RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 15, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2012 Yes, scanner up & working although lots more to suss out on it but a few 'test pieces' appear below - hence 'A Fist Full of Permits' as these were taken on a solo shed tour of just a small bit of South Wales in early September 1962 and just before the school hols ended. These are from prints off 120 negs, the rest of my stuff is 35mm and I need to sort out how to do slide/negative scanning before I go much further plus working out the best way to present them on here - gallery, or thread(s) or whatever (hence I've landed in Wheeltappers whilst I'm thinking about how to tackle things even tho' I know it's not exactly the right place). Right folks some trial pics from 'A Fist Full of Permits' in more or less the order in which they were taken (I have a notebook somewhere, I think). First off is Barry were I was looking for the local allocation of 'Halls' only to find a far too familiar Southall engine. Next into the Valleys proper and a look at 4257 by the coal stage at Aberdare Next day was the great adventure, up the Valley from Ponty to Quakers Yard, where 5614 was shunting in the exchange sidings between the Low Level and High Level then over the top end of the Vale of Neath to Pontypool Road - where 6673 was waiting later in the day to whisk me back to quakers Yard. Before anyone gets excited 120 film and processing was expensive and I was unused to the camera viewfinder so the whole trip only yielded a few decent pics plus some locos with the top of the cab etc cut-off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 MIke, Have fun sorting out how you want to tackle the project. We'll look forward to whatever you are able to share. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 15, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2012 And some additions from the dark ages, and nothing to do with permits but some first efforts at film scanning (6400dpi). The pictures were taken with a Halina 35X (not the best lens in the world) on Kodak Tri-X (I forget who recommended it but Ilford would have been better and I later shifted to using FP4) so the quality is not at all good even before my guesstimate exposures are taken into account. Maybe with a bit of Photoshopping something might be made of them but as far as history goes they certainly portray it - if not too clearly. First off is 1011 running into Platform 5 - this scene is probably even older than many on RMweb remember it with the pit at the west end of Platform 4 still in place, the hut for the C&W (I think) also still there plus the siding between Platforms 5 & & Bay, the roof of the Staff Association at extreme left, the roof of 'The Duke of Edinburgh' visible to the left of the Down Main Home Signal, signals with rings on their arms on the Down Goods, two ladies crossing the track with not some much as a hint of orange over their raincoats and - for those who know where to look the back end of the roof above EAMES shop. Sorry it's rather grainy. Now the other end of Platform 5 with a very shiny new D832 waiting the off. Another stark contrast with today's scene withe the roof of the Southern station just visible at extreme left above the fence that hid the fish dock from public gaze. And another view at the east end showing the Starting Signals for Platform 5 with a freight crossing to the Down Goods Avoiding Line at left background - a scene which is almost unrecognisable today with not only the railway undergoing its second lot of change but the skyline also very different too. And finally here 6023 majestically sweeping onto the Up Main Through Line with, I think, 'The Red Dragon' which helps a bit with dating of course Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Ooh, another archive about to see the light of day. A few tips from experience for anyone about to do the same: Take your time sorting out the best settings for the scanner - it'll pay off if you've a lot to do. Also have a think about a numbering/file naming/metadata system that will make sense for easy retrieval later. And have a good play around to see what you can do with Photoshop or equivalent - I was amazed at how much shadow detail you could retrieve from a neg scan where the print was just mud. And one more thing - make sure you back up the scans, as it's a lot of work to redo if you lose or otherwise b**** up the file(s) on the computer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 15, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2012 The picture of 6673 is rather nice - you can even see that it is lined out. Presumably it was green. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2012 The picture of 6673 is rather nice - you can even see that it is lined out. Presumably it was green. Keith Yes, lined green, one of Aberdare's 'passenger pets' I believe. Although many Aberdare locos were distinctly grubby they seemed to try hard to keep a few of the passenger engines as clean as they could and 6673 certainly shows the impact of fairly regular cleaning, and how it weathered paintwork etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Belgian Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 What type of scanner did you buy Mike? I too have just acquired one, an Epson V500 which seems quite effective so far. JE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2012 What type of scanner did you buy Mike? I too have just acquired one, an Epson V500 which seems quite effective so far. JE Snap!! I've had my eye out for one for a while as I could not get the HP one I had to work with the Mac. I came across the Epson V500 in PCWorld earlier this week and it seemed to fit the bill at a reasonable cost so I took the plunge. The 'newest' things I've tried in it so far are the near 50 year old prints in the OP of this thread and I'm well pleased with the results there, the next test is going to be some 40 year old transparencies I think. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 A big thumbs up for getting stuck in Mike, and of course for sharing them here! D832 no doubt seemed like something from outer space to the locals of the period, and happily it was just as shiny yesterday when I photographed it in the sunshine at Williton. Looking at your photo, I'm picturing myself standing there at Reading watching it accelrate away to Paddington.... it must have sounded wonderful with a full complement of loaded Mk1s in tow. Enjoy playing with the scanner and I'm looking forward to the next batch of goodies, whatever they may be... Edit : 1A30 rings a bell.... could it be a Weston SM / Bristol - Padd job...? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Enjoy playing with the scanner and I'm looking forward to the next batch of goodies, whatever they may be... Yes, I'm hoping for "Broad Gauge Memories" or the famous one of Mike and IKB where Mike is trying on IKB's Stove-Pipe hat....... Best, Pete. PS Apologies, Mike but I could not resist..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2012 Yes, I'm hoping for "Broad Gauge Memories" or the famous one of Mike and IKB where Mike is trying on IKB's Stove-Pipe hat....... Best, Pete. PS Apologies, Mike but I could not resist..... Many a true word - well almost as many years ago someone sort of 'renamed' a character in a Victorian print of a signalbox with a very similar idea. I wonder where the copy of that is, must be about somewhere? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Yes, I'm hoping for "Broad Gauge Memories" or the famous one of Mike and IKB where Mike is trying on IKB's Stove-Pipe hat....... Best, Pete. PS Apologies, Mike but I could not resist..... Not as far fetched as you might think - I've hear a story that the WR Chief Civil Engineer right up until late BR days would be given Brunels' walking stick (a yard long) during the period of their tenure - might be a old wives' tale though........... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JZ Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Some great memories there and I love to see this, but wouldn't it be better in the prototype section ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 16, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 16, 2012 Snap!! I've had my eye out for one for a while as I could not get the HP one I had to work with the Mac. I came across the Epson V500 in PCWorld earlier this week and it seemed to fit the bill at a reasonable cost so I took the plunge. The 'newest' things I've tried in it so far are the near 50 year old prints in the OP of this thread and I'm well pleased with the results there, the next test is going to be some 40 year old transparencies I think. What software was included? I bought an Epson 4990 a few years ago and the software included a version of Silverfast which is great for adjusting contrast/colour balance etc. during the scan, leaving less to be Photoshopped! It allows negatives to be scanned to a positive file and filmstrips/slides to be scanned in groups Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 16, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2012 What software was included? I bought an Epson 4990 a few years ago and the software included a version of Silverfast which is great for adjusting contrast/colour balance etc. during the scan, leaving less to be Photoshopped! It allows negatives to be scanned to a positive file and filmstrips/slides to be scanned in groups Keith There is a disc labelled 'Photshop Elements 9' (which I've not loaded as I've also got version10 at a good price) plus a few oddities there were on the installation disc and don't seem to offer anything I need. This version of the scanner allows scanning from b&w negatives (all the pics in Post No.3 above were scanned from negs (after a few wrinkles were sorted) but I see from part of the on-screen instructions that it can't scan from colour negatives (or presumably it can no doubt scan them but can't convert them to positives - correction it says you can't scan from negative slides, it doesn't mention scanning from colour negative film so that might be possible). This might sound odd but it scans from negatives or slides using two physically different positions in a supplementary masking piece - I shall have to try a colour neg in the film strip position and see if it works unless someone else has already got the answer?). As far as multiple loading is concerned it will take up 12x35mm negs in the strip holders at one time and scan them as part of one operation creating a separate image for each, the slide holder will take a maximum of 4 at one time. I have placed 3 x prints off a 120 film onto the flatbed and got a separate image film for each of them (a couple are in post No.1) so it's quite clever at sorting images in that respect. I'm still mulling over presentation ideas and the best way to tackle that aspect (wonder if I can blag a group out of our leader?) - this thread is about my getting to know how the thing works and seeing what it can do, with illustrations of the results that I think are worthy of display. So this afternoon and evening has seen mass colour slide scanning and here are some samples - the place name is obvious I think - from 1965 on Kodachrome; the first one on parade has been lightened as the area beneath the canopy was well underexposed in the original, the other two are as the came out of the camera - Now the old Kodachrome card mounted slides fit the slide mask to perfection, but alas the plastic mounted Agfa slides are a little bit smaller and I wonder if this has led to a problem in reading the picture as some have come out an odd shape with black borders although overall results have been pretty good - this is an enlargement (different programme - not the scanner) of part of one of them otherwise as scanned (Exeter for those who don't recognise it) - Finally Fujichrome slides are also a good fit in the mask but being very thin are a bit harder to get out after they've been scanned - again as scanned (Oxford for those unfamiliar with how it looked 40 years ago) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 All good work, Mike. Do you have Photoshop or something similar? I've taken the liberty of intensifying one of your pics. as an example. Some programmes have a colour correction facility. Your originals are quite good so would benefit from extra processing. (Of course, you may prefer the 'period' look and that's valid too). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I have an old Canon Scanner which I keep just for its neg. facility. Everyday stuff and the HP All in One gets used. Never tried to print from slides! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Very nice results so far Mike and what lovely subject matter too.... I wonder where that Henley WR enamel sign is now? A few weeks back I found a slide on ebay showing the two running in boards at the London end of the platforms, I'll dig it out later and PM you. Just out of interest, how many slides / photos have you got to get through..? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted June 17, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted June 17, 2012 All good work, Mike. Do you have Photoshop or something similar? I've taken the liberty of intensifying one of your pics. as an example. Some programmes have a colour correction facility. Your originals are quite good so would benefit from extra processing. (Of course, you may prefer the 'period' look and that's valid too). Some of them definitely need the attention of Photoshop or similar - no doubt about that as in some cases the dye has changed colour and in others the original exposure was a guess (especially back in 1965!) so things were hardly in 'class amateur' let alone 'professional' categories. I have Photshop Elements 10 awaiting loading and then it will be climbing a very steep learning curve, in fact I'd probably find it easier to climb the Eiger (well you can do most of that by train of course ). But here's an example of how some slides have fared (and they have lived in boxes in drawers so this is the dye/emulsion - no influence from external light - And here it is again after a bit of attention from the editing tools which come in 'Preview' on the Mac - I haven't gone at it hard as these tools are pretty broad brush and will alter everything to the same extent - PS It's 'Duke of Rothesay' heading from Rosslare to Fishguard in the summer of 1971 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Didn't Sealink ships look good in those days Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Is that back to front? I thoght the arrow of indecision was reversed on shipping ? Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Is that back to front? I thought the arrow of indecision was reversed on shipping ? Only on port side I believe. ie the top arrow always pointed to the bow - the direction of travel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Mike, To be honest I much prefer the first of your two ferry views. The second one looks, well, just too blue for my liking. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Easily fixed for personal preference. The information is all in the picture. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Ah, that's better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.