Visit a lost Elgin with black and white photos colourised for first time

Elgin exemplifies the rather muted hues of Moray and the north-east’s streetscapes, but look a little bit closer, and it’s a town that’s vibrant with colour.

But because all our archival press images of Elgin from the late 60s to 80s were taken in black and white, the shades from these bygone eras have been lost to time.

Until now.

We put our archival images through AI colourisation technology to re-capture the essence of Elgin from that late 60s to 80s period, and the results surprised us… and even made us chuckle on occasion.

Scroll through our gallery of colourised Elgin photographs, and see if you think the AI colourisation technology has managed to bring it back to life…

AI colourised Elgin Street on December 5, 1977. Image: DC Thomson.

The AI software we’ve used for colourisation isn’t 100% perfect, but we’re pretty sure the orange logo for Coopers Fine Fare supermarket is right. The store was undergoing alterations at the time of the photo.

Enjoy the prices—24 and a half pence for Typhoo tea, and £3.88 for Scotch whisky. Soft drinks 22p and toilet rolls 22 and a half pence.

Next door is the Barmuckity Restaurant, and down a little bit further down the road is The Light Bite and Currys.

Parking was evidently no object — just cram yourselves in.

Colourised image of Elgin fans surging onto the pitch at Borough Bridge, Elgin on Feb 17, 1968. Picture shows; Image: D C Thomson.

Fortunately AI made no mistake with The Black And Whites’ strip here.

This great photo captures the energy of the pitch invasion and brings out the detail in clothing of the day, and the dubious state of the pitch.

In the Christmassy photo below, AI couldn’t make its mind up whether the Mackenzie & Co (Elgin) van on the left was red or blue. In the end we chose the red option.

Colourised view of Elgin High Street/ Image: D C Thomson.

But AI also hasn’t got the colours of the Clydesdale bank sign quite right.

The light was low on the day, December 10, 1980, which seems to have given cause for colour confusion.

Can any readers clarify the van colour? It’s only 44 years ago!

Royal visit, 1967

Colourised. Royal visit to Elgin, July 1967. Image: D C Thomson.

We really wanted to get the colour of the late Queen’s outfit right, and AI offered yellow or some washed out, unpleasant pinks.

Reports of the visit frustratingly didn’t describe what she was wearing, so we’re none the wiser.

Eventually we went with yellow, and the correct colour for the minister’s vestments, at least.

The choirboy’s cassock also puzzled AI, which made it curiously two-tone.

The closer to the camera, the stranger the colours.

Prince Charles can be seen in the background—but he’s sporting a bright blue sporran. Seriously, AI?

Elgin Old Town Hall

It’s September, 1969, and Elgin is bathed in late summer light.

A generally nice feel, but look a little bit closer, and you can see the road sign on the left isn’t quite accurate – we’re pretty sure they were blue in the 60s.

Elgin Cathedral procession

Colourised Elgin Cathedral 750th anniversary procession on June 25, 1974. Image: D C Thomson.

How quickly time flies—Elgin Cathedral celebrated its 800 anniversary this year.

Above was the procession celebrating the 750th anniversary. Were you there?

Colourised Elgin street scene from July 15, 1980. Image: D C Thomson.

We’re not too sure about the car or the bus colours in this image. But the eagle-eyed among you will spot the traffic wardens advancing down the street on the left hand side.

In those days, they wore quasi-official uniforms, complete with peaked cap with yellow and black band. Apparitions of fear as we rushed to get our car off the double yellows before they reached us.

Colourised Elgin street on December 5, 1977. Image: D C Thomson,

It’s December 5, 1977 above.

AI has brought out pleasing details on the left hand side, like the glass canopy at the Gordon Arms Hotel, and the run of shops down to the corner, including Burton Tailoring, A Caird & Sons, H Samuel, Timberland and Boots, even though the colours of the signs are slightly out.

Colourised Elgin High Street in September 1967. Image: D C Thomson.

A lovely September scene in Elgin High Street in the Sixties.

We feel AI got this mostly right, even if the cars are a little muddy. But were buses white or cream in Elgin at that time? Perhaps readers can let us know.

Colourised Elgin Plainstones on September 12, 1969. Image: D C Thomson.

Another warm September scene in 1969 in Elgin Plainstones.

Colourised Elgin street in November 1971. Image DC Thomson.

Once again the car colours are muddy in this wet November scene, but a hint of green seems to be creeping into the bus livery.

The high definition colourised photo brings out lots of detail, like the gentleman wearing a hat, the car number plates and the shop signage.

Colourised Elgin cathedral service on July 20, 1974.

No immediate howlers in this image of a service at Elgin cathedral in 1974, as far as we can see.

The important thing for AI was to get the vestments of the clerics correct.

Colourised image of Braco Close, Elgin on May 14, 1980. Image: DC Thomson.

This image has a touch of the Mediterranean village about it.

And below, the August street scene in 1980 has some wonky colours, but helps the viewer step into that bygone age before internet shopping created the towns we live in now.