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Victor Welch

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Watford West

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Hi

I was wondering about the railways artist Victor Welch, as I have recently inherited a picture of his of 46256 Sir William Stainer FRS that quite probably used to hang in the Grove in Watford, as the man that it came from was a lifelong worker for the LMS and then BR, and based from about 1939 at the Grove.
I know that Victor Welch paintings often appeared as colour plates in the days of black and white books / annuals, but I can find very little about the man himself.
Was he a commercial artist? Did he do other subjects? Any information would be gratefully received, thanks
 
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WesternLancer

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Hi

I was wondering about the railways artist Victor Welch, as I have recently inherited a picture of his of 46256 Sir William Stainer FRS that quite probably used to hang in the Grove in Watford, as the man that it came from was a lifelong worker for the LMS and then BR, and based from about 1939 at the Grove.
I know that Victor Welch paintings often appeared as colour plates in the days of black and white books / annuals, but I can find very little about the man himself.
Was he a commercial artist? Did he do other subjects? Any information would be gratefully received, thanks

Guessing you found this link - and I thus recognise his work or style, but don't know any more:

 

Watford West

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Thanks Western Lancer. Yes that is the only thing I can find on him. Don't you find that the Internet is absolutely ram-packed with info on well known people, but those that are not household names, and certainly from a while a go........very little.
Worth a try - thanks anyway
 

WesternLancer

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Thanks Western Lancer. Yes that is the only thing I can find on him. Don't you find that the Internet is absolutely ram-packed with info on well known people, but those that are not household names, and certainly from a while a go........very little.
Worth a try - thanks anyway
Yes, spot on! Some things v hard to find out about, tho you would think there would be more given his work was in various publications by the looks of it. Have you tried contacting the Guild of Railway Artists? Maybe they have info that they don't have set out on website, or their members may know more if they have a way of letting you ask (eg a newsletter).
 

Watford West

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Ah that's an idea, I never thought of that. It's worth a try isn't it. Yes as you say most of the Ian Allen 60's annuals that I've got have up to half a dozen colour plates by VW. I mustn't let him 'sink without trace'. Thanks again
 

randyrippley

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briefly mentioned in this article about George Dow

Another discovery was Vic Welch, at that time a projectionist on the staff of the Public Relations Office. Welch was above all else a practitioner of the photo-realist school of railway art and the antithesis of the Terence Cuneo semi-impressionist style.

As such he was the true successor to the prolific Tom Rudd (‘F.Moore’) of the Locomotive Publishing Company. Welch painted several posters for the LMR, but found greater fame after becoming staff artist for Ian Allan.

He was also responsible for drawing a further 17 ‘Dowagrams’, some in several versions, under GD’s direction. They were for use as carriage panels and station poster display.
 

WesternLancer

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briefly mentioned in this article about George Dow
Interesting to read that link - and anything Robert Humm states will surely be authoritative - might be worth contacting him via the superb shop - he would know if any published material, and quite likely to have a copy to sell if there is anything!

I see his 'recent' blog (actually not so recent but no matter) via that site features C H Ellis as mentioned.
 
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Watford West

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Hi
And thank you both for your input. knowing that Vic Welch was the staff artist for Ian Allen sort of makes sense. I did contact the Guild of Railways Artists, and got a reply, but they said he was before their time, but had influenced some of their members particularly Malcolm Root (what an artist he is!) I like to do a bit of painting myself, but MR's sunsets and 'golden loco sides' - well a different league to me!
Incidentally, I see that George Dow was born in Watford, so was I
 
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