R.I.P. Mail trains

R.I.P. Mail trains
MAIL TRAINS have reached the end of the line. No more the night mail,
crossing the border, bringing no cheque nor postal order.

After more than 160 years of service, the Travelling Post Office - where
post is sorted en route on special train services - has finally gone to
the sidings.

Happier times
Summed up memorably by WH Auden in his verse Night Mail, cruelly
misquoted above, the TPO made its first journey in 1838 from London to
the Midlands. By the First World War more than 130 services were in use.

By the end of the Second World War only 43 services remained and the
1980s saw further cuts.

The decision to finally bring about the end of the line for TPOs was
greeted with much sadness.

Staff members past and present, together with enthusiasts, see the death
of the service as the real Great Train Robbery, as guestbook tributes
lovingly left on TPO fan websites show.

The Great Train Robbery proper did, of course, offer the TPO's most
infamous hour when a 15-strong gang made off with about £2.3m after
holding up a train.

While 3,000 letters an hour were being sorted on the overnight trains,
Royal Mail says automated equipment is now capable of a 30,000 per hour
turnover.

The decision to transport post solely by air and road means the end to
the "Victorian solution to a Victorian problem" of moving post around
the country.

The move will save Royal Mail £10m a year (a third of the sum lost in
the Great Train Robbery, in today's prices).

No flowers.

On Sat, 10 Jan 2004 01:54:20 GMT, Alan wrote:

R.I.P. Mail trains
MAIL TRAINS have reached the end of the line. No more the night mail,
crossing the border, bringing no cheque nor postal order.

After more than 160 years of service, the Travelling Post Office - where
post is sorted en route on special train services - has finally gone to
the sidings.

Happier times
Summed up memorably by WH Auden in his verse Night Mail, cruelly
misquoted above, the TPO made its first journey in 1838 from London to
the Midlands. By the First World War more than 130 services were in use.

By the end of the Second World War only 43 services remained and the
1980s saw further cuts.

The decision to finally bring about the end of the line for TPOs was
greeted with much sadness.

Staff members past and present, together with enthusiasts, see the death
of the service as the real Great Train Robbery, as guestbook tributes
lovingly left on TPO fan websites show.

The Great Train Robbery proper did, of course, offer the TPO's most
infamous hour when a 15-strong gang made off with about £2.3m after
holding up a train.

While 3,000 letters an hour were being sorted on the overnight trains,
Royal Mail says automated equipment is now capable of a 30,000 per hour
turnover.

The decision to transport post solely by air and road means the end to
the "Victorian solution to a Victorian problem" of moving post around
the country.

The move will save Royal Mail £10m a year (a third of the sum lost in
the Great Train Robbery, in today's prices).

No flowers.

================================================== =====

Marcus Dawson took some photos of the Last Night
of the Travelling Post Offices's and kindly posted them
in alt.binaries.pictures.rail early this morning.

Subject is: UK - Last night of the TPO's
Poster is: Marcus Dawson
Time Posted : 2004 January 10 03:10:54 GMT

There are 3 pictures and one scan of the 3 thumbnails.

I saved them if anyone is really stuck and wants them.

Blair



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