Probably the most common and least expensive steam train jigsaws on the secondary market are the JR Puzzles' examples which started me off on my thematic jigsaw journey c1995. They were marketed as two series, each of four, 400-piece puzzles, titled Nostalgia - Steam Trains and Age of Steam - Steam Trains. I have already used two of them (see the post of 20th February 2011) but here is another duo replicating the excellent artwork of Edgar Hodges. The JR range of puzzles was made by Handleys Printers of Stockport from the 1970's but has recently been acquired by (James Hamilton) Grovely Puzzles of Salisbury.
Each puzzle depicts a famous train of the steam era and the corresponding headboard; the two are 'The Flying Scotsman' and the 'Yorkshire Pullman'. Note that the former includes the definite article used only sparingly in BR days from the 1950's because the 'Flying Scotsman' headboard, used from 1928, continued in common use.
Picture number one shows 'The Flying Scotsman' headed by one of (Sir) Nigel Gresley's famous 'A4' class 4-6-2 ('Pacific') locomotives, affectionately known as 'Streaks'. The locomotive is No.60024 Kingfisher but the station is not named - possibly York. The train ran from Kings Cross to Edinburgh and was known in its early days as the 'Flying Scotchman' or 'The Special Scotch Express'; it originated from an 1862 service of the Great Northern Railway (GNR). This puzzle is from The Age of Steam - Steam Trains series.
My second picture features the 'Yorkshire Pullman' express from the Nostalgia - Steam Trains series. Again the express is hauled by an 'A4' class locomotive; this one is No.60026 Miles Beevor. Another Gresley 'Pacific' is included in the picture, 'A3' class, No.60091 Captain Cuttle. Hodges painting is very similar to a photograph of Leeds Station shown on the York Press website of 9th October 2013. The website article describes the 'Great Gathering' at York's NRM where all six, preserved 'A4's in the world, were to be on show. Hodges' jigsaw painting is in a similar style to the website photograph showing a 1953 picture of 60026 Miles Beevor leaving Leeds Station. The 'Yorkshire Pullman' served several Yorkshire towns and cities from Kings Cross, including Bradford, Leeds, Harrogate and Hull. 