Another from Ponda

Today's post, 8 September 2022, features a 100-piece plywood puzzle from Ponda. Depicted is an example of my favourite express locomotive class - the 'Princess Coronation' class, of William. A. Stanier. The latter was the Chief Mechanical Engineer for the London Midland and Scottish Railway, known as the L.M.S.

Ponda, based in St Leonards-on-Sea in the 1950’s, issued many wooden puzzles, including some previously named as Ian Allan puzzles. The titles of many wooden puzzles depicting steam railway scenes made around the mid-20th Century, were extremely verbose, including the example above titled British Railways: The Royal Scot, Hauled by 46254 "City of Stoke-on- Trent", taking water at Brock Troughs. London Midland Region. The illustrative artwork is by Robert Barnard Way, one of the best of the era, in this style. The locomotive, in 3/4 elevation, is liveried in BR (British Railways) passenger blue; carriages are liveried in BR crimson lake and cream, nicknamed 'blood and custard'. Water troughs allow locomotives travelling at a pre-determined speed, to take on water without stopping. Brock water troughs were positioned north of Preston, on the West Coast Main Line.