Does anyone recognise where this painting is based?

[seaber]

Morning all, 

 

I know there isn't much to go on here, but does anyone recognise if this painting of an auto tank is based on a real place? 

 

It's by Peter Edwards and used for one of the 'Railway Series' books. I've been using some of his illustrations of Western engines and de-facing them (if that's the right word!) with the idea of making some tourist posters for my layout. 

 

I believe most of his paintings of 1400s were based on 1420 at the Dart Valley, I've not visited for years, I thought this may be the double track section just west of Staverton where 1420 would have been based at the time of the illustration, around 1966.

 

Of course, it could be based on a postcard of newspaper clipping which would be much harder to track down, but thought I'd open it up to you guys to see if you can help out! 

 

Thanks

 

[Cwmtwrch]

It's horrible. Nowhere in the Dart valley looked like that... There was no double track section near Staverton in 1966 [nor for quite a few years after that]; the track layout at that time was still essentially the same as when the line was closed in 1962, and the locos lived at Ashburton. Public services only started in 1969. As a teenager living in Torquay at the time, I was a member of the DVLRA in the mid-1960s, and progress at that time was very slow owing to lack of funds and problems with officialdom - railway preservation was pretty new then...

 

If you model BR, there are plenty of their contemporary posters on the internet. The style of this painting is nothing like any BR one I've ever seen.

[Tim V]

Looks like a figment of the illustrator's imagination. The telegraph poles look like Ratio ones - nothing like GW ones. The fencing - is not railway like.

 

As said, plenty of real posters to use.

[Kris]

I'd agree that this is imaginary. The scenery looks more Scottish than Devonian to my eyes.

[Paul H Vigor]

The landscape is the imagined Isle of Sodor. 🥸

Edited September 23, 2022 by Paul H Vigor
to add information

[BR traction instructor]

…vague echos of the Cheltenham to Swindon route via Stroud/Sapperton for me.

 

BeRTIe

Edited September 23, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[Steamport Southport]

9 minutes ago, Paul H Vigor said:

Seems familiar. Brings to mind artworks related to the Rev. Awdry's OLIVER THE WESTERN ENGINE?

 

It is!

 

I thought it was based on Tiverton Junction rather than the Dart Valley. 

 

 

Jason

[Paul H Vigor]

21 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

It is!

 

I thought it was based on Tiverton Junction rather than the Dart Valley. 

 

 

Jason

I always imagined the landscapes of Sodor to look similar to the Isle of Man? Imagined artistic landscapes never ring quite true.

[melmerby]

The lamp appears to be red, there is no driver in the cab so the loco must be leading.

Oh dear wrong line again.

[t-b-g]

Perhaps it is supposed to be a single track line with a loop or a siding alongside.

[DCB]

1 hour ago, Paul H Vigor said:

The landscape is the imagined Isle of Sodor. 🥸

That's exactly my thoughts, the colours, the single rail lineside fencing.  The lighting.    Not BR Style poster style at all.. The would have featured DMU, Steam express locos, local attractions or views not boring old fashioned  Auto Trains

[Steamport Southport]

Ignoring the scenery which probably has a lot of "artistic licence", look familiar?

 

You need to use the left/right buttons to go to the "past" photograph.

 

https://exevalleyrailway.com/stoke-canon/8-what-it-looks-like-today/69-what-it-looks-like-today-bolham-halt-to-tiverton-station

 

 

 http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/t/tiverton/index.shtml

 

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/t/tiverton_junction/index.shtml

 

I always thought the story was about saving 1442.

 

 

 

Jason

[Cowley 47521]

Those hills in the  background are a little reminiscent of the rural bits of the West Somerset Railway to me.

[Paul H Vigor]

Not wishing to pour cold water, but: might we be over-thinking, what is after all, a children's book illustration?

[Andy Kirkham]

21 hours ago, BR traction instructor said:

…vague echos of the Cheltenham to Swindon route via Stroud/Sapperton for me.

 

BeRTIe

 

Yes, the Chalford service was the only one I can think of where WR auto trains ran on a double track route into the sixties. It was much photographed and I wouldn't be surprised if a photo taken on that route was used as the basis of this picture, with the background filled in from the artist's imagination.

[JohnR]

MIght not the painting be partly based on Awdry's layout, given the scenic items similarity to model railway accesories? The fencing, the telegraph poles, the gradient marker etc?

[Mallard60022]

Very generic picture. Sort of Dartmoorish maybe? Yup, kids wouldn't know about Poles Fences and how the thing was driven even. There is a Driver if you look carefully.

It's not aimed at enthusiasts, so is adequate IMO.

Phil

 

[Mallard60022]

21 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Ignoring the scenery which probably has a lot of "artistic licence", look familiar?

 

You need to use the left/right buttons to go to the "past" photograph.

 

https://exevalleyrailway.com/stoke-canon/8-what-it-looks-like-today/69-what-it-looks-like-today-bolham-halt-to-tiverton-station

 

 

 http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/t/tiverton/index.shtml

 

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/t/tiverton_junction/index.shtml

 

I always thought the story was about saving 1442.

Jason

Thanks for those links Jason. Made for a nice little diversion for me this evening.

Phil

[Steamport Southport]

18 hours ago, Paul H Vigor said:

Not wishing to pour cold water, but: might we be over-thinking, what is after all, a children's book illustration?

 

The paintings of the Railway Series books is a subject in itself. 

 

It's well known that Rev Awdry changed artists as the original artist was too inconsistent and didn't paint them as "real" engines with engines changing shapes even in the same book.

 

https://www.sodor-island.com/artists-of-the-railway-series

 

By the era this painting was done, the artists were Peter & Gunvor Edwards who seemed to like painting in the field, and amongst the places visited to paint trains in real life is Devon & Cornwall.

 

https://www.sodor-island.com/edwardsprofile

 

 

Jason

[Robert Shrives]

As a young boy I was lucky in that my dad bought the Awdry books on a regular basis whilst he travelled as an inspector. I used to then pour over his railway magaines and often found the picture used by the later illustrators when real images were used - often adding a bit to avoid any copyright issues.  So I expect this is really taken from the real world but two pics melded together.  I will have to go looking as well.

 

Robert 

 

[Robert Shrives]

Hi A little digging but likely location is likely St Marys Crossing on the Golden valley