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If you wish to communicate with me about steam train jigsaws and/or related railway art, or to respond to requests for answers to my queries, please email David, at : platt.precology@gmail.com

Monday 12 December 2011

Two from Gibsons

Within the theme 'trains in stations' there were many jigsaws to choose from in my collection of over 400 steam railway puzzles and some have already been seen on the blog. Here, 12th December 2011, are photos showing two more.

The world's first underground railway, The Metroploitan Railway, was opened in Januray 1863 and connected Faringdon with Paddington. It was an instant success and carried an average of 26,000 passengers each day in its first six months of operation. The first pic is of a 500-piece puzzle from the Gibson's Heritage Collection featuring artwork by Barry Freeman.  The title is Memories of Metroland. 'E' class 0-4-4 tank engine, No.1, is shown at Quainton Road Station, awaiting the 'right to go',  in the early 1950's. It survived in service until 1963 and is now preserved. Also pictured in the station is a Beyer Peacock 4-4-0 tank engine No.23 and a member of the station staff holding a newspaper while chatting to the engine driver.


The second picture shows a 1000-piece jigsaw from Gibsons titled Summer Outing from a Malcolm Root original canvas. Featured is an open top bus of the 1920's (?) travelling past Witham Station with a full load of passengers. Two Essex towns, Chelmsford and Witham are displayed on the front destination board. Only Malcolm Root knows exactly what is going on in the scene but many people are depicted, some at the side of the road overlooking railings covered with advertisements for Cadburys products. They may be watching a train headed by a superb 4-4-0 'Claud Hamilton' class locomotive of the Great Eastern Railway (GER) exiting the station. Or they may be watching a second locomotive waiting in the nearest platform to the railings. Human interest is increased by the inclusion of a small boy eating a bar of chocolate. Is the summer outing by bus or train or does it include journeys by both? The jigsaw was used by Cadburys as a promotional example.