhaust fumes.

VO: Oh!

Ha!

And they're off.

So far, Thomas has spent £113 on three items: the stationer's cabinet; the camera lot; and the terracotta jug.

Thomas has £87 to spend today.

VO: Anita's got some catching up to do, as she's only spent £21.50 on two items: the pottery bust of Alexander the Great and the 1950s advertising gizmo.

So she's rolling in it, with £178.50 to splash out.

ANITA: Thomas, you're the type of man, I think, that likes to live dangerously.

Oh, oh, Anita, Anita, Anita.

You've not watched me.

I'm quite a cautious buyer sometimes.

No.

No.

I think there's a wild streak in there, Thomas.

Yeah, there is.

And it's come out immediately!

Yeah, well, maybe... VO: I think you're right, Anita.

VO: She's dropping young Thomas off on London's Marylebone Road.

THOMAS: There we are.

Oh, well driven, Anita!

ANITA: Oh, I'm quite... THOMAS: I'm amazed!

ANITA: ...pleased with myself.

THOMAS: Oh, I bet you are!

I bet you are.

Fabulous!

ANITA: Aw... THOMAS: Well, have a lovely day.

You have a great time as well.

I will.

I'm looking forward to this game old bird here.

Thomas, one word of advice.

Yes?

Don't stand still for too long!

I might get seen!

I will not stand still.

I'll see your model!

Bye!

ANITA: Bye bye.

VO: I wonder where he's off to.

We'll find out later.

Anita needs to start spending her cash tout suite.

VO: Anita's heading to East Molesey, in Surrey.

VO: She's going for a nosy in Bridge Road Antiques.

Hello, girls... VO: Sue's the owner here.

Maybe she can get Anita to spend some cash.

Well, what I'm looking for, I think, is a bargain!

SUE: Well, I know!

ANITA: Uh-huh.

VO: She's a one!

VO: And after a little nosy, she happens upon something rather lovely.

ANITA: What I've seen is a nice little set of shirt studs, and cufflinks.

Is it just studs, or cufflinks as well?

No, they're studs, just studs.

SUE: And they do have...

It's nice being in the box.

ANITA: They're quite nice.

SUE: Yeah, they are nice.

VO: But priced at £80, they could cost Anita a big chunk of her budget.

ANITA: Retailed by Pearson & Sons, in Leeds, York... ANITA: ..and Leicester?

SUE: Mm-hm.

You know, so...and they're in... nice in their original box.

SUE: Yeah.

Nice in the box.

You see, the stone in the middle is just a glass stone, it's not a little ruby or a garnet, it's just a piece of glass, which is sort of bringing it down just a...

Yes.

I'm not saying anything bad about it, ANITA: because I think they're lovely.

SUE: No, no.

No.

That's...

They are, they are nice.

SUE: I'd do those for 40.

VO: Gosh!

That's half the original price!

So while Anita has a think, she finds a couple of other interesting objects.

I think these are good fun.

I can't do it!

But puppeteering is a wonderful, wonderful art.

I'd love to be able to do it, and I love puppets.

I absolutely love them.

These, I think, are Thai.

And they have these wonderful, wonderful gilded costumes, with the little gold beads and little cabochon pieces (WHISPERS) of plastic probably.

But they are quite nice, and look at all that wonderful embroidery.

ANITA: "Go on - have a go at it, Anita.

Take me with you."

Eh...this one I like as well.

So what I'd quite like to do is to get a deal on both of them, because I think they should maybe stay together.

VO: The total ticket price for the puppets is £50.

ANITA: I think they're probably Thai... SUE: Yes.

..em...latter part of the 20th century, so they're not antique or...or old.

SUE: No.

No, they're not.

ANITA: What I'd like to pay is about £30 for the two.

Em...OK.

So... Are you alright?

Are you fine with that?

Yeah.

Yeah.

That's... SUE: Can you get him?

ANITA: Yeah.

OK, guys, you're coming... SUE: Great, they're coming with you.

ANITA: You're coming home with mamma.

SUE: Yeah!

OK. VO: Anita is doing well at getting the prices down!

And she's decided to go with the group of shirt studs too.

I'm pleased with both of my purchases.

How much do I owe you in total?

SUE: £70 please.

ANITA: £70.

Oh!

Great!

VO: So, the shirt studs for £40 and the pair of puppets for 30.

Unusual buys, Anita, but at least you're spending, girl.

VO: Back to Thomas.

We left him earlier in the heart of London.

He's off to find out the remarkable story of a young Frenchwoman called Marie Tussaud, who created the world-famous institution.

Around 500 million people have visited Madame Tussaud's waxwork phenomenon since it was first established over 250 years ago.

Thomas is meeting with Nicole Jenner to find out more.

THOMAS: Hello, I'm Thomas.

NICOLE: Hello.

Nicole.

Welcome to Madame Tussauds.

Nicole, this is fabulous.

I'm so pleased you love it.

THOMAS: I've never been here, and I am just in awe!

Feel like I'm at the Oscars.

VO: Marie Tussaud was an accomplished artist in late 18th century France, and art tutor to King Louis XVI's sister at the palace of Versailles.

NICOLE: So, this is the lady herself, Marie Tussaud.

THOMAS: Marie Tussaud.

Of course, THOMAS: we know her as "Madame'.

NICOLE: Madame Tussaud, yeah.

She was actually born in 1761, in Strasbourg, and was known as Marie Grosholtz at the time, before getting married to Mr Tussaud later on.

VO: But after a few years living within the royal court and creating waxwork exhibitions in Paris, events took a gruesome twist.

NICOLE: So we're here in the Chamber of Horrors, where we tell a little bit more about Marie Tussaud's story.

THOMAS: So France had the revolution, and she was working for the royals.

What happened to Marie?

Yeah, well she actually changed allegiances and became part of the revolution really, and she had a key role in highlighting to the people that some of the people she had worked with at the palace of Versailles had actually perished and been beheaded, like Marie Antoinette, for instance.

NICOLE: So Marie would've actually created a death mask from the real heads, to then actually, later, make some of the wax heads that we actually have here, displayed in the chamber of horrors.

NICOLE: So she's worked closely with some of these people, to then have to make replicas of their dead heads.

THOMAS: All that blood and... VO: Eugh!

Ghastly!

NICOLE: Wouldn't have been the best job at the time, and that was probably one of the reasons why she left France and actually moved to the UK, which we can talk a bit more about.

It's the stuff of nightmares.

It is, yes!

VO: You're telling me.

After the revolution, Marie felt it would be safer to move location.

But what would have tempted her across the Channel?

THOMAS: We obviously were still at war, on a war footing I suppose with the French, but we had more money to spend.

So she was quite an entrepreneur.

NICOLE: She was.

Marie was definitely an entrepreneur, extremely savvy as well, so she knew what was popular in France, brought that to the UK, and her exhibitions that toured the UK for over 30 years were kind of the television of the day, almost, the newspapers and magazines if you like, so people would go to the exhibitions cuz they could see people that they were reading about but never saw images of.

VO: Aged 70, Marie Tussaud decided it was time for the attraction to take more permanent roots.

NICOLE: She actually brought the exhibition to reside in London just up the road from here at the Baker Street bazaar in 1835, and then passed away in 1850.

VO: Despite this sad news, the waxworks proved so successful that in 1884 her family moved the exhibition to this rather grand building on the Marylebone Road, which remains its home ever since.

THOMAS: It's just tremendous that it's still here, 250 years later, with people still queuing up to come in is, I have to say, fabulous, so thank you very much.

No worries, thank you.

THOMAS: It's been a real pleasure.

NICOLE: Good.

VO: Well what a fascinating life story.

So from one formidable woman to another - where's Anita?

VO: She's traveling to the glorious regatta town of Henley-upon-Thames.

ANITA: This looks like a lovely wee town, but it's Henley-on-Thames, so where's the river?

VO: Ah - she's found it.

ANITA: Taking the bridge over the dear old River Thames.

At Henley.

Wow.

(CHUCKLES) VO: David is the owner of this gem of an establishment.

It's Anita's last shop and she's got £108.50 to spend.

DAVID: Hi, how are you?

Hello!

I'm Anita!

Nice to meet you, nice to meet you.

VO: And trust Anita, she's straight to the jewellery cabinet.

ANITA: I have spotted some lovely Scottish pebble jewellery, and look at this one here.

This is a traditional Scottish shape with a big center stone and the different colors of agate round about.

VO: Hope you're taking notes, David.

Ah, this is a lovely big piece here, isn't it?

That's absolutely gorgeous.

Again, big amethyst- colored stone and this is a hallmarked silver mount here.

Let's see where it was made.

Yep, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle here.

VO: Ha - but when it comes to getting a price, they may not be so perfect.

Wait, our stone's a wee bitty scuffed there.

That's why it's so cheap.

(SOFTLY) Oh aye!

ANITA: Eh, this again is a nice traditional one and I think it's had a wee bitty repair.

So you want to make me an offer I can't refuse?

VO: Don't tempt her, David.

ANITA: Could you come to 55 for the two?

Rather do 60.

60?

Do you know how expensive the beer is Henley?

I don't think you're a beer drinker, are you?

Oh yes.

Yeah.

DAVID: Alright, we've got a deal at 55, is that alright?

We've got a deal at 55, David, that's absolutely wonderful, that's great.

DAVID: Thank you, thank you.

VO: Well, she's managed to get two big sparkly brooches for £55.

Good work Anita.

VO: Young Tom has moved on to the market town of Wallingford in Oxfordshire.

Wallingford, very close to where I live actually, although I've never ever ever been here.

VO: He cuts a fine dash as he makes his way to the Lamb Arcade, a former 16th century coaching inn now stuffed full of antiques.

VO: What's he found here then?

THOMAS: Quite cool, that storm shade.

VO: Maybe dealer David can help.

You haven't got a pair of these have you David?

DAVID: No, that's the only one I've got unfortunately.

VO: Blimey, where did he come from?

Do you know what that is?

No.

I thought it was for a wine, is it?

No, it's a storm shade.

So when you're out in your garden in the summer with your guests in the evening and they want to light your candle, and you've got the candle, the large candlesticks, this will go on top of it with the candle, it's called a storm shade.

Oh.

I didn't know that.

THOMAS: Nice, isn't it?

I'd put a bottle of wine in there, and you'd just get the top, coming out of the top.

THOMAS: Yeah, you probably could, couldn't you yeah VO: Sounds just the ticket, eh?

I love the idea that you could put a bottle over it.

DAVID: How much is on that one?

THOMAS: You've got 18 quid.

Can you do...?

DAVID: I can do you that for..8.

THOMAS: £8?

Yeah.

Oh, I've gotta have it.

I love it.

Done.

That's a start, I love that.

That's one item down.

VO: So much choice Thomas.

What will take your fancy next?

THOMAS: I bet you there's a lot of money on that.

Oh no!

VO: £78 with a basket.

THOMAS: It's just random, isn't it?

It's a bike.

VO: Well done Thomas.

THOMAS: Just love it.

Great prop, isn't it?

It's a bit rusty.

Bit knackered.

What date is it, sort of 1950s I think?

I like the fact that it's got the wicker basket.

I think this is Dutch.

"Tom".

It's got my name on it.

It has.

It's got my name on it.

I don't believe that, I'm going to go and see Tom upstairs, go and get that basket.

VO: Must be a sign, Tom.

Let's see if you can get the price you want for it.

Time for Tom to meet Tom.

THOMAS: Tom... TOM: How d'you reckon then Tom?

THOMAS: Well... VO: Just as well I'm Tim, not Tom.

THOMAS: What can you do on it?

TOM: What, for real money?

THOMAS: For real, hard currency.

£50.

£50.

That's not a bad offer, is it?

It's jolly good.

It's jolly good.

Only because you're a namesake, you see.

Well this is the thing, it's got my name on it, Tom and Tom, it all linked in together.

TOM: Absolutely, yeah.

THOMAS: I was gonna offer you 40, but... Can't be done, 50.

THOMAS: Can't be done, 50.

Yeah.

That's it, yeah, yeah.

I'll shake a dirty hand.

Do you mind shaking a dirty hand?

Not at all.

That's very kind of you.

Long as it's got money in it!

Yeah, it has.

One, two... there's 40.

VO: Yeah, don't think you'd get far on that Tom.

That's £50 for the bike and £8 for the storm shade.

So we're nearing the end of the first leg.

Here's a reminder of Thomas and Anita's haul of antique gems.

VO: Thomas has amassed five lots: the Anglo-Indian stationer's cabinet, a large terracotta jug, a camera lot, a storm shade and a delivery bike.

This gaggle of goodies cost a total of £171.

VO: Anita also has five lots: the pottery bust of Alexander the Great, the 1950s advertising gizmo, the gentleman's shirt studs, a couple of eastern puppets and two sparkly brooches.

All in all, Anita's spent £146.50.

VO: So let's hear what they think of one another's treasures.

The bust of Alexander the Great is new, but stylish.

Very Oxford.

Well done Anita, I can imagine that in a professor's or dean's study.

A wee bit worried about Alexander the Great, but he's quite a good looking guy, so maybe somebody'll fancy him!

ANITA: The storm lamp, he didn't pay much money for, but it's only a bit of something.

Thomas is a sartorial delight.

He likes his clothes, he likes style, and I'm sure he's going to fall in love with those lovely shirt studs.

The best lot she's bought are those fabulous mother-of-pearl dress studs.

You'd feel like a God walking into your next ball or whatever.

VO: It's nearly time for the thrill of the auction.

Our cheeky duo are heading to the final destination of Banbury in Oxfordshire.

VO: This market town features in the nursery rhyme "Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross", but today the mode of transport for Thomas and Anita is the fiery Lotus Elan.

Our first auction Thomas, it's so exciting.

It's our first auction together.

THOMAS: It's almost like we've met and it's our first date.

Our first dinner date.

Oh Thomas!

This is music to my ears boy, this is music to my ears!

VO: Oh lordy.

The auction will take place at JS Auctions, a business founded over 20 years ago.

ANITA: Into the fray.

VO: Joe Smith is today's auctioneer, and has a few thoughts on Thomas and Anita's lots.

JOE: Very nice 20th century delivery bicycle, as seen in "Open All Hours".

Quite a nice one, needs a little restoration but it should be a very good lot, that's probably going to be one of the star lots they've brought in today.

One little storm shade, which on its own may be a bit of a problem.

It is quite a nice one, it's got a bit of age, but it's on its own, so we'll see what happens.

VO: Today the room is also open to internet bidders.

Get ready: the auction is about to begin.

ANITA: (GASPS) It's mine.

THOMAS: Oh my God... THOMAS: ...it's the lots.

VO: First up it's Anita's sparkly Scottish brooches.

JOE: And opening the bids here, commission's here, low start but 15's to start.

ANITA: 15.

THOMAS: That's harsh.

JOE: At £15.

20 is it now?

At £15... ANITA: Oh no!

..and the silver brooches at 15.

25, 30, internet going on now, at 30 already, at 35, at 35, 40 now, 40.

JOE: At £40, five anywhere now?

At 45, hear me now at 45.

JOE: 50 is it, coming back?

At 45.

50.

50 here now, 55 sir?

ANITA: Yes!

THOMAS: Go on, go on!

£50.

Yes!

JOE: 55, well persuaded.

At 55, 60 now?

JOE: At 55, it's in the room now.

55.

All done, last call?

55.

Oh!

Well, no gain, no pain.

VO: Sorry Anita, but after auction costs it's a loss.

Now, what's next?

It's Thomas' Brannam terracotta jug.

Cor, it's a big one.

And 50 away to start it, £50?

ANITA: £50!

JOE: 50.

50.

30 away quickly, £30?

THOMAS: No, no no no no no, that's asking.

JOE: £30.

10 then?

At £10.

12.

14, 16.

Aw, he's got it away.

JOE: 20.

22.

Aw, he's good.

JOE: 22, in front now at 22.

But all sure, selling at 22.

THOMAS: Aw!

Aw well done Thomas.

Doubled my money.

That was nerve-racking.

VO: And we've barely started, Anita.

Thomas nets a profit straightaway.

Next it's Anita's handsome bust of Alexander the Great.

£50?

Alexander the Great, 50.

JOE: 20 away, must be sold, £20, surely.

Oh come on, come on, come on!

Come on, come on!

JOE: Oh dear.

ANITA: Oh dear!

JOE: 10 to start it?

ANITA: (WHISPERS) 10, yes!

JOE: 10 it is.

12 anywhere now?

I'm shocked for you Anita.

JOE: At 10 for the bust.

THOMAS: Surely.

JOE: At £10.

12, lady at 12.

14 sir, 14.

14, 16, new bidder at 16.

At 18.

JOE: And 20.

At 20 at the very back, 20.

20, we're there.

JOE: 22.

ANITA: Oh yes!

New place!

22, 24, new bidder again, 24.

At 24.

Fame beckons.

JOE: At 24, 26 now.

At 24.

At 24 then, at the back of the room at £24.

(GAVEL HAMMERS) ANITA: Yes!

Well done.

VO: By the skin of your teeth Anita, but remember, the pennies make up the pounds, eh Alexander?

I'm exhausted!

Already, after the third lot.

VO: Exhausted already eh?

It's Thomas' camera lot next.

I'll take 20 to start them.

20, thank you sir at 20.

Five anywhere now?

At 20.

Five now.

At £20, two, 22.

24, 26, 28, 30, five.

Oh yes!

Profit!

JOE: 35, 40 now.

At 35, on the left, 35 only.

35.

Aw!

ANITA: Yep.

That's alright.

There you are, you can't complain.

You can't complain on that.

VO: Nice work Thomas.

Your handpicked camera lot certainly paid off.

It's Anita's turn next with the little 1950s advertising gizmo.

I've got £8 bid.

ANITA: Aw, great!

THOMAS: Ooh, on cloud nine now!

JOE: 10 anywhere now?

At £8.

10 anywhere now?

THOMAS: That's brilliant, isn't it?

JOE: At £8 for the paperweight.

At £8 only then, 10 anywhere now?

JOE: At £8.

Well it's going to go, at £8 only.

I'm sure - I'll lend you the money, anybody.

JOE: At £8.

10 anywhere?

At £8 only.

ANITA: Aw.

THOMAS: Brilliant.

VO: Anita's still smiling despite the small profit.

Over to Thomas with the storm shade next.

£10.

THOMAS: There you are.

JOE: £10 anybody?

THOMAS: (WHISPERS) Oh, surely.

How low can we go?

£2?

Aw!

JOE: £2, is there any interest at all?

THOMAS: Oh no.

JOE: At £2..good girl.

£2 it is.

Oh well done Thomas, well done!

JOE: £2, three now.

£2!

At £2 only.

Three anywhere?

THOMAS: No!

JOE: £2 only.

Are we all done, JOE: sure and selling at £2.

Oh, £2!

Last call at £2.

Anybody else?

Three!

Three.

ANITA: Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho!

THOMAS: Yes!

JOE: Three.

Four now?

THOMAS: Go on.

Four?

Four.

Oh Thomas.

JOE: Four.

Five.

Five.

Six.

Six we have now, at £6, middle of the room.

JOE: You are a savior!

At £6, seven anywhere?

Six, all sure at £6?

And done.

£6.

ANITA: Aw!

THOMAS: (SOBS) VO: Blimey - a loss for Thomas, but at least you've raised a laugh, and you've still got the lead on Anita.

Now, Anita, can you get a big chunk of profit with the gentleman's shirt studs?

JOE: 10 is bid, 15 anywhere now?

ANITA: Aw!

JOE: At 10's the bid.

JOE: 15 anywhere now for the shirt studs?

At 10, 15 now.

At £10, 15, the internet has them now at 15.

JOE: 20 now, at £15, 20 do I see anywhere?

For the shirt studs at £15.

All done?

15 to the internet.

Just a matter of luck, isn't it?

It's a matter of luck, let's move on, forget about them.

Right.

VO: Ooh!

That was painful Anita, I don't believe it.

It's Thomas' old bike next.

Can he pedal his way to lots of profit?

And now we've got this magnificent bike, "Open All Hours", lot 353, and I've got a bit of interest here, do have to open the bidding here at £35.

35.

40, five, 50, in the room at 50.

50.

JOE: Five anywhere now?

At £50, five anywhere?

At 50.

At £50, under the arch at £50.

All done, selling at £50.

THOMAS: Wiping its face.

And done.

50.

Well, it's not bad.

It wasn't a tenner.

No.

It wasn't £100 either!

No, it wasn't.

VO: Cheeky Anita.

Disappointing Thomas, it's just not for the bidders of Banbury.

Next, Anita's pair of puppets.

JOE: £10 to start with somebody?

ANITA: Oh!

THOMAS: Oh no!

JOE: £10 for them?

THOMAS: No way Anita, no way Anita.

We'll only be coming down.

Fiver away?

Five, 10, 10 it is, the internet 10, now at 10, 15 is in.

JOE: I thought they'd have made more than this.

15.

She's a generous soul.

At 15 again.

20 now.

At 15.

They're in the room and being sold, £15.

ANITA: Aw!

THOMAS: Anita!

VO: Oh dear, this isn't your day today Anita.

Yet another loss, which was your last chance for victory.

It's their last lot of the day.

Can Thomas inch further into the lead with the stationer's cabinet?

Bit of interest on commission here, and 35 we start at, 35.

Oh, 35.

JOE: 35.

40 now?

At 35, 40 anywhere now?

For the cabinet, at 35, 40, five.

JOE: 50, it's in the room now at £50.

ANITA: Bidding in the room.

THOMAS: 50 in, 50 in.

Five now?

At £50, bid's on my right at £50.

THOMAS: That's it.

JOE: Five now.

At 50 then, bid's here on my right at £50, all out on the net.

£50.

THOMAS: There we are.

ANITA: Aw, right.

THOMAS: Done.

ANITA: Hard luck, darling.

I know, yeah.

VO: Hard luck indeed, Thomas.

Well, we don't want to... let's go.

Yep?

Onwards and upwards.

Cup of tea?

VO: Yeah, get out quick you two.

Disappointing results all round.

Now our lovely duo started today's show with £200 each.

It's been a mixed bag of results, but who is the winner?

After paying auction costs... VO: ..Anita's made a slight loss of £50.56.

Ms Manning has now £149.44 to carry forward.

VO: Thomas also made a loss of £37.34.

Mr Plant has just clinched the top spot and has £162.66 to start the next leg.

ANITA: Is this where the competition begins Thomas?

Yes!

No, of course not.

THOMAS: Oh, and the rain, look at this!

ANITA: Oh no!

(LAUGHS) VO: Next time on Antiques Road Trip - we're in the West Country, where Anita meets an admirer.

You're more prettier off-camera than you are on.

Oh, you're the type of man I like!

Oh I know.

VO: And Thomas gets some motherly love.

It's dairy free for my poor pathetic little boy who can't eat any dairy.

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