Bluebell Railway General Discussion

Thank you for doing that - I have never understood why people feel the need to post huge images on this forum.

 

I suspect not everyone has the skills or tech to edit photos, and some are publishing on the move to share an image more or less in ‘real time’.

The forum software can probably limit both file size and image dimensions (eg max size 1mb or max width 1024 pixels) which would likely solve the problem, with the knock on consequence that some people would be prevented from uploading unedited photos, or uploading in a timely way.

It’s definitely better when folk make the effort to upload photos at an appropriate size/resolution.

Simon

 

And the majority will download it and view it from a smartphone rather than print it. The colour version is easier to read from a smart phone than the black and white one on the PTI pages, even for those without the issues mentioned.

 

I use photo compressor app to resize photos on the go. You can resize photos in a batch, see menu

I agreed the issue is lack of tech skills, but there have been various threads over the years on this forum where information on resizing and various free software and apps have been recommended.
I looked into it after posts on here.
I have stopped looking at some photos on the go due to their size when I have a slow connection.

 

One from Monday: Sir Archie climbing through Mill Place on the approach to Kingscote with its last train of the day (taken with photographer's PTS.)

 

I give you PicResize.com Earlier today I took a photo of the roses I placed on my wife's grave: it would have been her 60th birthday. I wanted to send the picture to my sister but I balked at the thought of sending her a 12MP picture (the new phone also has a 48MP camera!). So I found the picture on my phone, went to the aforementioned website and selected a resize to 25% of original. Within a minute or two of starting the procedure I had my resized picture available to dowload, attached it to WhatsApp and off it went.

If somebody has the skills to upload a picture from their phone to this forum, they can use PicResize and save a lot of forum bandwidth/storage space. Unless some people are providing images for those counting the ballast, rivets or whatever, there's really no need for 24MP or whatever pictures. (And don't get me started on the curse of HDR)

 

From the Photo Charter on Tuesday . Thanks to @jonpbowers the crews, other volunters and the railway. A wet morning, followed by a mainly dull afternoon with some sun brieflyon Freshfield Bank
SECR 01 nr 65 Freshfield Bank by Paul Simpson, on Flickr
SECR 01 nr 65 Freshfield Bank by Paul Simpson, on Flickr
SECR 01 nr 65 Sheffield Park by Paul Simpson, on Flickr
SECR 01 nr 65 Sheffield Park by Paul Simpson, on Flickr
SECR 01 nr 65 Aprroaching Horsted by Paul Simpson, on Flickr

 

Absolutely gorgeous - the setting, the loco, the coaches, the rake as a whole, and of course the photos themselves.

 

Carriages. My own thought is that being regularly used is good for carriages: they get warmed and ventilated so condensation is at least contained - heating carriages removes any condensation on the windows and actually dampness in the upholstery but does take time to strike along a rake - also any outright leaks through the ceiling are seen in good time.

It was said when all the carriages were wooden "keep them moving or keep them under a roof''.

With all the individual carriage movements on a spreadsheet it would be possible to rotate the ones unprotected into traffic. Longer term it should be possible to relate the high mileage vehicles to other comparable ones - I presume the wheelchair-accessible saloon is a Mk 1, might the London Chatham & Dover Railway equivalent show the same effect versus its fellow bogieless, and teak built LDSCR coaches? There may also be a benefit in saloons - open and easier to air - compared to compartment stock.

 

Especially the one where the loco is taking water, framed by the canopy.

 

Paul,

Great photos Paul42 in what must have been very difficult weather at time.

I really don't want to labour the point about size, but I would like to kindly mention that if you had the means to downsize them both in terms of pixel and to a KB size instead of MB size, they would not only have helped the Forum with bandwidth and the loading time, but also made them more enjoyable - I can't see all of the loco watering photo with the canopy frame on one screen, I have to scroll down to view it part at a time. I use Photoshop Elements 2022 and find that on screen here keeping my photos down to around 200 KB and aiming for a maximum of around 800 to 900 pixels height and or width, tends to show my modest efforts as one screen view for each photo; they should load quickly; and they only use a very small amount of bandwidth. Other software is available of course.

I do hope you take my comments in the spirit they are intended.

Bryan

 

Bryan

They are linked from Flickr rather than uploaded and stored here. The ones I upload to Flickr have all been reduced in file size by minimum of 50%.

When I upload photos directly they have been reduced further to between .75 and 1.5mb.

Regards

Paul

 

Does anyone ( @Jamessquared ?) know if it’s possible to buy travel tickets without risking life and limb ice skating in February?

Drawing a bit of a blank on the website…

Simon

 

As far as I know, yes - should be normal fare. The skating is an extra.

Tom

 

The latest issue of The Bluebell Times is now available to view for January.

In This Edition

• Bluebell Goods Division reaches five years of wagon restoration
• Ben Gray celebrates his 21st birthday – by becoming the Bluebell’s youngest ever driver
• Major track relaying project starts at Sheffield Park
• Restoration updates on Q class No. 541, 9F 92240 – and Stroudley Brake 3rd No. 949 nears completion
• Positive feedback for the Education team from school visitors
• Remembering Jock McKay – a mentor to a generation of enginemen

See https://www.bluebell-railway.com/bluebell-times/

Tom

 

Tom, many thanks for your efforts in putting an excellent read together.

I do like the photo of 31739 double heading 34083 on the 13.10 Charing Cross on 10 June 1961.

That D1 was a great loco. With me hanging onto big brother Don's coat tails @gricerdon we had a run behind the 4-4-0 on the 07.24 London Bridge from Ashford to Ramsgate, and on the last day of the Westerham branch in October 1961. I took a photo of it on the local train at Tonbridge after it had arrived on 10 June and it is possible that Don has a photo of it arriving with 34083. I never saw an original D, but from photos have always thought the D1 was a much better looking loco. A dreadful shame that a D1, or E1 or L1, was not preserved for heritage railway use. But they were gone before the heritage movement really got up to speed.

Bryan

PS. Any up to date news of 30928 please?

 

I could lend you my 12 point crampons from my mountain winter 'walking' days. But I'm not sure those running the ice event would be too pleased with the state of the ice after you had walked around on it with those on!

 

Agreed, one of those engines would be ideal for just about any train the Bluebell could throw at it.

That said the Maunsell L1 is one of the most popular model engineering designs so at least there are lots of small ones about!

 

Ahem - 928 ...

There will be an update on Stowe in the next issue of Bluebell News. As of late November (when the report was compiled) there was work underway on the boiler at HBSS; the initially agreed work there is approaching completion and a decision then needs to be made whether to continue the repair there or bring the boiler back to Sheffield Park. At Quainton, an agreement has been reached about how to proceed with the next step in the chassis overhaul, which is the fitting of new cylinder liners.

Tom