Steam versus Diesels

Today's post, 22nd October 2020, describes two jigsaws each featuring steam and diesel locomotion.

ABOVE - The Flying Scotsman, a 320-piece 'Popular' jigsaw by Tower Press (5th Series), features a Gresley ‘Pacific’ steam locomotive beside a diesel equivalent, both heading passenger trains in a station setting. The diesel, a class ‘55’ (Deltic type) No.D9020, Nimbus, dominates the scene. The latter was one of a class of 22 built in 1961/62 by English Electric, at the Vulcan Foundry, Newton-le-Willows. The title invites you to think that the steam locomotive is heading the famous express. Wrong. The diesel locomotive carries the headboard ‘The Flying Scotsman’. The two locomotives, representing the past and the immediate future of British Railways, invite the viewer to reflect. In the illustrative artwork (artist’s name not known) a maintenance group of four is pictured bottom left, lifting a railway sleeper. BELOW - This 240-piece puzzle from Trojan, via Topsail Productions, is titled Express Freight. Pictured is a ‘Co-Bo’ (a bogie with 3 axles and a bogie with 2 axles) class 28 diesel locomotive heading the ‘Condor’, a fast, over-night freight service. A mainline, LNER steam locomotive is included in the artwork but relegated to the edge of the picture. Introduced in 1958, the class 28’s were selected for the London, Hendon – Glasgow, Gushetfaulds freight express, which began a year later. The diesels double-headed on occasions. The class suffered from continued engine problems however, and as a result, they were temporarily replaced in 1960, with class ‘5’ and ‘Jubilee’ class, steam locomotives; all 4-6-0’s. One class 28 example, D5705, survived until 1968 when it was used by BR in the Research Division and later, as a carriage heating unit. It then moved to Peak Rail in Matlock in 1986. It was secured for preservation in 1997 when recruited by the East Lancashire Railway, and remains in restoration at Bury. To the left of the picture is part of a power station and in the background are office blocks. The 'Condor' headboard was quite unique, with a split backplate of two, equal regional colours, maroon and pale blue. The lettering was vertically split in a ‘stencil’ style. Included in the immediate background, is a class 40 (Type4) diesel locomotive (?) heading a passenger service on an elevated line. Both jigsaws are similar in style and brilliant colour, possibly by the same artist? If anyone can assist me by letting me know the identity of the artist(s) I will add the details to this post, retrospectively (email address above).

The Iconic, Forth Bridge

Today's pair of jigsaw puzzles, 1st October 2020, both feature one of the most famous bridges in the world - the Forth Bridge, spanning the estuary of the River Forth on Scotland's east coast. I am not going into detail about the bridge as this can be found in the previous post of February 7th 2011.

The first picture above, shows a Wentworth wooden jigsaw of variable size (my example is of 250 pieces), simply titled, Forth Bridge. A North British Railway (NBR) steam train is pictured on the bridge from a frontal viewpoint common to photographers and artists. The locomotive at the head of the train appears to be a ‘K’ class 4-4-0 tender locomotive, No.867. The latter designed by William Paton Reid was one of a class of twelve built at Cowlair Works in 1909/1910. Hot coals from the grate illuminate the smoke spiralling above the cab; a sky full of stars enhances the composition. The jigsaw picture is very impressive, but the artist is not named. Wentworth have used a picture, in portrait format, from the Mary Evans Picture Library in the Media Storehouse.

The second picture features a 100-piece Chad Valley wooden jigsaw, duplicating the artwork of Robert Bernard Way. The painting, from a similar viewpoint to the first jigsaw, features a British Railways ‘B1’ class locomotive crossing the bridge heading a passenger service. The jigsaw title is a rather elongated - British Railways: Class B1 61245 “Murray of Elibank” with local train crossing the Forth Bridge. Scottish Region.