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A RECORD IN DEVELOPMENT.--Many amateurs are so fidgety about their
dark-room and its appendages that we describe, both for the benefit of
the finic and also for “those who go down to the sea”--in trains, how an
extemporized traveling dark-room was successfully used by a member of
the newly founded Croydon Camera Club.
In case the railway superintendent should reprimand the guard who
connived at the measures adopted, we must perforce suppress the
gentleman’s name, the date, and the station where the train was joined.
About a fortnight ago Mr. X. ran down for the day to visit his friend
Y., who dwells somewhere on the south coast, within about one and a half
hour’s journey from Croydon. Mr. X. having exposed sixteen
quarter-plates, Y. enquired of him when they would be developed.
“To-night,” answered X., and added, “Perhaps before I get to Croydon.”
Y. expressed incredulity, on which X. guaranteed that he would have all
the plates developed before reaching his destination.
No previous preparation had been made, and the train started in forty
minutes from the time of above conversation. A sheet of ruby paper, some
drawing pins, some oiled paper, and a piece of Willesden waterproof
paper, together with Beach’s developer, in two solutions, were procured.
The guard was duly “tipped,” and a pail of water obtained from the
engine-driver. Mr. X. being safely locked in a third-class compartment,
the Willesden paper was made into a tray, with sides three inches deep,
on account of the swaying of the train. The ruby paper was pinned over
the carriage lamp, and the blinds carefully drawn. The night was,
fortunately, a dark one. Most of the plates were shutter views; these
were first developed, the developer being used for about three plates
and then thrown away. The time views were subsequently developed, with a
suitable modification in the proportions of developer. The plates were
well rinsed in the pail of water, and while wet wrapped in oiled paper,
and thus packed in the ordinary boxes in which they are sold; the object
of using oiled paper being that it does not stick to the film when the
latter is either dry or wet. The plates were all developed before Red
Hill was reached; the fixing being deferred until arriving home.
The resulting negatives were not noticeably inferior to those which the
same worker generally produces in his dark-room. We have before us a
print of a wreck with fisher-boats “salving,” which is distinctly above
the average skilled amateur work.
If so good a result is attained by adapting a railway carriage on the
spur of the moment, even better could be done by pre-arranging to make
use of the dreary time spent in traveling by night. The above _tour de
force_ is a strong argument in favor of those railway companies who run
journeys of from five hours upwards, such as the Scotch express,
providing a well-fitted but inexpensive dark-room. A luggage van might
be converted, with an open compartment for workers to sit in when their
“dark deeds” are done.
A pleasant vision is opened up of snap-shot views, taken from a railway
carriage, and developed during the journey. Of course, plates need not
be exposed while the train is “hurtling” along at seventy miles an hour;
but in a, say, ten hours’ journey there are many stoppages and
slackenings of speed which a member of the “wideawakes” could profitably
utilize.--_The Amateur Photographer._