Frequently Asked Questions
The Torbay CTC archive is a digital record of the activities, events, and members of the Torbay section of the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) from 1978 to 1985, during which time Michael was involved with the group. It brings together, for the first time, a unique collection of scanned photographs, attendance lists, and the full text of printed journals from that period.
The archive is a personal project by Michael and covers just the years he was involved with the group. The Torbay section was active long before 1978 and continues to be active today, but this site is limited to those years when Michael was participating and, for much of the time, acting as section secretary.
You’ll find hundreds of scanned photographic slides (mainly Kodachrome), attendance records, and written reports from each event and tour during the period. There are no videos, as video recording wasn’t a practical option in this era. Most photographs are from 35mm film and slides, many of which were originally shown at social slideshows at the time.
The restoration of the archive is an ongoing project.
- Slides are painstakingly cleaned and re-scanned using modern high-resolution scanners to extract the best possible quality from the original Kodachrome film.
- Advanced AI tools are then used to enhance clarity, resolution, colour, and detail, so that even decades-old images can look as good as modern digital photos.
- New and improved scans will be added over time, so please check back regularly for updates.
The project is ongoing! There are still many slides and reports yet to be processed and added. Improvements in AI and scanning technology mean that some images may be updated and improved over time. We aim to display when images or reports were last updated so that regular visitors can easily find new content.
Yes—while the original ride reports are faithfully preserved, there are plans to gradually enhance them using AI to improve clarity, correct spelling or grammatical errors, and make them more enjoyable to read, without changing their meaning. Updates will be noted where changes have been made.
Absolutely! Many former members have already shared photos, memories, or event reports, and further contributions are always welcome. If you have material you’d like to share, please get in touch using the contact details provided on the site. If you have many photos or large files, we’ll arrange an easy way to transfer them.
No—this archive is a personal, non-commercial project, curated and maintained by Michael, who was involved with the group from 1978 to 1985 and served as section secretary for part of that period. The current Torbay CTC is still active and run by new volunteers, but this site is not connected with the club’s present-day activities.
You’re very welcome to enjoy and share the stories and images on this site for your own personal, non-commercial use, or to share with friends and family who are interested in Torbay CTC’s history. We simply ask that you acknowledge the source if you use material elsewhere.
Please let us know! Corrections and feedback are always welcome. Use the site’s contact page to reach Michael.
We’re working on a feature to highlight recent updates and new additions so you can quickly spot what’s changed since your last visit.
If you're interested in the years after 1985, when Michael went on to found and run the South Dartmoor CTC section, you can explore the full archive of that club’s activities, including reports, photographs, and videos, at southdartmoorctc.org.uk.
This archive is independently curated and not affiliated with the current CTC or Torbay section.