@@CelticSaint there's a lot of people who know how to play the system but they're usually called a lot worse than "legend" because they don't have the banter and hard working charm he had.
I started with videos of a guy climbing a chimney, now I'm watching a mad man on a mission to drive a train (on the streets) to some other city with his seemingly unwilling family on board. I'm both fascinated and terrified.
Bloody Hell - Everybody's rightfully praising Fred, but I'll just silently tip my hat to the wife and the rest of the family. Must have been quite a ride, so to speak...
Aye, you can see why Alison left him and took the kids. As lovely a bloke as he was, he was a complicated soul. Absolutely no shadow of a doubt he loved them unconditionally, but he loved his steam engines and work a great deal too. Alison is still with us actually. Sadly she lost her second husband last year.
@@residentelect which one of her daughters is Alison helping to bathe in the living van that Caroline by any chance? I understand Fred and Alison had three daughters
@@residentelect True, but at the same time they are out of their element on camera. We're seeing just a tiny, partially scripted slice of their life and it's hard to judge it accurately. Honestly, it looks no different than most of my family vacations growing up. Early mornings piling into the van, cramped with a bunch of camping gear. Nobody's really happy for the first day.
Yeh it’s appalling how she struggled to pay for food for the kids. You can live Freds life if you want but it’s unfair to marry someone and have children at the same time.
Old Fred sure was an interesting cat. Basically a professional hobbyist--the things in life that he truly excelled at involved goofing around in the shed in a grubby boiler suit. Sure he could de-brick a chimney better than anybody, but the man lived and breathed his steam engines. The story about getting out of trouble by offering the police sergeant a steamroller to drive (with a "thank you very much, sir!" at the end lmfao) is the most Fred thing I can think of. RIP you absolute madlad, it's been 20 years since his passing now.
Here I am 49 years old finding myself in sheer amazement at this simple man named Fred! Fred is the walking example of a real man! I've never seen any one like him. The man worked harder then 10 men combined in todays time and did it with a beautiful attitude and never a single complaint! You would never see an American work this hard, stay dirty 24-7 and still love life like Fred. He sure is 1 of a kind. God bless you Fred
One Sunday morning, walking past Temple Meads, Bristol, I heard a great clattering and turned round and it was Fred, White oil rag in hand, tanking along in his Engine, wagon behind. Impressive sight. 🇬🇧
Really loved watching this, thank you, as a child of the 70's, Dad was an engineer, brings back so many memories of how life was so simple, we didn't ask for much, and that's a good thing, because there wasn't much to go around, but life seemed calm and safe, no technology, no internet, no Facebook or Instagram, Innocense still existed.
I'm glade Fred lived in them times because now he would have had no hope of being himself and all he loved in this day and age what a gentleman and a life well lived ❤️
Ya know, people say that, but i personally live a life of freedom. My only chains are my family obligations, but everyday I get to decide where I'm going, and how I do it. Opportunities are still there, but I'll admit, it's tough, living under the authoritarian boot of govt here in Canada. God bless
There is a fine line between genius and madness and Fred definitely crossed that line on both sides. Such a hard working man and enjoyed the simple things in life.
Hey Chris, I saw your comment early on before the clip you speak of. But when I saw the clip, it rang home so true to me, too. My mam washing my face just like that out of wherever that bowl or sink was at the time and commenting on the 'tide mark'. No truer love. ❤
He's amazing at climbing in all these episodes, but when he's hanging the Union Jack at 4:10 wow he actually stands on a bar and a plank, right on the edge, and even lets go of the bar to use both hands on the flag! Amazing! RIP Fred
@@Tmuk2 @4:52 source www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/resources/union-flag-faqs "This is with the wider diagonal white stripe above the red diagonal stripe in the half nearest to the flag pole. The wider diagonal white stripe should be above the red diagonal stripe at the top left hand side of the Flag nearest the flag pole."
@@core-nix1885 are you suggesting that patriotism and liberalism are mutually exclusive? The wealthy took the riches, while the poor made this country great. Nothing has changed. No war but the class war.....
Steam rally was held on the old Burtonwood airfield site at warrington for the YANKS on the field opposite the hangars as army cadets we picked up rubbish and cleaned up after the show was over Fred shook hands with us all it was the 2nd time i met him I was 14 top bloke
I have no idea how the hell youtube decided to suggest this to me but i am very happy it did. Mr. Dibnah is such a unique person and it is, as someone said, first reality show :D Briliant series!
28:07 - Says it all, he's covered in all sorts but his machine will be spotless because its designed to last for ever. Not a throw-away, old school priorities.
life isnt complete without having a steam engine given me a life of pleasure. my mothers boyfriends grandson has his eye on mine. Fred was wonderful garfield2279
People should sort donations on the internet for Freds gravestone. I would happily donate towards this. Any people who have enjoyed Freds work over the years will no doubt agree with myself. Please sort it, Its the least we can do.
So it was either the children and me or else the drunken men. The children won, they got rid of all the drunken men, and the girls ended up in the coal bunker. And it was a victory for family life. ~~ Alison Dibnah TBH, I am amazed any of us of his kids' generation ever made it into the '90s alive.
What a great experience for the kids to learn life skills, common sense, risk assessment, teamwork, and spend time with a great role model. I was lucky enough to work on a farm through my teenage years and my old boss reminds me so much of Fred. Taught me so much about life which I've learned over time is so rare in today's society I'm afraid. Great post!!!
Right at the beginning of this film, ive always thought that seeing two blokes talking about something theyre both very knowledgable about is very comforting and fascinating. It also highlights the difference between Freds distinctive use of dialect and idioms as opposed to Donalds more refined , measured but still very Bolton accent. Seeing fewer and fewer of these types of men as time rolls on and its a real shame. The film isnt yet 50 years old but already looks, sounds and feels like its from another time. The Bolton of my youth was a fine place, today in 2024 its the Sick Man of the North West.
The sons of Fred should be very ashamed the man was hard working and put a lot of time and sweat into his work and what left of it now 😢 god bless Fred
In my opinion,I think they should pay us an annual fee for testing the water hydrants,because half the dam things don’t bloody work anyway,😂absolutely brilliant,RIP and the very Best to his Family.
Another chimney trapped person, didn't expect a documentary about a guy building a train to burn coal for a family trip. Tysm for hosting this, it's amazing footage!
Definitely a man of a different era. Hard working indeed with a passion for steam. After watching all the episodes, Fred reminded me of my father where work and his interests came 1st ,family a distance 2nd. God I give it to his wife living without much so Fred could have his toys, he had a keeper there but the little attention he probably gave her and the kids probably drove her to go. Men like this are hard to live, I always wonder why he got married because marriage seemed to not suit him ,wife and kids were like a burdon on his hobbies and his $$ .
Only just discovered this old series the other day.. with each episode I’m becoming more enamored and fascinated by this man, the people around him, the time and place, and now a detailed look at his incredible street-train. Was born in ‘81 myself here in the US so the 80’s vibe is highly nostalgic. Fantastic old series, TV & editing like this is just a thing of the past now. 🥲👋
@@susanbrearley437you still have to tax classic vehicles although they are tax exempt, it’s a different form (still have to be registered) as for the MOT to be taxed it has to have had a valid one before it became exempt, I would assume the tax lapsed or it was declared off the road for abit so they had to re MOT it. If this wasn’t the case you could pull any old pile out of a scrapyard and run it
“You got all the health and safety taken care of Fred ?”... Fred.. “yeah, no problem.. I’ve got a honking trumpet thing.. if you hear it, dodge the falling tower of bricks... jobs a good un.” “Now I’m off to pollute Greater Manchester with me steamroller...”
When I saw him quite by chance in Bristol one Sunday morning, with his Engine and wagon, it was a sight never to be forgotten. The sound was so unusual, I turned round and saw this beautiful engine steaming along, where there would usually be cars. It was going at a fair old rate. Faster than a fast horse could trot.
@@rippawallet Hell, I can't remember ''What year'' as it was so long ago, but on the road that was between Temple Meads and Old Market. Fine morning, no rain. Fred had a white rag in his hand. It's been massively redeveloped now since those days. It was a Sunday, as I was visiting the antiques market at Temple meads.
when i was a kid my folks used to take me to agricultral shows and i loved seeing these old units on display. shame you dont see many of them about these days.
