Original subtitles

*

Narrator: THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN LONDON,

ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC STRUCTURES ON THE PLANET.

THIS WASN'T JUST BUILDING A BUILDING.

THIS WAS A MAJOR PIECE OF ENGINEERING.

Narrator: MYSTERIES AND SECRETS LIE

BENEATH THE SKIN OF THIS MEGA STRUCTURE.

IT'S THE MOST REMARKABLE BUILDING IN THE WORLD.

Narrator: HOW DID ITS CREATORS

PUSH TECHNOLOGY TO THE VERY LIMITS

AND INVENT THE BLUEPRINT FOR MODERN SKYSCRAPERS?

WHAT KEEPS THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS CLOCK IN PERFECT TIME?

AND HOW DOES IT SURVIVE ALL THAT MOTHER NATURE CAN THROW AT IT?

THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE THESE MYSTERIES IS

TO BLOW THIS IMMENSE PALACE APART, BRICK BY BRICK

AND DISMANTLE ITS FAMOUS CLOCK TOWER COG BY COG.

DIVING DEEP THROUGH ITS WALL AND VAULTS WILL HELP US

UNEARTH THE ASTONISHING SECRETS

AT THE HEART OF THIS VICTORIAN WONDER.

*

-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

STANDING ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER THAMES,

IN THE HEART OF LONDON, ENGLAND, IS THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER,

BETTER KNOWN AS THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.

A LABYRINTH OF MORE THAN 3 MILES OF CORRIDORS

CONNECTING MORE THAN 1,000

GRAND ROOMS, CHAMBERS, AND VAULTS.

THIS SITE HAS BEEN THE HOME

OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOR CENTURIES.

IT'S BUILT TO LOOK LIKE A GIANT MEDIEVAL CASTLE.

BUT IT HIDES MANY MODERN SECRETS.

THIS IMMENSE PALACE WAS COMPLETED IN 1870.

IT HAS MORE THAN 1,000 ROOMS SPREAD ACROSS 8 ACRES.

IT HAS THREE SPECTACULAR TOWERS.

TO THE SOUTH, THE VICTORIA TOWER,

THE TALLEST SQUARE TOWER IN THE WORLD

WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED.

IN THE CENTER, THE HUGE SPIRE HAS OVER 2,000 PANES OF GLASS.

AND TO THE NORTH, THE ICONIC BIG BEN,

HOME TO ONE OF THE GREATEST TIMEPIECES

THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

*

AN ENGINEERING MARVEL, WHEN IT WAS CONSTRUCTED,

THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED BUILDINGS

ON THE PLANET.

AN ARMY OF WORKERS KEEPS THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT RUNNING.

AND TODAY, A MULTI-BILLION-DOLLAR

RESTORATION PROJECT IS UNDER WAY,

UPGRADING THE BUILDING'S ROOF,

STONEWORK,

AND ORNATE INTERIORS.

THE PROJECT IS HELPING TO UNLOCK

THE VICTORIAN MYSTERIES OF THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.

CHIEF AMONG THEM IS THE CLOCK TOWER,

A PIONEERING DISPLAY OF ENGINEERING GENIUS

BETTER KNOWN AS BIG BEN.

*

HOW DID THE VICTORIANS MAKE THE WORLD'S LARGEST,

MOST AMBITIOUS CLOCK AND HAVE IT RUN ON TIME

IN A TOWER ALMOST 300 FEET TALL?

INSIDE THE TOWER,

IT IS MASTER CLOCKMAKER IAN WESTWORTH'S JOB

TO KEEP BIG BEN RUNNING ON TIME.

YOU'VE GOT 334 STAIRS IN THE CLOCK TOWER

AND NO LIFT, UNFORTUNATELY.

Narrator: IT'S A TASK THAT TAKES HIM

BEHIND THE FACE OF THIS FAMOUS LANDMARK

AND INTO THE HEART

OF THIS CLOCK'S EXTRAORDINARY MECHANISM.

*

INSIDE THIS ICONIC CLOCK TOWER HANGS BIG BEN ITSELF,

THE NEARLY 14-TON BELL THAT GIVES THE TOWER ITS NICKNAME.

THE BELLS THAT CHIME ON THE QUARTER-HOUR SIT AROUND IT.

THEIR STRIKES ARE CONTROLLED BY THE INTRICATE

TICKING MECHANISM AT THE HEART OF THE TOWER.

IT KEEPS THE CLOCK ACCURATE TO WITHIN JUST 2 SECONDS A WEEK.

ON EACH SIDE, 312 SHARDS OF OPAL GLASS MAKE UP THE CLOCK FACE.

THE COPPER MINUTE HANDS ARE 14 FEET LONG --

AS TALL AS A DOUBLE-DECKER BUS.

THESE FAMOUS DIALS HAVE KEPT LONDON RUNNING ON TIME

FOR 160 YEARS.

LIKE ANY ORDINARY WRISTWATCH, THIS CLOCK NEEDS WINDING,

JUST AS IT DID IN VICTORIAN TIMES.

PUT THE WINDING HANDLE ON...

AND THEN WINDING FOR ABOUT THE NEXT HOUR AND A HALF.

Narrator: WHEN PARLIAMENT COMMISSIONED THIS CLOCK IN 1854,

THEY INSISTED BIG BEN BE THE BIGGEST,

MOST POWERFUL CHIMING CLOCK IN THE WORLD...

[ GEAR CLICKS ]

AND MOST CHALLENGING FOR THE DESIGNERS,

ACCURATE TO WITHIN 2 SECONDS PER WEEK.

[ GEARS CLICKING ]

BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM

WITH MAKING SUCH A GIANT CLOCK ACCURATE.

Westworth: THE CLOCKMAKERS OF THE DAY SAID YOU JUST COULDN'T DO IT.

OUR MINUTE HANDS ARE 14 FEET LONG,

SO IN A GOOD GUST OF WIND, THEY ACTED LIKE SAILS.

AND CLOCKS BEFORE THIS TIME, THE WIND WOULD CATCH THE HANDS,

AND THE HANDS WOULD DRIVE BACK AND MAKE THE CLOCK INACCURATE.

*

Narrator: HOW DID THE VICTORIANS

DESIGN A CLOCK THAT COULD RESIST THE WIND?

THE SECRET TO STOPPING STRONG GUSTS BLOWING THE HANDS

OUT OF TIME IS A SET OF HEAVY WEIGHTS

THAT PULL THE HANDS AROUND AS THEY DROP.

TWO SWINGING ARMS KEEP THE WEIGHTS DROPPING

AT THE CORRECT SPEED BY PUSHING THE PENDULUM,

WHICH SETS THE TICKING SPEED OF THE CLOCK.

*

THE PENDULUM TURNS A RATCHET WHEEL ONCE EVERY SECOND...

...WHICH RELEASES THE WEIGHTS BY A PRECISE AMOUNT...

...SO THEY CAN PULL THE CLOCK HANDS AROUND

AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT SPEED.

THE VICTORIANS HAD STOPPED THE WIND FROM AFFECTING BIG BEN,

BUT WITH ANY CLOCK, MINUTE CHANGES IN THE ATMOSPHERE

COULD ALSO IMPACT THE MECHANISM.

AND THE BIGGER THE CLOCK, THE BIGGER THE RISK.

TODAY, IAN USES TECHNOLOGY

THAT VICTORIAN CLOCKMAKERS COULD ONLY DREAM OF.

A SYSTEM OF SENSORS HOOKED UP TO A COMPUTER ALLOWS HIM

TO MONITOR THE TINY ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES.

WE'VE GOT TEMPERATURE IN THE CLOCK ROOM,

WHICH WE MONITOR ALL THE TIME.

THE GREEN LINE TRACKS CHANGES IN TEMPERATURE

THAT CAUSES THE MECHANISM'S METAL TO EXPAND AND CONTRACT.

Westworth: JUST THESE LITTLE BLIPS ON THE TEMPERATURE

ARE PEOPLE COMING IN.

THAT'S HOW ACCURATE WE'RE ACTUALLY MONITORING

WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE CLOCK ROOM.

Narrator: ANOTHER SENSOR ALLOWS IAN TO CHECK THE EFFECT

OF THESE TEMPERATURE CHANGES ON THE PENDULUM.

AT THE BOTTOM OF THE 14 1/2 FEET LONG PENDULUM,

THERE'S AN OPTICAL SENSOR.

EVERY TIME THE PENDULUM BREAKS THE OPTICS,

IT SENDS A MESSAGE TO THIS LAPTOP.

THE PENDULUM SHOULD BE BREAKING IT EVERY 2 SECONDS.

AND THE BROWN LINE DOWN THE MIDDLE WILL TELL US

EXACTLY HOW CLOSE TO 2 SECONDS WE ARE.

AT THE MOMENT, WE'RE RUNNING AT 2.00012.

SHE'S DOING ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC,

APART FROM BEING A LITTLE BIT SLOW.

Narrator: IAN THINKS THAT THE DAY'S TEMPERATURE CHANGES

HAVE CAUSED THIS INACCURACY.

IT MAY BE SMALL, BUT WITHOUT EXPERT INTERVENTION,

IT WILL KNOCK THE CLOCK 5 SECONDS OUT OF TIME

IN A SINGLE DAY.

IAN CHECKS IF BIG BEN IS ON TIME.

HE GETS AN ACCURATE READING OF GREENWICH MEAN TIME

AND THEN HEADS TO THE BELFRY.

IT'S CURRENTLY ALMOST 10:00 A.M.

WILL BIG BEN CHIME ON TIME?

Westworth: SO, WHAT YOU'LL SEE --

THIS IS THE FIRST HAMMER THAT MOVES,

SO IT DOESN'T COME AS A SHOCK.

IF YOU WATCH THAT ONE, IT'LL LIFT UP

AND DROP AND PLAY THE 16 NOTES.

THEN THERE'S A PAUSE OF ABOUT 10 SECONDS,

AND THEN THAT ONE WILL GO.

IT'LL BE ANY MOMENT...

NOW.

[ BELLS TOLLING ]

[ BELL TOLLS ]

Narrator: BIG BEN'S CHIME ROARS ACROSS THE CAPITAL

AT 118 DECIBELS,

ALMOST AS LOUD AS A JET PLANE TAKING OFF.

Westworth: YOU CAN FEEL THE VIBRATION OF THE BELL

THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BELFRY.

WHEN THE BELL WAS FIRST FITTED,

YOU COULD HEAR IT 10 KILOMETERS AWAY.

NOWADAYS, YOU'LL BE LUCKY TO HEAR IT HALF A KILOMETER AWAY

ACROSS THE RIVER, 'CAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH NOISE IN LONDON NOW.

[ TOLLING CONTINUES ]

Narrator: SO, IS THE CLOCK ON TIME?

WE'RE ONE SECOND SLOW.

Narrator: WITH THE TEMPERATURE AFFECTING BIG BEN THIS MUCH,

IAN NEEDS TO BRING THE CLOCK BACK UP TO SPEED.

BUT HOW CAN HE ADJUST THE TIME ON A CLOCK

THAT'S GOT 14-FOOT-LONG HANDS?

IAN KNOWS THE SECRET THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN

FROM BIG BEN'S ORIGINAL CLOCK KEEPERS.

Westworth: TRADITIONALLY, WHAT WE DO, WE ADD A PENNY.

ONE PENNY -- OLD PRE-DECIMAL COIN --

SPEEDS THE CLOCK UP JUST TO BRING THE CLOCK BACK INTO TIME.

Narrator: LIKE THOSE ORIGINAL CLOCK KEEPERS,

IAN KNOWS THIS TINY WEIGHT RAISES THE PENDULUM'S

CENTER OF GRAVITY AND MAKES IT SWING FASTER.

WE'VE CORRECTED IT, AND IT'S COME BACK UP TO TIME.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD FOR A 160-YEAR-OLD CLOCK.

Narrator: WITH THE MIXTURE OF VICTORIAN KNOW-HOW

AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY,

IAN KEEPS BIG BEN IN PERFECT TIME.

[ BELL TOLLS ]

*

THE CLOCK STANDS IN A NEARLY 9,000-TON TOWER

THAT RISES FROM LONDON'S SOFT, GRAVELLY EARTH.

HOW DID THE VICTORIANS STOP THIS BEHEMOTH TOWER

FROM COLLAPSING ON SUCH UNSTABLE GROUND?

AND HOW HAS IT SURVIVED

AS THE CITY HAS EXPANDED BENEATH IT?

*

Narrator: THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN LONDON,

THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED BUILDING OF ITS AGE.

AN ARMY OF EXPERTS KEEPS THIS STRUCTURE RUNNING,

REVEALING ITS VICTORIAN SECRETS AS THEY GO.

*

FOR OVER A CENTURY, BIG BEN HAS BEEN

THE TICKING HEART AT THE CITY'S CENTER.

A TRIUMPH OF ENGINEERING,

SUPPORTING THIS GROUNDBREAKING CLOCK

REQUIRES A TOWER THAT'S EQUALLY MAGNIFICENT.

MADE FROM OVER 1 MILLION STONES AND BRICKS,

THIS TOWER IS ENORMOUSLY HEAVY.

38 TONS OF IRON TILE SIT ON TOP OF THE SPIRE.

BENEATH THEM, THE BRONZE BELLS WEIGH 24 TONS.

THE CLOCK MECHANISM IS AS HEAVY AS A MILITARY TRUCK.

TO HOLD UP THE COLOSSAL STRUCTURE --

NEARLY 9,000 TONS OF STONE AND BRICK --

THE VICTORIANS BUILT A CONCRETE FOUNDATION ALMOST 10 FEET THICK

TO STOP THE TOWERS FROM SINKING INTO THE WET SAND BENEATH.

THESE SOLID FOUNDATIONS HAVE KEPT THIS LONDON LANDMARK

STANDING TALL FOR 160 YEARS.

BUT THE CHALLENGES FACING BIG BEN

WERE NOT OVER WHEN CONSTRUCTION FINISHED.

LONDON IS CONSTANTLY REBUILDING ITSELF.

AND ITS SUBTERRANEAN RAIL NETWORK,

THE UNDERGROUND, IS EVER-EXPANDING.

TODAY, THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TRAIN TUNNELS

POSES A CONSTANT THREAT TO BUILDINGS ON THE SURFACE.

THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS STRUCTURES ABOVEGROUND

MOVING BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING BELOWGROUND.

Narrator: GEOFF MORRIS IS ONE

OF THE LONDON UNDERGROUND'S ENGINEERS.

HE KNOWS JUST HOW DANGEROUS TUNNELING CAN BE.

AND THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE COLLAPSE.

Narrator: IN 1994,

THE LONDON UNDERGROUND EXCAVATED NEW TRAIN TUNNELS

JUST 90 FEET FROM THE BASE OF BIG BEN.

AS TUNNELING PROGRESSED, ENGINEERS WERE ALARMED

TO DETECT MOVEMENT IN THE BUILDINGS ABOVE.

THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE GROUND MOVEMENT

BECAUSE OF THE FOUNDATIONS BECOMING DESTABILIZED.

Narrator: THE ENGINEERS FACED A CHALLENGE.

THEY NEEDED TO STOP BIG BEN'S CLOCK TOWER FROM TILTING, FAST,

BUT THE PROBLEM WAS BIGGER THAN THEY REALIZED.

THE EARTH UNDER BIG BEN IS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE.

Morris: IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE SEASIDE

AND YOU TRY AND DIG A HOLE,

IT JUST INSTANTLY FILLS UP WITH WATER

AND GROWS WIDER INSTEAD OF DEEPER,

THEN THAT IS TYPICAL OF THE GRAVEL

AND THE GROUND CONDITIONS AT WESTMINSTER.

YOU NEED SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA WORK VERY QUICKLY.

Narrator: AS THE 24-FOOT-WIDE TRAIN TUNNELS RAN CLOSE

TO BIG BEN'S FOUNDATIONS...

THE TOWER BEGAN TO LEAN.

TO KEEP IT STABLE, ENGINEERS DUG A DEEP SHAFT...

...AND PUSHED LONG STEEL TUBES

INTO THE GROUND RIGHT BENEATH BIG BEN.

EACH TUBE HAD 600 VALVES

SO WORKERS COULD PUMP IN A CONCRETE MIXTURE

TO FILL THE CRACKS IN THE GROUND WITH PRECISION.

AS THE ENGINEERS DUG THE TUNNELS,

THEY INJECTED OVER 220 TONS OF CONCRETE MIXTURE,

SUCCESSFULLY STOPPING BIG BEN

FROM BECOMING A LEANING TOWER OF PISA.

Morris: ONCE THEY STABILIZED THE GROUND,

IT WOULD'VE STOPPED ANY POTENTIAL FURTHER MOVEMENT

ON THE CLOCK TOWER.

ONE OF THE KEY INGREDIENTS INTO SUCCESSFUL TUNNELING.

Narrator: THIS INGENIOUS INTERVENTION

KEPT THE TOWER STANDING UPRIGHT AND THE BELLS RINGING ON TIME.

[ BELLS TOLLING ]

EXPERTS MAY HAVE SAVED PARLIAMENT

FROM DANGERS BELOWGROUND, BUT NOW A BIGGER PROBLEM

THREATENS IT FROM ABOVE.

AFTER 160 YEARS COVERING THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,

THE ROOF IS FAILING.

WORK TO RESTORE IT GOES ON DAY AND NIGHT.

NO INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUILDING THIS ROOF

SURVIVE FROM VICTORIAN TIMES.

AS ENGINEERS DISMANTLE

THE 65,000-SQUARE-FOOT ROOF STRUCTURE,

THEY'RE UNCOVERING THE SECRETS OF ITS INTRICATE DESIGN.

ELTON BILTON IS IN CHARGE OF THE OPERATION.

*

HOW'S THAT LOOKING? ALL RIGHT?

ELTON AND HIS TEAM HAVE TO REMOVE

AND REPAIR EVERY SINGLE TILE.

WE'RE BUSY STRIPPING THE ROOF, TAKING ALL THE OLD TILES OFF.

THESE OLD TILES THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE ROOF

FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS,

THEY ARE DAMAGED AND IN A BAD STATE.

Narrator: AFTER SURVIVING LONDON'S WEATHER

FOR AN INCREDIBLE 160 YEARS, RESTORATION IS NOW CRITICAL.

IT'S A DANGEROUS UNDERTAKING.

Bilton: EACH TILE WEIGHS BETWEEN 40 AND 50 KILOGRAMS.

YOU WOULDN'T WANT A TILE LIKE THAT FALLING ON YOUR HEAD.

THEY'VE GOT SHARP EDGES, AND THEY'RE VERY HEAVY.

Narrator: ELTON REMOVES THE TILES

SO HE CAN SEND THEM AWAY FOR REPAIRS.

THEY MAY LOOK THE SAME, BUT EVERY SINGLE TILE IS UNIQUE.

PUTTING THE REPAIRED TILES BACK

WILL BE AN ENORMOUS JIGSAW PUZZLE.

Bilton: BEFORE ANYTHING GETS REMOVED FROM THE ROOF,

EACH AND EVERY COMPONENT HAS A UNIQUE NUMBER.

OTHERWISE, IT WOULD BE CHAOS,

AND WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHERE TO PUT THINGS.

Narrator: USING THIS PROCESS, ONCE THE TILES ARE RESTORED,

ELTON WILL REASSEMBLE THE 7,000-TILE ROOF

EXACTLY AS THE VICTORIANS INTENDED.

OKAY, THAT TILE'S NOW READY

TO GO BACK TO THE FACTORY FOR RESTORATION.

Narrator: WHY DID THE VICTORIANS

BUILD THE ROOF WITH SUCH A COMPLEX DESIGN?

*

THE ANSWER LIES IN A 19th-CENTURY DISASTER.

AT THIS TRAINING CENTER 50 MILES FROM PARLIAMENT,

FIREFIGHTERS THINK THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

IS EVERYBODY FIT AND WELL TO TAKE PART

IN THIS LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE?

I NEED A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM YOU ALL.

All: YES, SIR.

Narrator: THE ORIGINAL HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

WERE A COLLECTION OF MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS

THAT HAD STOOD ON THE THAMES FOR ALMOST 1,000 YEARS.

BUT IN 1834, A FIRE BROKE OUT IN PARLIAMENT

THAT CAUSED DESTRUCTION ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE.

THE SUDDEN FIREBALL WAS SO BRIGHT,

IT WAS SEEN 25 MILES AWAY.

THE BIG MYSTERY --

WHAT CAUSED SUCH A DEVASTATING EXPLOSION?

*

[ FIRE CRACKLING ]

Narrator: IN LONDON,

PAULINE HOLDEN TRAINS FIREFIGHTERS.

SHE THINKS THE 1834 EXPLOSION AT THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

WAS TRIGGERED BY A DEADLY PHENOMENON CALLED A FLASHOVER.

A FLASHOVER CAN OCCUR EXTREMELY QUICKLY -- WITHIN MINUTES.

Narrator: AS FIRE HEATS

THE COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS IN A ROOM,

THEY RELEASE FLAMMABLE GASES.

IF THESE GASES ARE TRAPPED IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE...

WHEN THE FIRE REACHES A CRITICAL TEMPERATURE,

THERE'S ONE POSSIBLE OUTCOME.

FIRE MAKES THE GASES EXPLODE INTO A FIREBALL.

Narrator: THIS IS A FLASHOVER.

BACK IN 1834,

PARLIAMENT'S BUILDINGS WERE MADE FROM STONE.

BUT THE ROOFS WERE MADE FROM WOOD.

THE FLASHOVER IGNITED THE WOODEN ROOFS,

SPREADING THE BLAZE WITH ASTONISHING SPEED.

FIREFIGHTERS BATTLED IN VAIN.

THE FIRE DESTROYED THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT.

BRITAIN'S GOVERNMENT NEEDED A NEW HEADQUARTERS.

AND THIS TIME, IT WOULD BE FIREPROOF.

*

INSIDE ANOTHER SECTION OF THE ROOF'S STRUCTURE,

PALACE ARCHITECT ADAM WATROBSKI IS INVESTIGATING

HOW THE VICTORIANS ENSURED THEIR PARLIAMENT

WOULD NEVER BURN TO THE GROUND.

Watrobski: AFTER THE GREAT FIRE OF 1834,

ONE OF THE PRIORITIES IN REBUILDING

THE NEW PALACE OF WESTMINSTER

WAS TO MAKE IT AS FIREPROOF AS POSSIBLE.

AND THIS REMARKABLE ROOF IS PART OF THAT FIREPROOFING EXERCISE.

Narrator: THE VICTORIAN ENGINEERS TOOK ADVANTAGE

OF A NEW BUILDING MATERIAL.

THE FRAME OF THE ROOF AND TILES ARE ALL MADE FROM CAST IRON.

CAST IRON HAD NEVER BEEN USED ON THIS SCALE BEFORE.

Narrator: WITH A MELTING POINT OF 2,300 DEGREES,

THIS CAST-IRON ROOF WOULD HOLD UP

WHEN A TIMBER ROOF WOULD JUST BURN.

THE CAST-IRON ROOF USED CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY,

BOTH IN TERMS OF THE MATERIALS AND THEIR CONSTRUCTION,

WITH, OF COURSE, NOT A COMPUTER IN SIGHT WHEN IT WAS DESIGNED,

SO THIS WAS A HUGE EXPERIMENT.

Narrator: PULLING THIS OFF WAS A GREAT CHALLENGE.

CAST IRON IS EXTREMELY HEAVY, SO HOW DID THE VICTORIANS

DESIGN THIS ROOF SO THAT IT WOULDN'T COLLAPSE IN ON ITSELF?

THE SECRET LIES HIDDEN INSIDE.

THE 7,000 CAST-IRON TILES THAT COVER THE ENTIRE PALACE

ADD OVER 386 TONS TO THE WEIGHT OF THE ROOF.

BUT EACH TILE HAS A CLEVER DESIGN,

WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO BECOME EXCEPTIONALLY STRONG

AS THEY LOCK RIGIDLY TOGETHER.

UNDERNEATH, A LIGHTWEIGHT SKELETON OF TRUSSES

IS ENOUGH TO HOLD THE ROOF ALOFT.

THE TRUSSES ADD VERY LITTLE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE

TO THE WALLS BELOW, CREATING THIS UNIQUE SYSTEM

THAT STILL PROTECTS THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TO THIS DAY.

*

IN THESE VAST WORKSHOPS IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE,

WORKERS ARE PREPARING THE IRON TILES THAT HAVE COME OFF

PARLIAMENT'S ROOF FOR RESTORATION.

THE ORIGINAL ENGINEERS COULD NEVER HAVE PREDICTED

HOW A CENTURY OF LONDON'S WEATHER

WOULD AFFECT THIS UNIQUE ROOF.

WORKERS BLAST THE TILES WITH PARTICLES OF STEEL,

REMOVING THE RUST AND GRIME

TO REVEAL ANY HOLES OR FRACTURES IN THE IRON.

REPAIRING THIS DAMAGE IS

THE MOST IMPORTANT STAGE OF THE RESTORATION.

IT'S A HIGHLY SPECIALIZED JOB.

DANNY WHITWORTH IS IN CHARGE

OF FIXING PARLIAMENT'S ROOF TILES.

DANNY APPLIES BRONZE AT OVER 1,500 DEGREES

INTO THE DEFECTS IN THE TILE.

THIS RESTORES THE TILE'S STRENGTH.

BUT APPLYING TOO MUCH HEAT COULD CAUSE THE BRITTLE IRON TO CRACK.

WITH ONE SLIP OF THE HAND,

DANNY COULD RUIN THE 160-YEAR-OLD TILE.

*

ONCE REPAIRED, THE TILES ARE RETURNED

TO THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,

READY FOR ELTON TO INSTALL ON THE ROOF.

*

THAT'S A PREFECT FIT.

IF THEY ALL FIT IN LIKE THAT, WE'D BE VERY HAPPY.

THIS ROOF SHOULD LAST FOR ANOTHER 80 TO 100 YEARS.

THANKS TO ELTON'S TEAM,

ANOTHER SECTION OF THE ROOF IS COMPLETE.

JOB WELL DONE, I'D SAY.

Narrator: THE PALACE'S ALL-IRON ROOF

WAS A UNIQUE ENGINEERING SOLUTION.

BUT ITS VICTORIAN CREATORS WANTED TO PUSH PARLIAMENT

TO RECORD-BREAKING HEIGHTS.

TO DO THIS, THEY HAD TO INVENT A RADICAL NEW WAY OF BUILDING

AND TAKE ON THE RIVER THAMES ITSELF.

*

Narrator: BRITAIN'S HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,

A BUILDING LIGHT-YEARS AHEAD OF ITS TIME.

TODAY, EXPERTS ARE DECIPHERING

THE MYSTERIES OF ITS VICTORIAN DESIGN.

AT ITS SOUTHERN END SOARS THE EXTRAORDINARY VICTORIA TOWER.

IT STANDS 320 FEET HIGH,

EVEN TALLER THAN BIG BEN'S CLOCK TOWER.

YET AT ITS BASE CONTAINS A VAST, OPEN, CEREMONIAL ENTRANCE.

HOW DID ENGINEERS BUILD THIS 320-FOOT-HIGH MEGA STRUCTURE

AND SUPPORT ITS NINE FLOORS ABOVE THIS EMPTY SPACE?

*

THE TRADITIONAL BRICKS AND STONES HIDE A SECRET --

AN IMMENSE IRON SKELETON.

A NETWORK OF TAPERING COLUMNS, EACH 200 FEET TALL,

SUPPORTS THE WEIGHT OF THE BUILDING'S FLOORS.

THE COLUMNS CHANNEL THIS IMMENSE LOAD

DOWN TO A BASE MADE FROM 13-TON GIRDERS.

IT TRANSFERS THE WEIGHT OF THE FLOORS ONTO FOUR EXTERNAL WALLS,

LEAVING AN IMMENSE STONE VAULT BELOW.

THE VICTORIA TOWER'S ENGINEERING WAS DECADES AHEAD OF ITS TIME.

THIS TOWER WAS THE INSPIRATION

FOR ONE OF AMERICA'S EARLIEST SKYSCRAPERS --

THE WOOLWORTH BUILDING IN NEW YORK.

ITS IRON SKELETON WAS A VITAL STEP

TOWARDS DEVELOPING STEEL-FRAME SKYSCRAPERS

IN THE 20th CENTURY, WHICH WENT ON TO DOMINATE

NOT ONLY NEW YORK'S ICONIC SKYLINE,

BUT CITIES ACROSS THE WORLD.

THE VICTORIANS HAD BUILT A PRECURSOR TO MODERN SKYSCRAPERS,

BUT WHY DID THEY NEED TO CONSTRUCT

SUCH AN EXTRAORDINARY STRUCTURE?

*

DEEP INSIDE THE VICTORIA TOWER HOLDS PARLIAMENT'S

MOST PRECIOUS TREASURES, JUST AS IT DID WHEN IT WAS BUILT.

AROUND US, WE CAN SEE 64,000 ACTS OF PARLIAMENT,

DATING BACK TO THE 15th CENTURY, STORED IN PARCHMENT SCROLLS,

ONE SCROLL PER ACT --

ALL THE LAWS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED

BY PARLIAMENT OVER THE CENTURIES.

Narrator: ARCHIVIST CAROLINE SHENTON

GUARDS THESE PRICELESS LAWS.

IT'S AN AMAZING SPACE AND AIR-CONDITIONED, TOO --

16 DEGREES CENTIGRADE AND 55% HUMIDITY,

WHICH HELPS TO KEEP ALL THESE INCREDIBLE SCROLLS

AT THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE TO PRESERVE THEM FOR THE FUTURE.

Narrator: STORING ALL OF PARLIAMENT'S DOCUMENTS AND LAWS

PUSH THE VICTORIA TOWER UP TO ITS RECORD-BREAKING HEIGHT.

BUT BUILDING BIG WAS A HUGE CHALLENGE.

BACK IN 1834, AS TODAY, ROADS AND HISTORIC BUILDINGS

SURROUNDED THE SITE ON THREE SIDES.

THERE WAS NO SPACE FOR THE SCAFFOLDING OR CRANES

THAT COULD CREATE SUCH A VAST TOWER.

THE VICTORIANS NEEDED TO INVENT A RADICALLY NEW WAY OF BUILDING.

ENGINEERS HIT ON AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION...

...TO USE A GIANT, RISING PLATFORM

AND BUILD THE ENTIRE TOWER FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

EIGHT MEN HOISTED UP THE 44-TON PLATFORM,

CRANKING THE GEARS IN 6-FOOT BURSTS.

ON TOP, A CRANE LIFTED THE 4 TONS OF STONES

FROM THE GROUND TO THE PLATFORM.

POWERED BY A STEAM ENGINE,

IT COULD DELIVER 10 LOADS AN HOUR.

TWO MORE CRANES PLACED THE HEAVY STONES

IN POSITION ON THE TOWER WALLS.

TO OBSERVERS, THE TOWER APPEARED

TO GROW EFFORTLESSLY UNDER ITS OWN STEAM.

THIS INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE SOLVED

THE ENGINEERS' PROBLEM ON ONE SIDE OF THE PALACE.

BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, THEY HAD TO CONTEND

WITH AN EVEN GREATER ADVERSARY --

THE RIVER THAMES.

AT PARLIAMENT'S RIVER WALL,

WHERE THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT MEETS THE RIVER THAMES,

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER ALISTAIR LENCZNER INVESTIGATES

HOW THE VICTORIANS CREATED

THE SPACE THEY NEEDED FOR THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

THEY WORKED OUT THAT THE SIZE OF BUILDING THEY REALLY NEEDED

WAS ACTUALLY A LOT LARGER THAN THE SPACE THAT WAS AVAILABLE.

Narrator: WITH ROADS AND BUILDINGS SURROUNDING THE SITE,

PARLIAMENT'S DESIGNERS COULD ONLY EXPAND IN ONE DIRECTION.

SO, IF WE CONSIDER THIS AREA HERE...

IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE NEW BUILDING DESIGN,

BUT THIS LINE HERE IS THE LINE OF THE RIVERBANK AT THE TIME.

SO WE CAN SEE THAT ALL THIS PART OF THE BUILDING

HAD TO BE BUILT OUT INTO THE EXISTING TIDAL RIVER THAMES.

Narrator: TO BUILD ON THIS LAND, VICTORIAN ENGINEERS

NEEDED TO RECLAIM IT FROM THE RIVER.

IT WAS A HUGE CHALLENGE THAT CALLED

FOR A TRAILBLAZING CONSTRUCTION PLAN.

*

Narrator: TO BUILD LONDON'S HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,

ENGINEERS HAD TO RECLAIM LAND FROM THE RIVER THAMES.

FIRST, THEY TOOK TWIN ROWS OF TIMBER PILES,

EACH 36 FEET DEEP, AND DROVE THEM INTO THE RIVERBED.

THEN THEY FIXED SHEETS OF STEEL

BETWEEN THE PILES TO CREATE TWO BARRIERS.

EACH BARRIER WAS OVER 790 FEET LONG.

THE ENGINEERS FILLED THE SPACE WITH CLAY

TO CREATE A WATERTIGHT WALL CALLED A COFFERDAM.

FINALLY, THEY DRAINED THE TRAPPED RIVER WATER

AND FILLED THE SPACE WITH CONCRETE

TO FORM THE FOUNDATIONS OF PARLIAMENT.

THE FINAL CHALLENGE WAS TO REPLACE THE TEMPORARY

COFFERDAM WITH SOMETHING STRONG ENOUGH

TO WITHSTAND THE MIGHTY THAMES.

SO, ONCE THE COFFERDAM HAD BEEN BUILT

AND THEY'D CREATED THE DRY SPACE BEHIND IT,

THAT ALLOWED THEM TO START CONSTRUCTION

OF THE PERMANENT RIVER WALL.

Narrator: THIS WALL NEEDS TO PROTECT PARLIAMENT

FROM THE EXTREME PRESSURES OF THE RISING TIDE.

THE SECRET TO THE STRENGTH OF THE RIVER WALL

LIES IN ITS SHAPE.

AT HIGH TIDE, THE PRESSURE GETS BIGGER THE LOWER YOU GET DOWN.

TO RESIST THAT HIGHER PRESSURE LOWER DOWN,

THE RIVER WALL ITSELF NEEDS TO GET WIDER

AND MORE MASSIVE TO STAY STABLE UNDER THE WATER PRESSURE.

BEHIND ME, YOU CAN SEE THE SHAPE WHICH TAPERS UPWARDS.

Narrator: TODAY, DAMS ALL OVER THE WORLD

USE THIS SAME TAPER DESIGN.

IT HAS KEPT THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

STANDING TALL IN THE RIVER FOR OVER 160 YEARS.

BUT THESE STONES AREN'T INVINCIBLE.

ON THE ROOFTOP, THE STONEWORK IS UNDER ATTACK.

ON THE LORDS' ROOF, ARCHITECT ADAM WATROBSKI

INVESTIGATES THE FABRIC OF THE BUILDING.

Watrobski: THERE'S A GARGOYLE UP THERE WITH A HEAD MISSING.

THE STONE CORRODED SO MUCH THAT THAT HEAD PROBABLY FELL OFF.

Narrator: ENGINEERS MUST CONSTANTLY MONITOR

PARLIAMENT'S LIMESTONE EXTERIOR.

THIS BLACK IS AN ACCUMULATION OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION

PRODUCED BY COAL FIRES AND BY FACTORIES

DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA.

Narrator: THIS POLLUTION WILL HAVE

LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON THE BUILDING.

Watrobski: THE POLLUTION THAT YOU SEE ON THE SURFACE

IS QUITE DAMAGING, BECAUSE THE RAIN FALLS ON IT,

AND THE BLACK, WHICH IS CARBON, FORMS ACID,

AND THE ACID THEN CHANGES THE COMPOSITION

OF THE STONE INTO THIS POWDER, WHICH JUST SIMPLY DROPS OFF.

Narrator: ADAM'S TEAM MUST REPLACE

THIS DETERIORATED STONEWORK WITH NEW, MORE ROBUST LIMESTONE,

A JOB THAT CONTINUES ACROSS THE BUILDING.

BUT POLLUTION IS NOT THE ONLY THING

THAT THREATENS PARLIAMENT'S DELICATE STONE.

THERE IS ONE EVER-PRESENT DANGER

THAT ONLY PARLIAMENT'S MOST UNUSUAL TEAM CAN TACKLE.

[ BELL JINGLING ]

Bigwood: I DO GET A LOT OF FUNNY LOOKS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE PASS ME.

A LOT OF THE TIME, THEY LOOK BACK AT ME

'CAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY'VE JUST SEEN.

[ BELL JINGLING ]

*

Narrator: MARK BIGWOOD AND HIS HAWK, ANGEL,

PROTECT PARLIAMENT FROM A SURPRISING THREAT --

LONDON'S ARMY OF PIGEONS.

[ PIGEON COOS ]

ANGEL'S JOB IS TO KEEP THE PIGEONS OFF THE BUILDING.

PIGEONS' DROPPINGS ARE VERY ACIDIC TO THE LIMESTONE

THAT THE PALACE IS BUILT OF,

AND IT WOULD CAUSE AN AWFUL LOT OF DAMAGE

TO THE STONEWORK, SOME OF IT IRREVERSIBLE.

Narrator: WITHOUT THIS ESSENTIAL WORK,

THE PIGEON DROPPINGS COULD DESTROY

THE PALACE'S DELICATE LIMESTONE FACADE.

[ BELL JINGLES ]

THE AIM ISN'T TO ACTUALLY CATCH THE PIGEONS.

ANGEL'S PRESENCE HERE PROVIDES ALL OF THE DETERRENT NEEDED.

Bigwood: PIGEONS ARE NATURALLY AFRAID OF BIRDS OF PREY.

AND PIGEONS RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT HE'S A BIRD OF PREY,

SO THEY ARE AFRAID OF IT.

Narrator: MARK AND ANGEL'S ROOFTOP PATROLS

HAVE HAD A HUGE IMPACT.

WHEN WE STARTED WORKING HERE ABOUT 10, 15 YEARS AGO,

THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30, 40 PIGEONS

THAT WERE PERMANENTLY ON SITE.

THEY WERE ROOSTING AND NESTING ON SITE.

AND NOW THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF PIGEONS

THAT WANDER IN DURING THE DAY.

Narrator: MARK AND ANGEL'S INVALUABLE WORK IS HELPING

TO KEEP PARLIAMENT'S STONEWORK PRISTINE

160 YEARS AFTER IT WAS BUILT.

TODAY, INVESTIGATORS ARE UNLOCKING THE SECRETS

HELD INSIDE THIS EXTRAORDINARY BUILDING.

THEY'RE FINDING SPACES THAT APPEAR TO HAVE HIDDEN PURPOSES.

COULD THIS VAST CAVITY AT THE HEART OF THE BUILDING

BE THE SECRET TO UNDERSTANDING THESE HUGE TUNNEL SYSTEMS?

*

*

Narrator: LONDON'S HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,

A VICTORIAN ENGINEERING MARVEL

ENCASED IN A SPECTACULAR GOTHIC SHELL.

PARLIAMENT ISN'T JUST A MONUMENT.

IT'S A LIVING, WORKING BUILDING.

THE VICTORIANS HAD TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE COULD WORK HERE

DURING THE COLDEST WINTER MONTHS.

OPEN FIRES HEATED UP ITS 1,000-PLUS ROOMS.

SO HOW DID THEY STOP PARLIAMENT FROM FILLING UP WITH SMOKE?

AN AMAZING INNOVATION SITS RIGHT AT THE HEART OF THE PALACE.

THIS ELABORATE SPIRE IS, IN FACT, A CHIMNEY

THAT SITS ABOVE THE PALACE'S BUSY CENTRAL LOBBY.

WARM AIR FROM THE ROOM BELOW ROSE UP

THROUGH A HOLE IN ITS DOMED ROOF.

THIS CREATED AN UPWARDS CURRENT THAT PUSHES SMOKE UP

AND OUT OF THE GIGANTIC SPIRE THROUGH 16 HOLES

SPREAD ACROSS THE TOWER AND 32 OPEN WINDOWS.

THIS HIDDEN VENTILATION SYSTEM

WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.

*

TODAY, THIS CHIMNEY IS LOCKED UP

AND KEPT SECRET FROM MOST VISITORS TO PARLIAMENT.

*

ARCHITECT ADAM WATROBSKI INVESTIGATES IF IT

COULD REALLY HAVE WORKED AS THE DESIGNERS HOPED.

WE'RE DIRECTLY OVER CENTRAL LOBBY,

WHICH IS THE CROSSROADS OF THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER.

Narrator: THIS LOCATION IS CRUCIAL TO THE VICTORIAN CHIMNEY DESIGN.

ADAM WANTS TO TEST JUST HOW EFFICIENT

THE VENTILATION SYSTEM WAS.

YOU CAN FEEL REALLY QUITE A STRONG UPDRAFT

COMING FROM CENTRAL LOBBY BELOW ME HERE.

I'VE GOT THIS PIECE OF KIT HERE,

WHICH, AS I STEP BACK, WILL MEASURE THE AIR SPEED.

IT'S VERY RAPIDLY RISING HERE.

QUITE A HIGH SPEED.

Narrator: THIS AIR CURRENT IS STRONG ENOUGH

TO PUSH SMOKE UP AND OUT OF THE SPIRE.

IT'S EVEN FASTER THAN MODERN AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEMS.

THIS PART OF THE HISTORICAL VENTILATION SYSTEM

WOULD'VE REALLY WORKED QUITE WELL.

Narrator: CLEAN AIR FLOWED IN THROUGH THE TOPS

OF THE TALLEST TOWERS TO AVOID THE POLLUTION OF THE CITY.

GIANT, 10-FOOT FANS DREW FRESH AIR THROUGH HUGE TUNNELS

IN THE BASEMENT AND PUMPED IT

TO HUNDREDS OF ROOMS ACROSS THE PALACE.

BELOW THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, A GAUZE FILTER PURIFIED THE AIR,

A WATER SPRAY MOISTENED IT, AND HOT COILS MADE IT WARM

BEFORE RELEASING IT INTO THE CHAMBER.

OLD AIR RUSHED OUT THROUGH THE CEILINGS

AND FUNNELED THROUGH THE SPIRE.

HERE, THE AIR RISING FROM THE CENTRAL LOBBY

LIFTED IT FROM THE BUILDING.

TODAY, THE HUGE HEATING AND VENTILATION TUNNELS

IN THE BUILDING HAVE BEEN REPURPOSED

AND ARE EQUIPPED WITH MODERN UTILITIES.

BUT ADAM STILL FINDS TRACES

OF THIS PIONEERING SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.

THIS IS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL VENTILATION HATCHES,

WHICH WERE CONTROLLED BY AN ARMY OF PEOPLE

IN THESE UNDERGROUND TUNNELS.

AND THIS WAS USED TO ALLOW THE FRESH AIR INTO THE TUNNELS

AND TO BE SUBSEQUENTLY WARMED

AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING.

Narrator: THIS VENTILATION SYSTEM EVOLVED

AS TIME AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRESSED,

SOMETIMES INVOLVING SOME BIZARRE GADGETS.

WELL, THIS IS THE PERISCOPE, WHICH WAS INCORPORATED

IN THE POST-WAR RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Narrator: THIS PIECE OF SUBMARINE TECHNOLOGY

HAD A UNIQUE USE.

Watrobski: AND IF YOU LOOK THROUGH IT,

YOU CAN SEE QUITE CLEARLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THERE.

I CAN SEE THE SPEAKER'S CHAIR,

AND I CAN SEE THE BENCHES AT THE SIDE.

Narrator: WHOEVER SAT HERE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTROL

THE BUILDING'S AIR-CONDITIONING.

Watrobski: THE IDEA OF A PERISCOPE IS A FABULOUS IDEA,

SO THAT WHOEVER WAS CONTROLLING THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM HERE

COULD ACTUALLY SEE, LIVE, WHAT WAS HAPPENING STRAIGHTAWAY

BEFORE THE ADVENT OF CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION.

Narrator: TODAY, THE PERISCOPE IS NO LONGER IN USE.

INGENIOUS ENGINEERING ENABLED PARLIAMENT'S RESIDENTS

TO STAY WARM AND PROVIDED THEM WITH FRESH AIR TO BREATHE.

THE FINISHING TOUCH WAS

TO MAKE THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BEAUTIFUL.

IT IS BRITAIN'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS BUILDING,

AND THE VICTORIANS INSISTED IT BE SPECTACULAR INSIDE AND OUT.

*

IN THE CENTRAL LOBBY, STONEMASON ANDY MIDWINTER

IS MAKING SURE IT STAYS THAT WAY.

WE'RE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT THE VICTORIANS DID.

Narrator: THE STAINED-GLASS WINDOWS,

WOOD CARVINGS, AND STATUES MUST ALL BE LOOKED AFTER.

BUT WITH OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE

PASSING THROUGH PARLIAMENT EVERY YEAR,

IT'S THE GOTHIC FLOOR TILES THAT NEED THE MOST ATTENTION.

Midwinter: ORIGINALLY, WHEN THEY WERE FIRST LAID,

THEY'D BE QUITE A VIBRANT COLOR.

OVER THE YEARS, BASICALLY, THE PATTERN STARTS ERASING.

Narrator: ANDY MUST CAREFUL CUT

EVERY SINGLE TILE OUT OF THE FLOOR.

WE USE, LIKE, A LITTLE TILE CUTTER

WITH A NICE, THIN BLADE.

SO, WHAT WE LITERALLY DO, CUT BETWEEN THE TWO TILES

SO WE RELEASE THE PRESSURE AROUND THE SIDES OF THE TILES,

AND THEN WE'LL JUST GET A HAMMER AND A CLAW

AND GENTLY PUT IT UNDERNEATH THE TILE

AND GIVE IT A COUPLE OF TAPS.

AND THE TILE SHOULD GENTLY LIFT WITHOUT DAMAGE.

Narrator: HIS NEXT JOB IS TO REPLACE

EACH ORIGINAL TILE WITH AN EXACT REPLICA.

Midwinter: THIS IS A BRAND-NEW TILE

WHICH HAS BEEN MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS FLOOR.

THE DESIGN IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL PUGIN DESIGN,

RIGHT DOWN TO, LIKE, THE LITTLE DOTS, THE COLORS, EVERYTHING.

Narrator: RE-CREATING THESE VICTORIAN TILES HASN'T BEEN EASY.

THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURERS DON'T EXIST NO MORE.

Narrator: A MODERN MANUFACTURER HAD TO REPRODUCE THESE TILES

ONE BY ONE, MATCHING THE PATTERNS BY EYE.

IT'S BEEN A SLOW PROCESS.

Midwinter: IT HAS BEEN ABOUT SIX YEARS IN THE MAKING.

THEY ARE HANDMADE.

EVEN THE VERY SIMPLE SORT OF TILES, IT STILL TAKES SKILL.

IT'S AN ART FORM IN ITSELF.

Narrator: AND THESE MODERN REPLACEMENTS

EVEN IMPROVE ON THE VICTORIAN MODELS.

THEY ARE FIRED AT A MUCH HIGHER TEMPERATURE

THAN THE ORIGINALS WOULD'VE BEEN.

MAKES THE TILE A MUCH, MUCH HARDER TILE.

Narrator: ALL THAT'S LEFT IS TO LAY THEM IN THE FLOOR.

IT'S A HUGE JOB.

THE TILES COVER AN AREA THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD.

ON AVERAGE, ONE PANEL,

I THINK IT'S 714 TILES,

AND WE'VE DONE 10 PANELS, 12 PANELS.

I'VE SET, MYSELF, OVER 5,000 TILES.

AND WE'VE GOT MANY, MANY MORE TO GO.

Narrator: WHEN ANDY IS FINISHED, THE SPLENDOR

OF THE VICTORIANS' VISION WILL SHINE THROUGH AGAIN.

*

THANKS TO A DEDICATED TEAM OF EXPERTS

WORKING ACROSS THE BUILDING, THIS AGING MEGA PALACE

CAN EXPECT TO GROW OLD GRACEFULLY

AND SURVIVE HUNDREDS OF YEARS INTO THE FUTURE.

ITS REMARKABLE ROOF...

HIGH-PRECISION CLOCK,

AND UNIQUE VENTILATION SYSTEM --

ALL EVIDENCE OF A BUILDING LIGHT-YEARS AHEAD OF ITS TIME...

A TRUE MASTERPIECE OF THE VICTORIAN AGE...

AND ONE OF THE MOST AWE-INSPIRING BUILDINGS

EVER CREATED.

*