A Year with Fred (The Price of Steam) part 1 A repeat broadcast from 1991 of the BBC2 series about Bolton Steelplejack Fred Dibnah. Date: Thursday 22nd August 1991
Like a few of us blokes, I don't believe Fred thought his wife Alison would ever leave him. He needed to nurture his relationship with her more. She was definitely a keeper in my book, despite being a 'ginge'.
She spent so much money for a stereotypical ‘holiday’ that the other wives got. … That it made him physically ill And she laughed about it. Does that sound like a caring wife?
@@fastinradfordable why ? Because she wanted a holiday ? He spent every hour he wasn't working in the workshop or pub . He wasn't a father or husband .
If you boil the beans right down andout of water he was a father an husband and most of a worker which is why men are put here i dont knock him.@@TheSavagederek
@KlineDeere yea but what's that got to do with the price of cheese ? My father worked damn hard and still had time for me and my sisters and I've got four kids and work bloody hard as a carpenter yet still find time . He was self centred and selfish . A hard worker and talented at what he did , definitely, but as a husband and father , no .
An engineer by soul and heart. If you ask a chartered mechanical engineer nowadays to put together an efficient set of cogs they wont do it. With all their training and time spent in classrooms they still cant. But fred did so with as little time spent in a university.
Alison what a woman, sweet looking good mother a true partner, helps in the maintenance of chimneys ,goes with Fred to steam rallies even assists him driving his beloved steam roller....Oh Fred you had a good one, and one could say she knew he was older and heavily engaged in his career before marrying him ..... sad all round, but there you are as they say up north.
@blue that was his second wife , although im not sure how invested fred was in his daughters from his first marriage lives . We all know about his two sons who are a very decent young men, but his 4 daughters seemed to me to be pushed to the side
My ex Father in law once told me the story of how at a rally in Somerset Fred got so drunk his wife (not sure if it was Alison or Sue) locked him out of the living van so he spent the night asleep under his roller
Someone commented (but the comment seemed to have been deleted) that said Alison married Fred when she was 19 and they they had 2 girls, but the boy in the series probably wasn't theirs. I thought Fred only had one daughter plus Jack and Roger from his second wife. Anyone know who the dark haired boy is that we see on the back of the traction engine and in some other scenes?. Was he a nephew or something?.
I've also wondered this but never asked the question that you've explained so well. I hope someone can tell us. Also I'd be interested to know what ever became of Alison.
@@Hissing-Syd And also what happened to Sue. They were quite young then so likely they are still alive, certainly Sue I would say as she was pretty young, but there's been nothing from them as if they've vanished. I'm guessing they don't want any publicity. They likely remarried so changed their surnames.
I think sue lives in the Isle of man cos one of the lads is big in the Manx railway , and apparently Alison did a newspaper story when they got divorced .but ive never seen it , they had 3 girls and sue had the 2 lads and his 3rd wife had a son that came with her
The information is our there if you look. In the right place. Seems the Dibnah half siblings get along and in their own ways continue on with the Dibnah legacy in their own ways.
I could do with one of those mitre saws that he's using at the 1:38 mark, and he's using it without hear and eye protection, no gloves or hi viz, wouldn't be able to do that if he worked at a sawmill.
I wonder what Fred would say to a holiday today, I hope he would say no unless it's a jab. My other half wants to go on holiday with the kids but no way I'm going as they aint injecting me with any of that sh*te, stuff that, talk about human rights gone. People will do anything for a bloody holiday abroad.
I agree it is, I live not far away in Wigan and all I mostly here are either Mancs or scouse accents and annoying phrases like "guys" and "bye see you later". I think people are losing the accent because they aren't having relationships with people who live locally anymore like we used to and who have the same accent, and so when they have children the accent is lost.
She was a nice looking women. Fred should have taken more interest in his family, a good holiday abroad a year would have done the world of good for both of them.
@@theculturedthug6609 I think Fred wasn't into having a holiday in another country. I think she didn't like him working late into the night in his back garden if what I have read is true. I understand one of his daughters now has his land drover while his sons have the steam roller.
Too many "neighbours" just love to complain about anything. If he wasn't doing anything wrong then there's nothing they could do. Then again Fred would've been an exception, Joe average would've told off. Try lighting a fire before 6pm in your own garden and see how quick some snotty nose neighbours grasses you up to the council and 2 mins later some jobsworth come calling order you to stop. I have two old chaps next door to me and they often have a fire burning rubbish in their garden, it's a bit smokey but as it's not causing me harm I ain't arsed.
@@Ghost572not to mention Pneumatic hammers , grinders , saws and drills going at all hours , and the peep of that steam engine . His second wife Sue said he wouldn't even buy a round in the pub , and would sit all night talking about himself . He was a self centred , selfish pig of a man . Hard worker yes , intelligent yes , but as a human being rather hopeless .
"Fred has been abroad once, in the army and he didn't like it.
This sums Fred up the best :)
Like a few of us blokes, I don't believe Fred thought his wife Alison would ever leave him. He needed to nurture his relationship with her more. She was definitely a keeper in my book, despite being a 'ginge'.
Don't knock it till you've tried it.
A real legend, Allison is lovely, and not too hard on the eyes, we need more like them in our world!! 👍👍
She left him and took the kids while he was at work.
This was some time ago but modern feminism was still poisoning the world
She spent so much money for a stereotypical ‘holiday’ that the other wives got. …
That it made him physically ill
And she laughed about it.
Does that sound like a caring wife?
@@fastinradfordable why ? Because she wanted a holiday ? He spent every hour he wasn't working in the workshop or pub . He wasn't a father or husband .
If you boil the beans right down andout of water he was a father an husband and most of a worker which is why men are put here i dont knock him.@@TheSavagederek
@KlineDeere yea but what's that got to do with the price of cheese ? My father worked damn hard and still had time for me and my sisters and I've got four kids and work bloody hard as a carpenter yet still find time . He was self centred and selfish . A hard worker and talented at what he did , definitely, but as a husband and father , no .
I think Fred was born 100 years to late. He would have loved the Victorian era.
I absolutely adore that woman, absolutely amazing person who put up with alot, shes obviously quite funny as well. 😂❤
If i could have chosen my next door neighbour, it would have been fred . Rip fred 🌹
Last message. Just want to say thank you fred. . And to.freads family take care be happy 🌹
9:00 you can tell Fred is relaxing because he's taken his cap off.
An engineer by soul and heart. If you ask a chartered mechanical engineer nowadays to put together an efficient set of cogs they wont do it. With all their training and time spent in classrooms they still cant. But fred did so with as little time spent in a university.
They could, but people seem to think it’s impossible because it’s no long 1976
I think he needed to put more effort into his marriage. It all seemed to be about his steam engines.
It's all one upmanship the holiday job 😂
Fred was one amazing 👏 guy
At the start of the film , the chap in the blue boiler suit can be heard saying "He wont be happy" . I wonder who wont , and why ??
Alison what a woman, sweet looking good mother a true partner, helps in the maintenance of chimneys ,goes with Fred to steam rallies even assists him driving his beloved steam roller....Oh Fred you had a good one, and one could say she knew he was older and heavily engaged in his career before marrying him ..... sad all round, but there you are as they say up north.
Fred would have been happier if he had vested more in the relationship with Alison. My humble 2c.
I think she left him for another man and took the kids aswell, not sure though
@blue that was his second wife , although im not sure how invested fred was in his daughters from his first marriage lives . We all know about his two sons who are a very decent young men, but his 4 daughters seemed to me to be pushed to the side
He wasn’t pumping her enough or plating her flange
My ex Father in law once told me the story of how at a rally in Somerset Fred got so drunk his wife (not sure if it was Alison or Sue) locked him out of the living van so he spent the night asleep under his roller
Fred should have been single he didn't want a family just a cook/cleaner
Someone commented (but the comment seemed to have been deleted) that said Alison married Fred when she was 19 and they they had 2 girls, but the boy in the series probably wasn't theirs. I thought Fred only had one daughter plus Jack and Roger from his second wife. Anyone know who the dark haired boy is that we see on the back of the traction engine and in some other scenes?. Was he a nephew or something?.
I've also wondered this but never asked the question that you've explained so well. I hope someone can tell us. Also I'd be interested to know what ever became of Alison.
@@Hissing-Syd And also what happened to Sue. They were quite young then so likely they are still alive, certainly Sue I would say as she was pretty young, but there's been nothing from them as if they've vanished. I'm guessing they don't want any publicity. They likely remarried so changed their surnames.
I think sue lives in the Isle of man cos one of the lads is big in the Manx railway , and apparently Alison did a newspaper story when they got divorced .but ive never seen it , they had 3 girls and sue had the 2 lads and his 3rd wife had a son that came with her
The information is our there if you look. In the right place. Seems the Dibnah half siblings get along and in their own ways continue on with the Dibnah legacy in their own ways.
I can't really blame Alison. She saw a different site to life .
I could do with one of those mitre saws that he's using at the 1:38 mark, and he's using it without hear and eye protection, no gloves or hi viz, wouldn't be able to do that if he worked at a sawmill.
I wonder were Alison is now ?
What ever happened to Donald, Fred's assistant?
He died in 1992 but had retired a few years previous . Neil became Fred's labourer after Donald retired .
What year is this? Looks like about 1985 ish.
1979
Fred married three times. First wife Alison. I wonder where she is now. Happy and well I hope 🌹
Alison definitely enjoyed her holiday if you get what I mean 😉
I wonder what Fred would say to a holiday today, I hope he would say no unless it's a jab. My other half wants to go on holiday with the kids but no way I'm going as they aint injecting me with any of that sh*te, stuff that, talk about human rights gone. People will do anything for a bloody holiday abroad.
Right, who took the picture at @12:46? That isn't a bikini for a mom on holiday alone with the kids.
aye she were up fer a bit of 'ohh yeahh' from a greek adonis' knee trembler
3:41 First time I see Fred’s old boozer nice
The Original SteamPunk
that accent is dying out
I agree it is, I live not far away in Wigan and all I mostly here are either Mancs or scouse accents and annoying phrases like "guys" and "bye see you later". I think people are losing the accent because they aren't having relationships with people who live locally anymore like we used to and who have the same accent, and so when they have children the accent is lost.
I would love a little blue woolly hat like little jacks, I would wear it pride and go around saying done for, did you like that.
I wonder why alison talks about fred like he's a 9 year old boy who almost can't be alone for 2 days.
Some are. I've worked with guys who won't work away from home because they haven't got their mrs or mother to look after them.
@@walt-sh7ju Heh heh, that's crazy.
Allison was the best wife he had. No contest.
That Alison was fit as buggery..shouldn't have let that one get away.....
Are u blind?
@@D33J3nk1 don't judge. We all have our own taste.
She was a nice looking women. Fred should have taken more interest in his family, a good holiday abroad a year would have done the world of good for both of them.
I agree he was never the same after she left
@@theculturedthug6609 I think Fred wasn't into having a holiday in another country.
I think she didn't like him working late into the night in his back garden if what I have read is true. I understand one of his daughters now has his land drover while his sons have the steam roller.
Other wives can. Why can’t I? That her personality
Seemed lke a nice guy but had no clue about family life or consideration for the noise he was forcing on the neighbours
Too many "neighbours" just love to complain about anything. If he wasn't doing anything wrong then there's nothing they could do. Then again Fred would've been an exception, Joe average would've told off. Try lighting a fire before 6pm in your own garden and see how quick some snotty nose neighbours grasses you up to the council and 2 mins later some jobsworth come calling order you to stop. I have two old chaps next door to me and they often have a fire burning rubbish in their garden, it's a bit smokey but as it's not causing me harm I ain't arsed.
@@Embracing01 Burning rubbish in their garden does cause harm its called pollution, you dont go around breathing in burnt trash just put in the bin.
@@Ghost572not to mention Pneumatic hammers , grinders , saws and drills going at all hours , and the peep of that steam engine . His second wife Sue said he wouldn't even buy a round in the pub , and would sit all night talking about himself . He was a self centred , selfish pig of a man . Hard worker yes , intelligent yes , but as a human being rather hopeless .
He was hung like a stallion and she was a using old betch
He was a selfish twat . Great tradesman , but a selfish , horrible drunk . But I guess that's a hero to the likes of you .