A puzzle from New Zealand

Todays puzzle, 24 November 2020, is an example from New Zealand jigsaw company, Holdson. It is part of a four part series titled Age of Steam II. The series duplicates the artwork of four artists and three, with their puzzles, have already been described in previous posts on the blog. The three are British artists. The fourth is Cliff Norton - if anyone has any biographical details about this artist please let me know and I will include them in this post, retrospectively. Age of Steam I also comprised four jigsaws and all were by UK artists who have featured on the blog.

In Norton’s excellent artwork, a 'Grange' or ‘6800’ class 4-6-0 locomotive of British Railways Western Region, is hauling chocolate and cream carriages through a small, unidentified station. Six people and a policeman stand on the main platform. An ornate footbridge, a water crane, an empty porter’s trolley and a small signal box are included in the composition. The jigsaw is one of a small number that show this class of locomotive, previously designed by Charles Collett for the GWR, between 1936 and 1939. There were eighty in the class of mixed traffic (MT) locomotives. The locomotive in the picture is No.6826, Nannerth Grange. The jigsaw is made in New Zealand by Thos' Holdsworth & Sons.

A Hawkins' jigsaw and a Flying Scotsman CD

Today's post, 12th November 2020, describes a Canny Minds' combined production of a jigsaw puzzle and a CD. Philip Hawkins' painting of the Winter Scotsman is the artwork chosen for the 1000-piece jigsaw, and what a superb choice it is. Both the CD and jigsaw puzzle, issued in 2017, share the title of 'The Flying Scotsman' on the semi, tubular box.

A Peppercorn ‘A1’ class 4-6-2 locomotive No. 60156 Great Central, having left Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle, is steaming towards Kings Cross with 'The Flying Scotsman' express passenger train. The location is York Station, c 1959. A light covering of snow on the track affords a wintery feel to the jigsaw. A second locomotive, a Raven/Thompson class B16/3 4-6-0, No.61463, is pictured stationary, heading another passenger service on the right of Philip’s superb composition.