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

Perfect.

Sold.

VO: ..behind the wheel of a classic car... Lovely day for it.

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

Every home should have one of these.

VO: The aim?

To make the biggest profit at auction.

But it's no mean feat.

Yes!

VO: There'll be worthy winners... 950... You're gonna make £1,000!

VO: ..and valiant losers.

No!

VO: Will it be the high road to glory... Make me a big profit.

VO: ..or the slow road to disaster?

Are we stuck?

IRITA & RAJ: Yay!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: Yeah.

Today, our Road Trippers are on the Isle of Man, man, in a groovy 1976 Leyland Sherpa camper van.

Hey, man.

TIM: Do you know what I've just realized?

TIM: We're on our third leg.

MARGIE: Yeah.

And we're on the Isle of the Man, which is three legs, isn't it?

MARGIE: Oh!

Well, I never.

VO: Clever boy!

MARGIE: When did that thought come to you?

TIM: Just now.

MARGIE: I'm very impressed.

VO: That's Margie Cooper.

And behind the wheel, it's Tim Medhurst.

MARGIE: The ferry was good, wasn't it?

TIM: It was good.

MARGIE: I was scared.

And all that happened was that my travel-sick pills made me go to sleep, so I missed about an hour of it.

I know, I had so much peace and quiet.

VO: Cheeky!

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) MARGIE: If we feel like pulling over for a bit of a doze... MARGIE: (CHUCKLES) TIM: Yeah, there's the... TIM: You can recline the seats.

VO: Welcome to the Antiques Doze Trip.

TIM: It's quite rattly, and there's a fair amount of noise in the back.

VO: This is the van you're talking about, is it?

Ha!

MARGIE: A good little runner, as they say in the trade.

"It's a good little runner, love."

VO: Part-time impersonator and Road Trip regular, Margie... ..is always looking for bargains...and a laugh.

You got to look up and you got to look down.

VO: ..while auctioneer and coin collector Tim likes to keep an eye on the clock.

TIM: One to think about, but I haven't got much time.

MARGIE: Listen, there's only 100 quid between us, that's nothing.

Maybe you should lend me some money.

(LAUGHS) No way.

TIM: (LAUGHS) MARGIE: No way.

VO: Nice try!

Tim started the week with £200, and is starting the day with £241.02, whilst Margie has converted her £200 into a leading sum of £310.10.

Well, this is our little holibobs.

MARGIE: And we've got lovely weather.

How lucky are we?

We're very, very lucky.

VO: Our happy campers started up at Hadrian's Wall before heading north to Scotland.

Then it was on to the Lake District, and today across the water to the Isle of Man, before reaching the end of the road in Manchester.

Wow.

MARGIE: Shall I stay for the TT Races?

Oh, that'll be good.

Yeah, of course, cuz the Isle of Man is very famous for its TT... ..little adventure into motorbikes.

I would love to do that.

We could get a motorbike and sidecar.

(LAUGHS) Oh, my goodness, I can't do it!

TIM: Would you be in the sidecar or on the bike?

Oh, I don't fancy either.

VO: Well, worry not, today's itinerary isn't quite the TT circuit.

Once part of the Norse, Scottish and English kingdoms, the Isle of Man is still not formally part of the United Kingdom to this day.

First stop for both is in the capital, Douglas, a center for smuggling in the past, until it became part of the English crown and they put a stop to all that sort of thing.

TIM: Right, if you just hang on for a second and wait for me.

MARGIE: Why should I?

TIM: Are you just going to run in without me?

MARGIE: Yes, of course I am.

VO: Get in there quick, Margie!

MARGIE: This is a competition, mate.

VO: "Fortuna" favors the brave.

TIM: Margie!

VO: There's three floors of goodies to be perused here, and Debbie is on hand to do the sums.

MARGIE: Well, I'll just have a whizz and see what's happening.

VO: Righty-o, then.

Fancy a drink?

(CHUCKLES) VO: It's a bit early for that, Margie.

MARGIE: Right, bargain box.

£1.

Let's see if we can see anything.

That's quite nice.

That is a very handy portable corkscrew.

It looks like boxwood.

I don't think it is, but it could be.

But it's a handy little item, that, isn't it?

VO: This little waiter's friend is indeed boxwood.

Its smooth texture is perfect for making musical instruments and elegant little items like this.

MARGIE: Put that in there, and it's set to go.

That's OK for £1, isn't it?

Might fetch £8 or £10.

I think I'll buy that.

VO: Excellent choice, madam.

Yeah, no haggling on that.

VO: No, that would be rude.

Now, what's Tim up to?

Margie, you used to be a model, didn't you?

Oh, yeah, many, many moons ago.

Do you want to relive your modeling years?

Did you used to do catwalks?

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) Yes.

TIM: Did you?

MARGIE: I did!

TIM: Come on, do a catwalk.

TIM: Yeah.

Oh, look at this.

Oh!

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) VO: Whoops!

Not the first man to fall for Margie, I'll wager.

Professional photographer.

You see the camera guys in the street doing that outside the Ivy.

Well, I won't be developing that.

MARGIE: I don't blame you.

VO: Come on, Tim, time you gave a bit of exposure to something in here.

TIM: Now, aren't these absolutely charming?

They look like what's known as sort of Black Forest carvings of bears.

The Black Forest industry was, I suppose, most popular in the 19th century and into the 20th century as well.

They look like folk art.

They're very, very naive.

And the thing that struck me about them when I picked them up is the amazing rich patina on the surface of them.

And if you actually look, a good tip with early carved wood is if you look at where there's been breaks or damages, if you look at where the patina is, shows that that break was a long time ago.

So I would sort of date these to probably early 19th century, but they could even be slightly earlier.

They're priced at £35, which for a pair of charming bears doesn't seem terribly expensive to me.

My thoughts are that maybe, could they get lost in an auction?

Do they need to go into a specialist folk art sale?

And I want to be careful, cuz Margie is steaming ahead, and I need to buy carefully.

I'll carry on looking, I might come back to them though.

VO: They're smarter than the average bears, those, Tim.

Oh, I like these.

Look, these would be from a solicitor's office, where they stored various wills.

1918.

That's the end of the First World War, isn't it?

Press the button.

Oh look, it opens up.

I rather like that.

A bit well used, a bit scratched, but it's the sort of thing that an...interior designer... would pick up... ..for a client to put on the wall... ..in a house.

I just think they're rather nice, those.

How much are they?

VO: The ticket price is £25 each.

MARGIE: Say I bought four, but I don't want to spend £100.

VO: So as well as the will boxes, remember Margie still has that corkscrew for £1.

What can Debbie do to help?

Poor girl.

Debbie, let me disturb you.

Oh, hello.

First of all, a little taster.

DEBBIE: Yes.

What have you found?

In your bargain box, I found that.

So I am definitely happy with the price.

OK.

But also, I have seen those rather interesting boxes, those, for will and testaments.

DEBBIE: Yes, yes.

MARGIE: I really like them.

MARGIE: They're £25 each.

DEBBIE: Yes.

MARGIE: If I buy four... DEBBIE: Right.

..could you give me the deal that's in my head, which is £60?

DEBBIE: Erm... MARGIE: A bit knocked about, aren't they?

MARGIE: A bit scratched... DEBBIE: Yes, yeah.

DEBBIE: Alright.

For you...

Yes.

MARGIE: Yeah?

MARGIE: So £61... DEBBIE: Yes, absolutely.

..the four, and the one.

Great stuff!

VO: That's first blood to Margie.

Cor!

MARGIE: Thank you very much indeed.

VO: And £249 left in the kitty.

Back inside, I think Tim's taking the plunge on those bears.

Hello, Debbie.

Hello!

Have you found something?

I've found these wonderful, charming bears.

DEBBIE: Yeah.

TIM: You've got £35 on those.

What do you think, is there some wiggle room there?

Could be, yes.

Do you think we could get to 25 on them?

Shall we meet in the middle?

DEBBIE: 27?

TIM: 27, 27 is a deal.

I think they're wonderful.

£27.

OK, let me get my money out.

27... A couple of pounds.

There we are.

Thank you very much indeed.

TIM: I shall take my bears.

DEBBIE: Great.

DEBBIE: Super.

TIM: See you.

VO: That deal means £214 are left for Tim.

VO: Margie is now on her way to find out more about this remarkable place's fiercely independent history, and how this little island made a big contribution to democracy.

She's meeting the President of the island's parliament, Laurence Skelly.

Laurence, Mr President.

Failt royd dys Tynwald.

Welcome to Tynwald, and a warm welcome to the Isle of Man.

Please do come in.

What a warm welcome.

I'd love to.

Thank you very much.

VO: The UK Parliament has no jurisdiction over the Isle of Man.

Everything gets decided here in the Tynwald.

MARGIE: Oh, what a lovely room.

So, Laurence, how old is the parliament of the Isle of Man?

LAURENCE: Well, it is the oldest continuous parliament in the world, and in 1979, we celebrated our millennium.

VO: The name Tynwald comes from the Norse word Tinvaal, as it was the Norse invaders who set up the first parliament on the island at Tynwald Hill.

The event, thought to have been over 1,000 years ago, is celebrated once a year to this day.

So who else has been involved with the island over the years?

Well, it started with the Vikings here, coming to the Isle of Man.

And interestingly enough, in our history, we never had the Romans here.

And you'll know that if you drive around on our roads, there's not many straight roads here on the Isle of Man, which is a feature of the TT course, which is world-famous, here on the island, too.

But it was the Vikings that brought us the parliament and effectively our democracy.

VO: Over the next 400 years, the Isle of Man would change rulers many times between the Norwegians, Scots and English.

But the island still managed to develop its own independent laws and customs, including a growing smuggling trade into England.

So there was a lot of smuggling going on, was there?

We did not have the same laws.

Therefore, you could bring your goods into the Isle of Man legally, and then, of course, they could be smuggled into the UK.

VO: This provoked the English to try and formally make it part of England, but after local resistance, it became a crown dependency in the 1700s.

The Manx had to recognize the UK monarch as head of state.

However, the Tynwald was allowed to continue.

MARGIE: So it's an interesting and quite complicated history, isn't it?

LAURENCE: It is, but what has stayed consistent is the seat of parliament, and also, uniquely, we have three chambers, so we are tricameral.

Nowhere else in the world that has that, where we have a lower chamber which is publicly elected, and here, which is Legislative Council, our upper house, which are elected by the House of Keys.

And then we have a third chamber, which is Tynwald Court, where the two sit together.

Right.

So this would be a great opportunity for you now to see the House of Keys.

VO: The House of Keys is the lower of the three chambers, where 24 democratically elected members of parliament sit, arranged in alphabetical order of constituency.

LAURENCE: This would be our publicly elected house, which is similar to the MPs that would be in the UK.

So when did democracy come to the island?

Well, democracy in terms of the public vote is 1866, and that's when it started.

1881 was the first vote for women, which was a world first.

VO: So nearly 50 years before the UK, the pioneering Isle of Man parliament became one of the first places in the world to grant votes for women.

But in 1915, there was another attempt to make the Isle of Man formally join the UK.

The Tynwald voted almost unanimously against the measure.

So this is the House of Keys.

We've been to Legislative Council, now the grand finale, which is Tynwald Court, where the two houses sit together.

So if you'd like to follow me.

MARGIE: Thanks very much.

VO: This is the Isle of Man's unique third chamber, where its upper and lower house come together.

Imagine the House of Commons and the House of Lords sitting in the same room.

All that hot air would make it very stuffy.

So this is the Tynwald chamber where everything gets resolved?

LAURENCE: It is.

This looks very interesting, this wonderful sword.

Probably the single most important symbol for the Isle of Man.

And this was gifted to us by the Vikings.

It's like the mace in the House of Commons.

It must be in situ before proceedings can actually start.

And would you like to hold the sword and bring it into the chamber?

MARGIE: Certainly would.

VO: Careful, Margie.

The sword must be placed on the table at the same time as the President enters the room in order for proceedings to begin.

Thankfully, today, Laurence is already here.

LAURENCE: Perfect.

Marge, if the antiques job doesn't work out, we might have a second job here for you.

MARGIE: I shall bear that in mind.

Thank you very much.

(CHUCKLES) VO: Well, she's winning this week, so you might need to wait a bit longer.

In modern times, the unique Tynwald parliament made another pioneering step when it became the first part of the UK to allow 16-year-olds to vote.

MARGIE: Wow, what a view!

VO: Another big achievement for a small island.

LAURENCE: Well, the legacy here is that the parliament has stood the test of time, representing 85,000 people on this island, and governed by consensus.

I believe it's served the island well - yesterday, 1,000 years ago, as well as today.

VO: Elsewhere on the island, our Tim is back on the road in the Sherpa.

I think the competition's hotting up now cuz Margie's steamed ahead.

She had such an amazing result in the last auction, and good on her.

VO: He's very sporting.

He's on his way to Port Erin, the largest town in the south of the island, where on a clear day you can see all the way across to Northern Ireland.

He's got £214 left, and he's come to Castaway Vintage, run by Dan, the man.

TIM: Wow.

This is looking good.

Let's get stuck in.

VO: Jackets are off.

He means business.

TIM: That's quite decorative, isn't it?

Look at that.

This is known as a Dan mask.

VO: In Dan's shop?

Ha!

That could get confusing.

These masks were made in the Ivory Coast.

Like everything else in here, there's no ticket price.

It looks to me like it might be from around the 1950s, around that sort of period, anyway.

And when you start getting to that sort of mid-century kind of period with tribal art, it does become collectable and people do want to buy it.

I could see quite a lot of collectors being interested in that, purely because tribal art is very popular.

Also, it's very striking, the colors that have been chosen to paint this particular mask.

I really do quite like that, but I'm going to pop it down.

I'm not going to put all my eggs in one basket, I'm going to carry on, soak in the atmosphere and see what else there is.

VO: Yeah... You knock yourself out, sunshine.

TIM: After a day of shopping like today, you need a nice, comfortable seat to have a little nap in.

Actually, I better not be complacent, cuz Margie has steamed ahead, hasn't she?

So let's have a look at this.

That is a rather nice chair.

And they're sort of nicknamed quite often a captain's chair.

And I suppose that's probably harking back to the 19th century, when you can imagine the captain on his ship, he needs somewhere to relax.

Yes, there's a little bit of chipping here on the edge, and there's a split in the surface of the wood, and you can see the little scratches.

But it all tells a story, doesn't it?

And for a chair, that's, what, from about the 1850s, around that period, this chair can be used today.

I like that.

There's so many nice things in here.

I love it.

VO: High praise, indeed.

VO: Yes, very good, Timothy, but on with the shopping, please.

I really quite like this corner washstand.

And this one's rustic.

It's almost quite primitive, the way it's been made out of pine and it's got that lovely original layer of thick paint put on in around, I'd say, about 1820 to 1840, that sort of period.

So, I mean, it's had a fairly hard life, but the wonderful thing is it's not been touched, it's not been stripped back, repainted.

So I seem to be creating a bit of a list in my mind of things that I'd like to talk to Dan, the shop owner, about.

Maybe we can do a deal on a group of things.

VO: We're now up to three maybes.

Anything else catching Tim's eye?

TIM: That really quite is a piece of timeless design, isn't it?

That could be a contemporary piece of furniture, but, in fact, this is a 19th-century piece of furniture, made in Korea, and I suppose it would be sort of a...low table or a deed box, something like that, where you would store your important papers or documents.

If you open it up, actually, you can see so much old ink inside where ink bottles have been, but it's actually had quite a lot of use but stayed in remarkable condition.

So one to add to the list for sure, that one.

Now, I've seen so much, in this shop, I'd like to buy, I could just keep on shopping and shopping.

I think I might have a bit of trouble deciding what to buy.

I almost wish that I was shopping with Margie, and she would be able to guide me, perhaps, a little bit and help me make my mind up.

VO: As she's not, it's all down to you.

Let's get some prices.

TIM: Dan, hello.

DAN: Hello!

DAN: How have you got on?

TIM: (SIGHS) Really well.

I've spotted... four things around your shop.

I'm interested in... your captain's chair.

DAN: I could do that for 50.

OK.

The painted corner unit... DAN: I could do that for 90.

TIM: 90, OK.

The Korean desk or table... DAN: I could do that for 80.

Mm-hm.

TIM: And...the African mask as well.

DAN: That'll be 30.

TIM: OK. VO: £250 all in for that little lot.

So if I took the captain's chair, the African mask, and the Korean table, can you do me something on those?

DAN: If you're doing a package, I could knock 20 off that.

TIM: 20 off.

DAN: I'd be happy at 140.

Do you think, Dan, it's possible we could get that down to 120 if I took the three?

Let me have a fiver on top of it.

TIM: 125?

DAN: Yeah, OK. TIM: OK, it's a deal.

Dan, thank you very much.

VO: Three items in the bag for Tim, to be sent on later, and £89 left in his kitty.

And with Margie back on board, it's time to talk about supper.

TIM: I kind of fancy a kipper.

MARGIE: I love kippers.

Mm.

Are they a big thing on the Isle of Man, then?

Yeah, they are.

I hope I didn't get stitched up like a kipper with what I bought today, though.

VO: Ha!

I don't think so, Tim.

It seemed like a nice "plaice".

Ha-ha!

Nighty night.

VO: Next day, and our camper van-ers are back behind the wheel.

Enjoying your company, Tim, very much.

Thank you, Margie.

TIM: Don't run them over.

MARGIE: Morning!

VO: Careful.

You look very cheerful.

I like your outfit.

Do you?

VO: He is a charmer, isn't he?

TIM: We're both in blue, look.

MARGIE: We are.

We didn't plan it, did we?

We didn't.

Got the memo.

We match the car as well.

(LAUGHS) Oh, yeah, match the car.

Oh, yeah, I match the car!

I didn't plan it, honestly.

VO: So how did our blue-some twosome get on yesterday?

Tim bought some wooden bears, a Korean table chest, a Dan mask and a captain's chair.

Nice!

TIM: Thank you very much.

I shall pop my money down there.

Leaving him with just £89 to spend today.

While Margie purchased some will boxes - very nice - and a corkscrew.

That's OK for £1, isn't it?

VO: Meaning her purse is still bulging with £249 to spend.

Job done.

TIM: Now, Margie, I thought... MARGIE: Yes.

TIM: ..as a little surprise... MARGIE: Yeah.

..I chucked one of my purchases in the back.

MARGIE: Yes.

And I want to show it to you because I really love it.

We could stop and have a bit of breakfast, couldn't we?

Oh, that would be really nice.

VO: Some food for thought, perhaps, then.

TIM: (GROANS) Oh, come on, Margie, have a look at what I've got, then.

MARGIE: This had better be good.

TIM: I've brought you a very, very fancy picnic chair.

MARGIE: Oh, it's a nice old one.

So, actually, if I put that there... And you can see where the bum's been on it and worn it away, look, as well.

So I'm just going to sit on it now.

Thank you.

Well, this is lovely.

TIM: Where's the food?

Oh, there we are.

Can we be a bit quicker?

Oh, dear, the service isn't very good here, is it?

VO: Can't get the staff, Margie.

TIM: Couldn't quite manage the croissant, but... A banana, is that it?!

VO: And a muffin.

TIM: Would you like some sugar?

MARGIE: No, thank you.

That's good, I haven't got any.

VO: Charming!

TIM: Well, cheers, Margie.

MARGIE: Cheers.

How very thoughtful of you to do this.

VO: After breakfast, Margie is heading up north - well, to the north of the island, to Laxey.

Once a mining village, the Great Laxey Mine employed over 600 men, but now relies on tourism of the maritime kind for its income.

The first stop this morning is JJ Ribbons.

Ooh!

Packed to the gunnels.

VO: You could say that - a little bit of gift shop, a little bit of haberdashery and a whole lot of antiques thrown in for good measure.

And that will be Justine, one of the Js from the shop name.

Oh, this is a brilliant shop, stuffed with all sorts.

Can you imagine doing a stock check in here?

(CHUCKLES) VO: Margie has £249 left to spend.

MARGIE: Nestle's Cream, I used to quite like that on me tinned pineapples.

VO: Other creams were available.

Advertising signs do really well.

Ah, but this is the type you want.

This is...a Victorian one.

It's vitreous enamel on steel, and it honestly doesn't seem to matter how damaged they are, there's still a huge market for these, but the nice thing is it's on both sides.

That's unusual.

And these were popular from about the 1880s.

This is where I'm out of it.

£150.

If it had been...£60 or £70, I would have bought that.

Life's full of disappointments.

VO: Oh, Margie, you're breaking my heart here.

But get on with the shopping, will you?

MARGIE: Now, I've walked past this a few times... ..and dismissed it as repro.

But the more I look at it, the more I think that it's not repro, because of the quality of it.

It's the process of elimination.

Look at the wood, how lovely the grain of the wood is.

VO: This is an etagere, from the French word for levels.

Which means it's just an open display for your ornaments.

VO: But it's more colloquially known as a whatnot.

No, I've not forgotten, that's its actual name.

MARGIE: Right, and let's look how this is made.

Right, so you've got some nice old screws here.

You've got the lovely dovetails, which is a really secure way of making a drawer.

(SIGHS) Staining on the bottom.

That, I think, is 100 years old.

And what I thought was repro, I don't think it is any more.

VO: So that's one for the "possible" pile.

It sports no ticket, but one to inquire about.

What else is calling Margie's name?

MARGIE: Just found him.

VO: Oh, my word.

So, what do you think of it so far?

(THROUGH GRITTED TEETH) "Rubbish."

VO: Enough of the child's play, Margie, and back to the items.

MARGIE: Oh, look at that!

What a cute little sewing machine, a Singer sewing machine, with its original box.

Oh, it's got everything in it, look!

All the little bits and pieces.

I think this is called a Singer Featherweight... ..because you can actually sit it on your lap and use it.

VO: These Singer Featherweights were made in America, Canada and Scotland between the 1930s and the 1960s, and were a bestseller.

They're still highly popular today.

Hmm... What a lovely little thing.

Isn't that absolutely super?

And what condition it's in!

Marvelous.

I wonder how much she wants for that.

No price.

VO: That's two things you'll need to ask about.

Let's have a word, eh?

MARGIE: Justine, really enjoyed looking around your shop.

JUSTINE: Fantastic.

MARGIE: I've seen two things... ..that I'd like to try and buy.

So one is the whatnot, the etagere.

JUSTINE: Oh, yes.

And the little Singer sewing machine.

What sort of money are we talking?

Whatnot, I'm sort of on the vein of about 125 for the whatnot.

Right.

And the little sewing machine, just because she is so gorgeous... JUSTINE: ..110 on it.

MARGIE: Right.

Yep.

MARGIE: I had in my mind 180 for the two.

MARGIE: 90 quid each.

JUSTINE: I see... MARGIE: Is that doable?

JUSTINE: But as it's you...

BOTH: (LAUGH) No, are you happy with that?

I'm happy with that.

How could I refuse?

Here's my money!

Oh, very exciting!

MARGIE: I'll put that there... JUSTINE: Lovely.

..and say thank you so much.

The pleasure was all mine.

JUSTINE: (LAUGHS) Thanks a lot.

MARGIE: Bye bye.

VO: Not too shabby, Margie.

£69 left in hand, and her latest acquisitions heading off to the sale room.

# DISCO VO: Meanwhile, back in Douglas, is that a brother or a mother?

No, it's Tim Medhurst, and this is the birthplace of the island's most famous sons and sensational singing siblings, the brothers Gibb, or, as the world knew them, the Bee Gees.

But our Tim has come back to Douglas for the gee-gees... and in particular, the island's rather special form of public transport.

This is the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, the world's longest-running horse-drawn tram passenger service, founded in 1876 and still using the same mode of power to this day.

Tim's meeting Luke Collison, the tramway's farrier.

He's the man responsible for shoeing these magnificent beasts.

TIM: Luke, who is this, then?

LUKE: This is William, one of our working Clydesdales here.

He's 12 year old, and, yeah, he's just coming in.

He's lost a shoe in the field.

He's been pulling trams since he was... ..probably four year old, four or five year old.

So, as workers, these horses need good footwear?

LUKE: Yeah.

So they're shod every four or five weeks.

You've got to protect the foot on the promenade, keep the horses comfortable... ..and give them enough grip that they can safely pull a tram.

VO: Horses like William were first used to pull trams in Swansea in 1807, and this cheap form of mass transit soon took off in cities across the UK.

And to cater for the island's huge boom in tourism, during the Victorian era, local entrepreneur Thomas Lightfoot opened the Bay's tram service in 1876.

That first summer season saw nearly 1,000 passengers paying the three-shilling fare.

By the time of Lightfoot's death in 1893, an incredible one million fares had been sold.

Gosh!

TIM: Well, Luke, that is one fine-looking tram, isn't it?

Yeah, this is number 36.

It's known as a Sunshade or a Bulkhead, first created in 1896.

We've had it renovated and it's still the same tram we use.

How popular was tourism in the 19th century - were these trams in their heyday at that period?

Yeah, yeah.

So it was incredibly popular.

We'd have millions of people over, all from around the UK, lots of different workers.

It was bustling, full of people either side of the promenade, from the sea terminal to each of the guesthouses along here.

Wow.

It would have been a real hustling front of enjoyment, wouldn't it?

Yeah.

So I suppose when people arrived, jump on the tram and it would take you wherever you wanted, to your hotel along the front.

Yeah, that's it.

It is actually quite far, isn't it?

So the distance from here to...

It's a long way to carry your luggage, yeah, but it's not a long way for a horse to walk.

No.

VO: The tramway ran one and a half miles along the prom, and bridged the gap between the train station at the pier, servicing the south of the island, and the electric tram station at the north end.

But it wasn't just tourists using the service.

Was it public transport as well, for everyday use?

Yeah, so it was a taxi service, essentially.

People would get on it and it would take them where they needed to go.

Even now, you get locals get on it.

TIM: Do they?

LUKE: Yeah, regularly.

Some people ride it every day.

TIM: Wow.

LUKE: Yeah.

Yeah, it gives them transport to work... ..all the way along the front.

OK, so are you ready for a ride?

Oh, I'd love to have a ride.

Can we jump in, then?

Just give us a hand to pull it out.

We pull it out first?

OK. (STRAINS) Oh, they're quite light, aren't they, actually?

LUKE: Yeah, very light.

VO: At the peak of its popularity in 1927, 88 horses were in service to pull a tram roughly every 90 seconds, and the tramway, now under public ownership, sold a staggering two and a half million tickets.

It's quite a smooth ride, actually, isn't it?

Yeah.

Steady away so you can enjoy the scenery.

TIM: But you can't get better, can you?

And especially on a day like this.

LUKE: Well, it's ran for 146 years this year.

Hopefully, it'll run for another 146.

And, yeah, it's just an important part of our heritage and history.

TIM: A lot of effort has been put into restoring these trams, hasn't there?

LUKE: There's still a few more to work through.

And, yeah, just a lot of dedication and effort to keep it going and make sure, you know, it survives another 100 years.

VO: Now, on the subject of horsepower, how's the motor, Margie?

Quite getting very fond of this camper van.

Getting fond of Tim, getting fond of... the Isle of Man, and getting fond of the camper van.

(LAUGHS) Love it!

VO: Someone's in a good mood.

Let's hope she takes to her final destination today, the town of Ramsey, or Rhumsaa, if you prefer it in Manx, taken from the Old Norse word for wild garlic, which grows in the area.

No vampires round here, then.

Margie's heading to William Rand Antiques, run by...William Rand.

Yeah, that's him!

Very nice.

MARGIE: Ah, Will.

WILL: Margie, good afternoon.

What a gorgeous shop!

Oh, thank you.

Please have a look round.

Thank you.

VO: She's got just £69 left... MARGIE: Right.

VO: ..but she gets the whole place to herself for a bit of browsing.

Uh-oh, spoke too soon.

MARGIE: Oh, look who's here.

VO: Trouble.

MARGIE: (CHUCKLES) Hey!

TIM: Hello, Auntie Marge.

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) How are you doing in there?

What are you doing here?

Can I come in and have a look around?

MARGIE: Must you?

Is that alright?

I can see lots of lovely things.

I like the look of that footballer there.

MARGIE: I'll allow you... TIM: I'm coming in.

VO: Tim has £89 left in his wallet.

I'll have a look at that footballer down there, I think that's really cool.

I've had a day full of activity, and he looks like he's got a lot more energy than me right now.

He's quite striking, though, isn't he?

He's probably, I would say, 1950's.

You know, you read those Boy's Own annuals from the 1930s and he looks like one of those, doesn't he, like in a Tiger annual or something like that.

VO: This striking little striker is made of spelter, a zinc alloy that looks like bronze but breaks more easily.

His ticket price is £75.

TIM: Well, Margie said I can have a look around if I'm quick, and I don't think that's badly priced because it's quite a good, stylish thing.

VO: You should take him with you while you browse, Tim.

And take your time - Margie's otherwise occupied.

MARGIE: I can never resist these... ..cocktail shakers.

Yeah, very in.

It's got a spout, which not many of them do have.

And this is really nice.

This is like a Celtic decoration.

You see that on a lot of tea sets, sort of like, in the late Victorian times.

This is, sort of, early 20th century.

It's silver-plate.

If it was silver, it'd be hundreds of pounds.

And, which pleases me and is within my budget, it is £40.

So maybe Will could just ease that a bit and I think that's going to go home with me.

Yeah!

VO: Let's head back to Will, then.

Will, have you got a minute?

WILL: Yes.

MARGIE: Yeah.

I've seen some gorgeous things in here... ..but I have seen, to buy... WILL: Right.

MARGIE: ..the plated cocktail... OK, yes, know the one.

..which has got £40 on the bottom.

So, could it be eased a bit?

Yeah, I think we can do 35.

It's got a little broken chain on the spout.

MARGIE: Did you know that?

WILL: Yeah, OK. Yeah.

Well...what about...32?

MARGIE: That'll do fine.

WILL: Alright.

Thank you.

VO: Nicely done, Margie.

MARGIE: Thank you, I'm going to put your money there.

VO: That means £37 left over.

Tim, you're up next.

TIM: William?

WILL: Yes.

Hi, Tim, hi.

I've had fun looking round, but I'm going to have a go at buying the first thing I spotted through your window.

OK. Will, look, you've got 75 on the ticket.

WILL: Yeah.

TIM: Tell you what... ..give me your very, very best price... OK, alright.

..and I'll see if I can part with my money for it.

To you... 60 quid Tim.

TIM: Do you know what?

I can deal with that.

Thank you very much.

Let me get my money out.

TIM: £60.

WILL: Thank you.

TIM: Thank you, William.

WILL: All the best.

Good luck with that.

Cheers.

Thanks, Tim.

VO: Back of the net!

TIM: I've got my trophy.

MARGIE: Good!

VO: That leaves Tim with £29.02.

TIM: Right, Margie, let's get back on the road.

MARGIE: Let's get out of town before sundown.

VO: The auction's next!

TIM: Come on.

Woohoo!

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) TIM: I really enjoy shopping.

I much prefer when we're shopping together than when we're on our own.

Oh, do you?

I find you a bit of a nuisance.

Oh, thanks.

You're quite nasty, sometimes, to me, Margie.

VO: Aw, she was ever so nice about you earlier.

Right, time for shuteye, on the ferry.

VO: Kiss Me Quick hats at the ready, we're back on the mainland in Blackpool for sun, sand, sea... ..and auction watching.

Well, here we go, Margie, what a spot for our auction.

MARGIE: Yeah, Winter Gardens, Blackpool, couldn't be better.

TIM: Roll out the red carpet.

MARGIE: Ready?

TIM: Yeah, come on.

VO: A great place to see a show since 1878, here's hoping today's performance is a hit.

After shopping across the sea, our pair have ended up in the Lancashire Riviera, while their purchases have been dispatched to Leicester, at Churchgate Auctions, selling in the room, on the net and on the phone.

Auctioneer Dickon Dearman is in charge of the hammer.

For £40.

Thank you, sir.

VO: Tim parted with £212 for his five auction lots.

DICKON: The African tribal mask, probably a tourist piece.

It's a nice piece, it's well constructed and well designed, and I'm anticipating it might well make a three-figure sum today.

VO: Wow.

Margie went big with £273, also for five lots.

DICKON: We sell hundreds of Singer sewing machines a year, but this one's quite unique, it's a very nice little size, it's fully complete and I'm anticipating it's going to do quite well in the sale today.

VO: It's...showtime!

TIM: Wow, what a space, Margie, look at this.

MARGIE: My gosh, yes, marvelous.

TIM: You're quite theatrical, aren't you?

Drama.

MARGIE: Do you think?

Drama queen.

TIM: Talking of drama... MARGIE: Yes.

..I actually feel a bit sick.

VO: Too many rides on the Big Dipper, Tim.

Yeah, I know.

I am a bit nervous about this auction, because this is my make-or-break, really, cuz you're steaming ahead and...this is my catch-up.

VO: Ah, don't worry, Tim, we have the sawdust on hand, and we also have tablets - screens, that is.

Let's get started.

MARGIE: Good luck!

VO: First away, it's the Black Forest bears.

Will they be a piece of cake?

What shall we say for these?

Who'll start me at £40?

£40 only for these now, do I see 40?

£40 I'm being bid.

Do I see 42 now?

42, 42, 45, 47, £50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75.

You were right!

DICKON: £80 now, 80 do I see now.

80, is there anywhere?

Selling in front of me here, then, for 75.

Nice to be right, isn't it?

DICKON: Sold.

(GAVEL) 75.

MARGIE: Brilliant.

TIM: I'm very pleased with that.

MARGIE: I'm sure you are.

Good little bears.

VO: Didn't those two fellas do well?

Good start.

That's fine.

That's, like, nearly 50 quid.

How exciting.

VO: Now it's the auctioneer's pick, the Singer Featherweight.

I'm going straight in here at 65.

TIM: Well done.

Good start.

DICKON: 70 now, £70, lady there.

70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, £100.

110.

110 now.

110, do I see?

110 just there.

120, 120 now.

120, do I see now?

120, is there anywhere?

It should be more than that.

£110, sir.

(GAVEL) Sold.

TIM: Well done, Margie.

MARGIE: I'm a bit disappointed.

VO: A profit is a profit, Margie, and £20 isn't too shabby.

I think that you got out of trouble on that one.

MARGIE: Yeah, OK.

Right, more problems coming up.

VO: Now for Tim's African mask.

Our auctioneer predicted big things for this.

DICKON: Going in here at £50.

MARGIE: Argh!

DICKON: £50 to me bid.

Do I see 60?

£60.

DICKON: 60, 70.

MARGIE: (GASPS) 80, 90, 95.

Yeah!

DICKON: 95 now, 95, is there anywhere?

Selling on a commission bid just here, then, of £90.

(GAVEL) Sold.

MARGIE: Well done...good profit.

TIM: I'm really pleased that!

VO: Another cracking profit - aren't they doing well today?

Doing alright, aren't we?

Good old Isle of Man.

VO: It's the wills boxes next.

Will they also bequeath a profit?

£20, 22, 25, 27, £30, 32, 35.

Got some bids going on there.

DICKON: £40, 42, 45, 47, £50, 55, 60, 65.

MARGIE: Oh, yes!

DICKON: 70, 75.

75 now.

MARGIE: Very surprised.

TIM: Well done, Margie.

DICKON: 75.

New bidder.

80.

MARGIE: Ooh!

DICKON: 85, 90, 95.

You know, I like these.

110, 120, 120 now.

120, do I see?

Selling just here, then, for £110... (GAVEL) Sold, thank you.

MARGIE: That is a surprise.

TIM: Well done.

MARGIE: Thank you very much.

TIM: Good effort.

VO: A happy surprise and a healthy profit.

MARGIE: I'm really shocked.

TIM: Are you?

Because they were scratched... ..very badly scratched.

TIM: They're 100 years old.

MARGIE: Good point.

(CHUCKLES) VO: It's Tim's lovely little Korean table and chest next.

I think that's really good.

£30, £30 I've been bid.

35, £40 now.

40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70.

MARGIE: Climbing... DICKON: 75 just there.

£80 now.

£80.

80, do I see now?

TIM: I think that's still reasonable, don't you?

Lovely piece of furniture.

DICKON: 85, 90, 95.

TIM: Keep going.

£100, £100, 110, 120, 130, 140.

Alright, alright, stop, stop.

At 140, do I see?

Selling, then, for £130.

Thank you again.

(GAVEL) MARGIE: Double your money.

TIM: 130, fantastic.

VO: Indeed.

Another great bit of business.

We're onto... a big gamble of mine... ..me bargain buy.

VO: It's the cheap but cheerful boxwood corkscrew.

£10.

£10, I've been bid.

Do I see 12 now?

DICKON: £12, 12, 14.

TIM: Here we go.

DICKON: 16, 18, 20.

22.

MARGIE: Ooh!

Margie.

DICKON: 24 now, then, 24, 24 over there.

DICKON: 26, 28, £30, 32 now, 32.

MARGIE: Oh!

Selling, then, for £30.

Thank you, madam.

(GAVEL) I think that was magnificent.

VO: A 290% profit, to be exact.

I'm out for the bargain buys now.

TIM: Lunch on you.

MARGIE: (CHUCKLES) VO: But let's not open the plonk just yet, Tim's footballer is up next.

Can he score?

£20 here on a commission bid.

Do I see 22 now?

22.

£22, 24, 26, 28, £30, 32, DICKON: 34, 36, 38.

MARGIE: Well, it's going.

DICKON: £40, 42, 45, 47.

MARGIE: They like it.

£50.

55.

55 now, then, 55, do I see?

Selling, then, for £50.

Sold.

(GAVEL) Could have been worse, Margie.

VO: The first loss of the day.

I'd call that an away defeat.

Can't win 'em all.

(CHUCKLES) TIM: It definitely wasn't back of the net.

VO: It's Margie's mahogany etagere next.

£50 I've been bid, do I see 55 now?

55, is there anywhere?

55.

MARGIE: Oh, no.

DICKON: 60.

65, £70, 75 now, 75, 75, is there anywhere?

75, do I see?

Selling, then, for £70.

A little more.

(GAVEL) (SIGHS) Now, that's a disappointment.

I'm sorry, Margie.

VO: Ah, it's a shame, Margie, you were doing so well.

I shall have to get over that in a few minutes.

(LAUGHS) VO: Can this 19th-century chair do a turn for Tim?

TIM: Isn't it lovely?

MARGIE: Yeah.

Do I see 30, £30?

20, if you like, then.

£20 being bid, 22 now.

22, 22, is there anywhere?

DICKON: 22, do I see 22?

MARGIE: Oh, good gracious.

DICKON: £24.

26, 28, £30.

32, 34, 36, 38.

No.

38 now, then.

38, do I see?

38, is there anywhere?

Selling, then, for £36... (GAVEL) Thank you, sir.

MARGIE: It's sad, isn't it?

TIM: (CHUCKLES) VO: Oh, another loss for Tim.

I sense Margie moving ahead now.

Now, then, I am not worried about this one.

VO: It's the final item, Margie's cocktail shaker.

Let's see what it can stir up.

TIM: Who's it by?

MARGIE: Nobody in particular.

BOTH: (LAUGH) Where do you want to start me?

£20.

MARGIE: Ow-now.

DICKON: Straight away.

22 now, 22.

You've got some eager bidders there.

24, 26, 28, £30, 32, 34, 36, 38, £40, 42, 45, 47.

TIM: Well done, Margie.

DICKON: 55, 60.

MARGIE: 60, that'll do.

DICKON: 65, no.

65 now, 65, is there anywhere?

65, 70, £70 now.

70, new bidder there, 70, 80, £80 now.

80, do I see?

That's quite a lot for a cocktail shaker... TIM: It's quite a lot!

DICKON: (GAVEL) Sold.

Quite a lot for a silver-plated cocktail shaker.

Margie, well done, you.

Thank you.

Drinks all round.

Cheers to that brilliant profit.

TIM: Overall... MARGIE: We've done alright.

..a great auction.

VO: Time for some working out, then.

Margie started with £310.10, and after auction costs, made a handsome £46 profit, which means she now has £356.90.

While Tim began with £241.02, and after auction costs, made a whopping £100 profit.

So he wins this one, and has a healthy kitty of £341.44 for next time.

TIM: (SIGHS) Right, come on, Auntie Margie.

MARGIE: (LAUGHS) TIM: Profits all round.

MARGIE: Yeah!

We've got oodles of money to spend, and we're only, what, 10 quid apart?

Is it 10?

Surely it's more.

VO: It's £15.46, to be precise.

MARGIE: Here we go.

TIM: Here we go, Margie.

VO: There they go.

Cheerio!

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