Fred Dibnah

Acting

Fred Dibnah

Born — Died

1938-04-29 — 2004-11-06

Place of birth

Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK

Known for

Acting

Credits

20 titles

Frederick "Fred" Dibnah MBE (28 April 1938 – 6 November 2004), born in Bolton, was an English steeplejack and eccentric with a keen interest in mechanical engineering who became a cult television personality. Dibnah was born in a country which then relied heavily upon coal to fuel its industry. As a child he was fascinated by the steam engines which powered the many textile mills in Bolton, but he paid particular attention to chimneys and the men who worked on them. He began his working life as a joiner, before becoming a steeplejack. From age 22, he served for two years in the armed forces, as part of his national service. Once demobilised, he returned to steeplejacking but met with limited…

Known for

Fred Dibnah's World of Steam, Steel and Stone poster
6.0

Series which looks at the many sides of Fred Dibnah - engineer, steeplejack, artist, craftsman, steam enthusiast and inventor - and celebrates his contribution to our knowledge and appreciation of Britain's architectural, industrial and engineering heritage.

Fred Dibnah's World of Steam, Steel and Stone

2006

No artwork available
NR

Celebrity quiz where Noel Edmonds asks questions about news and affairs (often wacky!) from a particular year.

Noel's Telly Years

1996

Fred Dibnah's Building of Britain poster
7.0

Fred Dibnah reveals the genius, the vision and the sheer bloody graft that went into creating some of Britain's greatest national monuments. All six episodes look at Britain's architectural heritage. In 'Mighty Cathedrals' Fred examines the innovations in building techniques which allowed the Normans to build some of the nation's most remarkable cathedrals. 'The Art of Castle Building' has Fred take a look at the castles of the North Wales coastline. 'The Age of the Carpenter' sees Fred learn all about the way that carpenters have used their skills to transform medieval castles into homes. In 'Scottish Style' Fred visits Glamis Castle and learns about the Scottish Baronial Style. 'Building the Canals' has Fred visit Bolton and learn about the construction of the first canals. Finally, 'Victorian Splendour' sees Fred looking at the achievements of architects in the 19th century and discovering the story behind the building of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben.

Fred Dibnah's Building of Britain

2002

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain poster
7.0

Documentary series in which Fred Dibnah travels around Britain in his restored traction engine in search of engineering skills and technology from a bygone age.

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain

2005

Fred poster
NR

Seven-part series about steeplejack Fred Dibnah

Fred

1982

The Fred Dibnah Story poster
8.5

Biographical series chronicling the life of Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah.

The Fred Dibnah Story

1996

Film credits

2000s · 2 titles

Series credits

Fred Dibnah's World of Steam, Steel and Stone poster
6.0

Series which looks at the many sides of Fred Dibnah - engineer, steeplejack, artist, craftsman, steam enthusiast and inventor - and celebrates his contribution to our knowledge and appreciation of Britain's architectural, industrial and engineering heritage.

Fred Dibnah's World of Steam, Steel and Stone

2006

No artwork available
NR

Celebrity quiz where Noel Edmonds asks questions about news and affairs (often wacky!) from a particular year.

Noel's Telly Years

1996

Fred Dibnah's Building of Britain poster
7.0

Fred Dibnah reveals the genius, the vision and the sheer bloody graft that went into creating some of Britain's greatest national monuments. All six episodes look at Britain's architectural heritage. In 'Mighty Cathedrals' Fred examines the innovations in building techniques which allowed the Normans to build some of the nation's most remarkable cathedrals. 'The Art of Castle Building' has Fred take a look at the castles of the North Wales coastline. 'The Age of the Carpenter' sees Fred learn all about the way that carpenters have used their skills to transform medieval castles into homes. In 'Scottish Style' Fred visits Glamis Castle and learns about the Scottish Baronial Style. 'Building the Canals' has Fred visit Bolton and learn about the construction of the first canals. Finally, 'Victorian Splendour' sees Fred looking at the achievements of architects in the 19th century and discovering the story behind the building of the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben.

Fred Dibnah's Building of Britain

2002

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain poster
7.0

Documentary series in which Fred Dibnah travels around Britain in his restored traction engine in search of engineering skills and technology from a bygone age.

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain

2005

Fred poster
NR

Seven-part series about steeplejack Fred Dibnah

Fred

1982

The Fred Dibnah Story poster
8.5

Biographical series chronicling the life of Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah.

The Fred Dibnah Story

1996

Fred Dibnah's Magnificent Monuments poster
7.5

Documentary series which sees Fred Dibnah touring Britain's great building feats.

Fred Dibnah's Magnificent Monuments

2000

Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam poster
7.7

Fred Dibnah traces the development of steam power from the earliest experiments in the ancient world to the modern nuclear power station.

Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam

2003

A Year With Fred poster
NR

Documentary Following Steeplejack Fred Dibnah

A Year With Fred

1987

Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age poster
6.5

Documentary series celebrating Britain's rich industrial heritage.

Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age

1999

Fred Dibnah's Railway Collection poster
NR

Fred at Britain's railway workshops, museums and preservation lines. Features The Story of Britain's Railways; Great Little Steam Railways; and Made in Britain: Railway Yards and Workshops, taking one from the earliest wood wagon ways in the 18th century to the last great days of steam and the birth of the railways preservation movement. Locations include the National Railway Museum; the Bluebell Railway; Didcot Railway Centre; Birmingham Railway Museum; Llangollen, Middleton, Ravenglass and Eskdale, South Tynedale, Tanfield and East Lancs Railways; the Bo ness and Kinneil Railway; Midland Railway Centre; Great Central Railway; Severn Valley Railway and Ffestiniog Railway.

Fred Dibnah's Railway Collection

2008

Life With Fred poster
NR

Documentary Following Fred Dibnah

Life With Fred

1994

Fred Dibnah's Victorian Heroes poster
NR

Documentary series presented by Fred Dibnah, looking at people whose work and ingenuity helped found the prosperity and fame of the Victorian age including railway builder Robert Stephenson, ship and bridge designer Isambard Brunel and armaments industry founder William Armstrong.

Fred Dibnah's Victorian Heroes

2001

Fred Dibnah, Steeplejack poster
NR

The original 1979 documentary that introduced the world to Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah as he goes about his death-defying job demolishing or repairing factory chimneys, steeples and towers.

Fred Dibnah, Steeplejack

1979

Dig With Dibnah poster
NR

The ex-steeplejack takes his obsession with Britain's industrial past to the extreme as he attempts to reconstruct a coalmine in his back garden. A 100-foot deep shaft, complete with pithead gear and a fully operational steam-powered winding engine? It's an ambitious project, but if anyone has the passion to see it through, it's Fred Dibnah.

Dig With Dibnah

2004

Behind the camera