Season 1
12 episodes · Jul 11, 2006
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.
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- S1E1
The Industrial Landscape
Jul 11, 2006Fred explores the industrial world of 1940's and 1950's. In this programme he looks back at some of the sites he visited over eight years, plus there is comment from friends, family, experts and academics.
- S1E2
Back Street Mechanic
Jul 18, 2006The late Lancastrian steeplejack Fred Dibnah traces the development of industrialisation in Britain. Dibnah described himself as a backstreet mechanic and believed he was awarded his MBE and honorary doctorates for this reason. His garden was all assembled from scrap and the cast offs from old mills and factories, but it was probably the finest working example of a steam-powered engineering workshop in the country. The mechanical and engineering skills he demonstrated in his garden combined with his ability to explain how things worked opened up the world of engineering history to a wide audience.
- S1E3
The Machines That Changed the World
Jul 25, 2006Fred Dibnah traces the development of industrialisation in Britain. The Industrial Revolution was a time when Britain led the world. It was one of the most important periods in our history, but it has never really had the attention it deserves. Fred's passion and enthusiasm for the machines of the past helped raise public awareness about the way they worked and their importance in history.
- S1E4
Men of Iron
Aug 1, 2006Fred's heroes were the great engineers of the Victorian age. In this programme, we show Fred's great interest in their work and his belief in the values of hard work and enterprise that drove them on and led us to a greater appreciation of their significance and achievements.
- S1E5
The Victorian Gentleman
Aug 8, 2006Fred Dibnah was, by his own admission, a man born out of his time. His era should have been the 19th century. It is the age he admired and the time he would have liked to have lived and worked. This shows how Fred's love for the Victorian age led us to a greater appreciation and understanding of the engineering, architectural and decorative skills of the age.
- S1E6
Preserving Our Past
Aug 15, 2006Fred is often associated with the iconic footage of the demolition of Britain's old industrial chimneys, but in truth this was the job he liked the least. What he really liked was restoring engines and chimneys, and one of his greatest triumphs was his steam traction engine, lovingly restored over 27 years and two marriages.
- S1E7
All Steamed Up
Aug 22, 2006From a very young age, Fred had a passion for steam-powered engines and machinery and he spent a large part of his life studying their construction and history.
- S1E8
Riches Beneath the Earth
Aug 29, 2006Fred's fascination with mining led him not just to dig his own coal mine in his back garden but was also used to make viewers aware of the skills of miners and engineers, and the dangers and hardships faced by miners throughout history.
- S1E9
Changing the Landscape
Sep 5, 2006Celebrating Dibnah's contribution to our appreciation of Britain's industrial heritage. A look at his fascination with the skills of road and rail engineers.
- S1E10
Great British Builders
Sep 12, 2006Fred, who served his apprenticeship as a joiner, shows a great appreciation for the skills of the men who built Britain's great castles, palaces and country houses, and offers real insights into the building techniques of the past. In this episode, we see Fred giving a number of demonstrations, including the hilarious falling down arch.
- S1E11
Masters of their Trade
Sep 19, 2006This edition focuses on his appreciation for the skills of craftsmen and women of the past.
- S1E12
A Good Day's Work
Sep 26, 2006In this last programme in the series, Fred pays tribute to the hard-grafting workers without whom nothing would have been possible. To illustrate his point, Fred visits Warwick Castle, Workington Steel Works, Kilhope Lead Mining Museum, Ely Cathedral and Culzean Castle.