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Fred Dibnah

xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
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in General Discussion #1
Quite an amazing, hard working guy who died much too young age 66

Basically Fred was a steeplejack who specialized in demolishing all those huge industrial chimneys in Bolton that were no longer needed but he also had a keen interest
in steam traction engines and Britains industrial past.......

He became very popular in a series of TV shows and he even has his own statue in Bolton.....
complete with flat cap ......
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    butterworthbutterworth Posts: 17,877
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    #2
    It comes to something that, whenever you see a personality from a certain time come up in a thread title, your first thought is 'Oh no, not (insert name here)'...
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    Red NovemberRed November Posts: 1,546
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    #3
    Is this the opening round of celebrity roulette?

    I'm going to put my chips on Edith Piaf as being next
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    SoundboxSoundbox Posts: 6,247
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    #4
    Surely there is a similar living character to take over his mantle?
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    trevgotrevgo Posts: 28,241
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    #5
    He was quite possibly the most boring man ever to stand in front of a TV camera. Other than Frank Bough.
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    BerBer Posts: 24,562
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    #6
    Shame about that Harry Secombe fella
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 9,720
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    #7
    Soundbox wrote: »
    Surely there is a similar living character to take over his mantle?

    Guy Martin?
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    ohglobbitsohglobbits Posts: 4,482
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    #8
    He had good taste in women I have to say!
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    butterworthbutterworth Posts: 17,877
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    #9
    Amazed he was only 66 when he died - He looked well into his 70s, I'd have said....
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    exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    #10
    xxtimbo wrote: »
    Quite an amazing, hard working guy who died much too young age 66

    .
    He should have washed his hands more often.
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    MoFoHoMoFoHo Posts: 497
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    #11
    johnny_t wrote: »
    Amazed he was only 66 when he died - He looked well into his 70s, I'd have said....
    Blimey, 66!?
    I'd also have sworn he was much older!

    Chalk me up as a bit of a Fred Dibner fan. I'm an mechanical engineer, and consider myself a fully fledged Yorkshireman (despite being born in Canada).

    I always found his programmes interesting, from a geeky engineering point of view especially.
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    housegirlhousegirl Posts: 6,017
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    #12
    Crime writer Ruth Rendell is in a critical but stable condition after suffering a stroke.

    The 84-year-old, who also has a seat in the House Of Lords as a Labour peer, is best known for her series of novels featuring Chief Inspector Wexford.


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-30828386
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    chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    #13
    MoFoHo wrote: »
    Blimey, 66!?
    I'd also have sworn he was much older!

    Chalk me up as a bit of a Fred Dibner fan. I'm an mechanical engineer, and consider myself a fully fledged Yorkshireman (despite being born in Canada).

    I always found his programmes interesting, from a geeky engineering point of view especially.

    Thought Yorkshire and Lancashire people didn't think that much of each other? :D
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    Andrew1954Andrew1954 Posts: 5,448
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    #14
    If they put on re-runs of Fred Dibner in place of all that Strictly bollox and other bilge I might watch telly on a Saturday night.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
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    #15
    Meilie wrote: »
    Guy Martin?

    That's exactly who I thought about:)
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    idlewildeidlewilde Posts: 8,698
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    #16
    This thread has just reminded me about Fred (Talbot) the Weatherman who was charged with historical sex offences, what happened to him...?
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    Mark39LondonMark39London Posts: 3,977
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    #17
    Soundbox wrote: »
    Surely there is a similar living character to take over his mantle?
    Meilie wrote: »
    Guy Martin?
    woodbush wrote: »
    That's exactly who I thought about:)

    I kind of agree, but Guy is almost too young at the moment (although I do rate him).

    That aside I was a huge fan of Fred and have practically everything he did on DVD. I can watch him anytime.
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    Prince MonaluluPrince Monalulu Posts: 35,900
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    #18
    Andrew1954 wrote: »
    If they put on re-runs of Fred Dibner in place of all that Strictly bollox and other bilge I might watch telly on a Saturday night.

    Well that'd be you happy and millions of others unhappy then.
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    darkislanddarkisland Posts: 3,178
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    #19
    trevgo wrote: »
    He was quite possibly the most boring man ever to stand in front of a TV camera. Other than Frank Bough.

    Even allowing for the fact that Mr Sweater was always pictured in the sitting position, I'm sure he was anything but boring - especially off screen. I'm sure he had lots of interesting hobbies.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,488
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    #20
    darkisland wrote: »
    Even allowing for the fact that Mr Sweater was always pictured in the sitting position, I'm sure he was anything but boring - especially off screen. I'm sure he had lots of interesting hobbies.
    .

    Frank certainly did. Remember the hookers and cocaine scandal in the late 80s?
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    vosnevosne Posts: 14,131
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    #21
    trevgo wrote: »
    He was quite possibly the most boring man ever to stand in front of a TV camera. Other than Frank Bough.

    You should have seen Frank off camera ;-)
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    Richard46Richard46 Posts: 59,834
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    #22
    trevgo wrote: »
    He was quite possibly the most boring man ever to stand in front of a TV camera. Other than Frank Bough.

    Thanks for that I thought it was just me. Even when he was doing something interesting he made it sound boring.
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    xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
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    #23
    Would have been a bit frustrating getting stuck behind him in one
    of those traction engines.... the road too narrow to overtake
    and tons of smoke and soot coming from the chimney !

    But wot a guy.......... !

    Bolton should get the ... Fred Dibnah Museum .... set up
    it would become a huge tourist attraction.
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    newda898newda898 Posts: 5,466
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    #24
    Used to love his shows when I was young.
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    rory rrory r Posts: 419
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    #25
    Great guy who made some brilliant programmes. He always seemed to be climbing a rickety old ladder hundreds of feet in the air, with no safety harness, no hardhat and a **** in his mouth.
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    xxtimboxxtimbo Posts: 8,877
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    #26
    He probably overdid the booze and ****
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