Travelling Post Office

From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.

British Rail TPO vehicle NSA 80390 on display at Doncaster Works open day on 27th July 2003. This type of vehicle, based on the British Rail Mark 1 coach, was the final design on TPO vehicle used in the United Kingdom.

A Travelling Post Office (TPO) is a type of mail train where the mail is sorted en-route.

In the United Kingdom, these trains first started operating in 1838. The trains were operated most recently by Rail Express Systems, and their successor EWS. 9 January 2004 saw the last TPO trains operated, after Royal Mail decided not to transport mail by rail. TPOs were equipped with letter boxes so that mail could be posted whilst the train stood at a station. The post-marks from TPOs are valued by philatelists.

TPO trains are formed of several different types of vehicle. For more information see the following links.

• Post Office Sorting Van
• Post Office Stowage Van
• Brake Post Office Stowage Van
• Courier Vehicle
• Propelling Control Vehicle
• Brake Guard
• General Utility Van

External Links

• Royal Mail - Travelling Post Office. (http://www.consignia.com/heritage/english/history/train_travelling.asp)

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