Fred's back garden mine shaft
After months of planning and hard work Fred Dibnah’s former residence has finally opened today as a Heritage Centre.
Booking is essential to visit the heritage centre. For details email freddibnahtours@live.com.
Details will be added here as they come in. If you attended the event or saw some media coverage that we’ve missed please post details below. Thanks!
Update #1: Leon posted that he was up at 6am this morning:
Hi all, Many thanks for all your kind words, we are truly moved by your good wishes, its 6am on the morning of our grand opening and I am just about to go out in the yard tidying up after the last minute work that needed to be done, still got some work to do this morning like filling in the 20ft long 2ft deep trench dug for the new underground cables and putting the floorboards back in the house where they had to feed the cables to the fusebox, ouch my backs not what it was, in the yard last night till midnight with the sparky’s getting the lighting right, we now have a lighting extravaganza at night better than Blackpool Illuminations so if you are passing take a peek.
Update #2: BBC Radio Manchester interviewing several people:
Phil Humphries is one of the volunteers at the Heritage Centre and he described the whole thing as “magic”.
Adding: “You can see for yourself, it’s got an ambience about it and this is all to do with Fred Dibnah.
“It’s the mine shaft, it’s the workshop, it’s the top of the chimney – it’s magic, pure magic.” (source)
Update #3: We are reminded that you can buy official Fred Dibnah Heritage Centre Memorabilia. Click here for details.
Update #4: “THEY travelled from as far as Sutton Coldfield and Loughborough to look around Fred Dibnah’s “Aladdin’s cave” of a work yard.” (source)
Update #5: “Full steam ahead for Fred Dibnah museum” (source)
Update #6: “”Fred’s yard tour is a proper treat”
..the idea of looking around a yard full of old junk (in my eyes) didn’t exactly fill me with joy.
But the enthusiasm of Leon and his team, which includes Fred’s mate Alf Molyneux, is very infectious and you do get a real sense of history and the spirit of Fred, who spent decades working in the yard and its various workshops.
The mineshaft which caused so much controversy has been lit from within to give visitors a glimpse at the project Fred had always hoped would be his legacy while in the main workshop, which stands silent for now, you can imagine the belts and the machinery whirring and clattering away as Fred went about his business.
And there are even a few reminders of its previous owner, with Fred’s work pants, jumpers and raincoat hanging from various pulleys and ropes used in years gone by to lift ladders and anvils.
More pictures of the opening day can be found here.
BBC North West Tonight News Footage
(credit)
sounds great cant wheat to come over soon from the east midlands.
Just tripped over this rough footage from the heritage centre:
“Volunteers Dave & Phil worked on the steamer after finding all the original parts within Fred’s Yard and the local scrap yard to build her to see if she would run. Here is the first time she ran ( Friday 2nd July 2010) before restoration work begins. Thanks to our camera woman, Alison, who kindly recorded this special event.
”
Seeing the engine run that day was a very emotional event and one that I will treasure for the rest of my life.
Well done Dave and Phil. x
great have you got an facebook page ???
fantastic, well done leon and jan for keeping freds houce the same, sad to see freds traction and betsy steam roller not thair shead
i will be up to see you all this summer john