HEALTH AND SAFTEY NIGHTMARE ON LEGS.....
Just seen this on the BBC interweb thingy:
BBC INTERWEB THINGY
Sad - Liked him. It was nice to see a champion for 'proper' engineering.
Commemorative steam powered Locost (with wrought Iron Chassis) anyone?
Phil
Sorry - couldn't bare the old tosser - he was ok when up something high - but did you see him when he was interviewing people? Never listened to
a bloody word they said, just interested in talking more himself.
Now I'm going to lie down in a quiet dark place - i've done nothing but rant on this forum for days now ........ and I'm starting to
p*ss myself off!
You're not completely wrong but I loved his enthusiasm for all things engineering.
If he passed some of that on to a few of todays up and comming engineers it was a good thing.
Phil
He was a brilliant old school engineer, but he was no TV celeb. Pity he got bad press.
a sad loss to anyone involved with engineering imo. his knowledge and enthusiasm were endless and he could even find something technical in even the
most mundane structure!
R.I.P.
i only saw one show with him in, where he was on about steam engines and mines, and i was enthralled. Twas a good piece of TV. shame the old bugger didnt bother getting treatment, but i guess he couldn't be arsed. Was it Napoleon who said he didnt have time to die?
He didn't only knock chimneys down. He built a fancy one on the terrace where he was brought up. The neighbours didn't like it apparently but the council put a preservation order on it so it had to stay.
He was great when he was talking to camera, but rubbish when interviewing - I think some TV producer told him that he was supposed to react to
whatever the other person was saying, so all we heard was "Yes...aye...yes...yes...aye....yes" all the way through the other person's
spiel!
Good bloke though, another sad loss.
rgds,
David
he was a brilliant character, misunderstood by some, well quite a few really, but i would have to say, there is no one else i would rather watch a tv
program about.
it was his down to earth nature that i liked, and his total devotion to his steaming beasts, the reason his first wife left him. he never seemed to
perform well in interviews, but you wouldnt tend to be a people person if you'd spent half your time up a chimney on your own.
he has been an inspiration to many and has entertained at least half my family for years.
he'll be missed and it is a sad loss to the preservation of the glory days of britain.
R.I.P fred
tom
[Edited on 6/11/04 by indykid]
Shame, seemed like a geniunely decent fella.
Cheers,
Bob
[Edited on 6/11/04 by splitrivet]
A sad loss to all those with dirty fingernails
SAD LOSS OF A GREAT MAN. HE WAS OLD SKOOL AND HANDS ON. NOT LIKE A LOT OF "ENGINEERS" TODAY. MANY A STACK WAS DOWNED BY KNOCKIN BRICKS
OUT AND STICKING MATCHSTICKS IN THERE PLACE.....THEN SETTING THE WHOLE LOT ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!
HEALTH AND SAFTEY NIGHTMARE ON LEGS.....
I used to live about 3 doors down the road from his mad enginnering ghetto in Bolton.
He was one of a kind...
Pat...
and i can't think of anyone similar that could replace him really. salvage squad is about the nearest thing. it's a shame!
tom
quote:
Originally posted by indykid
and i can't think of anyone similar that could replace him really. salvage squad is about the nearest thing. it's a shame!
tom
its got worse! its just claire now.
jerry always seemed to know what he was on about though and they've dumped him now.
what's this world coming to eh?
tom
Oh dear!
First good oled John Peel, now Fred Dibnah. That's my two best Radio/TV people in two weeks. Fed always seemed to hold my utmost interest in
all things mechanical and dirty (much to the wifes amusement). Another great person gone!
Nick
Even my 8 year old son liked his programmes,i've had to tape a load of the shows over the last two years or so plus all the old repeats.
Its nice to see him sit and watch them with interest,a lot of kids are just not interested in steam power and stuff today.
i'd rather have a steam engine over a play station (probably cos my loyalties lie with nintendo 
) but i've always liked mechanical stuff.
i think the allure of steam is the puffs of exhaust steam and the smell of the coal/oil/grease/general filth
and hands on type way of doing
things.
probably explains why my first car is the indy
my next project might have to be a stationary engine, although those steam people at newark seem a bit boring. sod it, i'll stick with cars!
tom
what a top fella, proper eccentric.
didn't he sink a mine shaft in his garden?
i like the way he followed everything he said with "yu knaw" if vou've watched him you 'll know what i mean.
Terrible loss, will I ever see another chimney brought down by burning wooden supports and old tyres?
AFAIK he did/does have a mine shaft in his back garden, but I think he was waiting to see if he could keep it or if he had to fill it in (by order of
the council)
it'd be sacrilige to fill it in!
his garden should be made into a museum
tom
A sad loss indeed!
He was definately not a people person, especially if there was a machine nearby.
The only other person whom I can think of like Fred was Blaster Bates. Anyone remember him?
Another steeplejack by trade and very funny!
Terry
i might be wrong but didn't he build a picnic table or somthing on top his chimney? i might have made that one up though?
totally agree
all those nice old steam engines and stuff.
even tho he was one of those northern sorts
atb
steve
quote:
Originally posted by philgregson
Just seen this on the BBC interweb thingy:
BBC INTERWEB THINGY
Sad - Liked him. It was nice to see a champion for 'proper' engineering.
Commemorative steam powered Locost (with wrought Iron Chassis) anyone?
Phil
watch it shorty...
Being a Bolton lad myself just wanted to say ............... God bless you fred ... R.I.P ........
Well having lived most of my life next door (Wigan) I'm also gutted he's departed. Always wanted my dad to meet him as they'd get on
like a chimney on fire.
Very sad to here the news. I saw Fred with his Steam engine and caravan, one morning on the way to work. It was 6 o'clock on an empty A20, Dover
bound. I slowed down the truck and waved, Fred smiled, lifted his hat and waved. It made my day and I will remember it always.
R.I.P Fred
They burried him yesterday. That's how he would have said it, not a spelling mistake.