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New Devon Based Website


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I am no website developer, but Kris, Coombe Barton and I have formed a mini group to help modellers and enthusiasts of railways in South Devon, both deceased, proposed and preserved. This is the start of our little site, I would like an idea of what it needs to be better. We are looking at ways of using free sites to host extra content like pictures and there are details of all the proposed stuff in the "about" page. Tell us what you think, remembering we are NOT professional web folk, nor is our site commercial

link here

 

If that doesn't work try the one on my signature below!

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Great idea and obviously very early days but as a touch of 'professionalism' you need a bit more care with spelling (look at the Yealmpton branch article to see what I mean). I can let you have some pics of the preserved lines (and a few from much earlier if poorer quality is acceptable) as long as the copyright remains with me.

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DD,

 

Looking good but can I suggest that the text colour be lighter. (grey on black is a bit hard to read)

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Thanks for those comments Mike and Derek. Some spell checking has now occurred and I have altered the font colour on the main body text to increase the contrast and make it easier to read.

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I am no website developer, but Kris, Coombe Barton and I have formed a mini group to help modellers and enthusiasts of railways in South Devon, both deceased, proposed and preserved.

I think helping deceased modellers & enthusiasts is a much neglected area of endeavour! Only kidding! A very good idea, and you are off to a fine start. Don't forget, though, that a website seems really exciting when you start it off, but can become a real chore over time. Make sure you share the tasks a bit to prevent this happening too soon. You probably all have a number of exacting tasks in your everyday life, without adding to the pressure in your own time.

 

One or two little points: The font is rather small, and the black background is one that I know from other sites I can find tiring after a while. Don't hesitate to use links in your text where others have fine photos or detailed descriptions that suit your message - the overall effect will be the best info on your subject, and the more sources you include, the more balanced the content will seem.

 

Oh, and the Stationmaster has already hinted at how you spell Yealmpton!

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Yealmpton changed.

 

Font size is the same as used on RMweb (well displays as the same size on my screen). It could be that the black background is causing the apparent change of size, but I shall have a look and see what can be done.

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Nothing serious but I found the photograph captions a little difficult to read (black over grey)

 

Now sorted to match the rest of the site.

 

How about putting in a map of the area covered, shower lines that you have details for

 

Something to consider. Unlikely to be from OS due to their licensing regulations. (Well having just looked at the OS website it might be it I can get it to import correctly).

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More spelling errors :

 

About page : As a very small group we can only work so fast on such a broad subject. Our eeventual goals are:

About page : Surveys and maps (subject to copyright) of all the lines in our area, either as links or downloaable content.

About page : A complete survey and pictoral record of the Kingsbridge Brach line.

 

Yealmpton Branch page : The GWR section was begun in December1895, (see http://wiki.answers....began_and_begun)

Kingsbridge Branch - the last sentence(s) is (are ) missing.

 

Hope that helps - great idea for a website.

 

Only other point and this depends upon the host package - can the font size be made variable, so it can be chosen by the viewer ?

 

Cheers

 

Stu

 

Edited for spelling mistake :blush:

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Not sure if it's just a formatting problem with IE8, but the text on the Kingsbridge Branch page is not displayed fully. (Using a laptop with 1280x800 resolution)

Text stops with "in 2009, despite sporadic"

 

Also on home/main page, in the NEWS column. All the update entries show :-

 

Todays Date: 12th May

Content added to branch histories. Looking at copyright for downloads, more to come soon!

 

Todays Date: 2nd May

Further content added.

 

Today's Date: 28th April

Some new content added, downloadable content to come, including building plans, pictures and information

 

Obviously, can't all be "Todays Date" ;)

 

Will keep looking for more, hope this all helps :D

 

 

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<br>Also on home/main page, in the NEWS column. All the update entries show :-<br><br>Todays Date: 12th May<br>Content added to branch histories. Looking at copyright for downloads, more to come soon!<br><br><b><font color="#ff0000">Todays Date</font></b>: 2nd May<br>Further content added.<br><br><font color="#ff0000"><b>Today's Date</b></font>: 28th April<br>Some new content added, downloadable content to come, including building plans, pictures and information<br>
<br><br><br>Thanks for those comments. <br><br>The date part is an easy fix. Maybe putting date added might have been better, I'll have a chat to Tom about that later but for the time being I have removed the "Todays Date" part just leaving the actual date the content was added.  <br><br>
<br>Not sure if it's just a formatting problem with IE8, but the text on the Kingsbridge Branch page is not displayed fully. (Using a laptop with 1280x800 resolution)<br>Text stops with "in 2009, despite sporadic"<br>
<br><br>Does it give you a scroll option to allow you to see the rest of the page? I don't have access to test on IE8 but when I tried on setting to 1280 x 800 I was given the scroll bar and could see the rest when using safari. (Edit - I see Stu has also had this issue). I have tried changing a site size setting to see if this will resolve the issue please let us know if it does not).<br><br>Has anyone else noticed this problem on this or any other page?<br><br>

 

<div><br></div><div>Stu - Thanks for the typo notifications I shall sort those out. </div><div><br></div><div>Font size is dictated by the site and does not appear to be user adjustable, a right pain this is. We are considering other options to allow this to be resolved, but that might have to wait for a little while. </div>

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Has anyone else noticed this problem on this or any other page?

 

 

 

 

Kingsbridge Branch - the last sentence(s) is (are ) missing.

 

 

 

Er, yep, I'm using IE8 and Windows XP.

Also Firefox & Windows XP gives the same results.

Windows 7 & both IE8 & Firefox show the full text, but no scroll bar.

 

Stu

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..... of railways in South Devon, ........

Ok, a bit TIC, but :- The topic is 'New Devon Based Website', presumably Railways, but it could be the web site owners are Devon Based. unsure.gif

The above quote mentions 'Railways of South Devon' and the web site address is 'southhamsrailways', which to me is south west Devon.

 

The South Hams area is as per this map :-

 

 

wardsmap.gif

 

I was a little excited for a moment, as I was thinking about Barnstaple and Torrington, but they are way over the moors from The South Hams..

 

But, well done and good luck with the web site, bringing together all the local information.

Of course there will be getting started niggles, I had plenty on the one I created many years ago for the international Austin 7 fraternity.

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The second sentence of the Kingsbridge description doesn't look right to me:

"The first act of parliament for its construction was raised in 1863 but monetary problems and the first foundation stone was laid on the first bridge 2 miles above Loddiswell in August 1867."

The "but monetary problems" appears to be out of place (perhaps the rest of that section was deleted), and should probably be removed.

I don't think "raised" is the right verb for an act of parliament (which should itself probably be capitalised). Not being familiar with these events, I'm not sure what to suggest as a replacement - possibly "passed" or "introduced", or "promoted".

If you view that page with JavaScript disabled, the picture is placed above the text, so the sentence towards the end which includes "... such as the crossing gate opposite ..." looks odd. Might be worth changing it to something like "... such as the pictured crossing gate hinge ...".

David

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Had a quick look and it looks most promising. I'm happy to feed you what photos and news of current 'main line' events take place, subject to the usual provisos (mostly remembering to do it!!).

 

For starters, you are welcome to post any of my photos from January 2009 (earlier version of RMWeb) of the relaying of Marley Down Tunnel, if you like (and if you can find 'em!).

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