Fred Dibnah's Industrial Age

Fred Dibnah is a National Treasure. Momentous Britain loves all his books and TV shows. "Fred Dibner's Industrial Age" is one of our favourites. COVID has prevented us visiting enclosed spaces. Happily, we have already been to most the places that Fred visits. A walk up and down the Manchester, Bolton and Bury canal filled most of the rest.

In Episode 4, Fred is given a token before he goes down the Caphouse Colliery mine. As the guide says, they were once used to count miners in and out, so that they could be sure everyone escaped when there was an incident underground. Visitors to the National Coal Mining Museum get a Visitor Token for the same purpose. They are allowed to keep it when they leave. It doubles as a lifetime pass to revisit the museum for free. No wonder then that we treasure ours (below).

There were four episodes in the series. Fred can be seen at each of the shooting locations using the links below.

Episode 1 - Wind, Water and Steam
Episode 2 - Mills and Factories
Episode 3 - Iron and Steel
Episode 4 - Mining

We exclude private locations. Your reward for visiting the 28 remaining Quest Points is the title "Fred Dibnah Industrial Age Explorer". There is an intermediate title 'Follower' for visiting 14 locations. Here is the full list:

  • Fred's House, Haulgh, Bolton
  • Bancroft Mill Engine Museum, Barnoldswick
  • Mount Sion Crane, Radcliffe
  • Asterley Tower Mill, Pontesbury
  • Saxtead Green Postmill, The Green
  • Muncaster Mill, Muncaster
  • Black Country Living Museum, Dudley
  • Dorothea Quarry, Talysarn
  • Tees Cottage Pumping Station, Darlington
  • Wheal Martyn Clay Works, Carthew
  • Queen Street Mill, Harle Syke, Briercliffe
  • New Lanark, Lanark
  • Helmshore Mills Textile Museum, Helmshore
  • Ellenroad Engine House Steam Museum, Milnrow, Newhey
  • Coldharbour Mill, Uffculme
  • Ironbridge Gorge, Ironbridge
  • Finch Foundry (NT), Okehampton
  • Black Country Living Museum, Dudley
  • Kelham Island Museum, Sheffield
  • Ladyshore Colliery, Bolton
  • National Coal Mining Museum for England, Overton
  • National Mining Museum of Scotland, Newtongrange
  • Killhope Lead Mining Museum, Bishop Auckland
  • Wet Earth Colliery, Clifton
  • Geevor Tin Mine, Pendeen
  • Big Pit National Coal Museum, Forge Side
  • Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Blaenau Ffestiniog
  • National Slate Museum, Llanberis