Quote from: EtchedPixels on December 04, 2025, 05:38:16 PMMy brother was a godsend watching snooker on the black and white tv.

"For those of you watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green." - Ted Lowe, BBC

John P

Quote from: Shropshire Lad on December 04, 2025, 06:00:55 PMI see hundred of train tickets a day at work and the only App I would actively avoid is The Trainline one!
Cheers Colin

And the reason, Colin??

Quote from: port perran on December 04, 2025, 05:09:29 PMPurchasing railway ticketing can be mighty difficult and confusing so I though it might be an idea to share knowledge and ideas on here.

I like to think, probably misguidedly, that I know something about how ticketing works and am quite good at getting the best deal. I'm also very conversant with the network and timetabling which is a big advantage in working out the bst route etc.

I travel fairly regularly by rail. Today, having a bit of spare time, I bought my regular day return from Teignmouth to Bristol but instead of using Trainline, which I usually do, I'd have a shop around.

This is what I discovered :

Now I know that many people don't like Trainline because it applies a small commission to the charge but.....

Using the GWR App the price for the  same train was £11 more.
Now, I could get that down a bit by buying tickets from Teignmouth to Taunton then Taunton to Bristol but it was still £6 more.
Trainline automatically applies the Split Ticket rate in their algorithm rather than me having to do it.

I also noted that with GWR you can't get a refund if you've made a mistake but Trainline gives you a free 30 minute cancellation period and allows a cancellation (with an admin fee) up to the time of departure.

My final point, for now, is that both Apps only offer selected trains.
I guess that is because most people want the quickest train.
As an example, I'm offered Teignmouth to Exeter SD then Exeter SD to Bristol TM.
But.....it means I get to Bristol a bit too early.
I often plump for a slightly later service from Exeter to Bristol which goes the longer way via Weston Super Mare. I don't mind sitting on the train at all and the timings suit me better but this service isn't offered by either App as a default.

I just wondered if others might be inclined to share their thoughts.

I see hundred of train tickets a day at work and the only App I would actively avoid is The Trainline one!
Cheers Colin

Quote from: port perran on December 04, 2025, 05:12:27 PMDid you tell AI which colours to apply?

If notit's done a pretty good job in my opinion.

For most surfaces an image a little context and some guesses on the shading is enough to accurately colourise it. My brother is totally colourblind (as in he sees only grey shades although he assigns "colours" to them by learning for compatibility with normal humans). He can accurately recolour most of the black and white things we've asked him about just fine. This has been doable fairly effectively before large language models got used to do it 1000 times less efficiently

My brother was a godsend watching snooker on the black and white tv.

Quote from: Newportnobby on December 04, 2025, 12:42:37 PMUsing Gemini.Google I took an image posted by @Bob G  and 'winterised' it.
Note the original has a stain top left and it's now gone

As has the curve of the track with the vans in the distance.. which is a lovely example of why it's cute for christmas cards and shouldn't ever be used to "enhance" stuff for research or reference.

Quote from: port perran on December 04, 2025, 05:12:27 PMDid you tell AI which colours to apply?

If notit's done a pretty good job in my opinion.

Nope, a three word prompt "Colorize this image". I thought the color rendition was pretty amazing both with the loco (the red buffer beam especially), the carriages and the distinction between the brick station building and the corrugated concrete outhouse.
Looking closer at the tender, it looks like it added the British Railways emblem.

Quote from: LASteve on December 04, 2025, 05:06:29 PMAnd one more ...

Did you tell AI which colours to apply?

If notit's done a pretty good job in my opinion.

Purchasing railway ticketing can be mighty difficult and confusing so I though it might be an idea to share knowledge and ideas on here.

I like to think, probably misguidedly, that I know something about how ticketing works and am quite good at getting the best deal. I'm also very conversant with the network and timetabling which is a big advantage in working out the bst route etc.

I travel fairly regularly by rail. Today, having a bit of spare time, I bought my regular day return from Teignmouth to Bristol but instead of using Trainline, which I usually do, I'd have a shop around.

This is what I discovered :

Now I know that many people don't like Trainline because it applies a small commission to the charge but.....

Using the GWR App the price for the  same train was £11 more.
Now, I could get that down a bit by buying tickets from Teignmouth to Taunton then Taunton to Bristol but it was still £6 more.
Trainline automatically applies the Split Ticket rate in their algorithm rather than me having to do it.

I also noted that with GWR you can't get a refund if you've made a mistake but Trainline gives you a free 30 minute cancellation period and allows a cancellation (with an admin fee) up to the time of departure.

My final point, for now, is that both Apps only offer selected trains.
I guess that is because most people want the quickest train.
As an example, I'm offered Teignmouth to Exeter SD then Exeter SD to Bristol TM.
But.....it means I get to Bristol a bit too early.
I often plump for a slightly later service from Exeter to Bristol which goes the longer way via Weston Super Mare. I don't mind sitting on the train at all and the timings suit me better but this service isn't offered by either App as a default.

I just wondered if others might be inclined to share their thoughts.

And one more ...

Quote from: LASteve on December 04, 2025, 04:57:40 PMTook less than a minute to product the render. Pretty impressive, eh?

Yes, very impressive!  I am going to give it a try. 

Any other other ideas still welcome.

Ian