1982: FRED DIBNAH - Demolition and Restoration | Fred | World of Work | BBC Archive

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"This isn't quite as simple as just knocking bricks off a chimney."

Fred is a series of short documentary films following events in the life and work of the Bolton steeplejack, Fred Dibnah.

In this edition, Fred continues to work on the restoration of his steam traction engine, fitting a brand new tube plate that was manufactured for him by a Blackpool engineering works, in exchange for demolishing a chimney for them, and various other new parts that he is able to barter for.

Fred then takes on the unusual task of removing the top of an island in the new Clifton Country Park nature reserve, to make its banks more accesible for water fowl. Explosives cannot be used, so Fred and his trusty sidekick Donald Paiton attempt a delicate shovel-based approach instead. For all his surefootedness working at great heights, Fred is considerably less comfortable working on the island, because he can't swim.

Fred then lands a contract to remove the ornamental top of a spinning mill chimney in Bolton. It's a big job, but one that leaves him conflicted, as in an ideal world he'd rather be restoring the chimney top, not demolishing it. In order to complete the job, Fred uses a spectacular contraption of flying buckets he has invented - enabling him to safely send the bricks down to the ground in batches.

Not content with simply restoring old traction engines, removing the tops of islands, and climbing and demolishing massive brick chimneys, Fred has taken on another big task - he has bought a house for £5,000 that will require a substantial amount of work on his part just to stop it "slipping into the river."

Narrator: Deryck Guyler.


Clip taken from Fred: Drinking and Climbing, originally broadcast on BBC Two, 30 September, 1982.





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