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If you wish to communicate with me about steam train jigsaws and/or related railway art, or to respond to requests for answers to my queries, please email David, at : platt.precology@gmail.com

Friday 14 August 2015

Two More From KG Games

Two jigsaws from K G Games are featured in today's post, 14th August 2015.


Both jigsaws are from the 400-piece series titled Rail Journey and this first example is titled Pendennis Castle at Chester. The static locomotive is ex GWR 'Castle' class 4-6-0 of Charles Collett, No.4079 Pendennis Castle. The picture shows the locomotive at Chester before heading the Ian Allan 'Birkenhead Flyer' back to Birmingham, in 1967.  

The locomotive is one of the more famous GWR locomotives. In 1925 the GWR loaned her to the rival LNER company where she was compared with the new LNER 'A1' class 4-6-2 locomotives. Trials proved her superiority over her rivals. In 1977 she was sold to an Australian iron ore company but repatriated in 2000. The locomotive is currently under overhaul at Didcot Railway Centre.


Jigsaw picture number two features double heading GWR locomotives on the 'Cambrian Coast Express'. The jigsaw is from the same 400-piece series as above and titled On The Cambrian Coast. The two locomotives are an unidentified 'Manor' class 4-6-0 of Collett and a  'Small Prairie' class 2-6-2 locomotive, No.4555 of George Jackson Churchward. 'The Cambrian Coast Express' began in 1927 and ran from Paddington to Aberystwyth and Pwlheli; it was the Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth - Pwllheli lines that tracked the Cambrian Coast in Wales. The line could not support heavy locomotives and the smaller 'Dukedogs' and, later 'Manors' were ideal for the service. Just looking closely at the picture reminds us of how safety and security have changed on the railways since steam days.


A third jigsaw from the Rail Journey series, Caledonian Railway No.123 at Carstairs, is featured in the post of 30th October 2010.

Wednesday 5 August 2015

Bluebell Railway

Today's post, 5th August 2015, features pictures of two jigsaws, each showing an early locomotive of the Bluebell Railway.

A short history.

The Lewes and East Grinstead Railway Company was formed to build a railway in 1877 but a year later the line was acquired by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) and completed in 1882. 

The 18 mile line from Lewes to East Grinstead was closed by British Railways in 1958. The Bluebell Railway Preservation Society was formed a year later and initially leased the Sheffield Park-Horsted Keynes part of the line from BR.

The Society ran its first train on 7th August 1960 - the first preserved, standard gauge steam-operated passenger railway in the world to operate a public service.This first train was headed by locomotive No.55 ‘Stepney’ followed by two coaches and locomotive No.323 ‘Bluebell’ (on the rear). Both of these locomotives are shown below in the jigsaws depicted. At this time a trip on the line was a return trip between Sheffield Park and Bluebell Halt but by the end of October the railway had carried thousands of passengers. The Railway was finally allowed to operate into Horsted Keynes in October 1961 - Kingscote station was re-opened in 1994. 

From 2003 the Railway laid track in the direction of East Grinstead and seven years later a Bluebell platform was opened at East Grinstead station. In March 2013 a steam service ran the 11 miles from Sheffield Park to East Grinstead and all trains now operate this complete journey.

Today the railway is managed and run largely by volunteers. Having preserved a number of steam locomotives even before the cessation of steam service on British mainline railways in 1968, today it has a large fleet (over 30) ranging from small 0-6-0 tanks to large 4-6-2 Bulleid 'Pacifics' 













The picture on the right, features the ex Brighton & South Coast Railway ''A1X' class 0-6-0T tank locomotive, No.55 Stepney. Known as 'Terriers' the locomotives were designed by LB&SCR Locomotive Superintendent, William Stroudley, in 1875. The jigsaw is a 500-piece example from Hestair titled Bluebell Railway Engine. The jigsaw photograph appears to have been taken on an 'Edwardian Day' at Sheffield Park Station, as volunteers are dressed in period costume.

The picture on the left shows the ex South Eastern & Chatham Railway (SE&CR) 'P' class 0-6-0T tank locomotive, No.323 Bluebell. She was built in 1910, one of eight designed by Locomotive Superintendent, Harry Wainright, as improved 'Terriers'. The jigsaw is a 100-piece example from the Hestair Puzzler 100 series, simply titled Bluebell Railway. The station name is not included in the photograph, but if you know for sure which one of the four it is, (Sheffield Park, Horsted Keynes, Kingscote or East Grinstead), please let me know.