Probing the roots of Britain's rich industrial heritage, Fred Dibnah digs deep into the archives to present this highly-informative series. Beginning with a look at the early use of wind and water power, Fred traces the development of the steam engine and visits a man who has built a windmill in his own back garden. He then sets off in search of early beam engines that are still functioning today.
This programme traces the development of Britain's textile industry from the picturesque Scottish countryside of New Lanark to the urban mill town of Burnley. Fred talks to ex-weavers about life in the mills, and meets a group of volunteers who have spent 30 years saving mill engines from the scrapheap
red Dibnah continues his mild-mannered exploration of this country's industrial legacy by shifting his attention to the development of the iron and steel industries, starting with Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire. He comes across a rolling mill which he remembers once operating in Bolton, tries his hand at chain making, and then it's eyes-on-stalks time as Fred drives the biggest steam rolling mill engine he has ever seen.
More revelations from Britain's industrial past with the celebrity steeplejack. Starting in Cornwall and travelling all the way up to Scotland, Fred turns his eager eye to the practice of mining. On his travels, he finds out exactly how tin, slate, lead and coal were all extracted from the ground.
This programme traces the development of the railways, from the first steam locomotive to the world-record-breaking Mallard. Fred recalls his own excitement as locomotives roared past his bedroom window, and gets his hands dirty stoking the boiler of a Black Five as he speeds through the Welsh countryside
This programme looks at the age of shipbuilding, examining the skills of engineers who turned Britain into one of the foremost manufacturing nations. Fred takes a voyage along the west coast of Scotland on the paddle steamer Waverley, and visits the world's first production line in Suffolk
