NER TPO No.1

[52D]

Came across this pic but know nothing at all about it can our coach experts furnish some detail please if possible.

[tomburnham]

This photograph also appears in Volume 2 of The North Eastern Record, jointly published by the North Eastern Railway Association and the Historical Model Railway Society, and is accompanied by the following description. "This travelling post office was built prior to 1867 although vans built in the same year had the same style of panelling below the waste with curved bottom corners and beading. The net was operated by hand, levers being used on vans built from 1872, by which time the whole of the sides were painted vermillion. No. 1 was replaced in July 1872."

Tom.

[52D]

I did wonder if it was in the YN&BR colours of Plum and cream. Thanks for the input.

[Dixie]

An interesting photo. This, and a second vehicle, were built around 1867 but I have no precise dates. It would therefore not be in YN & B livery. That said, the livery is a curious one. The General Post Office authorities laid down detailed specifications for TPO vehicles and it could be that they stipulated the livery shown on the photo. At some stage the numbers were changed to 291 and 292. I wrote an article for the North Eastern Railway Association Express on the Bridlington Sorting Carriage and set out such data as I had gathered over time and which included these vehicles. It appeared in Issue No 215, August 2014. Any additional information would be appreciated.

[65447]

Peter Johnson, writing in his An Illustrated History of the Travelling Post Office, appears to know even less about it and the same photograph is reproduced on p18 of his book. He states he was unable to trace any further details, nor could he correlate it with records.