Cuneo and Tri-ang HORNBY

Terence Cuneo (1907–1996) was an artist of exceptional skill, range and popularity. He is probably best known as the leading painter of railways during the later Steam and early Diesel period. Rovex commisioned some and licensed others to be used as front cover pictures on some of their yearly Catalogues. His paintings were famous for including a small mouse in the scene somewhere. The 1962 TT catalogue picture had been painted as early as 1949. Below are examples of his work. Please click on images to see full size pictures

Catalogue Cover	Mouse		Original
1962 The first of the Catalogues that used a Cuneo painting as the Front Cover 'Locomotives at Nine Elms Depot' Rovex Commision
Interestingly the 1962 TT Catalogue also had a Cuneo image on the front fold
1963 Catalogue, a combined OO and TT Edition. Royal Albert Bridge, Saltash, Class 4 Diesel and GWR "Grange" 4-6-0 at Saltash Station. The painting was titled 'Class 4 diesel-electric at Saltash' Rovex Commission
1966 Catalogue, the first to carry the Tri-ang HORNBY branding. The painting was titled 'Night Scene at Crewe' but Cuneo later renamed it 'Voltage versus Steam' Rovex Commission
May 1965 Amalgamation Catalogue supplement
1967 Catalogue used a different format by not using a full size image for the cover the picture was titled 'Southern Tank' Rovex Commission
1970 16th Edition Catalogue reverted to the full size image and landscape orientation. Also MINIC was added to the strap line. The Cuneo painting used was 'Express Engines at Tyseley' Rovex Commission
1971 17th Edition, the last of the true Tri-ang/Tri-ang-HORNBY catalogues the painting was 'Evening Star at Full Speed'
1972 Catalogue used the Cuneo image from the BR(M) 'NIGHT FREIGHT' poster commisioned by British Rail Midland Region
1973 Catalogue used the image from the BRITISH RAILWAYS 'FORGING AHEAD' poster
1974 20th Edition used the famous Cuneo Lickey Incline image
1993 39th HORNBY Railways Catalogue used this 1975 Cuneo image 'The Flying Scotsman - Halfway Between Edinburgh and London'
Cuneo was comissioned by the British Railways Midland Region to paint an image for a poster aimed at publicising the recently introduced Night Freight Service. The actual process of the painting was followed by a BRITISH PATHE News crew who later released it as a short film. It can be seen HERE screen grabs of the film are shown below.
These three Jigsaws were produced by the firm Arrow. Arrow was owned by Lines Brothers who also owned Triang Hornby
Box images courtesy Les