Two Old Wooden Jigsaws

This post, 29th May 2014, comprises two photographs of wooden jigsaw puzzles which occur infrequently on the secondary market.


The first picture features a jigsaw of 80-pieces replicating an original illustration by A. Chigley. The label on the box reads 'The Arrow Series' but I'm not sure if this is the brand or series name. A title is also absent. The wooden puzzle is of excellent quality and shows a 4-4-0 locomotive originally designed by Harry Wainwright for the South East & Chatham Railway (SE&CR). The Wainwright designs were further modified, eventually by his successor as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the SE&CR, Richard Maunsell in 1913, and put into production. The Maunsell designs included No.781 shown in the jigsaw picture but this locomotive was one of ten built by the Borsig company of Berlin, incorporating some German ideas. They arrived in kit form and were assembled at Ashford Works. (Twelve were also built in Britain by Beyer Peacock). The locomotive was withdrawn from service in 1959 and later, scrapped.

The attractive puzzle picture shows the locomotive heading green passenger stock on a main line, passing through a short tunnel. Parts of a signal box are included on the left and a signal, on the right.

A fine, steam train jigsaw of 329 pieces titled Wyvern Express is shown in the second picture.The wooden puzzle was originally from the Tanglewood Jigsaw Club. It is packed in a cloth bag printed with the club name, puzzle title, number of pieces and size. Each piece has been painstakingly stamped on the back with the puzzle's code number so if a piece went astray one could tell instantly which puzzle it belonged to. As usual with a jigsaw club puzzle, a reference picture is not provided. I have found it difficult to research Tanglewood Jigsaw Club puzzles but a Mrs Barclay crops up occasionally. Was she possibly the president of the club? Was she also a jigsaw cutter? Both "push fit" and "interlocking" puzzles were made. They were never sold in boxes only bags and no picture to help as described above. Vintage puzzles date c1930 to about 1960.

The jigsaw picture features a Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR) locomotive of 1914, a class '7F', 2-8-0 design of Henry Fowler. The S&DJR was owned by the Midland, and London and South Western Railways. I can find little information on a 'Wyvern Express'. I suspect it is a Heritage Railway title* as the locomotive in the picture, No.13809, is preserved on the Midland Railway at Butterley (No.53809). Another photograph on the Internet features the ex LMS Fowler class '4F' 0-6-0 tender locomotive, No.4027, displaying a 'Wyvern Express' headboard. Another  Internet picture shows a GWR pannier tank 0-6-0 locomotive with the headboard 'The Wessex Wyvern'.

*I have a book by Alan Warren in my collection, Barry Scrapyard The Preservation Miracle. A photograph at the start of the book shows the above locomotive, No.13809 heading the Wyvern Express through Edale, on a trip to Manchester. The year was 1981. Therefore the train was a Heritage Railway 'Special'. If anyone has any information about the points raised in these jigsaw puzzles, please contact me - my email address is at the top of the blog.

Philmar 'Steamtrains' series

For today's post, 20th May 2014, I am using two pictures of cardboard jigsaws made by Philmar.

Philmar, formed c1937 began jigsaw production in the 1940’s and often used alternative brand names for particular series of puzzles: the Valiant name was common. Many steam train jigsaws of wood and cardboard were made between the 1940's and the 1970’s. The portfolio of steam train puzzles was fairly extensive and included many examples featuring preserved railways.

The first picture shows a 64 piece jigsaw, one of a set or series of four titled Steamtrains from Philmar: featured is the Ffestiniog Railway. Steam train enthusiast Alan Pegler gained the controlling interest in a derelict Ffestiniog Railway in 1954 and became chairman. Alan then transferred his shares to a charitable trust - The Ffestiniog Railway Trust. The Trust with a volunteer board of directors employed enthusiastic working volunteers and a small paid staff to begin the laborious task of rebuilding the line from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The first services began in the summer of 1955 but only over a short distance from Porthmadog to Boston Lodge.  The railway was completed in May 1982 and the line from Porthmadog to Blaenau was finally opened. The Trust, as it is today, still manages the railway. I can thoroughly recommend a  book of paintings of the working Ffestiniog Railway, published in 2008 by Gutenberg Press Ltd., and titled The Ffestiniog Railway Paintings of Edward Paget-Tomlinson. Some of the paintings would make excellent jigsaw puzzles.

Unfortunately I cannot identify the locomotive in the jigsaw photograph but it may be the Hunslet 2-4-0 STT, Linda, made in 1893 (does anyone know for sure?)

The second picture shows a locomotive in the national collection at the National Railway Museum in York. The 64-piece puzzle from the same Philmar series of four described above includes this example featuring the ex London & North Western Railway (L&NWR) 2-4-0 locomotive, No.790 Hardwicke. The puzzle replicates a photograph of the locomotive in its preservation days heading a rail tour between Carnforth and Grange-over-Sands in May 1976. The location was Silverdale Station. The locomotive became famous during the 'Races to the North' (West Coast route versus East Coast route) when it ran from Crewe to Carlisle at an average speed of over 67mph in 1895.

A Brace of Falcons

Two jigsaws in a single box are the subject of today's post, 5th may 2014. Steam Travel is the title of the duo from Falcon but each puzzle also has its individual title.

The first picture features a 500-piece puzzle titled The Crossing. Depicted is GWR ‘Castle’ class 4-6-0 locomotive, No.4082 Windsor Castle, passing a signal box and over a gated level crossing, heading old style brown and cream clerestory coaches. In the opposite direction is an approaching 0-6-0 pannier tank of the ‘2721’ class, No.2790. This locomotive is heading freight wagons. On the road, on opposite sides of the crossing are a 1919 Thornycroft open air, double-decked bus and a vintage car. The artwork is by Robert Nixon. No.4082 was renumbered and renamed No.7013 Bristol Castle in 1952. The reason for the change was that No. 4082, the official Royal engine, was being overhauled at the same time that a locomotive was urgently required for the funeral of King George V. Both locos thus swapped identities. A haywain is clearly visible in the corn field behind the railway.

Not surprisingly, Robert’s artwork for the second 500-piece jigsaw titled, The Red Dragon, features ‘Castle’ class No.7013, Bristol Castle - a duo in more ways than one. The locomotive is pictured hauling the famous Paddington to Carmarthen express under a small road bridge on which three, late 1940’s to early 1950’s road vehicles are clearly visible. On the bridge are a coach (Bedford OB?), a Royal Mail van and a car. An 0-6-0 pannier tank is included in the picture but cannot be identified.

Two Royal Scot class Locomotives

In today's post, 21st April 2014, two pictures are used both showing 'Royal Scot' class locomotives of (Sir) Henry Fowler and the LMS (London Midland and Scottish Railway).

The first photograph shows a jigsaw of a 'Royal Scot' locomotive in a station setting with vintage commercial vehicles in the background. The class 'prototype' No.6100 Royal Scot  is shown in early guise with parallel boiler and full LMS red livery. The class of  4-6-0s emerged onto LMS metals (track) from 1927 and totalled 70 on completion. The 'locomotive' was sent to America in 1933 as a British exhibit at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago; in fact the locomotive sent was actually No.6152 The King's Dragoon Guardsman masquerading as No.6100 Royal Scot. No.6152 had been built later (1930) and was considered superior to the prototype. A complete train was sent to the States which toured America and Canada either side of the exhibition. The locomotive was returned to the UK with special commemorative plates positioned below the nameplates. The jigsaw is a recent 48-piece example from JL Templates  - www.jltemplates.co.uk and is regularly available on ebay.

This picture shows a rebuilt 'Royal Scot' locomotive as designed by (Sir) William Stanier, No.46112 Sherwood Forester. The jigsaw depicted is a 500-piece puzzle made by JR Puzzles from original artwork by Edgar Hodges. The 'Thames-Clyde Express' first ran in 1927 from London St Pancras to Glasgow St Enoch (Glasgow Central on closure of St Enoch in 1966) along the Settle & Carlisle, ex Midland Railway route. It was withdrawn for ten years from 1939, reinstated, and completely withdrawn in 1975.

Jigsaws showing GWR Locomotives

In today's post I am using two pics showing Great Western Railway locomotives as depicted on wooden jigsaw puzzles. One locomotive pictured is from the early days of the GWR and the other is preserved in the National Collection.

The broad gauge system of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the Great Western Railway was unique. Brunel persuaded his GWR board that a wider gauge (7ft 0.25ins) than that currently in use (4ft 8.5ins) on the fledgling railway system, would afford greater flexibility towards the major objectives of speed, efficiency, safety and therefore, profitability. The line was started in 1835 and opened in stages between 1838 and 1841; it was built from both ends, London and Bristol. 

Broad-Gauge 8-Footer GWR 1851-1892 is one of four, plywood jigsaws showing early steam engines from a series made incredibly, for Exide Batteries. The legend along the base of each puzzle reads “one of the series of twelve illustrations drawn for Exide batteries by C. and W. Meadway”. The puzzles are of 190-200 pieces and semi interlocking. The locomotive in the jigsaw picture appears to be an example from the 'Iron Duke' class. Iron Duke was the first member of a class of twenty-nine GWR broad-gauge locomotives, all of 4-2-2 wheel formation, although for a short time from construction in 1846, Iron Duke itself was a 2-2-2 design. Designed by Daniel Gooch this famous class was the epitome of power and speed on the GWR for many years. ‘Iron Dukes’ were famous for their 8ft driving wheels and were introduced in April 1847. In 1848 class member Great Britain reached a speed of around 78mph near Swindon, a new speed record and a phenomenal achievement for the time.

If you know anything about the Exide batteries' puzzles please contact me - my email address is at the top of the blog. I know little about them.

Britain's Mightiest, a 150-piece wooden puzzle from Chad Valley, depicts the icon of the GWR, Charles Collett's 'King' class 4-6-0 No.6000, King George V. The jigsaw picture is reproduced from a c1935 GWR poster by Canadian artist Moy Thomas.The ‘Kings’ were the heaviest (136tons) and most powerful 4-6-0s to operate in Britain and emerged from 1927. The first one, No. 6000, King George V was sent to the Baltimore and Ohio Centenary Railroad Celebrations in 1927 following its inaugural run hauling the ‘Cornish Riviera Express’. In recognition of its achievements the Americans presented a commemorative bell, seen clearly on the front buffer beam in Thomas's picture.

Steam with other forms of Transport

In this post, 31st March 2014, I am using three pictures of jigsaws each featuring a steam train with other forms of transport. The first jigsaw represented is a current issue whilst the others are older.

In this jigsaw puzzle Kevin Walsh's artwork includes a classic red sports car with driver and passenger contrasted with a farmer driving a blue tractor attached to a hay-filled cart. London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) ‘A1’ class 4-6-2, No.4472 Flying Scotsman is pictured hauling a long rake of teak coaches somewhere on the East Coast Main Line. The 1000-piece puzzle from Falcon, titled Wartime Summer,  depicts an “oasis” in WWII Britain. However, the summer tranquil scene is interrupted by two Spitfire fighter planes, reminding everyone beneath of the reality. Two boys and three dogs complete the picture and leave little space for further inclusions.

Picture number two shows a small 20-piece wooden puzzle from Tower Press's Little Folk series. The jigsaw is titled The Express Train. Pictured is a huge London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) 'Princess Coronation' class 4-6-2, No.46245 City of London hauling a rake of British Railways (BR) carmine and cream passenger coaches beneath a road bridge. On the bridge is a single-decked bus and above that is a helicopter, one of the few jigsaws to depict this type of transport. Three children are included as spectators to add that special human interest to the composition. The artist is not named.

A Falcon 500-piece jigsaw, titled Underneath the Arches is featured in this picture, showing a typical town centre scene (c1950's) dominated by a large bridge. Single and double decked buses, cars and a small blue van are included  in the busy scene with a BR Eastern Region 'K3' class 2-6-0 locomotive No.61914 passing over the bridge with a passenger service. The early 'cycling' lion' motif on the tender suggests a date between 1948 and 1956 for the subjects in David Wright's artwork. Several people and an iconic red telephone box are included in David's illustrative style. 

I have received the following information (November 2020), from one of our followers, Roy Lancaster, which describes the location in this jigsaw perfectly."Coming across the 31st March 2014 posting, the photograph shouted Derby Friargate bridge to me. There is a very similar photograph hanging on the pub wall where I drink before Derby County matches. I was initially put off by the B1 locomotive as I cannot recall seeing any Eastern Region locomotives during my times train spotting on Derby Midland station. Further research revealed that Derby Friargate was part of the Great Northern extension to Burton and Stafford. The bridge is now grade two listed. Offiler's Ales was a well known Derby brew".

I am indebted to Roy for this information. He has also sent in a pic of the bridge. Researchinng the jigsaw you assemble, is a vtal part of the hobby. I have also checked out the locomotive a little more and it does seem small for a 'B1' 4-6-0. It is more likely to be a 'K3' class 2-6-0. Any offers?

Bulleid's 'Pacifics'

This post, 21st March 2014, comprises pictures of two jigsaw puzzles both featuring 4-6-2 locomotives designed by Oliver V. S. Bulleid.  

Oliver Bulleid was the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway (SR) from 1937 until Nationalisation (British Railways) in 1948. He was a visionary in steam  locomotive engineering, incorporating many novel features in his designs. Probably his most famous among the latter were his 'Pacific' (4-6-2) locomotives used to head major Southern Railway and British Railways Southern Region (BRSR) expresses.

In the 1940’s Bullied’s ‘Pacifics’ - ‘Merchant Navy’ (‘MN)’ class (1941) and ‘West Country’ (‘WC’) and ‘Battle of Britain’ (‘BB’) classes (1945-51) - appeared on the SR and later, the BRSR.

The first, ‘MN’ class No.21C1 Channel Packet, left Eastleigh Works in 1941 liveried in her regal SR malachite green, and engulfed in her air-smoothed casing. The ‘Pacifics’ were numbered with a 21C prefix, a continental representation of wheel arrangement - the number of axles on the front bogie was denoted by a '2', followed by a '1' for the number of axles on the rear pony truck, the six driving wheels being represented by the letter 'C'. The final number was that of the locomotive, No.1 in the case of Channel Packet. Another twenty-nine ‘MN’ class members were built, the final one, No. 35030 Elder Dempster Lines, in BR days, 1949 (hence the BR numbering). This class was designed, principally, to operate the heavy expresses to the West and the prestigious Continental Boat Trains. Around ten members of the ‘MN’ class survived the scrap yard whilst another, No.35029 Ellerman Lines, is a sectioned exhibit at the National Railway Museum in York. Because the class was designed to haul the heavy boat trains, at the behest of one of the shipping line owners, they were named after shipping lines.

The ‘West Country’ and ‘Battle of Britain’ classes were scaled down versions of the ‘MN’ class, identical, mechanically, and known as the ‘Light Pacifics’. They were also known, affectionately, as ‘Spam Cans’. The ‘WC’ locomotives were named after cities, towns and tourist spots in south-west England. The ‘BB’ class carried wartime commemorative names of RAF squadrons, predominantly from the Battle of Britain. The first, light ‘Pacific’ No.21C101, Exeter was built in May 1945 with a further one hundred and nine examples following  by 1951.

The first picture shows a 400-piece puzzle from K.G. Games. The jigsaw features a re-built Bulleid ‘Merchant Navy’ class 4-6-2,  No.35030 Elder Dempster Lines, a typical locomotive used to haul the famous Atlantic Coast Express (ACE). This class followed on from 4-6-0 types such as ‘King Arthur’ and ‘Lord Nelson’ class examples. ‘Schools’ class 4-4-0’s were also used occasionally. The motif on the tender is the later BR totem design (from c1956).



Picture number two features another Bulleid 'Pacific' heading the famous 'Golden Arrow' express. The latter ran from London Victoria to Dover and was an all Pullman luxury service originally. The motif on the tender is the early BR 'cycling lion' type (1948-1956). The jigsaw is a 35-piece example, in wood, from Victory.

Six Postcard Size Jigsaws

For this post, 11th March 2014, I am using photographs of six small puzzles from a respected British manufacturer. 

A.V.N. Jones & Co. Ltd., made excellent wooden jigsaw puzzles from their London base in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Among them was a series of ‘six-in-one’ puzzles where six, postcard size jigsaws were marketed in a single box. I have one of this series featuring six steam trains in my collection from illustrations by G. R Micklewright; other series featured wild animals and ships. 

The six jigsaws above from left to right and top to bottom feature locomotives as follows :- LMS 'Royal Scot' class 4-6-0 No 6137 Vesta; LNER 'A1' class 4-6-2 No.2547 Doncaster; SR 'Lord Nelson' class 4-6-0 No.850 Lord Nelson; LNER 'A1' class 4-6-2 No.2580 Shotover; L&MR Rocket; GWR 'King' class 4-6-0 No.6000 King George V. They are a superb set of puzzles each of approximately 30 pieces.

(The) Queen of Scots

Today's post, 7th February 2014, comprises two photographs of jigsaws both featuring the famous and prestigious Pullman Car passenger service, '(The) Queen of Scots'. The service originated in 1928 and ran from London Kings Cross to Glasgow Queen Street, via Leeds and Harrogate, on the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER). A headboard 'Queen of Scots' was added to the front of the locomotive four years later* and the train reduced in size to seven cars. In the early days locomotives were changed at Leeds;  'C1' or 'D11' class 4-4-0 types of Henry Ivatt and John Robinson respectively, were used on the express. 'The Queen of Scots' headboard* (with the definite article) was introduced after the war in 1949. The Pullman service then ran from Kings Cross to Glasgow Queen Street, via Leeds and Edinburgh Waverley hauled by Gresley 'A1', 'A3' and 'A4' class locomotives and later, Peppercorn 'A1' and 'A2' types. The service was terminated in 1964.

A British Railways poster of the 1950's by Reginald Mayes features an 'A4' class 4-6-2 of Nigel Gresley with the headboard 'The Queen of Scots' thundering past a line-side carpet of tartan. An older poster of the 1930's advertises the train with artwork featuring an elegant lady in a red tartan dress waiting to board a Pullman Car. Three attendants are carrying out their duties of service.

*Dave Peel's superb book 'Locomotive Headboards - The Complete Story' is a must for anyone interested in steam railways

Picture one shows a 500-piece puzzle by JR Puzzles titled The Queen of Scots. The locomotive at the head of a rake of Pullman cars is Peppercorn 'A1' class No.60162 Saint Johnstoun. Edgar Hodges illustrative style is perfect for jigsaw manufacture. The inclusion of track workers is typical of Hodges' work.

The second picture shows the same locomotive in charge of the Pullman service as it thunders over a viaduct somewhere on the East Coast Main Line (ECML). The jigsaw is a 200-piece example from Raphael/JR Puzzles. The artwork is by Leslie Carr who produced lots of railway related work in the mid 20th century, including posters.

Three Locomotives - GWR, LMS & LNER

This post, 31st January 2014, comprises three pictures of jigsaw puzzles all from the manufacturer, JR Puzzles. The three are simple record shots of locomotives and are photographic in origin. The JR range of puzzles was made by Handleys Printers of Stockport from the 1970's but have recently been acquired by (James Hamilton) Grovely Puzzles of Salisbury.

Picture one shows a 200-piece puzzle featuring ex Great Western Railway (GWR)) 'Manor' class 4-6-0, No.7812 Erlestoke Manor, from a series of four jigsaws titled Loco's. She is in pristine, preserved condition liveried in the 'Brunswick Green' of British Railways and the GWR. The Erlestoke Manor Fund also own a second example of Charles Collett's 'Manor' class, No.7802 Bradley Manor. They are based at the Severn Valley Railway. Seven others of the class are preserved. The thirty locomotives in the class were built between 1938 and 1950 and worked lines such as the Cambrian, (Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth) where heavier locomotives were barred.

Picture two shows an ex London Midland Scottish Railway (LMS) class 5MT (mixed traffic) locomotive known as a 'Black Five'. 'Black Fives' were also called 'Mickies' in my trainspotting days. William Stanier was the engineer responsible for this huge class of 842  built between 1934 and 1951. Eighteen escaped the cutter's torch. This jigsaw is the second from the 200-piece series Loco's.

A 'B1' class 4-6-0 of Edward Thompson No.61306 Mayflower is featured in picture three liveried in the famous LNER 'Apple Green'. This ex London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) engine was built in 1948 one of a class which eventually totalled 410; the class was begun in 1942 with the final locomotive appearing in 1952. Two B1's are preserved.  The original locomotive named Mayflower, No.61379, was scrapped and the name transferred to 61306. This is the third puzzle from the Loco's series. The fourth puzzle in the series showing ex LMS 'Jubilee' class 4-6-0, No.5690 Leander, was posted on 18th January 2012.