LEGEND!!! American Construction Worker Reacts "Fred Dibnah - How To Erect A Chimney Scaffold"

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  • čas přidán 14. 01. 2023
  • #freddibnah #scaffolding #americanreacts
    Original Video: • Fred Dibnah How to ere...
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Komentáře • 674

  • @birch290
    @birch290 Před rokem +141

    Fred Dibnah taught Chuck Norris everything he knew

  • @Mark_Bickerton
    @Mark_Bickerton Před rokem +247

    In 1979 we only had 3 TV channels, so pretty much EVERYONE in the country saw him and had the same reaction you guys have had. This is how he became a household name. His character and passion for the industrial era is how he became embedded in the British psyche.

    • @markjones127
      @markjones127 Před rokem +21

      I remember as kids (I was born in 1970) we'd talk about Fred in the playground like he as some kind of rock and roll star, as you say everyone watched him, a genuine legend.

    • @hondacrxxx
      @hondacrxxx Před rokem +2

      Was watching him today on UK tv 🤣 - channel called ‘yesterday’ if you’re interested

    • @marvinc9994
      @marvinc9994 Před rokem +5

      "embedded in the British psyche."
      And the British psyche is all the richer for it !

    • @MrROTD
      @MrROTD Před rokem +10

      Late 80s Canada I had only three channels off the air, there was very little to enjoy but the best stuff was from BBC, so sad how they have fallen.

    • @knalwortel
      @knalwortel Před rokem +6

      I have in 2023 10.000 channels, and there is nothing on TV 🤣 only sports and porn

  • @thegroovetube3247
    @thegroovetube3247 Před rokem +48

    He's not demolishing it - he's repairing it.

  • @grantstephens2555
    @grantstephens2555 Před rokem +147

    He doesn't always fell the chimney. Sometimes it's just repair work. Absolute legend. No way I'd be going up there. My legs go to jelly just watching. Great video.

  • @PDR-wb9dq
    @PDR-wb9dq Před rokem +9

    I am from Greater Manchester in the UK, and there were hundreds of chimneys in the skyline when I was a young boy in the early 70s, now you can count on one hand how many chimneys are left and Fred probably took down most of them, he was a great man and I had the pleasure of meeting him once, hand shake like a vice, cigarette in his mouth and dirty hands, we talked for ages about his Steam Tractor engine, engineering, and cars, and never once was in a hurry to move on and try to get rid of me, I will never forget that day it was a pleasure to meet the man I saw on the telly as I was growing up, he was a true hero of mine and a very brave man, I couldn't have done his job for all the money in the world. A great fella RIP Fred.

  • @waynenaki7796
    @waynenaki7796 Před 14 dny +1

    What an absolute legend. RIP. Fred.

  • @chrisparti
    @chrisparti Před rokem +91

    I'm loving the Fred Dibnah reactions guys. You've not seen him drop a chimney yet, I can't wait to see Daniel's face when he see's his technique, no explosives, and he always drops them straight where they need to go... Fred Dibnah doesn't do press ups, he pushes the Earth down... 😅😅

    • @SingleTrack66
      @SingleTrack66 Před rokem +3

      This. Well worth a watch if I remember rightly.

  • @Ozzpot
    @Ozzpot Před rokem +125

    I feel the icy hand of death on my shoulder when I'm 15 feet up a tree. It's mind-boggling that Fred, or anyone did this kind of thing. He truly was one of the last and greatest examples of a character now seemingly lost; one of stoicism, valour, work ethic, and humility, with a healthy dose of gallows humour on top. What a legend.

    • @thomasskinner2259
      @thomasskinner2259 Před rokem +4

      i worked in demolition 4 20 years if u tried doing that today you would get the jail lol

    • @nigethesassenach3614
      @nigethesassenach3614 Před rokem +2

      Well said Tony. He’s a missed man, may he rest in peace.

  • @James-wp3jq
    @James-wp3jq Před rokem +3

    He's not demolishing it he's repairing it

  • @Charliebhoy79
    @Charliebhoy79 Před rokem +69

    I'm a Steel Erector by trade, loved my job back in the day when you could work on the open steelwork, proper erecting. Cherry pickers and safety overkill ruined the job. I've worked on 4, 5 hundred feet skyscrapers, stadiums, airports, some of the biggest jobs in the UK. There's no feeling like working up there on a nice day. We used to joke that we weren't scared of falling, it was the sudden stop at the bottom that got you lol

    • @stephenbrough8132
      @stephenbrough8132 Před rokem +2

      Did you not live in fear of a huge gust of wind pushing you off? That's what I can never wrap my head around. You have my admiration too.

    • @dogdog9857
      @dogdog9857 Před rokem +4

      iv been in constuction for 45 years and iv always thought the same heights dont hurt you hitting the ground does ...sometimes iv been sat on a building 4-5 hundred feet up having your break looking out at the view knowing sometimes no one will ever see that again ..building free standing lift shafts you can feel the sway of it the higher you go....stay safe mate

    • @Charliebhoy79
      @Charliebhoy79 Před rokem +5

      @@stephenbrough8132 No, we only lived in fear of bad crane drivers lol

    • @theinvisibleneonrainbowzeb2567
      @theinvisibleneonrainbowzeb2567 Před rokem

      I always find it so strange in life, how absurd/bizarre/random it all is, like when you have people who fall from insane heights and effectively walk away, yeah maybe some minor cuts and bruises but nothing major, and then you hear about other people who fall off the bottom step, or step off a kerb at a bad angle or whatever and fall, bash their head or neck in the wrong place and they're gone.

    • @simonatkinson6389
      @simonatkinson6389 Před rokem +1

      I can testify that the sudden stop at the bottom is effective and I only fell 10 feet!!

  • @richardwaters4795
    @richardwaters4795 Před rokem +12

    Fred was a legend in England. We won't see the likes of him again.

  • @sandwormgod4771
    @sandwormgod4771 Před rokem +6

    I was at a function where there was a guest speaker. Looking at the top table nobody could see a familiar face. Come the time, up stood Fred, as soon as he opened his mouth and said his first world the room erupted with cheers and applause. Ans what a speech. Anecdotal but funny and informative. What a man he was.

  • @FrowningIke
    @FrowningIke Před měsícem +1

    "Chuck Norris checks his closet for Fred Dibnah"!!!!
    😂😂😂
    Bravo! I now need to clean up all of this spat out beer !

  • @michaelpatton7478
    @michaelpatton7478 Před 19 dny +5

    This man had it all and was the No1 in his steeplejack field. His expertise in engineering crafts was awesome, his technical drawings and knowledge of architecture was second to none......There'll never be another

  • @TheMcdonnell123
    @TheMcdonnell123 Před rokem +3

    " I don't know what's keeping him from sliding off " A PRAYER 😅😂😂👍

  • @TheWoollyBack67
    @TheWoollyBack67 Před 5 měsíci +1

    Every time Spencer says ''not for me dawg'' makes me chuckle

  • @DruncanUK
    @DruncanUK Před rokem +15

    I used to use a bosun's chair when working on the North Sea oil rigs. It's amazing how quickly you get used to it - it's either trust your equipment or give up and go home!

  • @sapper713
    @sapper713 Před rokem +16

    Little known fact, Chuck Norris would call Fred for advice 😁

  • @timaustin2000
    @timaustin2000 Před rokem +2

    "A wonderful sense of security,..." Only Fred 🤣

  • @Leehuss5582
    @Leehuss5582 Před 19 dny +4

    As a kid I would watch my man Fred taking down these massively high chimneys on his own. In the UK he is seen as a LEGEND...

  • @tonycasey3183
    @tonycasey3183 Před rokem +18

    My Dad was a coal miner. A friend of his used to repair and maintain the cages (the lifts/elevators) and the shaft walls. He decided, after many years that he wanted a safer job and applied to work as a steeplejack - I think it was for a firm that erected cranes - and at the interview they asked: "what's the greatest height you have worked at?" He replied: "three thousand feet down a hole!"
    Some people are just made different.
    As an aside, my Dad was once knocked over the edge of an open mine shaft by a piece of broken machinery. It broke and cut a hole in his lower leg, but he managed to hold onto a metal bar and avoid falling a quarter of a mile to the bottom of the mine. He was back at work within six weeks whereas I would never have gone back there EVER again.

  • @chelseacharger
    @chelseacharger Před rokem +6

    I was a window cleaner who often worked on tower blocks. I was always okay with heights from a young age. You trust your equipment and judgement. As Fred says, it was wind that would cause some nerves and particularly when it was gusty. But as Daniel notes, we often are in awe of Fred's work ethic and calmness in hazardous situations but this guy was quite clearly also immensely strong. He'd have to be, just to extend those lengths of timber and steel rods across those gaps without having his feet planted and dealing with wind too !! Not all heroes wear capes. They can wear caps too.

  • @Atacama87103
    @Atacama87103 Před rokem +33

    Fred was a really intelligent man and that’s probably what kept him safe throughout his working life. I work construction too and some of the people I’ve worked with could have all the safety regulations in the world and still cause an accident. I’ve always said that instead of just having random drugs testing in construction they should have random IQ testing 😅.

    • @mickpearson6184
      @mickpearson6184 Před 10 měsíci +2

      I've no doubt Fred's IQ would have been very high probably genius level

    • @simonfisher836
      @simonfisher836 Před 7 měsíci

      This is true in all walks of life. Scary

    • @darrenreslis594
      @darrenreslis594 Před 2 dny +1

      @@mickpearson6184 Without a doubt. The natural mathematical, spatial awareness, mechanical and engineering skills that Fred seems to have been born with and then hugely improved on would pretty much ace him on most IQ, and certainly the Mensa IQ, tests. The man was and is a bona fide legend.

  • @alansmith1989
    @alansmith1989 Před rokem +35

    There is another video where he climbs a truly Colossal Chimney. It is 300 foot plus in height and has two jutting ledges in where Fred has to navigate by ladders and it is truly nerve wrenching. I think its Titled "Fred Dibnah Climbs a Overhang" . So, if you think the chimneys he has climbed in the videos you have watched are something; the Chimney in that video will just amaze you!!

    • @Heaven-dy9lj
      @Heaven-dy9lj Před rokem +8

      Yeah that Fred overhang vid is insane. Turns my stomach watching it!

    • @JM-dm3qk
      @JM-dm3qk Před rokem +2

      It sounds like you are talking about the one he did in Darwen, Lancashire, (NW England), its India Mills and is listed now. It's on the outskirts of Blackburn which neighbours Bolton, where Fred Dibnah was from. We had a lot of cotton mills here in Lancashire so plenty of chimneys for steeplejacks like Fred to work on. Though most of the mills have gone now and there was only ever one Fred Dibnah.

    • @RobG001
      @RobG001 Před rokem +1

      That clip is the most terrifying thing I've seen, It is truly jaw dropping, make me feel queasy every time I see it, and to think he does that maybe a few times a day, for months at a time, He really was utterly fearless.

  • @nrw34260
    @nrw34260 Před rokem +4

    Love your appreciation of a British legend.

  • @bryanv1681
    @bryanv1681 Před rokem +4

    Don't forget. That bosun chair (the plank) he's sitting on, was also a common piece of equipment used when carving out Mount Rushmore.

  • @zee2012
    @zee2012 Před rokem +4

    Remember it's not the falling off that kills you it's the sudden stop at the bottom that does.😂

  • @russcheetham4046
    @russcheetham4046 Před rokem +2

    The man's a legend Fred Dibnah many a series on TV for 40 years going around the country showing all old buildings, engineering, coal pits,the man new everything 👏

  • @andyward8336
    @andyward8336 Před rokem +17

    If I remember right he was doing repairs on that chimney. Many years ago I was fortunate enough to meet him at the mill my uncle worked at , he was doing repairs on that chimney as well . This was in the early 70s before he was on TV, my uncle needed to go into work for an hour on a Saturday so he took me . He was just on his way down the chimney when we arrived so my uncle introduced me to him .

  • @LottyRayner-Vincent
    @LottyRayner-Vincent Před rokem +62

    My Great-Grandad was a steeplejack. There's a church down the road from me, and he fell off of the roof. He smashed his feet and lower legs and had to wear special reinforced boots with splints for the rest of his life. How he lived amazes me because the church is huge. Watching Fred Dibnah gives me shivers - but I still watch.

    • @martinotoole4097
      @martinotoole4097 Před rokem +3

      The man was a prince. How proud you must be of a relative like him. And you have his blood so you must be formidable yourself! Kind regards Martin.

  • @simonatkinson6389
    @simonatkinson6389 Před rokem +5

    This Man is way beyond a Legend!! He's basically sitting on a 2 foot length of an 18 inch wide plank, suspended on a length of rope HUNDREDS of feet off the ground!!! He'll be casually swinging around with a cigarette in the corner of his mouth humming a tune to himself as he does it!!

  • @duffymoony
    @duffymoony Před 7 měsíci +1

    I am so glad they captured Fred and his steeplejack life when they did. Back in the day, it seemed like he was from a long bygone era, the end of the Victorian age. The 70s and 80s are now long gone too. He will live forever more when generations to come stumble across these programmes. Balls as big as space hoppers.

  • @tonysparks2392
    @tonysparks2392 Před rokem +10

    Do the climbing a overhang. Talk about vertigo 😱

  • @flashgordon1262
    @flashgordon1262 Před rokem +1

    Britisher here ,we all loved fred back in the day ,turned at at my village one year on carnival day on a steam engine..legend!

  • @WelshTiger1980
    @WelshTiger1980 Před rokem +4

    Can you imagine the grip strength of this man, He could cruch coal into a diamond 👊💪

  • @LordEriolTolkien
    @LordEriolTolkien Před rokem +3

    '' Half a day out wi'th undertaker.'' Is a typically understated British way of referring to Death

  • @charlesmarshall8046
    @charlesmarshall8046 Před rokem +13

    He wasn’t demolishing this one, he was repairing it. There’s a whole bbc series featuring Fred and his steam engines that you can find on CZcams, you’d like them. He was one of the last of his kind.

  • @janicetaylor7516
    @janicetaylor7516 Před rokem +3

    I always think of Fred standing on the highest possible point of a church steeple, no ropes, in a howling gale. He lit a cigarette and said very casually "cigs don't last long up here". 😁

  • @blazingsaddle166
    @blazingsaddle166 Před rokem +6

    Fred Dibnah has legendary status here in the UK. He was a fearless steeplejack with steel balls the size of the Titanic. He had massive knowledge of steam engines and victorian engineering, hosting his own show on the BBC about the industrial revolution. Old school as they come. I doubt we will ever see his like again.

  • @davidbirchall832
    @davidbirchall832 Před rokem +43

    Men like Fred built the World 🌎

    • @cancer_sucks
      @cancer_sucks Před rokem

      f*ckers these days dont even know what sex they want to be :-/ dying are the Freds of this world

    • @jaws6869
      @jaws6869 Před rokem +4

      Correct, but the world seems to think it was Musk and Gates ect.

    • @darrenreslis594
      @darrenreslis594 Před 2 dny

      Literally. Without real men with real man balls like Fred had, nothing would be more than 3 floors tall.

  • @SlurpyDave254
    @SlurpyDave254 Před rokem +3

    Great vid lads, I met him in the 80's at a Steam convention. Absolutely legend. His son Jack now lives where I live on the Isle of Man. Just like his dad he repairs steam engines, bridges anything that no one else can, cheers lads

  • @bobbymimms
    @bobbymimms Před rokem +4

    The greatest thrill.from here in Scotland. is watching Spencer flashing the side eyes at Daniel every time our Fred does something wild. Every 23 seconds or so! 😂😂

  • @davidscott9214
    @davidscott9214 Před rokem +1

    i had rhe privilege of seeng all the fred dibnan programes when they were originally shown in the 1970 s !
    they are just as interesting and fear inducing today as they were then .
    the man is a legend !!!

  • @markrichardson3421
    @markrichardson3421 Před rokem +9

    I think maybe this was a repair rather than a demolition like the other videos. In the video laddering a chimney wasn't he talking about doing a quote for repair work?

  • @DUNFERMLINEBOY1
    @DUNFERMLINEBOY1 Před rokem +2

    On the day of his funeral the whole of his hometown of Bolton came to a standstill

  • @katharinapeters6710
    @katharinapeters6710 Před rokem +3

    fred is a total legend and i am very glad to see him reach a wider audience.

  • @gwalia2112
    @gwalia2112 Před rokem +4

    He didn't just go up to bring them down, he went up to inspect and repair. His traction engines were amazing, well not just his, they all are.

  • @adrianchell
    @adrianchell Před rokem +11

    The most impressive thing about Fred Dibnah isn't his ability to repeatedly climb 200ft vertical ladders, while smoking and after several beers, it's the fact that he also had to carry up the additional weight of his gigantic pair of brass balls.

  • @toptechsys
    @toptechsys Před rokem +3

    ha ha ha! always great to see your reaction to our dear Fred! ;) he's a real national treasure to us here in the u. k. I call him the last victorian! he represents the brilliance,toughness,tenacity and pure genius that enabled the u. k. to kickstart the industrial revolution itself! God bless our Fred ❤

  • @markpalmer7215
    @markpalmer7215 Před rokem +38

    Fred was a very clever man, his documentary series were also excellent.
    In this video he’s not felling this chimney he is repairing it.

  • @garethlipyeart6520
    @garethlipyeart6520 Před rokem +6

    he was a true english legend,no fear rip fred xx

  • @corringhamdepot4434
    @corringhamdepot4434 Před rokem +5

    The British Pathé CZcams channel has some interesting old black and white cinema newsreel films about steeplejacks. From back when they would have 4 or 5 men swarming all over the same chimney at the same time.

  • @MarkMagwyr
    @MarkMagwyr Před rokem +10

    I think Fred was installing this scaffold to enable him carrying out repairs / repointing to the brickwork. This wasn’t to demolish it. Worth checking out one of his demolition vids where he fells it by burning his temporary timber supports. It’s crazy but it worked

  • @elliotwilliams7421
    @elliotwilliams7421 Před rokem +10

    When Fred passed his family opened his house and yard up. You could go stay in his house and wander round his yard. Missus old man loved him(old school farmer) so she bought him a weekend at Fred's house

  • @angelawalker8615
    @angelawalker8615 Před rokem +2

    He was one of a kind,he was a millionaire but he acted the same ,he received an MBE in the New years honours list. Nothing fazed this man you got what you saw.

  • @pianoboylaker6560
    @pianoboylaker6560 Před rokem +5

    If you are lucky enough to see one of his videos when he is talking about his engines and bridges, he has a scematic drawing (that he drew) in front of him, you will see some of his handwriting at the top. It is perfect penmanship writing in copperplate style and is absolutely beautiful to see. I watched that video when I was a young man and seeing that handwriting by Fred encouraged me to learn caligraphy myself and now I pen Marriage and Christening invitations for other people. Fred gave me a craft I would never have thought I could do but it has stayed with me for over 50 years. I now teach it to my grandchildren who are in awe of it.
    Thanks Fred for everything. I'll buy you a pint when I get up there.

  • @davidfuters7152
    @davidfuters7152 Před rokem +9

    The planks would fly away in the wind not drop vertically, you would not know where it would land it could be 1/2 mile away
    I used to be what we call a Site Manager here in the UK ( the on site boss basically )
    I was asked by me tower crane driver to go up in the cab with him , that was fun , no lift just a ladder in a round cage 200ft up and his ‘office ‘ didn’t go from left to right it rotates in the wind , it made me feel quite sea sick it was a really weird feeling
    He told me when he helped build the Severn Bridge ( joins England to Wales ) his cab was so high up if really high winds gusted when the bells in his cab would ring it would sway up to 5 to 10 feet each way a total travel of 10 to 20ft in all directions , sometimes he just had to brace is feet on the metal frame holding the glass to keep himself in his seat
    Bigger balls than me , bonkers job

    • @Isleofskye
      @Isleofskye Před rokem

      Really interesting David.
      This Men are a special breed..

  • @jackdeith5097
    @jackdeith5097 Před rokem +4

    Dibnah the man himself every scaffolder and steeplejack in the country knows freddie hes like a folk hero among acess stage and rigging people across the board

    • @darrenreslis594
      @darrenreslis594 Před 2 dny

      He's a hero to all 'dirty hands' engineers mate, the two engineers names you hear all the time on site are Heath Robinson for someone that has made something that looks a bit shoddy but 100% works and Fred Dibnah for anyone that has managed to get to what appears to be an impossibly dangerous place with absolute ease without breaking a sweat, I've heard 16 year old apprentices that were born years after he died say "He was up that like Fred Dibnah".

  • @harropharry
    @harropharry Před rokem +6

    Fred's philosophy was that if you fall more than 40 feet all you will get is a half day out with the undertaker.

  • @arkroyalrifemoonbasealpha6101

    A mate of mine met him once at a steam rally he said he was absolutely no different to the Fred Dibnah steeplejack i think he even had a pint with him mind given Fred`s unquenchable thirst i bet there are many thousands telling the same tale RIP Fred

  • @Stevensteven1098
    @Stevensteven1098 Před rokem +5

    Fred did two years army service,
    He was in the cookhouse,
    From Cooking, To Steeplejack!

  • @rogerdarbyshire5664
    @rogerdarbyshire5664 Před rokem +44

    When I was a child, my bedroom window looked out over Bolton, Leigh, and North west Manchester. It was a forest of mill chimneys, and over time, their numbers grew fewer and fewer. I was back there a month ago, and only a handful remain. Fred took down quite a few of them. I never met him, but I heard from others that his handshake and grip strength were incredible- no surprises there then. A lot of these chimneys were demolished brick by brick, because the mill buildings below them were still in use, or were repurposed. Also, a lot of housing was very close to the mills- the old workers cottages. The whole mill culture had it's own quirks. My mother remebers being astounded when she came to that area as to how many people could lip-read- the only way to converse among the deafening mill machinery.

    • @primalengland
      @primalengland Před rokem +1

      I’m 68 and from Leigh. We used to go to watch Fred drop the local chimneys. He had an actual pit head gear and mineshaft in his back garden in Bolton. What a guy. He also used to hold all the traffic up with his steam engine.

    • @justluke9166
      @justluke9166 Před rokem +2

      The lip-reading thing is where the Lancashire accent came from as the vowels are extended when you try to mouth something over loud noise.

    • @sukottora
      @sukottora Před rokem +2

      @@justluke9166 Wow! Really? What an amazing fact.

    • @Greenwood4727
      @Greenwood4727 Před rokem +1

      @@sukottora Plus also the "sign" language for a cup of tea , and others we still use today. the noise made it so hard so speak you had to

  • @jacquilewis8203
    @jacquilewis8203 Před rokem +4

    I've vertigo just watching him. The clanging of his brass balls must have been heard for miles!
    Amazing 👏

  • @FlissFloss2906
    @FlissFloss2906 Před rokem +2

    They didn’t just demolish it because he was repairing it. No point erecting a load of scaffolding on the outside it he has to take it down from the top as he’s not at the top of this chimney!
    I love you for finding Fred Dibnah. Xx

  • @Toukoi
    @Toukoi Před rokem +2

    When you work heights you slowly gain confidenence in your ability to cope with what others would call madness. But this stuff still blows my mind, I would never be able to do that and feel confident, Fred is a legend.

  • @mhunter8211
    @mhunter8211 Před rokem +5

    Fred was a legend, Working in a style that the Victorians used. Big respect to Fred.

  • @aallan646
    @aallan646 Před rokem +2

    He was one strong man , the upper body strength to guide those boards , he repaired chimneys aswell not all were demolished, at that time. More than likely a repair job.

  • @Korrihor
    @Korrihor Před rokem +7

    As several other people have said, this is a repair job, not a demolition. To give you an idea of Fred's skillset, once he has that scaffolding built, he is going to start the real job where he becomes a bricklayer/Stonemason and repairs the aging brickwork, replacing and reseating loose bricks. Or maybe a blacksmith, fitting and fastening iron retention bands around the brickwork, or installing or repairing lightning rods to ground the chimney against lightning strikes.
    Everything you have seen him do is the pipework just to do the job. He doesn't build it and then let the other tradesmen come up and do the work while standing on his scaffolding, he'll now do all that work himself. If you've ever heard the phrase "building castles in the sky" as an idiom for doing the impossible? That was Fred's job description, literally.

  • @1998TDM
    @1998TDM Před rokem +5

    It's his strength that amazes me. Someone should add an old school scaffold build to one of those bizarre gladiator shows. I would love to see some cut gym bunnies wrestling 16ft planks 20ft in the air. With a dirty great big fan blowing to make it even more interesting. The Dibnah Olympics?

    • @regfenster
      @regfenster Před rokem +2

      They cannot do it, I'm a scaffolder and I've witnessed many gym bunnies with their bulging muscles crying due to lactic acid build up trying to pump up a 21ft steel tubes, usually after two with no more than an 8ft pump up they're finished. Fred's core strength was off the scales this is a seriously strong man guiding those 16/18ft boards across a 14ft span is no easy feet.

  • @tago69mago671
    @tago69mago671 Před 19 dny +2

    Guy was one in a million with balls of steel and an undying faith in his ability and equipment!

  • @comedywriter8408
    @comedywriter8408 Před rokem +25

    First of all, I loved your commentary. It's amazing, that years after Fred's passing, new generations from all over the world have the pleasure of watching what this man did to make a living. It was a compelling watch, back then when I first saw him in the 70's, and it's still as compelling today. He is an absolute legend, and I'm sure that sentiment is shared by all of us. I am just completely humbled and overwhelmed by what he did. Fred was a humble man, and therein lies his greatness (apart from his incredible bravery and skill).

  • @AllyB824
    @AllyB824 Před rokem +1

    You need to find footage of him bringing down a big chimney in one go. Incredible skill and no explosives used at all. He was some man.

  • @stobe187
    @stobe187 Před rokem +4

    the upper-body strength this man had is wild, guiding long steel rods one handed while constantly swinging that massive hammer etc...

  • @adsyoffinch
    @adsyoffinch Před rokem +8

    If you ever needed a visual representation of anxiety, it’s Daniel watching Fred Dibnah 😂

  • @andrewmogg591
    @andrewmogg591 Před rokem +14

    I was always impressed by Fred's beautiful artwork and clear narration, a testament to his time at Art College.

    • @jen6879
      @jen6879 Před rokem +1

      I got his autograph when I met him & his handwriting is beautiful too.

  • @stephenmorrow3490
    @stephenmorrow3490 Před rokem +1

    Lol. That head shake at 2 minutes 12 seconds just sums this up. Very brave man.

  • @pacman4186
    @pacman4186 Před rokem +16

    Fred Dibnah once peeled a onion and legend says the onion is still crying 😭

  • @charlesatkinson9184
    @charlesatkinson9184 Před rokem +30

    Another brilliant reaction lads. Fred was a man born out of his time. His love of 19th century engineering and construction is legendary.
    Before he died he drove his steam traction engine, with period correct caravan all around Britain. Culminating at Buckingham Palace to collect an award from the Queen.
    You need to see fred bring down a chimney, lumberjack style.

  • @FrowningIke
    @FrowningIke Před měsícem +2

    I'm guessing it must have been late 70's or early 80's that Fred went trundling behind our house on his traction engine. My Dad and I (I was a child) went out and had a long conversation with him. He didn't need to stop as he was doing maybe 2mph. My memory was he would have happily chatted all day and if he had we'd have probably only had to walk a mile back home.

  • @jerryattheolympics1428
    @jerryattheolympics1428 Před rokem +4

    That was a great reaction video guys. What an absolute legend was Fred Dibnah I have never been afraid of heights
    but I certainly would be terrified to do what he did. the Chuck Norris analogy was priceless!

  • @cathyb46
    @cathyb46 Před rokem +4

    Each town in Lancashire had many mills. A miserable life for most who worked in them. Alot of weavers in Lancashire supported the North ie Lincoln against the South by not using their cotton and refused to work on it.(Lancashire cotton famine) The very mills prob shown may have been affected. Lincoln sent a thankyou letter and there is a statue of him in Manchester. There are many old Lancashire songs of that time and the starvation.

  • @trainwatcherwoowoo2391
    @trainwatcherwoowoo2391 Před rokem +11

    Many years ago when he attended a steam rally in my local area that I was helping out at I actually got the privilege of having a couple of beers with him, the rally was over a weekend and on the Saturday evening after the public had gone home he was wandering around the staff camps and socialising with us and he way he was in real life was no different to how he was on TV, with Fred what you see is what you get and no letting his celebrity status go to his head, he was a great guy who is sadly missed by all who knew him

  • @johnlewis9158
    @johnlewis9158 Před rokem +6

    Mr Dibnah's age makes this even more impressive. He was indeed my no means a young man here and yet he got the job done almost effortlessly

  • @barrywhite9768
    @barrywhite9768 Před rokem +4

    Fred Dibnah keeps Chuck Norris awake at night

  • @GrimlarLex
    @GrimlarLex Před rokem +1

    I know the bosuns chair looks scary, but dont forget it had been in use by navies for ship maintenance and cleaning for centuries, ie sailing ships, hence the name.

  • @normanmart7933
    @normanmart7933 Před rokem +3

    Fred always wears full safety gear ie his flat cap, so no worries.

  • @ellesee7079
    @ellesee7079 Před rokem +3

    Watching Fred trying to thread that steel rod, I couldn't help thinking he would be excellent at jousting! 🤔😆

  • @59jalex
    @59jalex Před rokem +15

    I've said it before. But Fred had a fantastic talent for drawing. His freehand drawing of straight lines is a thing to behold.

  • @hixyhicks
    @hixyhicks Před 11 měsíci +3

    Being a hard man doesnt mean you can have a row,being a hardman in the dictionary just says Fred Dibnah .R i p Fred .

  • @garethbattersby
    @garethbattersby Před rokem +38

    Fred Dibnah was not only a legend around where he lived in the North West of England, you would see him in his steam engine quite regularly, you would wave like it was your uncle Fred and he always spoke to you and responded like he'd known you for years.
    This respect for Fred spread across all social classes and jobs. There was a full series where he goes to other historical places giving the viewers history and engineering lessons.
    One stand out episode was Fred in London at this new major bank company HQ, he appreciated the modern engineering overcoming problems etc but there was one room in this modern building where they moved a whole 18th century room and put it inside this modern building and there was this banking executive in his expensive suit showing friend around with Fred wearing his usual get up... but you could tell there was respect for his knowledge despite the completely different backgrounds

    • @lloydcollins6337
      @lloydcollins6337 Před rokem

      I think that was Lloyd's of London - the insurance market. They moved their committee room into their new buildings in the late 80s/earpy 90s.

    • @Smithjones12
      @Smithjones12 Před rokem

      His programmes are still repeated on TV now

  • @neilfoden1411
    @neilfoden1411 Před 21 dnem +2

    Take a look at films of him dropping chimneys , he cuts out most of the bottom of the chimney and props it all up with timber then sets fire to it, And down it comes

  • @Stu-my1zo
    @Stu-my1zo Před 18 dny +1

    I actually watched Fred demolish a Chimney in Leigh Lancashire back in 1982. I was 14. An amazing moment as he pumped his warning horn and then the whole chimney came down in a moment of spectacle and dust, and then cheering. He looked very relieved it had gone well.

  • @neilfoden1411
    @neilfoden1411 Před 21 dnem +2

    He is not taking it down, its a big repair job. And yes he was the man, I met him once in a pub, his second wife had just left him and he was on the beer with a friend who was an other traction engine guy

  • @ezza2x899
    @ezza2x899 Před rokem +4

    Balls of steel but he had complete confidence in his abilities and level of work. National treasure here in the U.K. is Fred, never be another like him. Just watch the video of when Bolton came to a stand still for his funeral.

  • @ignatiuscheese6807
    @ignatiuscheese6807 Před 18 dny +1

    I met Fred several times when I was growing up as he was a friend of my Grandfather who worked at a power station with huge chimneys which is how I'm guessing they first met. Fred was always fun and interesting and was happy to make a fuss over little ol' me whenever I saw him. I distinctly remember him giving me a tour of his steam engine too which I now understand was a huge project to get going and a labour of love for him though I didn't know that at the time. Thankfully I didn't have to climb any of those chimneys to see him though. Phew. Different breed was Fred.

  • @johnwood346
    @johnwood346 Před 8 měsíci +1

    He's not falling that particular chimney he's carrying out repairs to the brickwork

  • @Grimlock1975
    @Grimlock1975 Před rokem +2

    I can imagine the boys breaking into a sweat looking at the stairs in their homes after watching this lol

  • @adammorris6232
    @adammorris6232 Před rokem +1

    Keep watching these boys! You MUST cover off the episodes where he drops chimneys the old fashioned way - amazing!!!

  • @albin2232
    @albin2232 Před rokem +1

    There will never be another Fred Dibnah. He was the last grandmaster of his trade.

  • @chrisellis3797
    @chrisellis3797 Před rokem +2

    Daniels face every time it pans out to Fred free climbing a vertical ladder🤣🤣 sheer horror