Ravensburger Heritage Series No.2

This post, 18 June 2020, concentrates on the second of the Ravensburger Heritage Series of paired steam railway jigsaw puzzles. The first was described in the post of 22 April 2020. The Bluebell Railway (BR) and the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) are represented in this second pair.

The pic on the left shows the 500-piece puzzle titled Hampton Loade, a station on the SVR. At the head of the passenger train entering the station is the '2800' class 2-8-0, No.2857. The  locomotive, designed by G.J.Churchwood for the Great Western Railway (GWR), was built at Swindon Locomotive Works in 1918. It was the 69th locomotive to leave the famous Barry Scrapyard in South Wales, in August 1975, destined for the SVR.  In the painting by Trevor Mitchell passengers and onlookers stand on the platforms admiring the oncoming 'reincarnation' of a past era. Children appear fascinated at the possible first sight of a steam engine. A milk churn and various types of luggage and trolleys are integrated into the composition dominated by the station building.

The pic on the right shows the 500-piece jigsaw titled Horsted Keynes, a station on the Bluebell Railway. The latter was the first preserved standard gauge railway in Britain; opened in Sussex in 1960. The two locomotives in Trevor Mitchell's painting are 'P' class 0-6-0T's - No.178 in South East & Chatham Railway (SECR) colours, and No.323 'Bluebell'. The latter loco is on static display currently; No.178 remains in minimal activity, awaiting repairs. Both locomotives were designed for the SECR, c1910, by Harry Wainwright. Human interest is present in this painting with family groups and visitors enjoying close up views of the two engines. Signal gantries, a signal box and a luggage trolley add to the ambience.

Steam train plus other transport

Today's post, 29 May 2020, features a jigsaw puzzle of 1000 pieces from Dutch manufacturer King. The jigsaw title is Delivery at the Railway Inn.

It is a superb, pictorial puzzle with plenty of transport interest, in addition to the obligatory steam train. On the left, a delivery of beer is the main focus of Trevor Mitchell's artwork, being offloaded by two draymen, from a vintage Foden steam lorry. To the right of the picture is, I think,  a magnificent Jowett 7 Long Tourer* (c1929) vintage car; in between is a small red vintage car but unidentifiable* to yours truly. The Railway Inn is a magnificent thatched building and the steam train is definitely relegated to minimum focus. The locomotive is an 0-6-0T type, No.7829, heading crimson coaches on a country line. I cannot identify the class of locomotive* from the number. An adult couple are leaving the Inn, admiring the transport display as they leave.

I must add that this pictorial jigsaw will impress enthusiasts of many persuations.

*If you can help me with these id's please email me (address at the top of the blog).

Dovey Junction

Today's post concentrates on a 2004 jigsaw marketed as a Waddingtons' puzzle by American owners, Hasbro Inc. The artwork is by Malcolm Root.

I think Malcolm has been very brave with this painting. Dull, wet weather was never the first choice for artists,  but he has done a first class job in promoting the overall ambience to the viewer. Depicted in British Railways (BR) days, the locomotive at the head of the Cambrian Coast Express is 'Manor' class 4-6-0 No.7820 Dinmore Manor. Because of weight restrictions originating from 1927, small 4-4-0 'Dukedogs' were the selected  locomotives for this famous named train. From 1938, 'Manor' class locomotives were mainly used and other 'light' locos hauled the express in later, BR days. The route was Paddington, Shrewsbury, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli; the train split at Dovey Junction, a section heading south for Aberystwyth and another, north for Pwllheli.

A 'Dukedog' was a hybrid involving the chassis of a 'Bulldog' class locomotive and the boiler of a 'Duke' class locomotive.

Ravensburger Railway Heritage Series

No.1 in Ravensburger Heritage Series are two 500-piece jigsaws, packed in the same box, and titled Oakworth and Corfe.  This post, 23 April 2020 features both of these puzzles and No.2 in the series, showing another pair of puzzles, will follow in a later post. The illustrative artwork is by Trevor Mitchell.

Oakworth, left, is one of the stations on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (K&WVR). The locomotive  approaching the platform with a passenger service is ex War Department (W.D.) class '8F' 2-8-0, No.90733. The locomotive has a fascinating history from 1945, when it was built at Vulcan Foundary in Newton-le-Willows. She was sent to the continent to carry out troop and supplies movements then, following the end of the war, ended up in The Netherlands. She was transferred to the Swedish State Railway in 1953, and later held in store until purchased by the K&WVR in 1972. She arrived in 1973 but was withdrawn from service three years later. Repairs began in 1993 leading to a return to active duties in 2007 when she was re-numberd 90733, thus continuing the B.R. numbering system for the class, 9000 - 90732. She was taken out of service in 2017 and is now under overhaul at Haworth. Oakworth Station looks splendid in Trevor's painting with many passengers of all ages waiting for the train to stop.  A luggage trolley, metal adverts and floral displays add to the nostalgic ambience. 

Corfe station, right, on the Swanage Railway, is ideally placed for visits to the famous castle, seen in the background in Trevor's picture. The steam locomotive 0-6-2T, No.6695, was built in 1928, withdrawn from service in 1964, and moved to Barry Scrapyard in the same year. She was transferred to the Swanage Railway in 1979 but was sold to the '6695 Locomotive Group' in 1995. In 2015 she was under overhaul at the West Somerset Railway but was then transferred to the Swindon & Cricklade Railway in 2019 to continue her overhaul. She is depicted waiting in Corfe Station at the head of a rake of Southern Railway (SR) green coaches. The platforms are busy with passengers and visitors. Adjacent to the steam train is a BR class 108 diesel multiple unit (DMU).

Unfortunately these jigsaws are printed in a very light and non-contrasty style and photographing them is difficult.

A Tale of Two Locomotives

Today's jigsaw, 10 April 2020,  is another 'gem' from the House of Puzzles' portfolio of superb steam train examples. It is a 1000 piece puzzle from the Castleford Collection, titled Bringing Them Home. The jigsaw features the ex Great Western Railway (GWR) 'Hall' class 4-6-0 locomotive  No.4965, Rood Ashton Hall, at Arley Station on the Severn Valley Railway (SVR). 

In a modern 're-enactment' scene, World War II Army personnel, men and women, are greeted by friends and relatives, including children, on arriving 'home'. The SVR is one of several Heritage Railways including such retrospective WWII events in their annual programmes. At these special events volunteers wear period dress and uniforms, and other items of period paraphernalia are added to the platforms; items such as milk churns and luggage for instance. A guard standing by the engine and the station master sat outside his office are each pictured with a mug of tea. The station cat is also included in a scene well captured by artist Ray Cresswell. 

The history of this locomotive is very interesting with mischievous exchanges and transfers going on between two locomotives at Swindon Works c1961/62. Basically the locomotive is a hybrid of No.4983 Albert Hall - the 10th locomotive to leave Barry Scrapyard in 1970 - and No.4965 Rood Ashton Hall.  Read the story on www.preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/4965-rood-ashton-hall

The Viaduct

Viaducts are fascinating structures and we are blessed with many examples in the UK, some around 200 years old. Among the more famous are the Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle Line and the Glenfinnan Viaduct, the UK's first, mass concrete viaduct, on Scotland's West Highland Line. The 82-arch Harringworth Viaduct in England's smallest county, Rutland, is the UK's longest masonry viaduct at 1,166 metres. This post, 17 March 2020 features a jigsaw puzzle of a viaduct painted by Italian artist, Marcello Corti. The puzzle comprises 1000 pieces and is manufactured by Falcon.

Tangmere 'Hurricanes'

This post, 11 February 2020, features a 500-piece jigsaw from Gibsons titled Tangmere Hurricanes. The jigsaw is marketed in a small  gift box - the artwork is by Nicholas Trudgeon.

Before WWII, 601 Auxilliary Squadron, known initially as the 'Millionaires Squadron' (composed almost entirely of super rich gentlemen) was based at RAF Northolt. However, when the war started in 1940, the Squadron was mobilised from RAF Tangmere, near Chichester in West Sussex. Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires were operated by 601 Squadron.  Pilots engaged the Luftwaffe  from their base by the sea, protecting shipping in the English Channel; hefty casualties were incurred. The famous WWII pilot Wing Commander Douglas Bader was stationed at Tangmere in 1941.

The jigsaw description on the gift box is summarised as follows  - Four Mk1 Hurricanes of 601 Squadron, refuelled and rearmed, climb to re-join the battle during the summer of 1940. Below, life goes on as a Southern Railway train pulls out of a local village station........these renowned aircraft served the RAF in all major theatres of the Second World War.

Spot the Difference....

Today's post, 13 December 2019,  features a puzzle from one of my favourite companies - House of Puzzles - based in Invergordon. It is a 1000-piece example from their 'Spot the Difference' range and includes the obligatory (for this blog), steam train. The jigsaw title is Ready to Roll. There are 15 differences between the box and jigsaw pictures. It's difficult switching between screens when you have downloaded the blog pics, but try and find the differences; some are quite obvious.

Several passengers are included in Keith Stapleton's picture. Some are boarding the train on the left, some are just hanging around whilst others are slightly visible in the first carriage of the train about to leave the station. There is plenty of colour throughout. Three children, a dog, luggage trolleys, cases, baskets, guard, porter, engine driver and two trains are prominent, in a 'busy' composition. Summer holidays, is the likely theme. The locomotive heading the train and 'ready to roll', is one of William Stanier's rebuilt 'Royal Scot' class of 4-6-0 wheel configuration.

Although the locomotive appears to be a rebuilt Royal Scot locomotive bearing number 46106 in the jigsaw picture, No.46106 was named Gordon Highlander; but there does not appear to be a name-plate on the engine in the painting. The same locomotive was the only 'Scot' to retain straight BR smoke deflectors.  

Two jigsaws from Gibsons

Today's post, 25 November 2019, comprises two current, pictorial jigsaw puzzles from Gibsons. Both are available from numerous outlets and feature the artwork of two members of the prestigeous Guild of Railway Artists (G.R.A.).

The first (left) is a 1000-piece example titled All Aboard to Keswick; the superb painting is by Stephen Warnes. In a summer setting, Braithwaite Station - close to Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwentwater -   is the focal point as passengers wait for the train for Keswick, a gateway to the Lake District. The locomotive at the head of the train is the 0-6-0 tender engine, No.58396, designed for the L&NWR (London & North Western Railway) by Francis Webb. It belonged to a class of locomotives nicknamed the "Cauliflowers', because of their appearance when viewed from a distance. Braithwaite Station looks immaculate in an early 1950's setting, with adults and excited children watching the train slowly approaching. A luggage trolley and flower beds add to the holiday ambience, supplemented by the background mountains and a semaphore signal.

The second jigsaw, titled Corfe Castle Crossing, is a 500-piece example showing the excellent artwork of Gerald Savine. The Swanage Railway is represented here with the famous Corfe Castle in the background. The same scene, featuring earlier locomotives and trains, has been painted by many artists since the opening of the Wareham-Swanage branch line in 1885. The Swanage Railway Society took over the line in 1972 following closure in the same year. British Railways class '4' 2-6-4 tank engine, No.80078, emerged from Brighton Works in early 1954 and was withdrawn from service in 1964.  It eventually arrived at Barry Scrapyard (1966) and was rescued in 1976 by the Southern Steam Trust, the 84th engine to be rescued from the famous yard. 80078 first steamed on the Swanage Railway in October 1999. A 250-piece, Wentworth wooden jigsaw, showing the same Savine painting, was featured in the post of 1st July 2014.

Artist Bryan de Grineau

Today's post, 26 October 2019, features a 150-piece wooden jigsaw by A .V. N. Jones & Co. Ltd from the 1930's.

The title is "The Royal Scot"  but also on the box lid are the words The Famous Scottish Express of the L.M.S.Railway and SCOT PASSES SCOT. The artwork is by Bryan de Grineau.

Bryan de Grineau (1883-1957) was well known in the early-to-mid twentieth century for his automotive artwork especially for The Motor magazine and later, as a war correspondent for the Illustrated London News. He also painted several railway posters for the LMS in the 1930’s. He was born Charles William Grineau and used several pseudonyms in his lifetime in his quest for artistic fame. Three Hornby Book of Trains’ titles, between 1937 and 1940 used artwork by de Grineau on the front cover - No.6201 Princess Elizabeth (1937-38); No.6005 King George II (1938-39) and No.6231 Duchess of Atholl (1939-40). The paintings are superb and the first example No.6201 Princess Elizabeth has been marketed as a1000-piece jigsaw puzzle by The Works, high street store, (see post of 13 March 2016). The other two de Grineau paintings would also look superb as jigsaw puzzles. Bryan also produced artwork for the Meccano Magazine.

The highly collectible 150-piece, wooden jigsaw from A.V.N.Jones & Co. Ltd, shown above, features 'Royal Scot' class 4-6-0 No 6110, Grenadier Guardsman. The original painting by de Grineau was produced for a 1937 L.M.S. poster titled Scot passes Scot, promoting the famous 'Royal Scot' passenger service between Glasgow, Edinburgh and London Euston. The poster features No.6110 heading the famous train on the West Coast Main Line passing the express of the same name, travelling in the opposite direction.The poster is reproduced below. The de Grineau painting was also used more recently on a Hornby tea mug sold by a well known  High Street store, and in 2019, as the front cover of The Times - Golden Years of Rail Travel, book.

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