Welcome to my blog, Steam Trains and Jigsaw Puzzles. Its origin is simple - my train spotting youth has been synchronised with a later interest in jigsaw puzzles. The experience is expensive - I have nearly 400 examples, depicting steam trains, in my collection. The conclusion is impossible - there are over 700 titles in my inventory and they are being supplemented annually. I wish to share my experiences, knowledge and jigsaw photographs with fellow collectors, and anyone else with an interest in steam railways and/or jigsaw puzzles. People with fond memories and remeniscences of steam railway travel may also find the blog of some interest.
My passion for steam locomotives began in the late 1950's when, like thousands of other male teenagers, I travelled many miles on British Railways in search of those elusive numbers and names. Collecting steam train jigsaw puzzles never really entered my head in those halcyon days. This particular passion began in the late 1990's, roughly 30 years after the demise of mainstream steam locomotion in the UK. In the Wilkinson's store in St Helens I came across a range of eight, 500-piece jigsaw puzzles, made by a company called 'JR Puzzles'. They replicated marvellous illustrations of steam trains and I assembled them, very quickly, after purchasing all of eight of them. Shortly afterwards, I bought more examples from the same store - I had caught the 'bug'. Since then I have trawled the Internet and visited many retail outlets in my quest for more puzzles. Ebay, in particular, has been the major source for jigsaws - used, unused or new - but other collectors have also contributed. My current collection of UK steam railway jigsaw puzzles stands at nearly 400 different examples from over 80 manufacturers/retailers, but my inventory stands at over 700; there is a long way to go.
When I complete a steam railway jigsaw in my collection I usually photograph it. On the blog today I have posted three of my photographs. The first, shows a puzzle reproducing an original painting from artist David Hey. David produced two paintings, both for jigsaw production, for the 'Rocket 150' celebrations at Rainhill in 1980. The puzzle in my collection and shown here depicts George Stephenson's Rocket; the second, which remains on my 'wants' list, depicts Lion. They were two locomotives that served the Liverpool and Manchester Railway with great distinction. The L&MR opened in 1830 following the famous Rainhill Trials of 1829, won by Rocket. I don't know the manufacturer's name but the 500-piece puzzles were sold in commemorative wrappers.
A wavy-edged, semi-interlocking jigsaw is shown next, a 400-piece example made by Mammoth in the 1930's. The powerful Gresley 2-8-2 locomotive Cock o' the North (also the name of the jigsaw) is featured powering through a green and sandstone landscape heading teak passenger coaches. I cannot decipher the artist's name.
The third and final picture depicts a 175-piece, wooden puzzle made by Chad Valley for the Publicity Department of the Great Western Railway Company. The puzzle, issued between 1934-1939, is called Locomotives Old and New and features two icons of the Great Western Railway, Lord of the Isles (one of Brunel's broad gauge locomotives, designed by Daniel Gooch) and King George V, one of Charles Collett's giant 4-6-0s.
When I complete a steam railway jigsaw in my collection I usually photograph it. On the blog today I have posted three of my photographs. The first, shows a puzzle reproducing an original painting from artist David Hey. David produced two paintings, both for jigsaw production, for the 'Rocket 150' celebrations at Rainhill in 1980. The puzzle in my collection and shown here depicts George Stephenson's Rocket; the second, which remains on my 'wants' list, depicts Lion. They were two locomotives that served the Liverpool and Manchester Railway with great distinction. The L&MR opened in 1830 following the famous Rainhill Trials of 1829, won by Rocket. I don't know the manufacturer's name but the 500-piece puzzles were sold in commemorative wrappers.
A wavy-edged, semi-interlocking jigsaw is shown next, a 400-piece example made by Mammoth in the 1930's. The powerful Gresley 2-8-2 locomotive Cock o' the North (also the name of the jigsaw) is featured powering through a green and sandstone landscape heading teak passenger coaches. I cannot decipher the artist's name.
The third and final picture depicts a 175-piece, wooden puzzle made by Chad Valley for the Publicity Department of the Great Western Railway Company. The puzzle, issued between 1934-1939, is called Locomotives Old and New and features two icons of the Great Western Railway, Lord of the Isles (one of Brunel's broad gauge locomotives, designed by Daniel Gooch) and King George V, one of Charles Collett's giant 4-6-0s.