“Our TV debut with Retro Electro Workshop

New TV series, Retro Electro Workshop, came out on Yesterday channel last month featuring our very own regular contributor, Matt Marchant!

A UKTV Original series for Yesterday, Retro Electro Workshop is about the dying art of repairing electronics, featuring electronics repairer Matt, super-fixer Rob Howard and Shamil and his dad T� Rob Howard is one of the UK’s last remaining full-time repairers of retro-electronic products with over 30 years experience� Walthamstowbased restoration specialists Shamil, and his dad T, run a vintage electronics store� Matt Marchant has answered some questions to help us to get to know him a bit a better�

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF MATT.

I was born in Shoreham-by-Sea and developed an almost unhealthy obsession with electro-mechanical items from a young age� My mum said I’d frequently flip my buggy over, just to play with the wheels� My parents would often discover me taking apart the family’s Hoover or toaster, while most normal kids kicked a ball around� Playing with Lego, bikes, old radios and the odd washing machine as a child eventually led me to work for BT as an apprentice� I worked my way from junior technician to senior engineer� I left BT in 2018 and now work for the local authority in business management�

I started FixItWorkshop in 2017 as a fun fixing-related blog, where I measured repair time in biscuits and tea drinking� FixItWorkshop grew legs and has become a part-time business alongside my family commitments�

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN FIXING ELECTRONICS AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO IT?

Since childhood� My Dad was a high street branch manager for

Indesit in the 1980s and I would get involved in some of the repairs�

My Nan was a highly skilled seamstress with a room in her house dedicated to dress-making and garment repair work� I watched her make and repair clothes, always fascinated by the equipment she used� My love of cars and motorbikes came from a neighbour and life-long friend� I first got the chance to work on engines, car bodywork etc� with him�

ARE MOST RETRO GADGETS REPAIRABLE?

Shamil buys a Sinclair C5, Rob has a mayday call from Radio Caroline and Matt tackles a Casio keyboard�

EPISODE 3 – JUKE BOX:

Shamil finds a 70s Juke Box, Rob works on an old bus and Matt works on a collectable Kit Cat clock that doesn’t tell the time�

EPISODE 4 – COMMODORE 64:

Shamil and Rob pick up a Commodore 64 and Spectrum ZX for repair and Matt meets a customer with a Raleigh Vektar bike�

EPISODE 5 – BOOMBOX:

Shamil buys a Boombox for repair, Rob visits a collector of wartime memorabilia with an old radio that hasn’t worked in decades and Matt gets smoked out of his workshop by a retro food mixer�

EPISODE 6 – WELTRON 8 TRACK:

Shamil finds an iconic Weltron Space Helmet radio, Rob picks up a 1950s Ferguson TV and Matt fixes an Elna sewing machine that no longer stitches�

EPISODE 7 – PINBALL:

Shamil buys a vintage pinball machine, Rob goes to an auction of old radios and makes a rare find, while Matt re-wires an Edwardian lamp that is a family heirloom�

EPISODE 8 – SCALEXTRIC:

WHAT’S

USUALLY WRONG WITH THE ITEMS THAT ARE BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR?

Common issues are breaks in wiring/connections, jammed motors, worn capacitors, etc� Age is a factor, for sure� A seasoned repairer will know what to look for� The stranger the item, the longer the diagnosis time� Lastly, plain neglect and a lack of care� A wipe with a damp cloth and a drop of oil can go a long way towards keeping something working for longer which to me, is what it’s all about� I dislike waste and hate seeing an otherwise serviceable thing go to waste when I can see that it still has more life to offer�

Yes and no� Yes, as older gadgets had components that one can see with the naked eye and test using a basic test meter� In stark contrast to modern gadgets with micro or even nano technology, older equipment tended to be designed with service in mind, with good access and component test and replacement included in the design� No, because some older components are not available today, since technologies have faded away� Even servicing some tape decks made in the 1990s is sometimes a tall order, due to spares availability�

IF SOMEONE WANTED TO START FIXING THEIR OWN GADGETS, WHAT ARE THE 2 BASIC TOOLS THEY WOULD NEED?

A basic multimeter and a small flat bladed screwdriver� Any selfrespecting repairer must have those before they get out of bed� YouTube has no doubt saved many a broken item and has empowered those who wouldn’t normally tackle a job like this, to succeed for themselves�

Shamil relives his childhood memories with a classic Scalextric, Rob lends a hand at a charity workshop and Matt repairs a late 80s Panasonic cassette player�

EPISODE 9 – RADIOGRAM:

Shamil hunts down a battered 1940s Marconi Radiogram, Rob gets a 50s TV working again and Matt works on an electro-mechanical Burger toy�

EPISODE 10 – TECHNICS:

Shamil buys an 80s Technics deck for Rob to restore� Rob is called out to a museum for a Marconi set repair� Matt works on a hostess trolley that has special memories for its owner�