GWR jigsaw posters

The Great Western Railway published a range of about 44 different jigsaw puzzles starting in the early 1920s and ceasing in 1939. Examples of every one are held in our collection which can be found by selecting the 'Jigsaw collection/GWR jigsaws' option under the 'MEMORABILIA' menu tab. The subjects covered ranged from named trains and engines to Cathedrals, historical scenes and castles with the subjects being chosen by the Stationery & Printing or the Publicity departments of the GWR. The artwork was either specially commissioned or adapted from existing poster illustrations. We have been able to identify nineteen puzzles which were based upon poster illustrations, although there may be one or two we have missed, and have been able to gather images of all nineteen posters from various sources. Whilst small thumbnails of relevant posters can be seen as a pop-up box within a jigsaw's description we thought it would be useful to make them all available together for reference purposes.

Posters tended to be of a standard size, being either 50" x 40" (Quad Royal) or 40" x 25" (Double Royal), although other sizes were produced. The posters are shown in the year sequence in which the associated puzzle was first published, with the puzzle name and artist below. Only two jigsaw images show a date, and not all carry the artist's signature.