Fred Dibnah - Steeplejack by day, steam engine nut by night.

[echris 1,425]

 

 

I came across a 2 part video of this guy Fred Dibnah, an old school British steeplejack, showing how to ladder a 200' chimney the 1800's way. 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 2 of Laddering a 200' chimney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-a27xwcLfU

 

 

And then I found a 7 part series of 30 minute episodes and learned he's also a steam engine nut and has a fully restored steam roller that he and his family take to the big show every year. At 4MPH, for a 20 mile trip. 5 hours, no suspension.
 I can't stop watching this guy.

Part 1 of 7: The 1st minute of this one will get you hooked.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnH7cw0ql1I
 

 

[echris 1,425]

This is what Fred looks like when he and the family stop off at a friends' for a pint on the way to the show. I guess Fred ain't gonna rust anytime soon. 

 

[c-series don 8,666]

I watched a few episodes, that guy apparently has zero fear of heights makes that job look easy. Personally after the first ladder I’d be done. 

[Mows4three 826]

Fred has departed this earth but the videos some British cinematographer had the foresight to make are excellent.   There are three series that I found interesting.  The first about dear old Fred himself, then one about Victorian engineering and another on machines that built the British empire.  The BBC made all three, I think.   Nevertheless, all of them are inspiring.   It’s been a while since I watched them, but they are memorable.   

 

His famous line when asked asked about drinking a few pints before climbing was one for the ages.  He replied that you have to have a few under your belt to do what he does.   Who the hell climbs a chimney that high, sober?  It worked for him.  Forty years a steeplejack and he never spent an afternoon with the undertaker!

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

[echris 1,425]

2 hours ago, c-series don said:

I watched a few episodes, that guy apparently has zero fear of heights makes that job look easy. Personally after the first ladder I’d be done. 

And in a later episode called, "Drinking and Climbing" he says, (more or less)
"Some people'll say ta me, 'You av a pint or two before you climb?!' and I say 'course, at least two." 

[echris 1,425]

2 hours ago, Mows4three said:

Fred has departed this earth but the videos some British cinematographer had the foresight to make are excellent.   There are three series that I found interesting.  The first about dear old Fred himself, then one about Victorian engineering and another on machines that built the British empire.  The BBC made all three, I think.   Nevertheless, all of them are inspiring.   It’s been a while since I watched them, but they are memorable.   

 

His famous line when asked asked about drinking a few pints before climbing was one for the ages.  He replied that you have to have a few under your belt to do what he does.   Who the hell climbs a chimney that high, sober?  It worked for him.  Forty years a steeplejack and he never spent an afternoon with the undertaker!

 

Cheers!

 

Dave

You should'ta, outght'a, hadn'ta, told me that.

Fred lives!

A little bit in all of us, no?

[Mickwhitt 4,593]

Fred Dibnah was a giant of Northern English steeplejacks 

He was indeed fearless and completely amazed that anyone might think his job interesting or dangerous.

He used to drop chimneys by cutting out masses of brickwork and propping it with wood, which he then set fire to. Once the timber weakened the chimney fell, very much like the medieval engineers undermined and toppled Castle walls.

His love of engineering and steam were absolute. The bigger the scale the better. He built a working coal mine head gear and shaft in his back garden. 

He was also a talented draftsman and carpenter, making scale models to, in his words, Demonsterate how things worked.

I never had the chance to meet him but those who did said he was a true gent.

When he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, one chap asked if there was any treatment for him. Fred simply said "No, they can't mend it."

Watch anything you can with Fred in it, its always interesting and entertaining. 

Mick 

 

[Stormin 9,981]

 Aye! Fred was a legend in his own life time. They broke the mould after he was born. A real character. A true Lancastrian. 

[Yossarian 208]

Wow!  Thanks for sharing that, it sounds like he was an extraordinary man.

[echris 1,425]

On 11/28/2020 at 10:22 AM, Mickwhitt said:

 

He used to drop chimneys by cutting out masses of brickwork and propping it with wood, which he then set fire to. Once the timber weakened the chimney fell, very much like the medieval engineers undermined and toppled Castle walls.

 

Each episode of the 7 part series I linked above begins with Fred jumping out of the way of a chimney he felled in this exact manor. 

[Mickwhitt 4,593]

Enjoy watching this.

Imagine Elf and safety officers these days having kittens...