1000|+ miles in a 28 year old car - all on film

[auntiemaryscanary]

(All pics via an EOS 3000, K400, Y2 filter, dev'd yesterday in ID-11 unless otherwise stated, scanned today)

Tomorrow I'm starting off to the Highlands to visit a mate. So of course there is only one car for a 1000+ round mile trip.



A 1998 mint green Corsa B with 44k on the clock. I've had it 3 years and its had a clean MoT pass each year. In fact the only MoT issue was a failed switch in 2007. A bit of routine maintenance and starting to gather some emergency tools...



Whilst I was there I degreased the engine as there is a slight leak on the rocker cover gasket I want to keep my eye on.

I've decided I'm going to document my trip ONLY on film. Taking one or two cameras...



Top row from left: Mamiya C3 (my favourite), Mamiya Super 23 (a bl**dy complicated beast)

Bottom row: Minolta MT-9 (35mm point & shoot) which will be the 2nd main day to day camera, Supasnaps (110, fixed focus & aperture, single shutter speed probably around 1/100), Minolta 16 II but I've swapped this out for my Minox EC (not pictured, sub miniature, 9.2mm film giving a 8x11mm negative)

Cameras not pictured: Canon EOS 3000 and a 50mm prime lens with remote cable release that will be mounted to the interior of my windscreen with a humongous suction pad so I can take pics whilst driving and another EOS (750?) with a 35-80mm zoom for day to day non driving pics that I'll treat as a fancy point & shoot on auto everything.

To make the jaunt more fun but infinitely more complicated for myself I'm going to develop the preceding 24 hours worth of shots whilst in a hotel or at my mates house, dry them overnight and the scan them in the morning for posting. Basically all these photos have been practice for this endeavour. Will it work? Don't know. Why do it? Not rightly sure.

The beautifully wrapped scanner and the "modern" Win 8.1 computer.



I've also been practising on the road shots...







I quite like some of them but there is a v high proportion of duds. I've got the 50mm lens on manual focus at virtually infinity (I don't want it "hunting" for focus when I'm at legal motorway speeds) on aperture priority at f8 and letting the camera decide shutter speed. That's great for distance shots. Where I've been let down is using the same focus settings in urban areas. If I want shots at slower car speeds in built up areas I'll need to pull over and re-focus at 50ft-ish.

Because inevitably there will be a 24-36 hour delay in the photo updates there will be a few Instax shots to literally add a bit of colour.



Might have enough film...

See you on the morrow when I set off.

 

[F1.2]

Hope you have a lovely trouble free time

 

[Micro-four-thirds]

That’s a fantastic idea and look forward to seeing your pics. Have a great time.

 

[Barney]

I like that concept, much as life itself. Its all about the journey.
A road trip to remember.
Looking forward to seeing the photos.

 

[LeeRatters]

What an awesome adventure.

Looking forward to the story/ photos

 

[skullfunkerry]

Following this, very much looking forward to seeing your shots

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

And I'm off.

 

[zx9]

Good luck with the road trip I am looking forward to seeing the images you make along the way.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Two hours in (2/5ths of the way and 113 miles) and time for a quick stop at Scotch Corner. Some interesting stuff on the roads and hopefully some good pics.

 

[StephenM]

Good route. We used to cross the border at Carter Bar, but we switched to the M6 years ago, when we could no longer break the journey at my mother's (near Wakefield).

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

I'm ignoring the obvious camera fault

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Arrived at 5.30. Off to find sustenance. Great coming over the A68.

 

[F1.2]

Arrived at 5.30. Off to find sustenance. Great coming over the A68.

Haggis ?

 

[Barney]

Haggis ?

Battered and deep fried, please.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

All film used is Ilford HP5+, developed in Bellini Mono Bath FX6a in the Premier Inn bathroom, dried overnight and scanned this morning. All static pics via Minolta MT-9, on the road via EOS 3000.

04.06.26

The start



(Minolta can't focus that close)

Passed some interesting stuuf on the A1, race prepped old sports car, 2 bikes all the way from Holland, towed vintage tractors going to this weekends Tractor Fest plus a shonky 205. all captured on film BUT... see below

First stop at Scotch Corner and caught up with 205


Modified noisy exhaust, not my cup of tea wheels and no fuel cap... The late 20's ish modern mulleted chap gave the Corsa a nod as he left the car park




The A68 was glorious.

The border crossing was great. Lovely French couple took my instant pic. Souvenir seller made me smile - wearing a full kilt and get up.




Corsa showing windscreen mounted camera






The Scottish borders were lovely to up to Jedburgh-ish. The Edinburgh bypass was hideous. All the on the road pics are on the negatives but all out of focus, entirly my fault, will try better today. Some samples.








Dinner at a very pleasant Bathgate Italian. Would highly recommend.

I'm trading the Corsa in for this...



Bathgate theatre plus my film drying tent



Corsa didn't miss a beat at motorway speeds, on the twisty - turny up and down gear working A68 nor the 40 min 3mph min crawl on the Edinburgh bypass. 275 miles covered, took 7.5 hours with 2 x 30 min stops at 38mpg

Off to look at Forth Rail Bridge shortly. And buy a rain coat - I forgot mine!

 

[bumper]

I’d stick with the corsa

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Busy tiring day yesterday. 200 miles covered on the horrible A9. Went to a gig and then bed. Yesterday's films developed this morning and currently drying. Will scan this evening.

My abode for the next few days. In my mates...

 

[Nod]

A semi permanent base to set up your enlarger!!!

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

A semi permanent base to set up your enlarger!!!

I would have had space in the Corsa to fit a35mm enlarger!! I was slightly worried how me developing films in their nice cabin would go down - mate said "Don't worry, its my art studio, it's meant to be messy!".

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

I'm alive! No pics yesterday due to Inverness alcohol consumption...

Photo's as they came off the scanner. I've given up trying to figure out which camera was us

Day 2 05.06.26 - after a mildly disappointing Premier Inn breakfast (buffet style, no square sausage) then it was off to see a bridge or two.

















The centre of South Queensferry



Any kilt, tartan tins of biscuits or Highland cow cuddly toys required let me know and I'll pick em up on the way back.

Biker cafe focusing mainly on Harleys (yuck to Harleys, cafe great ). More my sorta bike



Bridges from other side.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Flashback!: 04.06.26, 9.30pm-ish, Bathgate Premier Inn.






A Premier Inn towel may have a slight chemical stain...

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

05.06.26
I finally decided to use auto focus for the on the road camera... focus achieved, not the best composition mind.






Better...


Like this one. (Edit bridge over Cromaty Firth)

 

[F1.2]

Looks like you arrrr having lots of fun.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Looks like you arrrr having lots of fun.

Thank you, very much so. Lots more fun lined up today. We are visiting Ffordes in Beauly https://www.ffordes.com/
I've told my mate she's got to look after my wallet as I'm limiting myself to £30 cash only

 

[Nod]

Best of luck with that £30 limit!!! 4 rolls of film?

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Best of luck with that £30 limit!!! 4 rolls of film?

If I'm not careful I could end buying a full LF 8x10 kit!!!

 

[Nod]

If I'm not careful I could end buying a full LF 8x10 kit!!!

Now, that might not fit in a Corsa!

 

[FishyFish]

Will Ffordes take a Corsa as part exchange? That's the danger.

 

[Nod]

Will Ffordes take a Corsa as part exchange? That's the danger.

Maybe - against A film!!!

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

How rude I wouldn't sell it em!!

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Day 2 05.06.26 - continued

The A9 as a number of folk will know is 'orrible. Too much traffic for the 15 mile sections of single carriageways only broken up slightly by the 2 mile sections of dual carriageway interspersed with major roadworks. Lots of campers, caravans ,tourists (inc me) and lorries/buses and slow going for parts. After 3 hours and I was desperate for the loo and a sandwich. One of the limited on road options was this



Overpriced sarnie bought at the Ralia Cafe.

I arrived in a village(?)/settlement 5 miles from Tain about 5pm.






By 7.30pm we were in Tain community hall watching Budapest Café Orchestra. Long day and I slept beautifully in my little cabin.

 

[Clive K]

How rude I wouldn't sell it em!!

Especially as you'd only get a roll of Lucky Color 800 iso for it.

You mentioned your female companion. I wonder what she thought when as soon as you got in the hotel bedroom you closed the curtains and started fiddling with your enlarger?

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

You mentioned your female companion. I wonder what she thought when as soon as you got in the hotel bedroom you closed the curtains and started fiddling with your enlarger?

I was on my own (I know insert appropriate comment here). Mrs auntiemaryscanary and our children are at home. Mrs auntiemaryscanary has reached the stage of eye roll whenever I mention film photography.

I've come to visit my good mate (female), her partner (male) and their 3 children. I can do all this now since I retired last Dec.

I only bought a roll of 35mm Phoenix at Ffordes - shock, horror - my mates eldest (Uni art student) showed interest in that film whom I'm nudging to get back into film photography. I'm giving their eldest a range of b&w film and will then develop and scan them.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

Day 3, 06.06.26.

My mate's house and car plus obligatory Corsa B








Taking over my mate's art studio,



Then it was off to the Biiiggggggg city, well Inverness. My mate's work meant she was involved in a small in size but significant in importance event for young people that was part of Highland Pride. I was invited to participate in the Pride march. In truth I'm a little shy so I was a little unsure but as soon as I got rainbow stripes on my face and a big flag to wave I was off and pacing.







"Look", says I, "I've got one of them camera's too!"



My mate's Inverness based eldest (adult) child took me and mum to the pub (child and I were on the beer with mum as sober driver and then off to a gig in which all the band members knew my mate through her youth work. The lead singer gave a very good speech thanking my mate for all her support when he was a daft wee lad. V touching.

We left the young 'uns alone to do whatever they do these days and then it was back in the Kia EV over the Cromarty Firth and home.

 

[myotis]

Battered and deep fried, please.

That would be a "haggis pudding" but beware some are made with barley, rather than oatmeal, and need to be avoided.

Sadly, since being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease last year, I can have neither :-(

EDIT: I think I'm getting my "puddings" mixed up, it's white puddings that are sometimes made with barley, not haggis puddings :-(

 

[Barney]

That would be a "haggis pudding" but beware some are made with barley, rather than oatmeal, and need to be avoided.

Sadly, since being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease last year, I can have neither :-(

EDIT: I think I'm getting my "puddings" mixed up, it's white puddings that are sometimes made with barley, not haggis puddings :-(

missing out on one of lifes treats, I managed to dodge the deep fried Pizza and Mars bars, but the Haggis I had a few, yum yum!

 

[myotis]

missing out on one of lifes treats, I managed to dodge the deep fried Pizza and Mars bars, but the Haggis I had a few, yum yum!

Deep fried pizzas are terrible, but I only ever came across one chippie that did this.

Deep fried mars bars were a joke in a Scottish newspaper, which prompted some people to actually ask for them. I've never come across anywhere that sells them, but I think some places did start to sell them.

 

[auntiemaryscanary]

9am. 10.06.26 Leg 1 of 2 to return home.



This now disused church is owned by the local agricultural engineer. His residence and business is to the right. On the left atop the container is a red primed lorry chassis and his Bentley is further to the left.

The church was originally built by John Ross, a missionary whose aim was to convert non-European "heathens" (his word) and he translated the New Testament into Korean, as you do. Occasionally groups of Koreans are seen outside the church in homage to their translator/converter.

I've been somewhat fascinated by this beast since seeing it yesterday and photographing as close as I can get today.



I now know it's a FPSO - floating production storage offloading vessel.

It's moored at Nigg Yard which was built in the 70's to fabricate oil rigs. The yard and associated v deep natural harbour still does some oil platform servicing and refitting but for the last 30 yrs the yard has been severely underused.

In the last few years it has been manufacturing wind turbines and has a training facility for welding etc. Nearing completion is a Japanese owned deep sea cable plant. The local economy needs these real jobs - it's hard trying to exist working in seasonal hotels and tat shops.

Other parts of the yard are being turned over to an Eco Freeport but it seems a shame that the giant wind turbine uprights (engineering term) and blades go out via road when they are next to the UKs deepest natural harbour.

Further reading dear students:

Ping Names Avalon FPSO Excalibur

Malaysia's Dagang NeXchange Berhad (DNeX), via its subsidiary Ping Petroleum, has renamed its recently acquired floating production…

www.oedigital.com

FPSO gets a new name ahead of floating wind electrification

DNeX, via Ping Petroleum, has renamed its recently acquired FPSO, which will be one of the UK’s first wind-powered oil and gas facilities.

www.offshore-energy.biz

Edit - give me a minute to resize the Instax pics!

Edit edit - your wait is over

 

[Barney]

Deep fried pizzas are terrible, but I only ever came across one chippie that did this.

Deep fried mars bars were a joke in a Scottish newspaper, which prompted some people to actually ask for them. I've never come across anywhere that sells them, but I think some places did start to sell them.

A few pals and I used to go to up to Glentress mountain biking a fair bit, the chippy at Peebles High street did the whole shooting match, it was a while ago now mind.

Our motto was "don't give in to peer pressure".

We always did on the downhill runs but I drew the line at deep fried pizza and mars bars.