Hest Bank Whitsun 1961 500 Piece Puzzle by Gibsons

Inquisitive faces peer through the windows of the Hest Bank camping coaches as a ‘Princess Coronation’ class Pacific No.46254 ‘City Of Stoke-On-Trent’ rushes north through the station in Lancashire on a Birmingham to Glasgow express and the 1053 Workington-London Euston slides into the up platform double-headed by a ‘Patriot’ 4-6-0 No.45507 ‘Royal Tank Corps’ and a ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0. Hest Bank station was opened by the Lancaster & Carlisle Railway in 1846 and closed by British Railways in 1969.

About the Artist:

After graduating from Birmingham College of Art Philip Hawkins pursued a career as a technical illustrator in the railway industry and then as a press photographer and freelance illustrator through further career changes before concentrating on fine art.

A childhood spent in Birmingham surrounded by the sight and sounds of trains coupled with an enduring passion for railways influenced his decision to specialise in the subject. This fascination and a natural artistic talent have combined to make his work highly sought after worldwide. He has travelled extensively in pursuit of his quarry and drawings, photographs and notes of reference all serve to add a very personal note to his work.

From Gibsons:

As with all Gibsons jigsaws, we use 100% recycled puzzle board, FSC paper and work with the best artists from all around the world. The beautifully illustrated pieces are designed to fit perfectly together; in fact, we use the thickest puzzle board on the market.

We’ve made some positive changes to our processes, so you can be sure you’re getting the same great puzzles and know they are kinder to the environment. Not only does the box have a fresh new look, but we’ve used biodegradable clear labels to secure the lid instead of shrink wrap, reducing our plastic waste. We use vegetable-based inks too. The gloss coating on the box gives extra protection and the puzzle pieces are stored in a plastic bag that can be recycled by most councils.

Because the box is slightly smaller than our previous designs, we need less room to transport our products which reduces our carbon footprint and means you can store your puzzles more easily. We have also popped an artwork poster inside for you to reference whilst you piece together your lovely jigsaw puzzle.

Puzzle size is 48x34cm when complete.