Fred Dibnah
Heroes, Heretics & Inspirations

By definition, this page is highly personal and you may well wonder how these pages are connected - if you find out how let me know! Every now and again you may find yourself drifting off in a direction you never could have imagined?
Fred Dibnah, UK Television Celebrity, he of the 'Industrial Age' fame, amongst others is one on those colourful characters I admire.
This is supposed to be a none commercial site but I have seen a few books and videos about Fred so I have included details - hope it helps.

Fred Dibnah Speaks
For any of you Foreign types curious about the Lancastrian accent you can hear Fred Dibnah speak (wavs).

* Fred Dibnah's famous bronchial Cough. (18k)

* Fred Dibnah's philosophical thoughts about falling off a Chimney. (25k)

* Fred Dibnah warns "It's goin!" - an excellent Windows shut down wav. (36k)

* Fred Dibnah's warning hooter "Hoot hoot". (5k)

* Fred Dibnah asks "D'ya'like that?" in his Lancastrian accent. (5k)

1938
Fred was a talented young man - being born in 1938 started work as a joiner but after completing his National Service fulfilled his dream to become a steeplejack, servicing the hundreds of chimneys that once crowded the skies of Bolton.
Restoration is his preferred way of earning a living but occasionally he has to demolish a chimney in a controlled manner, shunning dynamite for the more traditional method of replacing masonry with pieces of wood and then burning the wood. Fred's hobby and passion is steam engines.

1978
This was the year Fred Dibnah a steeplejack came to the public eye, working locally in and around Bolton, Lancashire. Working on the Town Hall in Bolton, the regional BBC TV filmed a short news item about him.

1979
Fred was then approached with a view to making a one off thirty minute program, which eventually turned into a 1 hour documentary. 'Fred Dibnah - Steeplejack' was aired.

Fred has never and will never use dynamite. Fred prefers the more traditional method of taking out part of the bottom of a chimney and propping the opening up with cut telegraph poles and wooden blocks. Fred then lights a fire, which burns the blocks away and weakens the chimney which after a period topples - hopefully in the target area. Things do not always go to plan, but it is a more precise method than dynamite and has given Fred the opportunity to work on some unusual sites.

Fred by his own admission is a perfectionist and is something like I imagine a hobbit. Fred Dibnah is a tremendous storyteller and has an amazing ability to conjure wonderful images with words and keeps an audience spellbound like a pro from start to finish. The pressure of TV fame has had an effect on Fred's private life as revealed in later programs which explored this area.

After the success of the first program a series of 8 half-hour programmes were commissioned that looked at Fred the steeplejack, the film crew earnt their money that day - filming from dizzy heights and his eccentric English ways with his beloved steamroller Betsy. Fred's other Vehicle is a Landrover pickup with a scaffold frame on the back for ladders and ropes etc.

FRED DIBNAH - STEEPLEJACK
The BBC are responsible for Fred's fame, being described as "Loveable old englishery", and "Bolton's own". Fred Dinah was interviewed in a series of fly on the wall documentaries "on the job" - as it were sat on top of a chimney, restoring traction engines, masonry and the dramatic demolishing of an old chimney stack with the traditional telegraph poles and chocks method, etc. Lancashire philosophy mixed with falling masonry was a cult success and led to "A Year With Fred".

The gravity defying northern Steeplejack
doing what he does best! (1979)

Right - another stack comes down the old way.
"Did yer like that one?"

By this time Fred had a cult following and 6 half-hour programmes covered the unfortunate breakdown of his marriage and the effects of being a television personality.

1992
The BBC once again followed Fred and his new family around for the making of four more programmes.
1994
These four programmes went on air and a book accompanied the program

1996
Saw Fred go through a second divorce from Sue, mother to Jack and Roger.

November 29 1996
The North's favourite steeplejack was seen eyeing up Bury's famous Peel Tower - Fred didn't demolish it though. Fred was called in to help promote and install the transmitter on top of Holcombe Hill for the new Tower radio station. The Bury-based FM station's on air, and you can get them on 87.7FM.

One chimney that Fred dropped was due to fall the day that the Princess of Wales died. That day a tremendous sense of grief gripped the nation and no one expected to see crowds that day due to the tragic events and yet thousands turned out to see Fred drop a 160ft chimney.

January 1998
The Fred Dibnah Story Beginnings
Fred Dibnah has taken part in 19 films which had recorded the ups and downs of his eventful life. The highlights were condensed into a six-part serial biography and the story brought up to date. One episode finds a younger Fred in the midst of a spectacular felling job that set him on the road to fame - Rugby Mill Chimney at Oldham, Lancashire -just 4'6" from the next building.

June 1998
Fred starts filming for "Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age" a series of 6 programmes in and around the UK. A book and set of videos accompany the program.
Twyford Waterworks houses the oldest Babcock & Wilcox working steam boiler in the country. The triple expansion, vertical steam engine was used to supply the water to the Southampton area. Fred was "to do the honours" at its annual open day. Fred, the definitive "working-class hero," was accompanied with his fiancée, Sheila, and her son, Nathan, visiting for the first time and with the film crew to capture the occasion for the Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age TV series.

26th September 1998
Fred Dibnah married Sheila Grundy (from Blackpool son, called Nathan).




February 1999
Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age aired on BB2. The program covered a wide range of machinery and designs from Coal and Tin Mines to Wind and Water Mills and is both educational and entertaining. Fred is the presenter on this series, I sensed a lack of confidence in the early into camera links especially when he had to promote the official website but this passed after he got into his stride. I'm curious to know if the program was written first and Fred was then chosen as presenter, or if the program came first and Fred passed it on to the BBC.
In the following years Fred followed the success of these programmes by presenting others such as Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam and the Building of Britain. He is also in great demand for after dinner speaking and has thousands of requests to attend charity events which keeps him very busy between filming.

September 1999
Fred gets a steam powered Website
To backup the TV programs Fred gets the full resources of the BBC to create a fantastic interactive website.

6 November 2004
Fred Dibnah died aged 66. Fred Dibnah had been battling cancer for a number of years and was surrounded by his family when he died at Bolton Hospice, Greater Manchester.
The colourful and eccentric television personality and father-of-six received an MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Fred Dibnah received his award for services to heritage and broadcasting and took his green, black and gold eight tonne traction engine along with him to the Palace, parking it at a nearby barracks. "We're going to have a ride round outside the Palace," he said. "As soon as I've got rid of this penguin suit, I will be in my engine driver's attire." He was with his third wife Sheila and sons Jack and Roger.

A not so rare view of Fred's Cap raised aloft
- No sign of any pigeon droppings
Fred Dibnah relaxing on a day out.

CAMRA
If you ask Fred what his secret is the answer would be the 'Guinness' which he drinks of an evening, after a good day at the office.

FOOTBALL TEAM - Bolton Wanderers - who else.

Desert Island Discs:
Fred was asked on to Desert island Discs (a BBC Radio 4 Talk and Music show) Fred discussed his work and hobbies and had to explain his choice of music. One of these choices was Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No 2
Fred Dibnah - "a friend played in the Halle Orchestra and introduced me to music",

THE WAVERLEY
(The only seagoing paddle steamer)
Fred does a lot work for charities, at public events and at after dinner speeches which keeps him busy. One of the more unusual venues was on The Waverley which played host to Fred Dibnah, Fred's main interest being the 2100 horsepower triple expansion steam engine on board which was very quiet.

Models
AVELING & PORTER
Codings Conform to The MATCHBOX Yesteryear Book 1956 - 1996
YY21 FRED DIBNAH AVELING & PORTER, Green CODE 1 £25.00

FULL STEAM
Fred's passion for steam was fuelled by purchasing a steamroller and then undertaking a full restoration project. Fred equippeded his workshop with steam power no small task - a small stationary engine renovated and installed now provides the driving power for many of Fred's tools. Fred was asked to undertake a major restoration project at Glynllifon Parc, Caernarfon. When completed the steam engine and boiler won a steam heritage award. Since that project, Fred has worked at Wetheriggs Pottery in Cumbria, restoring the aged machinery.

VINTAGE STEAM

Aveling & Porter Roller "Betsy"
Reg No: DM3079
Built in 1910
Owned by "Fred Dibnah"
UK Television Personality

Another View of "Betsy"
Steam up, hooked up and a driver.

FRED DIBNAH - All Steamed Up!
"Steam Engines are what made England great - and they don't answer back! You can belt them with a hammer and they say nowt".
Fred Dibnah is famous for his restoration work with England's great Steam Engines. Fred was fascinated with steam at a very early age and soon bought his first Steam Roller to restore and thus learn another trade. Join Fred as he visits the famous Cheshire Steam Fair, one of the country's greatest steam spectacles.
Be in the cab of Fred's own Aveling & Porter 10 Ton Road Roller BETSY built in 1910. Fred tests the Fowler 86 Road Loco - ATLAS. See Fred in the Dibnah Steam Workshop restoring the cylinder block of his own A&P Colonial Steam Tractor. Enjoy ...wit and wisdom of one of Britain's most colourful characters.
BCX897 55 mins

FRED DIBNAH - The Ups and Downs of Chimneys
"One mistake up here and it's half a day out with the undertaker!"
The world of Fred Dibnah - Bolton's legendary Steeplejack - and star of the acclaimed BBC TV series "Fred Dibnah - Steeplejack", "A year with Fred" and many other TV documentaries. See Fred set the fire going to Rugby Mill Chimney at Oldham, Lancashire - just 4'6" from the next building! See how Fred Dibnah ladders a chimney from start to spectacular finish unique footage. BCX896 76 mins

Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age - Beckmann 1999

Fred Dibnah's Magnificent Monuments - Beckmann 2000


BOOKS
(commercial bit) Check out
Fred Dibnah Story (Paper Back) Haworth Don 0563387653

Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age - BBC 1999

Fred Dibnah's Magnificent Monuments - BBC 2000



fredtalks Dr Fred Dibnah MBE: The memory lives on...."I'll tell you all about it".