Peterborough North

[JeffP]

Don't get me started on PAT testing, or even officious folk from the gas, leccy etc who come, unannounced, into your HOME and start pronouncing in the guise of H&S.

 

Back to photography.

 

Jim S-W has achieved some amazing photos on his 4mm New Street, by using a long exposure and "painting" parts of the subject with a single white LED source.

 

Is that doable?

[bigwordsmith]

There was somebody on one of the forums made a very good electrical observation whites that model railways are by their nature very f;amiable and that a lot of the wiring is done by unqualified electricians. Their suggestion was to ensure that the whole lot can be isolated easily with a single switch - that way if you do find yourself having to deal with unexpected sparks, you can quickly cut off the power.

 

In theory a modern RCD-equipped domestic installation should have no problem sixth any thing that goes slightly off and trip out . If this happens don;t just keep testing it but find out what is U/S and replace it.

 

Finally vis-a-vis PAT testing this is from the PAT website:( http://www.pat.org.uk) 

 

There is currently no strict legal requirement for PAT testing. The Government however has put regulations into place that pertain to the maintenance of electrical appliances and the most effective way to ensure that these regulations are met is through PAT testing.

 

The UK Health and Safety Executive along with insurance companies will expect you to perform PAT testing to ensure that you are compliant with certain regulations

[rockershovel]

Most interesting to see this model, as I know the prototype all too well, having been a thoroughly unhappy commuter there during the last days of diesel-hauled carriage stock on the ECML (most of which could charitably be regarded as life-expired) and the early days of the "cattle truck" WAGN service, when ECML made determined attempts to force commuters off the preferred 125s.... definitely a time when my love of rail travel went through a near-death experience!

 

The actual station is unrecognisable now (I never realised it had ever had an overall roof, for one thing) but the two bridges and the Great Northern Hotel are clearly recognisable on the model.

 

It's a very different view of the station compared to my commuters-eye-view. As a commuter I was familiar with the carriage sidings between Crescent Bridge and the river bridge, and being accustomed to arriving from the South the extensive marshalling yards and their subsequent redevelopment was a familiar backdrop. Also the station is largely screened from the town - it has never had the sort of isolated, imposing front view which stations of that era often have.

 

I will follow this with interest!

[great northern]

As the state of my head now allows at least a bit of joined up thinking, I've taken on board all the very helpful suggestions, had a chat to Andy Y, and come up with some conclusions, which are as follows:-

 

1. I shall always have to try to cope with the lighting conditions that exist. They aren't going to go away.

 

2. Doing anything to restrict the entry of light would be expensive, and take away money that could otherwise be spent on the railway.

 

3.Buying a camera with the ability to give larger apertures would also be expensive, and counter productive too, as it would be larger, and so not able to reach the places where I would want it to go.

 

4. One of the things which has disenchanted me is the time I spend in front of this thing fiddling about with processes I don't really understand. Paint. Net is very basic, but getting a better alternative would again be expensive, I doubt I would understand it any way, and it would divert funds that could be spent on the railway. (see 2 above).

 

5. Given all of the above, I have to decide where the available cash should be spent, which is not difficult. So, things will say as they are, and I will have to accept the limitations which the site and my own lack of knowledge impose.

 

Please do remind me of all this should I lapse into whinging about the deficiencies of the images I produce in the future.

 

 Up to now, you have just had to put up with what I choose to show you. I would like to change that, and respond more in future to what you would like to see, so please do ask if there is anything in particular you would like, whether it be particular locos or stock, or a specific viewpoint or style of image. I can't promise to meet every request, but I shall do my best. I shall probably also adopt a policy of less images, but more care in processing them. I'm certainly going to reduce the time I spend fiddling about with them, and accept my limitations too.

 

So, what do you think? Good way forward? And if anyone can see an alternative way of solving the problem which would not involve significant capital expenditure, I'd be grateful for that too.

[Grafarman]

Sounds good to me; after all, to my eyes the few 'point, press and publish' shots you've put up so far completely outshine many so-called 'professional' shots on other forums...expenditure away from the layout just to capture that 'perfect' shot seems a bit of a waste when your camera produces such good images of its own accord, and I for one don't mind background clutter, odd lighting angles or whatever so long as the thing's in focus!!

 

I have a bias for diesels so would request that your Type 4's have a good run out at some point, with a long rake of your best maroon Gresleys if that's not too much trouble...

 

 

David

[bigwordsmith]

Gilbert two thoughts - one is you can probably overcome some of your problems with a different lens - there are even snap-on lenses that turn iPhones into hi-res digicams, 

 

The price of technology is dropping like a stone - Adobe have now launched an online app (http://www.photoshop.com/tools) that may be worth a try.

 

You can also get quite amazing shots with even a standard iPhone, you really don't need a top flight camera. You can also pick up secondhand iPhone 5s for quite sensible money and get two tools in one.

 

AS you know I am a firm believer that one is only bound by constraints if you choose to be. Years ago I  heard this phrase by which I have lived my life. ever since...

 

"Argue for your limitations only if you wish to be eternally bound by them"

[coachmann]

For a bloke who's still learning, you have become learned and I hope the pictures continue to come forth. May I suggest some different parts of your layout though....There must be photogenic locations round the bends....

[Andy Y]

 

So, what do you think? 

 

 

I reckon I need to sit down with you and your computer on a future visit and give you some no-cost options which may help on the editing side at least.

[CUTLER2579]

Larry,

please don't suggest sending Gilbert around the bend as his bat game with little white pimpled/dimpled balls does that on most occasions as it is.

[micklner]

Track lifting next  

[landscapes]

Hi Gilbert

 

With reference you my reply to you a few days ago, I have very quickly amended your photo on Photoshop Elements12, its not brilliant but will give you an idea on how you can lighten or darken specific area's within a photo using layers.

 

I hope you have no objections in me posting this back onto your thread for PN next to your original photo so you can compare the two photos.

 

Regards

 

David

[New Haven Neil]

Ooh, request time....

 

How about the N5 shuffling some of those parcels vans about that appear in the bay, stay a while, (sometimes quite a while.....) and replacing them anew when they get bored sitting in the bay?

 

Unless I can be of further assistance your worship......

Edited March 20, 2015 by New Haven Neil

[Theakerr]

Gilbert,

Don't beat yourself up!.  I would say your photography and editing is well into the 20% as defined by the Pareto principle and is way ahead of most of us on here.   I would also suggest that most of us look at the content rather than the photo - and I don't mean that in a negative way.

[Donington Road]

Hi Gilbert

 

With reference you my reply to you a few days ago, I have very quickly amended your photo on Photoshop Elements12, its not brilliant but will give you an idea on how you can lighten or darken specific area's within a photo using layers.

 

I hope you have no objections in me posting this back onto your thread for PN next to your original photo so you can compare the two photos.

 

Regards

 

David

 

I got exactly the same results in Photoshop 9 and ACDsee pro.  It is the ability to lighten shadows and darken highlights that seems difficult to do in free software, even the Gimp which is near enough a Photoshop clone does not make it easy.

I have got a copy of Serif Photoplus X5, but could not be bothered installing it.  Very much like Photoshop Elements which will do the same thing.

If you are interested Gilbert, you can download a free starter version here http://www.serif.com/free-photo-editing-software/

I have used most of Serif's software for years. its good stuff, but never pay the full price, you have to haggle with them over the phone for the best price.

[great northern]

For a bloke who's still learning, you have become learned and I hope the pictures continue to come forth. May I suggest some different parts of your layout though....There must be photogenic locations round the bends....

Round the bends was always intended to be off scene Larry, though I have already weakened and started to develop the area beyond Crescent Bridge. I need a work area though, and that is the only place where it can go, so I'm limited as to how much more I can do. It is difficult to take photos round there too, as it is almost always back lit. The other end is a no go area, literally - very hard to access, and I really couldn't do much with it anyway, as it should be New England yards starting immediately after Spital Bridge.

[great northern]

Track lifting next  

Very naughty indeed!

[bigwordsmith]

Ah Gilbert to quote your own reply to Larry back to you..." I need a work area though, and that..." ...is exactly why Ikea made kitchen tables!

 

OR is that already spoken for as a golf club cleaning department?

[great northern]

Ah Gilbert to quote your own reply to Larry back to you..." I need a work area though, and that..." ...is exactly why Ikea made kitchen tables!

 

OR is that already spoken for as a golf club cleaning department?

I have work areas downstairs Peter, two of them in fact, but there are always little jobs that require somewhere just to put things down and work on them, and I prefer to do those in the room, rather than having to duck under, come down, and then do that again in reverse. My back is much better now, thanks to the Chiropractor and regular exercise, but even so I would rather not crawl any more than I have to.

[bigwordsmith]

AH of course. I forgot the ducking under scenario and for some reason thought your layout was downstairs.

 

I agree about having a workspace and as you can recall when designing Waverley East this was a requirement which I've managed to squeeze in using a redundant Office table from IKEA

 

 

 

[coachmann]

I couldn't agree more about a work area Gilbert. It is so convenient building things on the spot..... I do this rather a lot in the warm weather, but the latest layout wont allow this so I've got an old computer desk on casters that can be wheeled out and put back under the layout.

[JeffP]

Gilbert, your model and modelling are fantastic. But how many years have you spent perfecting the model and the modelling skills?

 

So now you come to photography, and suddenly, you reckon you aren't proficient?

 

Well, for a start, I'd say your photos are as good as most of us would get, composition is good, subject is brilliant, but you're no Photoshop expert ??

 

 

And won't that come with some help and some more perseverance?

Keep taking the photos.......

Regards, jeff.

[Dominion]

I love the things I learn about the ECML operations from Peterborough North.  I love the banter amongst the readership. I love your great layout and the fine loco and rolling stock models. As for photo-shopping the skies, my basement will always look like my basement.  So when I look at your photos, the more they look like they are a "real MODEL railway," the more I am inspired to build an ECML prototype layout in my own space. So Gilbert please do whatever you enjoy doing, and know that many who tune in here will love it, bookcases and all. Tom

Edited March 24, 2015 by Dominion

[trw1089]

Hi Gilbert

 

I enjoy all your photos from any vantage point and hope you continue to provide such inspirational shots. I only wish I was closer so I could help you more with the photoshopping and would be more than happy to help process some of them if you need it.

 

My only request would be to see more trains of any description, though I do have a liking for one early morning and late night parcel workings, plus anything with a B17 because you know that has to be good!

 

Cheers

Tony

[great northern]

Right, here we go, first post of the new regime. I shall not comment on the quality or otherwise of the images, but I shall welcome comments, suggestions and criticism. I'm not going to try to go any further than I already have, and all images are intended to be viewed at the size I post them, so please don't be surprised at what you see if you blow them up further.

 

Off I went this afternoon to run some trains, but conscious of the requests that have been made. I intended though to stick as far as possible to the sequence, so what came up as the first move was a lucky coincidence. It called for the loco of the 4.25 pm to Harwich to bring the stock into platform 2, and the rostered loco was... a March B17. Here she is waiting for departure time, while a pilot shunts parcels stock which has been unloaded.

The photographer then nipped around to capture a few more views.

The N5 then gets the road to remove the vans, as the Harwich is not due to depart yet.

And here she is going round the bend.

The B17 is still waiting to go..... and the next move in the sequence is the departure of the York parcels, which rather conveniently deals I think with all requests so far.

That's it for now, and only one resolution was broken. I had told myself not to go overboard and do too many shots in one session. perhapd I'll remember next time. Keep the requests coming folks.

[New Haven Neil]

Oh, I got my wish....thanks Gilbert!

 

I'm not seeing anything I don't like in those shots.  The van train behind the 9F looks very interesting indeed.