Royal Scot

This is my very first received PHQ card. I was not aware that they are so many, although I saw them mentioned on quite a few postcrossers wishlists.
Part of a 5 pieces series (#81 Famous Trains: a tribute to the age of the steam locomotive), the card is a reproduction of a stamp designed by Terence Cuneo and issued by the British Post Office on 22 January 1985.
Royal Scot was an express passenger train service that has been running between London Euston and Glasgow Central since 1862 on West Coast Main Line, mirroring the East Coast Main Line famous train Flying Scotsman. The LMS Coronation Class locomotive in the picture bears No. 46243 and was called City of Lancaster 'Duchess Pacific'.
The postcard have a 2.50$ (ND 2014) Canadian stamp since it was posted from here and it's a reproduction of  Railcuts #1, one of the Edward Burtynsky’s photographs.

Thank You, Fiona !

Country: United Kingdom (but sent from Canada)

Description: Royal Scot with locomotive City of Lancaster 'Duchess Pacific' Class No. 46243

Publisher: The House of Questa Ltd. London

As internationally as it can be

A week ago I've received this official postcard from Singapore. Nothing special so far. But at a close look I discovered that the building is from Japan (Kyoto) and the publisher (LAVERTON) is from China. The washi tape used for decoration bears french words "c'est délicieux" & "à bientôt". International!

The card came with 2 beautiful stamps (2103) from Singapore vanishing trades.

The 30c shows a Songkok maker. They came predominantly from Sumatra or of Sumatran descent. Songkok is a traditional Muslim head gear worn when attending prayers at the mosque or at religious events and festive celebrations.

The 20c shows a lantern maker. They painted famous legendary figures over oiled paper stretched over interwoven ribs of delicate bamboo.

Thank YOU, Kit !

Country: Difficult to say... Japan (place), China (publisher) and Singapore (stamps)

Description: Painted view of a Kyoto pagoda

Publisher: LAVERTON (China)

The Flying Scotsman by Kevin Walsh

 

This official card came in my inbox yesterday, traveling from Finland. It's a reproduction of one of Kevin Walsh paintings: Watching the Flying Scotsman. The original artwork is larger and contains extra: a postman with a car who collects the mail in the right and a tractor on the left hill.

Kevin Walsh is British artist and his works have been reproduced on many greeting cards, jigsaw puzzles or collectors plates.

The Flying Scotsman may reffer at two things:

1. Is an express passenger train service that has been running between London (England) and Edinburgh (Scotland) since 1862.

2. Is the famous steam locomotive (No. 4472 Flying Scotsman) built in 1923 for the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).

Some notable things about this locomotive: 

- first steam locomotive to achieve a fully authenticated speed of 100 mph (160km/h)
- between 1988-1989 it toured Australia, where at one point it recorded the longest ever non-stop run by a steam locomotive, travelling 679 km

- capacity: 8 tons of coal and 22.730 liters of water
- total mileage: over 4.000.000 km

You could read more on the dedicated website.

About the stamp. It looks awesome with its irregular shape and is one of the two thematic stamps designed by the graphic artist Klaus Welpin. Stamps were issued in 2014 to celebrate the legendary Finnjet cruise ferry, which operated between Helsinki and Travemünde (1977-2008). 

Thank You, Päivi !

Country: Finland (but British artist)
Description: Watching the Flying Scotsman
Photo: Kevin Walsh © 2012 / Karto

Hong Kong trams

This card came into my mailbox as a part of a forum RR. It shows a watercolor painting made by Chinese painter Shen Ping. The main subject are the double-Decker trams that go through the major areas of Hong Kong Island.The fare for an adult only costs 2.30 HKD (about 0.22 Euros) and therefore is one of the cheapest way of transportation here. BUT it can get stuck in traffic and is quite crowded and hot inside. At least this is what Mavis wrote.

About the stamp. The 3.70 HKD (2014) shows Kang Lau Shek (Watchtower Stones) located in the easternmost corner of Tung Ping Chau. Made up primarily of thinly laminated siltstone, they were formed about 55 million years ago. There was an initial sea-arch but gradually constant coastal erosion made it collapse, leaving behind this two sea stack formations.

Thank You, Mavis !

Country: Hong Kong

Description: Street Watercolor

Photo: Shen Ping