A steam engine that used to belong to former steeplejack Fred Dibnah is being named in his honour at a special ceremony tomorrow (Saturday 12th March 2011).
Businessman Michael Oliver snapped up the late Fred’s famous Aveling and Porter steam traction engine at auction last year for £264,000 — more than twice the guide price.
Fred’s son, Jack, will drive the engine from the headquarters of Mr Oliver’s firm, Oliver Valves, in Knutsford, Cheshire, to the Church Inn in nearby Mobberley for the ceremony.
Mr Oliver said: “Fred is a cult figure and a national institution, so it seemed only fitting that we honoured his engineering genius by naming his beloved engine after him.
“We also thought it fitting for Jack to take the helm on its first excursion. I bought the engine to ensure its preservation so it can be enjoyed by generations to come. I hope steam enthusiasts and Fred Dibnah fans alike will join us to celebrate the iconic machine.”
The engine will be named “Fred” after its famous steeplejack owner, and one of Bolton’s most treasured sons, who died in November, 2004.
Fred spent almost 25 years restoring the engine and Mr Oliver, aged 72, has been putting the finishing touches to it since he bought it last July.
Mr Oliver owns an extensive engine collection, including the only full-size Garrett Showman’s road locomotive built, called British Hero.
Fred’s engine is expected to leave Oliver Valves at 2.30pm, arriving at The Church Inn at 3.30pm, with the naming ceremony between 3.30pm and 4pm.
Mr Dibnah’s family reluctantly sold the engine to finance the winding up costs of his estate after a long-running dispute with his widow, Sheila Dibnah.
Bill King, director of Cambridge auctioneers Cheffins, which handled the sale, said the high price was a testament to Fred’s skill, knowledge and big personality.
(Source: The Bolton News)
Some footage of the event:
Brilliant to see Fred’s two engines side by side again and restored to full working order, and for his lads to be there at the naming of Fred’s “tractor”. Fred truly lives on – in steam!
Fills my heart with warmth seeing this. A national treasure being so fondly tributed. Stuart Hall is a legend too. Well done .
Fred would be proud as punch to see his two lads covered in oil, wearing overalls and having a pint next to his two engines!!! Well done lads.
Lovely to see both of Fred’s engines in steam and his boys at the helm of the ‘new’ Aveling & Porter Colonial Steam Tractor now owned by Mr Oliver.
However, despite all that has happened on a personal level, myself and others who saw Fred on a daily basis and worked alongside on the engine express our deep sorrow and surprise that it wasn’t named ‘ENDURANCE’ as originally intended by Fred.
Fred was in great awe of Sir Ernest Shackelton’s 1914-1917 Antarctic Expedition and equated the suffering he was undergoing to complete the engine in time for his last BBC series ‘Made in Britain’ with the remarkable courage of Shackelton and his men.
As Fred was toiling with hard work and battling with increasing illness, he would often say to friends and visitors, as he searched the ragged faces in the official photographs taken by expedition photographer Frank Hurley. “This bloody engine is going to be named ‘ENDURANCE’ after what I’ve gone through to get the bugger finished, and that’s a fact”.
It would have been a fitting tribute to two brave and unique men.
what a wonderful real man, there must be a few more out there like fred, but hes the tops brave funny not up is own a–s grt the grt that was once britain