Fred loved Shropshire and he was fascinated by the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway. He just loved being here." No one quite like Fred...", Bolton Evening News, 8 November 2004, archived from the original on 18 July 2006 , retrieved 19 October 2009– via Famous Boltonians A Cast-Iron Will documents the couple's life together, from their first meeting in Bolton to the final, troubled days of his life, when he cut Sheila out of his will as he lay dying. He was charismatic and people loved that. It's 10 years since his death and people still come up to me and share their memories of him," said Sheila. McBain, Gayle (2 October 2013), "17 facts you didn't know about Fred Dibnah", The Bolton News, Bolton , retrieved 15 January 2019

The diehard fans have liked this book because there's an element of controversy because I was cut out of the will, but I am not bitter about that because he was very poorly. One day in October 1985, Dibnah attended a solid fuel exhibition in nearby Bury. Upon his return he discovered that Alison had left the house, taking with her their three children, the dog and some items of furniture. [61] Short of money, he was forced to sell his antique AJS motorcycle. [60] He found life without his family difficult but defended his wife: "There is no doubt whatsoever, she were a good help to me and I'm going to miss her. It was just that all the pressure got too much for her." [62] Second marriage [ edit ] Dibnah in 1981 Sometimes he'll have busted his thumb because he's hit it with a hammer; you couldn't really expect him then to come in and start doing things in the house. I just don't think it's fair though, I think you've got to strike a balance and I think ours is about 90/10. Me for 90 per cent of the housework and Fred for 10." [68] A play titled The Demolition Man, based on his final years, was staged in 2011 at Bolton's Octagon Theatre. [107]

First marriage [ edit ] Dibnah's home, 121 Radcliffe Road, a former Victorian gatehouse in Bolton. Now the (closed) Fred Dibnah Heritage Centre Honorary Graduates July 2004" (PDF), Buzz, The University of Birmingham, vol.3, no.47, p.2, July 2004, archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2007 , retrieved 19 October 2009 I always thought I would write a book and what better subject than Fred and my life with him as a tribute. It's been really well received." In 1967, following disagreements over who should be invited to their wedding, Dibnah and 19-year-old hairdresser Alison Mary Foster eloped to Gretna Green, to get married. [3] [27] Dibnah had first spotted Alison from the top of a chimney and, when one day she walked into the pub where he was drinking, he asked her out; six weeks later, the two became engaged. [28] They left notes for their parents, caught a train to Carlisle and from there on a series of buses to Dumfries. They had initially planned to stay at the house of a friend but as he had returned to Bolton for his holidays, they stayed instead at a local farmhouse. The two had to be resident for at least 21days to be married and so Dibnah agreed to point the gable ends of a local hotel in exchange for bed and board. Fred Dibnah Heritage Centre items sold at auction", BBC News, 18 March 2018 , retrieved 18 March 2018

Town says farewell to Fred Dibnah". Bolton Evening News. 8 November 2004. Archived from the original on 23 June 2012 . Retrieved 3 June 2013– via freddibnah.co.uk.Television Nominations 1979", Past Winners and Nominees, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1979, archived from the original on 15 January 2009 , retrieved 19 October 2009 a b Carney, Neil (2005), "On the buses' to 'up the ladders", in Langston, Keith (ed.), Fred Dibnah MBE Remembered: The life & times of a Great Briton 1938–2004, Mortons Media Group, ISBN 978-0-9542442-6-2 It's more of the human interest story. I just think he is somebody people could relate to because he said things in such easy terms and made engineering interesting. This book is my memoires of all the good times I had with Fred, how he coped with fame, life in the public eye, how he coped when he became ill," she said.