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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

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

Two more of Gresley's Finest

In today's post, 27th June 2016, I am using photographs of jigsaws featuring more locomotives designed by (Sir) Nigel Gresley.


The first photograph shows a Gresley 'A1' / 'A3' class 'Pacific' (or 4-6-2) - No.60037 Hyperion, named after a Derby winner. The loco is pictured in close up in David M. West's excellent painting titled Hyperion. The locomotive was built at the LNER's Doncaster Works in 1934 as an 'A1' class design but upgraded to 'A3' class in 1948. She was withdrawn from service in 1963 and scrapped in the following year. The jigsaw, made by Moat House Products, is a 500-piece example and Wests' artwork includes a water crane and a girder support. Because the jigsaw lacks further pictorial interest it is more likely to be preferred by railway enthusiasts.


The second picture features the interior of the locomotive shed, at Tyseley. The main locomotive in Terence Cuneo's artwork, is the Gresley 'K4' class 2-6-0 (or 'Mogul') No. 3442 The Great Marquess; the jigsaw is a Waddingtons' 1000-piece example. No.3442 was built at the LNER's Darlington Works in 1938 and was withdrawn from service in 1961. She is preserved and usually displays her BR No.61994. She is currently under overhaul. As the painting location is Tyseley, No.3442 is flanked by GWR locomotives - a diesel shunter is partly visible on the right. I must add that the my own jigsaw picture does not do justice to the Cuneo original; it is far too dark. 


Sunday, 12 June 2016

LMS Tank Engines.

Today's post, 12th June 2016, features photographs of two jigsaws, each one showing a different example of a London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) tank locomotive.












The first picture shows a 300-piece puzzle from Arrow's 1985 'Age of Steam' series, simply titled LMS 2085. The locomotive is a Fairburn 2-6-4T type, No.2085 (BR No.42085) one of a class of 277 built between 1945 and 1951 (either side of the birth of BR in 1948). The loco is pictured in early preservation days on the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway (L&HR) when it was liveried in Caledonian Railway blue, or 'Caley Blue' as it was known. It is one of a pair of class '4P' Fairburn tanks owned by the L&HR - 42073 and 42085.


Our second jigsaw featured today is a 500-piece example from the Falcon 'Fond Memories' series. A Fowler class '3F' 0-6-0T engine, No.7119, is shown in the vignetted jigsaw titled Waiting Time. The vignetting adds a nostalgic touch to the picture of a small passenger train standing in a picturesque branch line station, with vintage coach and car in the foreground car park. A popular name for this class of 422 examples, built between 1924 and 1931, was the 'Jinties'.