Postbox On A Bus

[Matt]

Reading through an old Big Chief I-Spy book from 1961 found in a clear-out of my grandparents house I noticed the following entry:



"Posting Box On A Bus (132)

Useful in country districts where cottages are scattered, and post-boxes are few.

You can post your letter in the box; the postman will meet the bus and empty the box at the end of the journey.

Perhaps you'll find it easier to see a posting box on a train? Well, score for that instead!

Where did you see your (132)? Which company owned the bus? When?"



"Ring any bells" with any of the older members?

[Tony]

Reading through an old Big Chief I-Spy book from 1961 found in a clear-out of my grandparents house I noticed the following entry:



"Posting Box On A Bus (132)

Useful in country districts where cottages are scattered, and post-boxes are few.

You can post your letter in the box; the postman will meet the bus and empty the box at the end of the journey.

Perhaps you'll find it easier to see a posting box on a train? Well, score for that instead!

Where did you see your (132)? Which company owned the bus? When?"



"Ring any bells" with any of the older members?

I presume this refers to the old 'Postbus' network run by the post office themselves in several remote parts of the country until as late as 2009
When I was young they were mostly Commer minibuses, but ended up as Royal Mail small vans with two or three seats in!
see this story for the final ones
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7998119.stm

Lots of mail trains had Travelling Post offices in where the mail was sorted on route. On these there was a proper post box on the side of the train and if you used it you had to put an addition 1p stamp on the letter as well as normal First Class stamp

[Justin Tyme]

I'm not old enough to remember, but I do know that there were a few instances around the country of buses carrying postboxes.  I have seen a photo of a postwar Crosville Bristol L single decker with one by the rear entrance - probably the last example.

In a number of towns - including Birmingham and Leamington - one or two trams had post boxes fitted for one evening return journey.  This was provide a later last posting opportunity.  Again, the postbox was on the outside just by the entrance, so it was not necessary to ride on the tram or even board it.  On arrival back in town, the tram would be met by Post Office staff, who would remove the postbox and taking it to the sorting office.

Most of these died out with or before the trams ceased, but a few (not in Birmingham I think) were used by replacing buses, although most of them ceased in 1939 on the outbreak of World War 2.

[Stuharris 6360]

Slightly off topic, but Blackpool Tram 719 was refurbished in 1997 and bacame the Wall's Ice Cream tram with special livery. For a little while it had a counter in one half and you were able to buy ice creams on it! Sadly didn't last long and seating was returned, but the livery was still carried for a number of years.,

[Bryan]

Reading through an old Big Chief I-Spy book from 1961 found in a clear-out of my grandparents house I noticed the following entry:



"Posting Box On A Bus (132)

Useful in country districts where cottages are scattered, and post-boxes are few.

You can post your letter in the box; the postman will meet the bus and empty the box at the end of the journey.

Perhaps you'll find it easier to see a posting box on a train? Well, score for that instead!

Where did you see your (132)? Which company owned the bus? When?"



"Ring any bells" with any of the older members?

I presume this refers to the old 'Postbus' network run by the post office themselves in several remote parts of the country until as late as 2009
When I was young they were mostly Commer minibuses, but ended up as Royal Mail small vans with two or three seats in!
see this story for the final ones
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7998119.stm

A photo of one of the Commer / Dodge minibuses

http://www.ipernity.com/doc/bryan_a_smith/24520977/in/album/475175

[tc]

A recent example in Yorkshire: http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/4255421.Axed_Dales_post_bus_to_be_replaced/