In today's post, 9th February 2013, I am using photographs of two Victory wooden jigsaws which can be described as children's examples because of their size. Both feature Great Western Railway (GWR) scenes. The two pictures are likely to be lightly printed monochrome pics, over-painted in colour.This is also our 100th post since we began in July 2010. Many thanks to everyone who email me with support, comments and queries.
First up is a picture of a 30-piece puzzle featuring a GWR 'Star' class 4-6-0 locomotive designed by George Jackson Churchward. There is no title on the box, just the number P.0. Churchward embraced engineering principles from abroad (mainly France) when building his 'Stars'. The prototype, provisionally numbered 40 in 1906, was later named North Star and was of 4-4-2 wheel configuration. The wheel configuration was altered to 4-6-0 in 1909, and the number, to 4000 in 1912. The last member numerically of the class, No.4072 Tresco Abbey, was built in 1923. One 'Star' class locomotive, No.4003 Lode Star, has been preserved in the National Collection at York. In the picture the F. Moore name appears as the artist but there was never an artist by this name. Thomas Rudd was the main artist for the Locomotive Publishing Company in the early 20th Century and it was this company that used the 'F. Moore' name for its published pictures and prints. The carriages are also early 20th century designs of a crimson lake colour which appeared c1912.
Picture number two shows a 45-piece jigsaw titled Birmingham & North Express, at Hatton Summit, GWR. The artist is not named. A 'King' class 4-6-0 locomotive of Charles Collett is pictured heading the express but the number, and the corresponding name, are unclear. I have seen this picture in a Railway magazine 'pull-out' where it is described as a 1929 picture of No.6001 King Edward VII. The carriages in this picture are of post 1922, chocolate and cream vintage. The class of thirty-one, the most powerful 4-6-0s ever built, appeared on GWR metals between 1927 and 1936. The prototype No.6000 King George V, is described in several previous posts, but particularly in that of 3rd November 2010.
These two jigsaws are less common than other children's railway jigsaws from Victory. Wooden puzzles of this vintage inevitably suffer from paper loss, broken lugs etc. so don't be too disappointed if your examples are less than perfect.
