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Old PO vans

Bernard67Arnold

Bernard67Arnold

master brummie
Can anyone tell me the age of these vans by the registeration numbers, Bernard (oh! dear not myself yet sorry)
 
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m.humphreys said:
And the Mail train hauled by Royal Scot class 6129 "The Scottish Horse"
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Gosh Mike what a collection!!people like your good self make me feel so inadequate, there are times when I cant even
post one picture,when I transfered to BurtonPost Office in 1958 I used to work the Midnight shift, 17.00 to 01.25 am at Burton Station serving the TPOs etc; The times I have spent waiting about for Fog bound trains two and three hours
sometimes. Thanks again, Bernard
 
I can remember lots of the P.O vans Bernard as at the back of my parents house was Kings Norton D.O. on Watford Rd. and there was always vans coming and going and I could see it all from my bedroom window. It wasnt so good though when I did an 18 month stint on nights as tha posties used to have a football game during their morning break, in between the 1st ans 2nd deliveries,those were the days.
 
Hi there,Its a small world I spent my first Christmas in the Post Office,(1953) at Kings Norton BO,
I lived at Yardley Wood, and one of the drivers from Kings Norton lived at the back of us in Glastonbury
Road, he took the van home and picked. me up at 3.30 am. I did a cycle delivery round Wast
Hills and the Cadburys estate, luckly I was pretty fit having just done five and a years in the army.
Happy Days? must have liked the job I did 42 years until 1995, take care now Bernard
 
Morning Bernard, Are these two GPO Van`s of interest to you?. Len.
 
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lencops said:
Morning Bernard, Are these two GPO Van`s of interest to you?. Len.
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Hi Len, Its always interesting to see old vans, although I spent almost 40 years driving Red ones, I passed my HGV 1
in 1970 at Leicester mainley because there a firm in Burton called Webb Ivory who used to print millions of Charity
Christmas Cards and send out, then Birmingham HPO heard about it they pushed us out, like most firms the Big Boys have the clout! I used to love driving but nowadays its a chore to go to the CooP., too many boy (girl) racers about for my liking , take care now Bernard
 
[I'm going back many years here, Bernard, but you and others might be interested in these very early Post Office vehicles.]

On 23 September 1829, the General Post Office in London placed on the road four "Accelerators". These were used to carry postmen to the start of their rounds in west and north-west London. The "Accelerator" was modelled on George Shillibeer's horse-drawn "Omnibus", which had been launched less than three months previously.

Pictured below: [1] Shillibeer's "Omnibus"; [2] the Post Office "Accelerator".
 
Hello there, the word Accelerators is still well used within Royal Mail, I have done many such duties at
Burton on Trent and Derby, There are books at every sorting office which contain Forms 318, the content of
each duty , and numbered of course. A lot of them say, accelerate walkmen ie; 1 to 12, in Derby they call
them Codes, a favorit saying to junior managers "Sorry Guv, not on my code.In 1953 when I joined the GPO
was part of the Civil Service and you used to have to pass the CS entrance exam. I did 42 years in full
37 of which were pensionable. When people asked me if it was a good job? I used to sayWell its better than
walking the streets. Bernard Quote Save Water, Shower with a Friend).
 
Bernard67Arnold said:
... the word Accelerators is still well used within Royal Mail ...
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Very interesting, Bernard, thanks for that.

Many years ago I worked for the (Australian) Post Office for a few months delivering telegrams, for which I was given a Honda 90 cc motor cycle. A very enjoyable job: it was fun working out the shortest route each time I went out with a bundle of 'grams. Always extra busy on Saturday mornings for the weddings: had to keep going until all were delivered, so plenty of Saturday afternoon overtime. In those days the postmen still "walked the streets". Nowadays all the postmen here ride motor cycles, so they're not as fit as they used to be. And I'm pretty sure telegrams aren't delivered to the door any more.

I love that last picture of yours. (The older the better for me!)
 
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