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Deep Throat
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Mar 21, 2004
Last Visited: Dec 2, 2008
Location: Hanging out with Donald Snerd
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:28 pm
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| bingley hall wrote: | | simont141 wrote: | David - You mentioned that the NRM has a fair amount of Mr Colquhoun's photographs. Has there been any discussion about doing something similar to Wal Jack's, and publish them? I understand he has a fair amount of colour CR photography, something that isn't really available at the moment.
I also think a few members on this board have a good collection of colour CR photography - they should seriously consider talking to NRM/Railmac/whoever about getting them published. There isn't much out there at the moment. |
From memory, Doug's colour work forms only a small part of his collection. If there had been more, then a lot of it would have appeared in Locos and Railcars of the CR - trust me on that one.
I am sure that in time that other books including Doug's stuff will follow but it needs to be remembered that railway book publishing is a very risky business and the market is diminishing all the time.
Not having a go at anyone in particular here, but I am sure everyone 'knows' that the certain book they want to see will be a definite red hot seller. If they have $20,000 to $30,000 of their own cash to put at risk, then I suggest they go for it.
Bing |
Coming from involvement at a Council with a largish railway book publisher, I'd agree with bingley hall. We're lucky in having the main part of Wal Jack's collection (which I was speaking about before it mysterious disappeared) and two books of his Ballarat stuff will be published once we find the index somewhere. Yes, there may be criticisms of the sameness of location, but we're not out to please everyone (or at least the people who value well-researched descriptions and decent imagery of a long-disappeared railway past).
The main part of a book is getting the high-quality research done; this sometimes takes close to, or sometimes more, than a decade. I forget how long Vol. 1 of the SAR was being researched for, but I know it was for a while.
The simple commercial reality is that for at least three groups, their archives are their future.
In the instance I have a responsibility for contain over 500,000 images, and books, and pre-paid research such as at NRM and ARHS NSW Division are the future of these socieities - and also a path to propoer maintenance and care.
Anonymous - and proud of it.
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:40 pm
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The now NRM archives are a combination of three main archives that are now 1, they are the previous archive from the Mile End Railway Museum, The Steamranger archive and the STA archive or collection, others have added to this base so that now we have probably the largest railway Archive in South Australia at our disposal. This was done because it made sense to have only one large archive for everyone rather than a bit here and a bit there which made it hard to research anything!
People do not realise just how big the archive is at the NRM, most is being put onto computer disc etc to make locating stuff easier, but there is just a hell of a lot and it is going to take time to sort throgh it all and do this, it is a never ending job, just when they start to catch up a bit, more comes in and so you start over again! 
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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ARG706
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jun 03, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: City of doomsayers
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:54 pm
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| David Peters wrote: | The now NRM archives are a combination of three main archives that are now 1, they are the previous archive from the Mile End Railway Museum, The Steamranger archive and the STA archive or collection, others have added to this base so that now we have probably the largest railway Archive in South Australia at our disposal. This was done because it made sense to have only one large archive for everyone rather than a bit here and a bit there which made it hard to research anything!
People do not realise just how big the archive is at the NRM, most is being put onto computer disc etc to make locating stuff easier, but there is just a hell of a lot and it is going to take time to sort throgh it all and do this, it is a never ending job, just when they start to catch up a bit, more comes in and so you start over again! |
I really hope if possible, that the NRM releases one day something equivalent to what ARHS NSW has put out. A CD or DVD containing yard diagrams and modelling info for most if not all lines in South Australia. You could probably sell it for 75 bucks and make a fair bit!
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Deep Throat
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Mar 21, 2004
Last Visited: Dec 2, 2008
Location: Hanging out with Donald Snerd
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 8:52 pm
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| David Peters wrote: |
People do not realise just how big the archive is at the NRM, most is being put onto computer disc etc to make locating stuff easier, but there is just a hell of a lot and it is going to take time to sort throgh it all and do this, it is a never ending job, just when they start to catch up a bit, more comes in and so you start over again! |
If it's anything like the ARHS Vic Divisions, I can imagine. It took two very, very large trucks to move the whole lot, and there is still more out there - we're only starting to document it...
Anonymous - and proud of it.
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:58 pm
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I do not for one minute doubt that Deep Throat, but try telling the person that want's something and you cannot put your hand on, what he want's straight away, sometimes it is easy, other times you virtually have to go digging!
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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Deep Throat
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Mar 21, 2004
Last Visited: Dec 2, 2008
Location: Hanging out with Donald Snerd
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simont141
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 12, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Adelaide
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:43 pm
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| Deep Throat wrote: | | David Peters wrote: | | I do not for one minute doubt that Deep Throat, but try telling the person that want's something and you cannot put your hand on, what he want's straight away, sometimes it is easy, other times you virtually have to go digging! |
Yes, I know that feeling, I've experienced it many times. The worst one is when you spend ages looking for something for someone and can't find it - then a week later someone opens up a box and there it is  |
This qustion is for you Mr Felt, as well as David - or anyone for that matter. From your experience with various archive collections, how much of it is indexed on a computer (excel, access, whatever)? And to what degree are they indexed? Maybe subject of the particular item, what collection it's in, who took the photo (if it's a photo), when it was published, etc. etc.
I imagine even with good indexing, there are certain things that will always be nigh on impossible to find in a collection.
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Deep Throat
Chief Commissioner
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:10 pm
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What is this `computer' of which you speak?
At the moment, we're trying to catch up on the fact that the locations and the nature of what is there is stored in the memories of ex-archivists who in some instances were less that strict in their lending practices or were too strict (barring the President and Secretary and Publications sub-committee from the Archives, resulting in me standing on Windsor station in morning peak hour with a big yellow set of bolt-cutters snapping off a lock; not one commuter batted an eyelid  )
We've started indexing everything - five people working pretty much full-time have only made a slight dent in it all.
We are working on having everything indexed and searchable - even down to low-res and high-res scans of everything visual...
This will take time and effort, both of which are as usual in short supply in the volunteer world.
Anonymous - and proud of it.
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simont141
Chief Commissioner
Joined: May 12, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 3, 2008
Location: Adelaide
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:19 pm
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Thanks for clearing that up. Since I posted my initial question I did a bit of hunting around on the net regarding archiving in Australia, and I found a few interesting reads. Firstly there's a government site with some good resources on there: http://www.archivenet.gov.au/resources/archivists.htm.
Another one is a paper that was published: "State Records of South Australia, MANAGING ELECTRONIC RECORDS ISSUES". Unfortunately it's 10 years old but it's still a good read. http://www.archivenet.gov.au/resources/SA_discussion_0498/Records01_SA.htm.
Also read that there are 3 universities that offer Grad Dips in Information Management (Archiving) or similar, which is a one year full time commitment (or 2 years part time). There's definately more to it than what people would think.
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:48 pm
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The NRM's archive would be about on par with what Deep Throat has said, but the volunteers are slowly committing to computer a lot of data but there, is still a hellva lot to go! I am not actually involved in the archives area but have helped from time to time with different things, but anyone who considers it an easy job, would certainly change their tune after a day or so doing it!
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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