Chemin der fer de Chauny à St. Gobain.

Afternoon All,

While we were in France to see the Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury, we happened across some members of the Fédération des Amis des Chemins de fer Secondaires (FACS) who told us about a special train they were running on the Chemin de Fer de Chauny à St. Gobain the next day. This was north east of Paris, so by making a detour, we were able to visit this on our to Calais.

Sadly, my colour slides have deteriorated somewhat in the 62 years since then, but I've managed to make them viewable with the magic of modern day computer software. The line was closed some years ago, so these photos have historic interest if nothing else. As far as I know, only one of their engines was preserved, and this is the 0-6-0T hauling the train.

So if anyone would like to see them, they're here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/train-pix/albums/72177720335604094/

Hope they're of interest,

Ron.

 

They are interesting, but is it there not an online way of making them even better?

I have colour negatives that I improved with Photoshop. They are pretty good now.
But a friend improved a picture using AI that came out brilliantly.

 

It's quite possible there is; can anybody recommend any free and simple to use online AI editing sites?

 

This took 2 mins using ChatGPT Free.
There are a few errors, eg loco number, but you can request it to correct these.
There’s a daily limit on the free version, but there are free apps y that I haven’t tried yet too.

 

Fantastic.
But you have to be careful, because AI will change other things, without telling you. Eg move cylinders back, change the wheel arrangement, change white steam for blue sky.
Look at the new image very carefully.

 

That's unbelievable. They could have been taken yesterday! I don't remember the sky being that blue though - especially the first ones at Gare de Chauny as it was a typical autumn morning - season of mists and mellow fruitfulness and all that. Particularly the mists! Atmospheric though.

I can see that I need to look into this AI stuff. It seems that there's a whole new world to discover out there, but not if it's going to change an 0-6-0 to an 0-4-0!

 

Oh yes, very true. Though you can be very proscriptive in what you request of course.

 

I've had a play with it and although it's improved the overall appearance, it has also made various changes I didn't ask it to. I managed to reverse some of them, but it took me all the morning and half the afternoon and I can't spend all that time just on one photo. It changed some of the wording and lettering, it's plated over the front spectacle and turned the simple 3 on the buffer beam into some sort of shield with a coat of arms! That's just a few, but I haven't got time to do any more to it. Anyway, here it is:

 

I really only use it to visualise DIY jobs before we order the materials tbh.