Fred Dibnah MBE

#manchestertrips Fred Dibnah MBE (28 April 1938 - 6 November 2004) was a Bolton-born steeplejack and eccentric whose love of mechanical engineering made him a cult TV personality. This 8 foot high bronze statue was unveiled in his home town of Bolton, Greater Manchester, England in April 2008. It stands at the corner of Oxford Street and Deansgate, in front of the Corliss Engine which was put in its case by Bolton Corporation in 1973 when the Newport Street and Oxford Street pedestrianised area was opened. A plaque on the statue reads: "Fred Dibnah was a Bolton lad and proud of it. He spent his life working on many of the town’s landmarks and shared his love of steam engines with millions of television viewers. After his death in November 2004, it was decided to launch a fund to pay for a lasting tribute to recognise his achievements. Thousands of people, locally and nationally, made donations. Thank you to all those individuals, organisations, companies and steam enthusiasts who helped to pay for this statue to “OUR FRED”". Behind Fred’s statue stands the mighty Corliss Steam Engine. Built in Bolton in 1886 it was in use until 1969 in a silk spinning mill owned by Ford, Ayrton & Co in Bentham, North Yorkshire. It was donated to the people of Bolton by the manufacturers Hick Hargreaves & Co Ltd of Bolton. It represents a typical steam engine that would have powered so many of the mills throughout the region