Today's post, 31st October 2013, comprises two pictures showing jigsaws from the Gibsons' 636-piece 'Panorama' series.
Picture one (left) is titled Sunny Day at Alresford replicating the original artwork of Chris Woods. The picture features the 1920 built, ex London & South Western Railway 'S15' class 4-6-0, No.506 designed by Robert Urie. The locomotive, in Southern Railway livery in the picture, is shown entering Alresford Station, heading a rake of BR carmine and cream liveried passenger coaches.The summer weather has attracted many passengers suitably dressed waiting for the train. The station is now part of the Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line) and the locomotive is under restoration with a view to it entering service in 2014.
The second picture shows GWR locomotives double heading a passenger service in the summer of 1947. The locos are a 'County' class 4-6-0 No.1022 County of Northampton designed by Frederick Hawksworth and an unknown 'Castle' class 4-6-0 locomotive, the brainchild of Charles Collett. The railway runs parallel with the Oxford Canal at Lower Heyford in Oxfordshire and Barry Freeman has painted an idyllic scene integrating canal and railway traffic with the village and farm. The result is Summer of '47 - a harmonious scene radiating all that is best in rural Britain.
The original paintings from Chris and Barry were 'masked' into a letterbox shape for these 'Panorama' jigsaw puzzles. Summer of '47 was also in the Waddingtons' portfolio as a 1000-piece puzzle.