Location Research

[rivimey]

Folks,

I have been helping cunningn build a route, Cambridge Lines, and in particular I've been helping with the research. One source I've found helpful is the National Monument Record in Swindon, who have a large collection of aerial photographs, vertical and oblique, of the countryside at various times in the last 100 years. They do charge for copies of most items, but the photos are generally very good quality.

I know a lot of you are very happy with Google Earth, but there has been a huge amount of development since the '70s and especially since the 50's (when Cambridge Lines is set) and so appropriate period photos are really very helpful!

NMR have dedicated researchers who find potential photos to your spec. The list is then send as an Excel file showing the photos by location, date, and source. You can then select those you're interested in and order them (sight-unseen) or visit the NMR at Swindon (just beside the Steam Museum) where they can be viewed FoC.

To make selection easier I created a program that reads in the Excel file they send and writes a Google Earth file with placemarks for each photo, so you can load the placemarks and see where they are. It also calculates the approximate real-world size of the image so you can judge whether it's going to cover the area you're interested in. Sadly for oblique shots, the direction of shot isn't recorded.

Anyone wanting the program or more info please ask!

Ruth

[Note: the Excel file is created by people and the format does vary somewhat. The current program works for the files I've seen, but those may not be all there can be!]

[haddock1000]

What sort of angle are the oblique shots taken at? While it won't be useful for overlays, they may be useful for reference photos for modelling. Plus, what is their price range?

thanks,

chaddockdk

[rivimey]

There are a lot (I guess the majority) that are pure vertical - that is, taken looking straight down from an aircraft from purpose-designed mounts. I don't know if the verts could be applied as decals, but they would probably not be far out.

The rest - described as oblique - are at a variety of angles, the ones i've seen being in the area of 45 deg.

See here for more info about the service:
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/prof ... tions/nmr/

Ruth

[pauls]

Hi,

They also have the Aerofilms oblique aerial photography - some of it is available if you can give them a reference number or adequate description of the area of interest - but you may have to make an appointmnent to view the original photo's to identify those you are interested in..........

Try a search here first though......

http://www.englishheritagearchives.org.uk/default.aspx

Cheers
Paul