Bequeathing my photographs

[Andy Kirkham]

I am currently updating my will and I am wondering what I should do about my railway colour slides, since I have no younger relatives or friends who are  interested in them.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52554553@N06/albums

 

I'm happy to acknowledge that the more recent ones (post-1970s!) are generally unremarkable, but quite a few people have appreciated my BR pictures from the 1970's, many of which feature diesel-hydraulics, and I feel it would be a shame if they ultimately went in the bin. Does anyone know of any institutions that might be pleased to give them a home ?

[Dava]

It's a great collection with many very fine, unique photos.

 

Have you considered the RCTS or http://colourrail.co.uk/?

 

I'm not sure which, if any preservation group would be a good home. It may depend partly on whether you want them publicly available in perpetuity or are prepared to see them published selectively or sold commercially?

[Andy Y]

Another one worth considering with active archiving is Kidderminster Railway Museum - PM me if you need contact info.

[Ian Smeeton]

I have found Transport treasury to be a very useful resource when looking for prototype photos, so they may be worth considering.

 

That said, I have been in contact with one photographer whose photos were lost by them. I believe that this was some years ago, and as they changed hands last year, this should no longer be an issue.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[ardbealach]

I am faced with the same decision on colour slides of transport interest from the early 1960's onwards.  While I am aware of the names of possible 'depositories' for my collection, as mentioned in the postings above, I must say that I have never seen these 'depositories' produce any catalogues of the images they hold.  Or am I searching in the wrong places?  I am thinking of those railway and other historians who are looking for images for research purposes. 

 

I am reluctant to lose my images into a 'black hole' somewhere if they cannot be retrieved by researchers at some future date. (AM)

[NCB]

What about the NRM?

[Model Railway Noob]

I am currently updating my will and I am wondering what I should do about my railway colour slides, since I have no younger relatives or friends who are  interested in them.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/52554553@N06/albums

 

I'm happy to acknowledge that the more recent ones (post-1970s!) are generally unremarkable, but quite a few people have appreciated my BR pictures from the 1970's, many of which feature diesel-hydraulics, and I feel it would be a shame if they ultimately went in the bin. Does anyone know of any institutions that might be pleased to give them a home ?

 

I was a community nurse for a man who had an amazing collection of slides of railways and buses from the war onward. Indeed I digitised hundreds for him as a favour. Before he died, he left them to the British Transport Museum I think.

[Bill Jamieson]

Another possibility is the Restoration & Archiving Trust - http://www.gwrarchive.org/index.php

 

Bill

Edited January 24, 2019 by Bill Jamieson

[jonhall]

What I will offer is that unless the you have catalogued them, most collections will say NO, they already have millions of photos that will never see the light of day again, and more just adds to the problem, they are almost no use to anyone without a bit of background about 'what and when' is in frame.

 

Jon

[Phil Bullock]

Another vote for the suggestion of Kidderminster railway museum. Very approachable and any profits from future access will be ploughed back in to a good cause....

 

Phil

[jonny777]

I have no connection with them, other than an occasional purchaser of their duplicates, but there is always Colour-Rail. 

 

https://colourrail.co.uk/SendPictures

[NCB]

The late Ben Brooksbank put most of his pics on Geograph; e.g.

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2571567

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2656627

[Blandford1969]

Another one worth considering with active archiving is Kidderminster Railway Museum - PM me if you need contact info.

 

Certainly the 1970s they might take, but would from conversations be less likely with the more recent images.

[hmrspaul]

Have you considered the HMRS? Permanent  HQ to house them and are accepting photos from all eras. They do catalogue and make thumbnails available - takes time admittedly although the better organised the photographs are likely to find their way to the public domain more rapidly. I'm not an official of the HMRS but get in touch via https://hmrs.org.uk/photographs.html

 

Paul

[Gordon A]

I have found the Kidderminster Railway Museum a good source of photos.

The best way is to attend one of their photo fairs.

All their pictures are computerised which if you tell their representative specifically what you are looking for he will search and show you the photographs.

IIRC you cannot buy on the spot but can place an order.

 

Gordon A

[ColinK]

I have a similar problem with my cine films. Indeed once I’ve finished digitising them I’ve no use for the original cine reels as I don’t have a working projector.

[Stephenwolsten]

Here is another suggestion:  http://www.onlinetransportarchive.org/

[Tim V]

As said, unless they are catalogued, you would be wasting your time.

 

Now, if you haven't done it already, is the time to digitise and catalogue them before they get chucked, or you've forgotten where/when they were taken. And that includes the ones from the 70s, over 40 years ago now.

 

I made the effort a while ago to digitise my collection, well worth while.

[kevinlms]

On 20/06/2019 at 06:38, Tim V said:

As said, unless they are catalogued, you would be wasting your time.

 

Now, if you haven't done it already, is the time to digitise and catalogue them before they get chucked, or you've forgotten where/when they were taken. And that includes the ones from the 70s, over 40 years ago now.

 

I made the effort a while ago to digitise my collection, well worth while.

Of course the problem is many people have lots of photos, with only sketchy details (if any) of where and when they were taken. I guess that is an advantage of places like RMweb, where you can post photos and ask.

[Tim V]

7 hours ago, kevinlms said:

Of course the problem is many people have lots of photos, with only sketchy details (if any) of where and when they were taken. I guess that is an advantage of places like RMweb, where you can post photos and ask.

Here is one of mine that took a bit of research.

 

I visited Australia, spent a week in Perth. At that time the standard gauge hadn't reached Perth, but I rode on a train to a station, took this one picture. I didn't write down anything at the time on the back but found an old diary recently and with a bit of research on the internet found where this picture was taken. Apologies for the poor quality!

 

Armadale, near Perth 6 June 1969.