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

I just love it.

VO: Behind the wheel of a classic car.

(HORN TOOTS) LOUISE: It's fast.

CHARLES: It's a race.

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

PAUL: This could be tricky.

MARGIE: £38!

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

VO: But it's no mean feat.

ROO: High five!

There'll be worthy winners... CHRISTINA: Mind-blowing.

VO: ..and valiant losers.

Could have been worse.

Will it be the high road to glory...

Car!

..or the slow road to disaster?

CHRISTINA: Aaagh!

TIM: Oh my!

VO: This is the Antiques Road Trip.

VO: What a gas, eh?

VO: Welcome to the beginning of a brand-new Road Trip.... in the picturesque beauty of the Norfolk countryside.

(BELL RINGS) VO: Wait!

What's that?

VO: Good lord!

It's old-school auctioneer Philip Serrell.

"You're gonna meet the new girl," they said.

"We've got some new wheels for you," they said.

This is what they've given me.

A bloomin' tandem.

VO: Well, let's see who's brave enough to mount Philip's tandem.

It's Road Trip novice Louise Gostelow.

(BELL RINGS) Hop on.

(SHE LAUGHS) Where's your helmet?

This is a bicycle made for two, not one.

Do you not think we'll get there quicker in the car?

Yeah, you're probably right, actually.

VO: A wise decision, Louise.

You'll go far, my darling.

Louise is an auctioneer from North Buckinghamshire and has a keen interest in silver and Russian art.

Are you gonna be any good at this road tripping lark?

Dunno, but I've got a good person to learn from.

Who's that?

I dunno.

Is Paul Laidlaw around?

Yeah, yeah, he's the boy, he's the boy.

VO: Ha!

In the absence of Paul Laidlaw, then, I guess Philip will have to do.

Originally a PE teacher, believe it or not, Philip is an auctioneer with an affinity for large, er, decorative antiques.

You got any tips?

I think what you need to do is go and spend all of your money going to buy lots of rust and woodworm.

VO: I think that's best left to you, Philip.

For this trip, Louise and Phil each have £200 and will share this striking red Jag.

Oh yes.

Red Jaguar XJS convertible.

And it's fast.

It is, isn't it?

VO: It's gonna to have to be.

You've got quite the trip ahead of you.

After kicking off in Norwich, Phil and Louise will motor around Norfolk and Suffolk, before heading north to Lincoln and then south to Hastings, finishing up in Brighton.

Wow!

This leg will end with an auction in Colchester, but it begins in the aforementioned fine city of Norwich.

Here we are.

Here we are.

Take care.

You have a really good day.

Cheerio and good luck.

VO: It's less luck and more divine inspiration that's needed in this shop.

This beautiful, grade one listed parish church now houses St Gregory's Antiques and Collectables.

These are so cool, and they're not for sale.

They're part of the building, but this is just a fantastic bit of social history.

So these are where you would sit in the church, but this little bit here... That's called a misericord and what you did with a misericord... ..was basically get in there like that... ..and you rested your bum on it.

So, misericord, read "bum rester".

VO: While Phil takes a load off - ha!

- Louise has motored her way across Norwich, to yet another church-turned-antique shop.

All Saints Antiques Centre is packed to the altar with all manner of antiques, curios and collectables.

Let's see what tickles our fledgling Road Tripper's fancy, shall we?

What do you think?

VO: Groovy.

So, I have just spotted this.

It's caught my eye.

I thought it was.

It's a spice box.

I love a bit of vintage kitchenalia but this is more than just vintage.

This is a good 19th-century example.

Now... (RATTLING) ..this has even still got some spices in there.

These are cloves.

Oh, smell that.

VO: Oh yes, I love a sniff.

I like this.

If you take a little step back in time to the 19th century, spices were a new thing.

They were coming over from countries that had only just been discovered and it was a good thing to have all these different spices in your house, but you didn't want to just leave your spices so anybody could get hold of them, so you would have a spice tin or a spice box and you could keep them secure in here so they were safe, because they were a commodity that was expensive anyway... ..and you could lock them up in your spice box.

(GASPS) It's £155.

Just beyond my budget, but gosh, I love that.

VO: In the other church-turned-antique-shop, Philip has enlisted the help of dealer Simon.

Hi, Simon.

What's cheap and worth the money?

SIMON: What about that lovely cloisonne chamber stick?

I could do you that for 25 quid.

Let me have a look at it then.

SIMON: I believe it's French.

It's unusual, isn't it?

Yeah, the coloring on the actual base is fantastic.

VO: This looks like cloisonne, but it isn't.

It's a French enameling technique called basse taille, where colored enamels are poured into cast recesses in solid bronze or silver or gold.

Priced at £65.

So, you think that might be French and you can do that for 25 quid?

Yep.

Does that mean if I really twisted your arm you could do that for 20 quid?

Hmm, 22.

So that's £22.

Yeah, no problem.

OK, what else have you got in there?

VO: How about that £54 hexagonal silver dish?

By Walker and Hall, which is like a top retailer and manufacturer.

Walker and Hall, really good firm.

What could you do that for?

I could do that 28 quid no problem.

VO: That's half price.

Very kind, Simon.

Thank you.

And whilst you're in a buying mood, I'll just grab you.

This here, heavily damaged, been squashed.

Liner in perfect condition, scrap value in the silver.

I'll let you take that for a tenner.

Let's just go and put all this on the counter.

VO: I'd think we'd better, don't you?

So, that's the chamber stick, the hexagonal dish and now that silver mustard pot with spoon.

What a haul.

Simon has quoted a price of £60.

What's Phil got in mind?

£40, that lot.

Yeah I can go £40 on that no problem.

OK, thank you.

I'll shake your hand.

Thank you very much.

OK.

I just want to go and see if there's one other thing that I can have a look at.

SIMON: No worries.

PS: Alright?

Thank you.

VO: That "other thing" is an early-20th-century railway poster.

Dealer Cath is waiting in the wings to help.

PS: Cath.

CATH: Yes.

That's quite cool, isn't it?

It is, isn't it?

Is it the original one?

There's one way to find out.

Certainly looks like it, doesn't it?

Yeah but I look old, but I'm not.

VO: I think he's delusional, don't you?

He-he!

The poster is priced at £26.

I quite like that.

Because I think that railway stuff is moderately collectable, isn't it?

Yes it is.

North British Rail Company, tables of rates, dues leviable at Mallaig.

One of the things I love about my job is the social history, you know?

Rates on animals and goods shipped or unshipped received or delivered at the pier.

Cement.

Copper and brass, machinery.

Manure was two pence a ton.

I was headed over here, look.

Whisky and wine, that's much more my level down here.

So that could be £20?

Yep.

Can I hang onto that for a second?

You can, course.

VO: He's building up quite a collection!

It's time to deal.

Right, Cath.

Yep.

So, we agreed with Simon that that was 20... CATH: Mm-hm.

PS: That's 20.

So I'm gonna buy one, two three bits, 60 squid.

Lovely, OK. How's that?

10, 20, 60.

CATH: Lovely.

PS: Wish me luck.

Good luck.

And off I jolly well... VO: After that bit of angelic antiquing, Philip is off.

How's our newcomer, Louise, faring?

Time to check in.

What have we got hiding?

It's not glass.

It's Lucite.

I think that's a bit of fun.

Could be for your slices of toast.

Could be for your letters.

This is a good bit of postwar design.

It's a functional piece, it's something that people could afford.

They'd come out of the war, rationing was coming to an end, they've maybe got a little bit more money that they wanted to spend to make their homes look nice.

It's a good useful thing.

It's a good utility piece.

It's got nice angular lines.

I like this.

It's priced at £16.

I think at auction it's going to make 15 to £25.

It's worth a gamble.

VO: That's the spirit, girl.

Let's speak to dealer Sandie.

Sandie?

I found this rather nice Lucite toast rack.

That is rather funky, isn't it?

I like it, yeah.

£16.

£16.

I will pay you £16 for it.

I like it that much.

Lovely.

Thank you very much.

VO: And she's off.

A decisive first buy.

VO: Meanwhile, Phil has traveled to the most easterly point of the British Isles, the seaside town of Lowestoft.

VO: During World War Two, the town became the headquarters to an incredibly important branch of the Royal Navy.

The Admiralty feared German sea mines in British coastal waters would have a devastating effect not only to naval vessels but merchant ships bringing much-needed food and supplies into the country.

These mines needed to be located and destroyed.

Fishermen were summoned to Lowestoft.

The intention was to enlist them - and their vessels - into the Royal Navy Patrol Service.

One of these fishermen, Charlie Harris, now 96, wants to tell Phil more.

How marvelous.

Before the war, you were a fisherman?

CHARLIE (CH): Yeah.

I was a fisherman.

I mean, out of this port, that was 90% of the work, because this was a fairly big fishing port.

Yeah.

All us kids at school and that, our fathers, that's all we lived for.

And when you first went to sea, Charlie, how old were you then?

I wasn't quite 14.

Not quite 14.

Yeah.

And then you had four peace years and then the war came about, didn't it?

Well, when the war first started, they gradually started to take the fishing fleet, the trawlers and the herring drifters and that, for the minesweeping business.

Right.

And then I was ordered to report here to the Sparrows' Nest.

VO: The Sparrows' Nest became headquarters to more than 2,000 mix-and-match Royal Navy Patrol Service ships.

Their principal role?

To find and clear enemy sea mines.

And whose idea was it to sort of set up this alternative navy?

Oh, we were Churchill's pirates.

PS: Where's that come from then?

CH: We used to go to sea in the trawlers, you know, with the rollneck, long as you were nice and warm.

VO: The story goes that during an inspection, Churchill commented on the sailors' scruffy appearance.

"They're just a bunch of pirates," quipped one commander and, well, the name stuck.

From then on, the fishermen of the Royal Navy Patrol Service became known as Churchill's Pirates.

And the very first time that you went minesweeping, what were the emotions that were going through your mind.

You must've been terrified.

Well, actually to be quite honest, you went as if... just as if you were ordinary fishing.

VO: The converted fishing trawlers would sweep for mines by lowering a wire cable into the water.

The cable would cut through the rope securing the mine, which would then float to the surface to be destroyed.

Due to the incredibly dangerous nature of the work, the Admiralty predicted the sailors to have very short life spans.

This was the reason they were not given uniforms.

PS: You must've had some really scary moments.

CH: Course the worst moments for us was where there was us and one other ship, I was in a ship called the HMS Shearer and the ship behind us was the HMS Vega.

I was one of them who was off watch at that time, and the next thing I know was she was laying right over on her side.

So we all abandoned ship then and jumped in the water.

In freezing cold water.

And I thought, "I don't know what's going to happen here."

It's a funny thing.

I can remember just as if I was there now.

That must be awful, Charlie.

And I could see this ship behind us so I just thought, "I think I've got to try and swim to her."

PS: Mm.

"I think that's the only chance I've got."

How long were you in the water for, Charlie?

20 minutes.

And I wasn't supposed to be alive.

And when I finally started to come round, they told me that it must've been a fair while because they'd already buried the men at sea.

I think you are something of a hero, my friend, and I'm going to shake you by the hand, because it's been an absolute pleasure to meet you.

I don't think I'm no hero.

Like I said, there's a lot of people went through a lot more than I did.

But we might not have been in the big ships, but our navy was our navy and you never forget it.

VO: Stories like Charlie's were all too common.

Over the course of the war, more Royal Navy Patrol Service sailors and ships were lost than in any other branch of the navy.

The work they carried out was dangerous but vital.

Notably, the Royal Navy Patrol Service was instrumental in the D-Day landings.

They worked tirelessly during the night, clearing a path through the German mines for the Allied invasion the following morning.

A memorial to commemorate the lost men stands at Sparrows' Nest.

And Winston Churchill himself wrote a letter to the sailors, recognizing their efforts... (VO CLEARS THROAT) AS CHURCHILL: "The work you do is hard and dangerous.

"No work has been more vital than yours.

"No work has been better done.

"The ports were kept open and Britain breathed.

"The nation is, once again, proud of you."

VO: Meanwhile, Louise is motoring her way to nearby Wrentham, and she's all business.

Got to get a few more items if I'm going to beat Phil, but I'm quietly confident.

VO: That's half the battle.

Let's hope that Wren House Antiques has plenty to offer our rookie Road Tripper.

These are a little bit interesting.

These are Scandinavian cups, quite naively carved.

You've got a sort of a heart motif here.

Sometimes they were used as wedding cups.

Nice little things.

You tend not to see them that often.

Could make a profit at auction on a good day.

Could make a good group, perhaps, the two of them.

VO: Scandinavian folk art is quite collectable.

The two cups are priced at £45 the pair.

Now, what's this?

This I really like.

I love the color.

It's fantastic.

It's a hen on nest.

You keep your eggs in it.

Often you see Staffordshire pottery examples of these.

They fetch a fair bit of money.

This, however, it's glass.

It's molded glass.

You can tell that by the seam that it's got running all the way through here.

It's probably only mid 20th century.

But it is just a fantastic color.

In fact... there's one up there which is a clear glass example, but nowhere near as nice as this little turquoise-blue fella.

I like it.

I know they say you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket, but this one's for me.

When was the last time you saw a blue chicken?

It's fantastic.

VO: Good point.

This blue chicken is priced at £10.

Looks quite broody to me.

And I don't think Lou's done yet.

This has caught my eye.

It looks like another bit of Scandinavian folk art.

It's some sort of trio container, we've got two wells inside it.

Could be for spices or something like that.

I think it's another sort of kitchen piece.

Let's see, what does it say?

Circa 1800, folk art spice box.

Probably Dutch.

I think it's Scandinavian.

Maybe that might go nicely with the Scandinavian cups.

Could make an interesting lot.

I think it's time for Henrietta and I to have a word with Amanda and see what we can do.

Amanda.

Good timing.

Right.

LG: So.

DEALER: OK. We're looking at Henrietta the hen.

Yes.

The two Scandinavian cups.

And the box.

What can you do for me?

And what did it come to?

Did you say 100?

Comes to 100 across the lot.

That's a right, nice round number.

It is but it's quite a high round number.

(SHE CHUCKLES) Isn't it always?

That's been reduced a bit already.

Supposing we said 80, for the lot.

I was thinking 75, is that a little bit cheeky, but...

I thought you would be!

Go on, so 75?

75.

Amanda, thank you very much.

DEALER: You've got a deal.

VO: That's the hen on nest for £10 and the group of Scandinavian folk art pieces for £65.

She's making this look easy - you'd never guess it was her first day Road Tripping, bless her.

So, Phil, what's it like having a new partner, then?

I'll tell you what, you have fitted in like a glove, my love.

First class.

VO: High praise indeed coming from Philip.

Nighty-night you two.

It's a new day and our experts are motoring their way through the Suffolk countryside.

She may be new, but our latest addition to the Road Trip roster had a very successful first day.

So what did you buy?

Nice try.

Ha-ha, that didn't work then, did it?

VO: She knows the rules, Phil.

But just between you and I, dear viewers, our rookie Road Tripper bought a Lucite toast rack, a collection of Scandinavian folk art, and Henrietta, that turquoise hen on nest.

This one's for me.

VO: And she still has £109 left.

Whilst Philip splashed out on three lots.

The collection of silver, the railway poster, and the enamel chamber stick.

That's quite cool, isn't it?

VO: Leaving him £140 to spend today.

That might be why he's in such a good mood.

You go into these shops and you buy with so much confidence and so much conviction, and then the closer you get to the auction day, all that quietly just evaporates.

Yeah.

But you have to look on the bright side of life, don't you really?

I'm not renowned for looking on the bright side.

VO: Hopefully our next stop will cheer him up.

Louise has dropped Phil in the picture-sque town of Aldeburgh.

A former Tudor port, today it's the town's beautiful coastal setting that makes it a popular tourist destination.

And, true to form, Phil's headed off the beaten track and is fishing for an unconventional antique.

I tell you what I'm looking for.

Have you got any old port or starboard lights?

Old propellers.

Buoys.

But not these, older ones.

Not with me, no.

VO: Phil's not deterred.

Can fisherman Dean be of any help?

I want to buy an old prop, starboard lights, anchor, buoys, but got to be old.

Yep.

I'm sure I've got something lying about here.

What a gentlemen he is.

VO: A gentleman indeed.

We will leave Phil to rummage.

And let's check in with Louise, shall we?

She's traveled inland to the charming village of Yoxford.

Home to Yoxford Antiques Centre, Oh yes.

Ah, a cheval mirror.

One theory as to where these get their names from is from the French cheval, for horse, and if you look at the base, there are the four legs.

VO: Just like a horse.

Neigh!

Let's see what else she can turn up, shall we?

Just spotted this.

I was wondering whether it was by someone like Cecil Aldin or Victor Venner, and it is, it is by Victor Venner.

You can see down here.

Sadly, it's only a print, it's not a watercolor.

You can see the slight pixilations to the edges of the lines, but still, from a distance, when that's hanging on someone's wall, you won't be able to tell the difference.

VO: Victor Venner was an illustrator and cartoonist working in the early part of the 20th century.

His witty style was a hit and featured in the weekly humor and satire magazine Punch.

Originally, this would've been one of a pair.

The other one would've been depicting a motor car.

A snapshot of past and present.

I particularly like this picture because you've got the dog in the foreground running away and if you look closely, as I lifted that, I spotted there's a little donkey peeking over the hedge.

It's a nice thing.

VO: The print is priced at £75, one to think about.

Meanwhile, Philip is still shopping at the beach and feeling creative.

You got a bit of paint I can stick "Titanic" on here with?

DEAN: If that was the Titanic, I think that'd be gone by now.

That's a lovely bit of an old boat, isn't it?

Dunno what's that's off.

We're gonna have somebody come and have a look at it and see how old it is, but it's fairly old.

It's older than you and me.

It certainly is.

This is the shabby side of shabby chic, this is.

Can I have a look round and see what else you've got?

Yeah, help yourself, have a browse.

VO: I must say, Dean is very accommodating.

And patient.

What can Phil fish out?

This looks a bit scientific for me.

What about that?

Yeah, I can sell you that.

We've got plenty of those rusted dahn anchors.

PS: Dan?

DEAN: Dahn anchor.

That holds the lines in the water on the bottom.

So dan is D-A-N?

D-A-H-N. Dahn anchor.

Would that get still used today?

Oh yeah, yeah.

Really?

Yeah, they all get used.

And how much is that worth?

I'll cut that off.

Don't make me cough, I'm a poor man with no money.

For me, to buy that new you'd be looking at 20 quid.

So second hand, it's five or 10 quid's worth, isn't it?

'Bout that, yeah.

I'm warming to you.

I quite like that.

Would this anchor that boat?

That would actually, yeah.

Cos I should hate to think of you drifting round out there.

No, we've got an anchor in the boat.

PS: Oh, that's alright then.

DEAN: Yeah.

Go on then, I'm gonna buy this off you.

Come on then.

You tell me whether it's a fiver or a tenner.

That's a tenner.

D'you know what?

You, sir, are a gentleman.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Now you'd better wish me luck.

Good luck.

Good to see you, Dean, thank you.

VO: Well, that's that then.

VO: Time to check in with Louise back in Yoxford.

Now this I like.

This reminds me of my childhood.

Just up the road from here, Aldeburgh, used to go on family holidays and there was a toy boating lake.

And we used to see these sailing around and I always wanted one, but it was always the boys that had them, not the girls.

It's by Star Yachts.

Now, Star Yachts were founded by a Belgian refugee.

He had to leave his home at the start of the Second World War.

He was originally a ship builder so he came over to the UK and he started work in Birkenhead, working for various shipwrights when and where he could.

And as an aside he carved small wooden toy boats.

Unlike the bigger names of Bassett and Loake, and other companies, his were affordable, which meant many boys in England would have grown up having a Star Yacht pond yacht.

I think it's fantastic.

I never had one.

I think I'd like to buy it now and see if I can make a profit at auction.

The best thing about these as well is that they actually say on the label, "Made to sail".

You know it's going to float.

VO: And here's hoping it doesn't sink in the saleroom, eh?

The pond yacht is priced at £28.

Time to chat with dealer Margaret.

Well, I've had quite a good look around.

DEALER: Excellent.

LG: And I have... decided on these.

I've particularly fallen in love with the pond yacht, I have to say.

(DEALER CHUCKLES) We've got £75 on here.

Right.

£28... On the yacht.

..on the yacht.

Yes.

So we can do 10%, we can do 92.50 for the two.

Sounds good.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

VO: That's £25 on the pond yacht and £67.50 for the Victor Venner coaching scene.

They will join Henrietta in the boot of the Jag.

Meanwhile, Philip has made the short walk from the beach to the Aldeburgh high street.

His destination, Mole Hall Antiques.

VO: I wonder what he's gonna turn up.

See, this is lovely.

This is salt glazed and it's called salt glazed... it's a piece of stoneware, it gets fired in the kiln and then you throw salt into the kiln at a certain temperature and it creates this sort of treacly glaze on here.

And like so many of these wares, they didn't start off making stuff like this, they started off making drainpipes, and this is a hip flask and it's been really badly restored here but it doesn't matter.

I think that's almost quite acceptable.

Cork in the top.

Quick nip, off you go.

Just want to know if you think there's any similarity at all.

VO: It's uncanny!

He-he-he!

The flask is unpriced.

It's one possible.

Moving on.

I'm not sure that isn't Dean's boat down there, look.

See I just love this.

This is a crimping iron and in the late 18th, 19th century, this would've probably been screwed on the washroom table of a large country house.

And you get two irons and you'd heat them in the fire and you take it out and you push one down there, which is this bottom roller, and you push the other one down there, which is the top roller, and then you can tighten or loosen the tension.

And then you put your collar in through there... ..and you gently turn it round and it crimps your collar.

And I think that is absolutely fantastic.

VO: Right he's back to the stoneware, looks like a 19th century jelly mold to me.

I think they are lovely.

VO: Time to call over shop owner Peter.

Peter?

I quite like these stoneware jelly molds.

I do.

I think they're just so... very attractive things, and in a kitchen, they just look good.

They're quite tactile, aren't they?

Very much so.

VO: Don't forget the flask.

Peter, if I looked at... this... ..and then these three jelly molds together... You're not going to like it, are you, if I say... 75?

See, I was going to say 50.

I'm thinking 10, 20, 30... D'you know, I think I'm going to say yes.

You are?

Are you?

You're a gentleman, I'll shake your hand, thank you very much.

No, thank you, and I hope you do very well with them.

Well, I just like them.

PETER: I think if you buy what you like, you can't go wrong, even if you have to live with it.

There's £50.

You've been very kind to me and I'm very, very grateful.

Well, a deal is a deal.

But I kind of like that flask.

VO: Here's hoping the auction-goers of Colchester do, too.

VO: Meanwhile, his fellow Road Tripper has traveled to Southwold.

Like many coastal towns, today Southwold is a popular tourist destination.

Louise has come to meet local businessman Robert Gough to find out why us Brits do like to be beside the seaside.

Tell me, how did this come about being a resort?

ROBERT (RG): Well, I think these sorts of resorts were invented in the Victorian era.

At that time, you had lots of people, after the Industrial Revolution, working in factories... LG: Yeah.

RG: ..and factory owners realized they needed to take care of their workers, and so they would send them to these resorts for one week in the year's holiday...

Yes.

..to take the sea air.

VO: Yeah, that sea air proved irresistible, and increasingly, amounts of holiday-makers spent their time enjoying the coast.

The industry grew quickly, and the iconic British seaside holiday was born.

When you think of seaside resorts like this in Victorian times, we think of Punch and Judy, we think of sticks of rock.

What else brought them here?

What else would they do while they were on their holiday?

Well, of course you had iconic things like the pier.

Southwold's famous pier.

Indeed.

VO: British pleasure piers first arrived at the seaside as a solution to a problem.

Although the public appetite for a holiday by the sea was high, the standard of transportation in 19th-century Britain was not.

Pioneering Victorian entrepreneurs decided to bring the holiday-makers in by boat.

LG: We know that the Victorians used to promenade along the piers, but what else did they do on the piers?

RG: Well, strangely enough, the pier first came about not to walk out to sea but actually to walk from the sea into the resort.

The pier started as a place for the steam ship to arrive and disembark all the people coming into the resort.

So the holidaymakers would arrive at the far end of the pier and walk their way in, ready to start their holiday.

Absolutely, absolutely.

And as time went on, obviously the pier owners wanted to find different ways to make more money, and so they started putting more and more attractions on the pier.

MUSIC: 'I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside' VO: The piers quickly became attractions in themselves.

Steep rivalries between competing resorts meant the entertainment became more and more extravagant.

Fairground rides, circuses and even zoos lined the boardwalks.

Is this where the steam boats would have docked to unload their passengers?

Well, having looked at the history of the pier, actually, it would appear to be here.

But in reality, it was about another 800 odd feet further out.

So it used to be over 800 feet long, the pier.

Good heavens.

What happened was I think in the Second World War, the British navy was worried about the possibility of an invasion, so lots of the piers actually were damaged by the government, by the navy, to ensure that the Germans couldn't use it to invade Britain.

VO: It was not just the threat of invasion that led to the decline of the pleasure pier.

The arrival of the railways meant that traveling by ship was less common.

Holiday-makers no longer started and ended their holiday on a pier.

Revenues fell, and many piers were closed, abandoned and neglected.

Along with years of storm damage, few complete Victorian piers remain.

It's hard to not think of the British seaside and Southwold without thinking of a pier.

Well, you're quite right.

I think it's something that harks all the way back to the Victorian era when the amazing pieces of engineering were built out into the sea, and obviously goes all the way through to being something today which is quintessentially British.

VO: Despite having a section removed by the navy, suffering damage at the hands of a rogue sea mine and many violent storms, the pier here at Southwold still stands.

Robert now owns the pier, and it's open for people to enjoy year round.

A reminder of the unique British relationship with the sea, and love of the seaside.

Hello.

How are you?

I'm alright.

You can't beat seaside chips, can you?

They're fantastic.

Go on, give us a chip.

I don't know how they'll do at the auction, mind.

VO: Well it's certainly been a busy two days, so nighty-night, you two.

It's auction day.

Welcome to the 'istoric town of Colchester.

So 'istoric, in fact, it was at one point the capital of Roman Britain.

How fascinating.

This is your first auction, Lou.

How are you feeling?

It's all very exciting, isn't it?

Oh, it is at this stage - I don't know about later on, though!

See how we get on.

Everything's going to be just fine.

Oh, right.

I will remind you of that later.

VO: Ever the optimist, Philip.

After starting out in Norwich our dynamic duo have taken in the beautiful east coast, before arriving here in Colchester.

VO: Today's auction is being held at Reeman Dansie.

On this outing, Philip bought five lots for £120.

While Louise also picked up five lots, spending a whopping £183.50.

VO: But what do they make of each other's purchases?

This anchor.

It's old.

It's rusty.

It's got to be something to do with Phil Serrell.

It's gonna be a winner today, though, isn't it?

I can't see that sinking.

VO: Oh blimey.

Out of all the things in all the world, I'm not sure a blue glass chicken is the thing I would have bought.

But hey-ho.

I know Lou's got a good eye.

Let's hope it doesn't come home to roost for me, eh?

VO: Don't be such a chicken, Phil.

20 I'm bid.

VO: Right, the man behind the rostrum today is Daniel Wright.

What does he think of our experts' items?

DANIEL (DW): Probably the most interesting lot, I think the reform flask, the stoneware flask, probably dating to the 1830s or '40s.

Unfortunately it's been restored, which is going to put off the serious collectors.

But there should be bidding on this lot.

A good decorative coaching print.

Nicely presented in the original, early 20th century frame.

So with a competitive estimate, I think we'll get interest.

VO: All looking good, then.

Time to take your seats.

Whoa.

This is it, then.

This is your very first ever Road Trip lot.

I know.

It's all rather exciting, isn't it?

Yeah.

VO: Right, here we go.

First up, it's Lou's blue hen on nest.

Why did you buy it?

Why not?

It's turquoise.

It's my favorite color.

It's a good little thing.

Look great on a worktop.

Every kitchen should have one.

VO: Let's hope the room agrees.

£20, bid me.

At £20.

20 I'm bid.

We're off to the races.

£20!

£24, in the room at 24.

26.

28, beyond.

30.

32, beyond.

34.

There's a lot of people here like turquoise, in't there?

42.

No way!

All done.

And selling for 42.

VO: Great start.

Henrietta's done you proud.

Well, that's a result, isn't it?

There you go.

That's... That's... You've broken your Road Trip duck, haven't you?

There you are.

Or chicken.

VO: Next up is Phil's 19th-century stoneware.

I'm hopeful that the little stoneware flask does OK.

I'm hoping that might carry it through.

It's a nice thing.

But this is my big ticket buy.

50 squid.

Mm!

30.

£30.

I'm bid 20, I'm looking for two.

This is gonna be a massive ouch, this is, isn't it?

£20 for me.

22 now.

24 back with me.

24 with me.

26.

28 with me.

Are you all done?

Oh dear.

At £28 then, and selling for 28.

VO: Well, some lucky collector has got a bargain there.

There's always...

Shut it.

Shut it.

Just shut it.

Shut it.

There's always your anchor!

Shut it.

VO: Next up, Louise's Lucite toast rack.

It's a good retro piece.

It's got a bit of an art-deco feel about it.

It's something different to put your toast in.

Or whatever.

That's what people say about me.

Not a bad retro piece.

And you can shove your toast in it.

Well there you go.

20's bid.

20's bid.

Looking for two now.

22 now.

24.

26.

28.

28 back with me.

£28.

Selling for 28.

VO: That's two profits in a row.

Louise is on a roll!

What they said was, "We've a got a new girl we'd like you to work with."

They didn't say you'd be any good at it!

VO: Sounds like Phil's getting nervous.

Ha!

Let's see if his collection of silver has a calming effect.

That has got to make a profit.

This cost me £20.

£20?

Of course it will.

Yeah.

Walker & Hall, hallmarked silver.

And a mustard pot.

Interest, I have £32 with me.

Looking for 34.

There you go.

40, back with me.

42, I'm out at 42.

Looking for 44 now.

Now you're cooking on gas.

50.

55.

60.

65.

70.

This helps, doesn't it?

Selling then, for 70.

VO: Well done Phil.

A very nice profit.

This could be quite close.

I'm feeling a little bit more positive now.

VO: He's changed his tune!

Time for Louise's Scandinavian folk art.

LG: The cups.

PS: They're really, really nice.

Yeah.

They're good things.

But will other people like them?

Will the people of Colchester like them?

£30?

30?

Do I see 30?

Oh dear.

£30?

20 I have.

And two, where?

There's 22.

24?

32?

Go on, keep going.

£34 in the room.

No, it's not looking good.

If you're all done, for 34.

VO: Uh-oh, that's Louise's first loss.

Chin up, girl!

I think you're a tad unlucky, but I'm hugely relieved.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Absolutely right, yeah.

VO: Right, it's time for Philip's anchor.

I'm very flattered, they've got my anchor in the silver section.

Anchor.

£24 with me, then.

Where's 26?

26 now.

It's a profit.

30 with me.

Selling then for 30.

VO: An impressive profit there.

VO: Not bad for an item bought off the beach.

Get in there.

I need to go back.

I wish I'd bought the rest of the boat now.

VO: Time for Phil's chamber stick.

I'm anxious about this now.

20 I have.

And two?

24?

26, 28.

There you go.

30.

32.

34.

36.

It's kind of doubled my money a bit, hasn't it?

You're on a roll.

46, 48.

Still going!

60.

Five.

70.

That's a relief, really.

Selling then for 70.

VO: That's another strong profit for Phil.

He's started to pull ahead.

Pleased it's made that.

I'm really, really pleased.

Really pleased.

Do you think there's any relationship between the fact that we have the last three lots in the sale and there is no one here left?

Alright.

Sitting on £20, then.

VO: Not to worry, you two, this auction house is online and on the phone.

VO: Next up, it's Louise's Victor Venner print.

Actually, that deserves to do well.

It does.

If you like the little doggie in the forefront.

15 I'm bid.

16.

18.

Whoa, we're off.

18 now.

20.

Oh dear.

..for 20.

VO: Ouch!

Perhaps if you'd had the pair.

I've got a proposal for you.

Go on.

You buy one of my lots and I'll buy one of yours.

VO: Here comes Phil's interesting piece of social history, the railway poster.

Here we go.

It's your poster.

Here we go, here we go.

15 to start us, surely.

15 is bid.

£16.

LG: There you go, 16.

PS: I'll settle for that.

Coming in online, it's £16.

18 online now.

I'm gonna take that.

I'm gonna take that.

Thank heavens for the internet.

I'm selling for 18.

I'll take that.

VO: I think you're going to have to take it Phil.

Give me the keys, I'll go and start the car.

It's another epic fail!

VO: Right then, time for the last lot of the day.

It's Louise's childhood dream - the pond yacht.

This is it, last lot.

And I'm bid 16.

18.

£20 I'm bid.

It's £20.

Go on, please.

Someone wants a pond yacht.

£22, and selling for 22.

It's an auction at the end of the day, and you just never know.

VO: Never has a truer word been spoken.

Come on, let's go.

VO: Time to crunch the numbers.

Louise started with £200, and after auction costs, she made a loss of £63.78.

So, she now has £136.22 to spend on the next leg.

VO: Philip also started with the same sum and, after saleroom fees were deducted, turned a respectable profit, meaning that he starts the next trip with £257.12.

Well done.

VO: The veteran may have won the day, but this Road Trip is a long way from over.

VO: Next time on the Antiques Road Trip... ..it gets a bit steamy.

(HE CHUCKLES) VO: Louise, meanwhile, gets down to business.

You're happy with 15?

DEALER: Yep.

LG: I'm happy with 15.

VO: The deals just... keep... coming.

VO: And Philip states the obvious.

I bet you're glad I'm not topless, aren't you?

(SHE CHUCKLES) subtitling@stv.tv