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Hot off the Press!
Jaggermen’s Bridges On Packhorse Trails
Now in stock for immediate delivery
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Alan has presented talks on British industrial history for over thirty years to local history societies, engineering institutions, traction engine clubs and to audiences large and small, interested in the exciting world of Britain’s Industrial Heritage.
Alan is prepared to travel to your club, meeting place, lecture theatre etc. – anywhere in the British Isles.
Alan currently delivers three different talks illustrated by slides. He is working on two more talks which will be offered in the not too distant future.
Alan can tailor the duration of his talks from 1 1/4 hours to 2 hours.
Talk 1 - Fred Dibnah’s Chimney Drops
Based on Alan’s book of the same title, this popular talk is about the late, famous Master Steeplejack Fred Dibnah M.B.E.s magnificent chimney toppling exploits commencing with Caleb Wright’s Mill, Tyldesley, 1970; Great Lever Spinning Mill chimney drop, Bolton, 1971; John Bright’s Era Mill chimney drop, Rochdale, 1979; Laburnum Mill Tower drop, Atherton Nr. Bolton, 1984; Stanhill Ring Mill chimney drop, Oswaldtwistle, 1985; the awe-inspiring Dart Mill Tower drop, Bolton, 1985 (which nearly killed Fred); the Low Bridge Mill river plunge adventure (when Fred fell into the freezing waters of the River Worth, Keighley, 1992); Lancashire Hill Mill chimney drop, Stockport, 1989; Langho Hospital chimney drop, Nr. Whalley, 1990; Bank Vale Paper Mill chimney drop, Hayfield, Derbyshire (featured on the cover of Alan’s book Fred Dibnah’s Chimney Drops) 1990; the deadly square stone chimney at Whitfield Mill, Facit near Rochdale, which wouldn’t drop despite the pit props being burnt away – causing Fred much anxieties – until heroic Fred, with his trusty jackhammer brought it crashing to the ground, 1990; a number of others until we reach Fred Dibnah’s 90th chimney, Park No. 2 Mill, Royton, Oldham, which he expertly toppled just six months prior to his sad, untimely death in November 2004. This was Fred’s last chimney drop. View flyer.
Talk 2 - Historic Steam Boiler Explosions
Alan has been presenting this lecture for about 30 years, and has recently restructured it around his successful, well researched book: HISTORIC STEAM BOILER EXPLOSIONS.
The talk commences with the infancy of steam powered machinery and early steam boilers during the stirrings of Britain’s Industrial Revolution, includes details of the earliest recorded boiler explosion of Trevithick’s steam pumping engine boiler at Greenwich in 1803, and discusses boiler explosions occurring in Victorian Collieries, Ironworks, Bleachworks, Shipyards etc.; the awesome ferocity of multiple boiler explosions, and finalises with explosions affecting traction engines, railway locomotives, and the infamous explosion of H.M.S. Thunderer’s boilers in 1876 which killed 45 men. View flyer.
Talk 3 - Powering The Pennines - Waterwheel Powered Industries
Back in the mid-1990’s with Yorkshire Television’s Luke Casey, Alan co-presented on the Dales Diary a fascinating and interesting programme depicting waterwheel powered mills and lead mines in Nidderdale in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales.
This talk covers the historic engineering structures that are waterwheels; the locations of these prime movers, and the varied industries that used these simple yet ingeniously constructed, and perhaps romantic water powered machines.
View flyer.
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