Early Travelling Post Office Services

	As well as carriage development. the Minutes of the Committee of Management also provide a major insight into early Midland TPO services.  The first major explicit reference is contained in Minute 1346, of January the 27th 1846, which specifies that a Mail Train will run between Derby and Nottingham from the 1st of Feburary (1846), starting at 2:15 a.m.  The Minute also orders that the existing 9:40 p.m. train from Nottingham will convey the Mails to Derby.  Presumably the Post Office vans would be attached to the latter train.

	Minute 1534, of the 2nd of March 1846, states the schedule for the new Night Mail train from Rugby to Leeds, as from the 31st of March 1846.  The Minute also gives the revised schedule for the Derby-Birmingham Mails.  The schedule table is reproduced below:-

	Night Mail from Rugby to Leeds

	To be dispatched from the Railway Station			       London Time
				  at Rugby at					12:05 a.m.
	To arrive at Leicester at						12:51a.m.
		7 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Loughborough at						  1:29 a.m.
		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Derby at							  2:19 a.m.
		15 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Belper at							  2:48 a.m.
	To arrive at Wingfield at						  3:01 a.m.
	To arrive at Chesterfield at						  3:21 a.m.
		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Masborough at						  3:55 a.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Barnsley at						  4:31 a.m.
		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Wakefield at						  4:55 a.m.
	To arrive at Normanton at						  5:06 a.m.
		10 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at the Railway Station Leeds at			              5:46 a.m.

	Night Mail from Leeds to Rugby

	To be dispatched from the Railway Station Leeds at	              6:59 p.m.
	To arrive at Normanton at						  7:29 p.m.
		15 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Wakefield at						  7:52 p.m.
		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Barnsley at						  8:12 p.m.
		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Masborough at						  8:40 p.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Chesterfield at						  9:19 p.m		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Wingfield at						  9:42 p.m.
	To arrive at Belper at							  9:59 p.m.
	To arrive at Derby at							10:26 p.m.
		25 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Loughborough at						11:26 p.m.
		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Leicester at						12:14 a.m.
	To arrive at the Railway Station at Rugby at			              1:10 a.m.
	
	Night Mail from Birmingham to Derby

	To be despatched from the Railway Station,
		Birmingham at							12:34 a.m.
	To arrive at Forge Mills at				   	            12:56 a.m.
	To arrive at Tamworth at						  1:22 a.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Burton at							  1:54 a.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at the Railway Station Derby at			              2:19 a.m.

	Night Mail from Derby to Birmingham

	To be despatched from the Railway Station, Derby at	            10:46 p.m.
	To arrive at Burton at							11:09 p.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Tamworth at					            11:46 p.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Forge Mills at					            12:11 a.m.
	To arrive at the Railway Station at Birmingham at		            12:31 a.m.

	The schedule shows that two separate trains ran between Rugby and Leeds, hence at least two TPO vans would be required.  The same is true of the Derby-Birmingham service.  Including the two 1844 vehicles, the Midland must have had at least seven TPO vans by the spring of 1846, although no explicit figure is given in the stock totals of October 3rd of that year.  No details have yet been found of the design of these vehicles, other than the two 1844 L&BR-type vans.

	Another clue to the early Midland TPO network is found within Minute 1721, of April the 14th 1846, which orders that Third Class carriages are not to be attached to the Up Day and Down Night Mails between Normanton and Leeds.

	Minute 2220, of the 25th of August 1846, provides more details of the Midland TPO service during the mid-1840s.  It sets down the schedules for the Derby-Lincoln (and return), and changes to the Derby-Birmingham and Leeds-Rugby Mails on and after the 24th of September 1846.  The detailed times are as follows:-

	Derby and Lincoln Mail on and after the 24th Day of September 1846

	To be despatched from the Railway Station			      London Time
						 Derby at			  2:45 a.m.
	To arrive at Nottingham at						  3:20 a.m.
	To arrive at Newark at						  4:25 a.m.
	To arrive at the Railway Station, Lincoln at			              5:20 a.m.

	Return

	To be despatched from the Railway Station, Lincoln at	              8:00 p.m.
	To arrive at Newark							  8:50 p.m.
	To arrive at Nottingham at						10:00 p.m.
	To arrive at the Railway Station, Derby at			            10:45 p.m.

	Derby and Birmingham Mail on and after 24th September 1846

	To be despatched from the Railway Station Derby at	            11:15 p.m.
	To arrive at Burton at			  			            11:35 p.m.
		2 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Tamworth at					            12:03 a.m.
		2 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Forge Mills at					            12:25 a.m.
	To arrive at the Railway Station, Birmingham at		              1:00 a.m.

	Night Mail

	To be despatched from the Railway 				        London Time
	Station, Leeds at							  7:50 p.m.
	To arrive at Normanton at						  8:10 p.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Wakefield at						  8:22 p.m.
		2 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Barnsley at						  8:40 p.m.
		2 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Masborough at						  9:12 p.m.
		Five Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Chesterfield at						  9:47 p.m.
		3 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Wingfield at						10:05 p.m.
	To arrive at Belper at						            10:20 p.m.
	To arrive at Derby at			                                               10:55 p.m.
		20 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Loughborough at					            11:50 p.m.
		2 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at Leicester at					            12:17 a.m.
		5 Minutes allowed
	To arrive at the Railway Station, Rugby at			              1:15 a.m.

	Meanwhile, all was not well with the operation of the service.  Minute 2309, of the 22nd of September 1846, notes that Col. Moberley's complaint as to the Down Day Mail was read, and in reply Messrs. Kirtley, Mills & Adcock agreed that it was impossible to work the train between Derby and Normanton in the time allowed, as the train was very heavy and the stoppages very numerous.  The train was almost invariably late in arriving at Rugby.

	Minute 2438, of the 3rd of October 1846, gives the official reply.  The Postmaster General rejected the request for an additional 15 minutes in the journey time between Derby and Normanton, on the grounds that the Edinburgh Mail must arrive as early as possible.  Objections were also raised as to the amount of passengers and goods attached to the Mail trains, and the hours' delay at Rugby between the arrival of the Down Day Mail and the despatch of the Day Train to York
	Things were little better at the beginning of 1847.  Minute 2689, of Janurary the 19th 1847, records that frequent complaints had been made by the Postmaster General of delays to the Night Mail Trains.  This was found to be due to the fish traffic being conveyed by these trains.

	It was therefore ordered that the Midland Secretary approach Mr. Hudson and request that a fish train arrive at Normanton in time for the connecting Midland service to leave for Derby at 7:00 p.m., the service to commence on the 1st of Feburary 1847.

	Fish was still being carried by Mail trains during the following July, as Minute 2742, of July the 2nd 1847 records the appointment of porters specifically to sort fish carried by the Mails.

	Meanwhile, further schedule adjustment were being made.  Minute 2804, of Feburary 16th 1847, asks Mr. Hudson to request the LNWR to run the 10:30 Down Day Mail to Newcastle from London to Rugby in 1 half-hour less time.  Minute 2878, of March the 2nd 1847, asks the Secretary to write to the LNWR to request that they allow the 7:45 a.m. up Mail from Birmingham to London to leave Rugby at its former time of 9:15 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m. as at present.

	As well as the dedicated Mail trains, the Midland agreed to carry mailbags by ordinary service trains, under the charge of the Guard.  Minute 3030, of April the 13th 1847 (confirmed by the Post Office on the 6th of May) states that the Midland agreed to carry Mail at 3d per mile by the following trains:-

		3:50 p.m. Nottingham-Leicester arriving Leicester at 5:20 p.m.
		12:15 p.m. Leicester to Derby arriving at Derby at 3:45 p.m.

	Minute 3105, of the 1st of June 1847, records a Post Office letter dated the 27th of May 1847 requesting that Midland Guards, as from June the 7th, are to take charge of mailbags placed on the 5:30 p.m. Nottingham and 12:15 p.m. Lincoln trains.  A Post Office inspector will instruct the guards as to which bags are to be delivered and received.

	The Midland Mail service seems to have run to the satisfaction of the Post Office until the end of 1848.  Minute 6137, of the 5th of December 1848, recorded that following a complaint by Col. Moberly about the continued late arrival of the Up Night Mail at Rugby, it was ordered that fish traffic was no longer to be attached at Normanton, and that instead a separate Normanton-Derby fish train was to be run, to connect with the Mails from Derby to Rugby, Nottingham and Birmingham.  Minute 5176, of December the 18th 1848, records another letter of complaint, which reads as follows:-

					General Post Office
								16th December 1848

	Sir
		Referring to my letter of the 27th Ultimo, I beg to acquaint you
	that this Office is quite overwhelmed with complaints of the late 
	delivery of the morning letters in London, as well as the delay of the
	Cross Post letters caused by the repeated and serious irregularities

	of the Night Mail Trains on the Midland Railway, in the working of 
	which no improvement appears to have yet taken place, notwithstanding
	the assurances contained in your recent letters.
		I request, therefore, that on receipt of this communication you
	will represent the matter most strongly to your Directors, in order
	that no time may be lost in giving instructions for the adoption of
	some very stringent measures for preventing the recurrence of these
	serious irregularities.
		I beg to also state that in addition to the inconvenience which
	the public suffers, the delays in question tend greatly to encumber
	the morning duties of the Inland Department of this Office - and to
	add that unless a Marked improvement shortly takes place in the
	working of the Trains in question, and the Junction at Rugby is
	regularly effected, the Post Master General will have no alternative
	but to insist, although reluctantly, upon an earlier despatch from
	Edinboro' and the North, so as to ensure that greater punctuality
	in the Working of the Mail Trains throughout to Rugby.

							I am Sir,
					                       Your obedient
					                       humble Servant
	J.T. Bell Esq.					Signed W. Moberly

	It was ordered that a copy be sent to each of the Northern Lines, together with a request for their immediate attention and assistance.

	Minute 6230, of January the 9th 1849, records the refusal of the Midland to convey mailbags between Leicester and Peterborough at less than 3d per mile.

	Two weeks later, Minute 6261 ordered the construction of two more Post Office Tenders for approximately œ150 each, increasing the Midland's stock to 11.  Minute 6262, of the same date, records another latter of complaint from Mr. George How of the Postmaster General's Office.

	The letter refused permission for the Up Night Mail to stop at Eckington, because the Midland was unable to maintain the schedules with the existing stops, and also complained about continued irregularities of the Mails between Edinburgh, Newcastle & Rugby and gave notice of ordering an earlier departure from Edinburgh if the junction at Rugby was not punctually effected.

	To summarise, by the Autumn of 1849, when the Committee of Management was disbanded, the TPO network on the Midland itself consisted of the following services:-
				Rugby-Leeds
				Birmingham-Derby
				Derby-Lincoln
				Leeds-Normanton

and mailbags were carried in the guards' van between Nottingham & Leicester Leicester and Derby and Nottingham and Lincoln.  The Midland also worked TPO services between London and Birmingham, York and Edinburgh.

	The records of the Traffic Committee from September 1849 onwards are less explicit, but nevertheless provide an indication of the development of the Midland TPO service, in addition to the notes in C.W. Ward's 1949 book.

	At the August 13th 1850 meeting, a Notice was read from the Postmaster General dated the 2nd instant of alteration of the Mail service on the Bristol & Birmingham and Birmingham & Derby lines on and after the 31st of October 1850.  It was resolved at the 20th of August 1850 meeting to request the Locomotive Committee to provide Post Office carriages for the sorting of letters to be consigned daily between Tamworth and Gloucester on and after the 31st of October 1850 in conformity with the Notice from the Postmaster General of the 2nd instant.

	No information about the Bristol & Birmingham Mail service was given in the Committee of Management Minutes, so presumably the matter was in the hands of the Bristol & Birmingham Committee until Autumn 1849.

	It was recorded at the meeting of June the 15th 1850 that notice had been received from the Postmaster General to discontinue the Night Mail Trains between Derby and Rugby as from 31st August 1850.  The suspension seems to have been countermanded, as the service continued for another two years.

	At the meeting held on the 5th of November 1850, a Notice from the Postmaster General was read, requesting that an additional carriage be attached to the Mail Train between Tamworth and Birmingham.  At the same meeting, in reference to Minute 967, an acknowledgement from the General Post Office was read, accepting the notice to discontinue the working of the mail between Worcester and Spetchley on the 17th of January 1851.

	Minute 967 is dated the 22nd of October 1850 and states that Mr. Sanders reported that he had given notice to discontinue his contract for working the down Night Mail between Spetchley and Worcester at the expiry of three months' notice.

	Mr. Sanders was the Midland General Manager at this time, so the above statement equates to the abandonment by the Midland of this service, which is another unmentioned by the Committee of Management.

	At the 17th of June 1851 meeting, it was recorded that notice had been received from the Post Office of an arbitration to fix the remuneration to be paid to the Company for conveyance of the Mails between Bristol & Derby.  This matter dragged on into 1852, with the LNWR retaining an interest in the outcome.

	At the meeting of July the 1st 1851, a Notice from the Postmaster General was read asking the Midland to discontinue the down Day Mail from Rugby to Normanton with immediate effect.  This seems to indicate the commencement of the replacement service to York from Kings Cross and the GNR.

	It was noted at the 5th of August 1851 meeting that the Post Office had agreed to use two of the passenger trains daily (Sundays excepted) for the conveyance of the local Mails between Leeds & Bradford, commencing on the 28th of that month @ œ100 per annum.  At the same meeting, it was recorded that, in consequence of the number of excursion passengers who travelled on the Down Night Mails, strong recommendations had been made by the Post Office about the consequent late arrivals.  After consultations with the LNWR and Post Office, it was arranged to despatch the Bags from Euston during the month of August without any passengers on the train, and then run through as a Special to Edinburgh.

	At the 14th of October 1851 meeting, a report from Mr. Godby was read announcing that the Postmaster General had agreed to send the Leeds & Bradford Mails from Leeds to Normanton by the 2:55 a.m. train, and after the 20th of October paying for the service at the present cost to the Post Office, namely œ68 per annum.

	A good idea of the working of Mails between Bristol may be gained from the remuneration agreement recorded at the meeting of the 4th of December 1851.

	There was a service between Derby & Birmingham in both directions, a through service between Birmingham and Bristol, a service between Bristol and Gloucester and a service between Gloucester and Birmingham.  The reason for a through service to Bristol and a divided service from Bristol, break of gauge notwithstanding, is not clear.  Perhaps standard gauge rails had already been laid to Bristol?  Also, with the Post Office's permission, the Midland would convey the Bags, in the charge of a Post Office Official, from Tamworth to Leeds, or from Tamworth to Birmingham, whenever the Trent Valley train was too late for the Midland mails, by the first ordinary train after the Mails, free of charge.

	At the meeting held on the 16th of December 1851, the following was noted regarding the Peterborough and Rugby Mails:-

    "The Post Office declined to pay 1/- a mile for the conveyance of the
	latter bags from Leicester to Rugby by the train leaving Leicester at
	9:55 p.m. and that consequently the train will be discontinued after
	tomorrow.
	Ordered
	That Mr. Sanders be authorised to propose to the Post Office 1/3 a
	mile as their remuneration for running a Mail Train between Rugby and
	Peterborough as suggested by them, and that he name œ300 per annum as
	a condition of conveying Mail Bags in charge of the Guards of the
	Company, by local train, in each direction between Leicester and
	Peterborough."

The decisions of the Post Office were not recorded in the Traffic Committee Minutes.

	At the 3rd of February 1952 meeting, a deputation from the Leeds & Bradford Chambers of Commerce was received, concerning the Leeds and Bradford Mails.  They had an interview with the Traffic Committee on the subject of the postal arrangements between Skipton and Shipley and between Leeds, Bradford and London.

	It was ordered at the meeting that the proposal be made to the Post Office:-

    "To convey Bags by any Train between Skipton and Shipley or by the
	9:40 a.m. from Bradford, 10:15 a.m. from Leeds to London, or by the
	9:15 a.m. from London to Leeds or Bradford, at twopence per mile run"

At the same meeting, a letter from the General Post Office was read, requesting a rate for the conveyance of Mail Bags between Leicester and Oakham.  It was ordered that an offer be made of 1/3 per mile, the train to leave Leicester at 6 a.m. and Oakham at 9 a.m.

	The matter of the arbitration for the amount the Post Office was to pay for the Midland's Bristol & Derby Mail service was finally settled at the Traffic Committee meeting held on the 30th of March 1852,  It was noted that the Post Office had accepted the Midland's notice of discontinuing the Droitwich mail contract as from the 13th of July 1852.

	According to C.W. Ward (quoted in Lacy & Dow vol. 1) the Rugby-Derby TPO was discontinued in 1852, but it was recorded by the Midland Traffic Committee on the 3rd of August that year that the Postmaster General had countermanded the termination of the Night Mail trains between Rugby and Derby, pending certain negotiations between the Post Office and Midland.  It appears that this service and the Tamworth-Derby service ran concurrently for some time.  Further examination of the relevant Post Office records seems to be in order.

	It was noted at the 17th of March 1853 meeting that the Midland had received notification from the Post Office that the Down Express will carry the Mail Bags leaving London at 9:30 a.m. on and after the 1st of April 1853.

	The first explicit reference to Mail from the GNR occurs at the 14th of June 1853 meeting.  The Great Northern offered to pay the Midland 70% of their remuneration for carrying a Bag between Methley and Leeds: a rate of 5 3/4 pence per mile.  It was ordered that this offer be accepted as from the 1st of July 1853.

	It was noted at the 30th uf June 1853 meeting that the Post Office  had requested that MR Guards might give receipts for Mail Bags entrusted to them to carry, and having by Mr. Hebberburn's letter of the 24th stated that no additional responsibility would be incurred thereby, it was ordered that the request be complied with.

	At the 25th of October 1853 meeting, the Postmaster General's enquiry as to the cost of working the Mail Trains between Bristol & Gloucester having been read, Mr. Allport was instructed to confer with Mr. Kirtley as to the cost to the Company and to communicate thereon to the Postmaster General.  Evidently, the cost of the improved service introduced the previous March was still a matter of negotiation.

	The General Manager was instructed at the 7th of February 1854 meeting to reply to the circular letter from the Postmaster General (written by Rowland Hill) on the irregularities of Mail Trains.  The reply to this latter was read and approved by the Committee at the 23rd of February 1854 meeting.

	At the meeting held on the 25th of July 1854, a notification from the Postmaster General was read requiring the running of two additional Night Mail trains between Gloucester and Bristol on and from the 1st of September that year.  The trains were ordered to be put on, the expense of the additional staff to be added to the cost.

	It was resolved at the 19th of September 1854 meeting to comply with a request from the Postmaster general for the Down Express Mail to be run on Christmas Day that year.

	The Post Office evidently remained concerned with the running of the Mails during late 1854.  At the 17th of October meeting, a letter from the Postmaster General was read enquiring whether or not the Midland would run the Night Mail trains exclusively with the mails.  It was resolved to inform the Postmaster General that the Mails carried few passengers and stopped only at those stations required for the Postal Service.  It was also pointed out that the trains would not be expedited by the proposed alterations and as they were old established trains it was not desirable on public grounds to discontinue carrying passengers by them.

	The timings of the Bristol-Gloucester Night Mails were then altered on and from the 1st of February 1855, in accordance with a notice from the Postmaster General.  The nature of these changes was not specified in the Minutes.

	Changes to the schedules of the Mails between Bristol, Rugby and Normanton were also made at this time.  At the Traffic Committee meeting held on the 20th of February 1855, a letter from the Post Office was read enclosing proposed Time Bills for the working of the Night Mail trains between these destinations, which required the Midland to work these trains at greater speed than hithero.

	It was resolved that the Post Office be informed that the Midland Directors cannot undertake to expedite the Mails by increased speed, but they were prepared to carry out the scheme and to save the time proposed by other means, to be submitted to the Postal authorities.  The new timetables meeting the requirements of the Postmaster General were read and approved at the 6th of March 1855 meeting.  Adjustments required after the initial running of the new service were read and approved on the 3rd of April.

	Minute 6796, of the 13th of July 1856, gives details of two of the TPO services operating at this time.  The Minute specified, firstly, that the 2:35 a.m. Leeds to Derby Mail will no longer call at Oakenham and Andworth and the 6:20 a.m. Derby & Nottingham will henceforth leave at 6 a.m. and arrive at London at 10:15 a.m.

	The operation of T.P.O. services was the carried out without further comment until the Traffic Committee meeting held on the 30th of September 1856.  Minute 6934 of this date records the Midland's acceptance of an arbiter for the price to be paid for the Bristol & Gloucester Night Mail service.  Evidently this remained a bone of contention.  Minute 6953, of the 14th of October 1856, states that the matter was to be referred to Mr. Hawkshaw, presumably this means John (later Sir John) Hawkshaw, the engineer.  The matter seems to have been satisfactorily settled, as no further correspondence is recorded.

	The probable existence of a Rugby-Nottingham TPO is illustrated by Minute 7856 of the 19th of May 1857.  This records that the 10:35 a.m. Rugby-Nottingham express Mail will call at Loughborough in future.

	The Post Office proposed to set up between Wellingborough and Kettering in that year.  Minute 7441, of the 14th of July 1857, records an offer by the Post Office of œ20 per annum for the use of one train each way daily between these towns.  Minute 7485, of the 4th of August 1857, records the acceptance by the Midland of the Post Office's offer of œ15 per annum for the transport of Mail Bags between Wellingborough and Kettering one way only.  Midland records make to further reference to any return service.

	The next reference to Post Office services occurs at the Traffic Committee meeting held on the 4th of May 1859.  A letter was read calling attention to the approaching expiry of the contract between the Postmaster General and the Midland for the carriage of mails, and proposing the contract be renewed subject to 6 months notice by either party.  The Board Minute of the April the 6th was also read which referred the matter to the Traffic Committee.

	It was resolved that the Postal Authorities be invited to meet the Directors, and discuss the terms on which the contract should be renewed.  The matter was presumably amicably settled, at no further correspondence has been found, and the Midland TPO service continued unabated.
	
	The Lincoln & Tamworth service mentioned in Lacy & Dow vol. 1 was in existence by the end of 1859.  Minute 9556, of the 6th of December, deals with the acceleration of this service.  A report was noted upon the proposed acceleration of the Mail Train (meaning a bag tender at least) between Lincoln & Tamworth.  It was resolved that the acceleration be implemented at the request of the Post Master General, subject to am allowance being made to the Midland for any extra expense necessarily incurred.

	It was not considered desirable, as recorded in the same Minute, to stop the Up and Down Night Mails at Dursley Junction instead of Berkley Road.  This presumably refers to the Bristol-Birmingham service.

	Minute 9391, of the 20th of December 1851, describes an accident to the 12:33 a.m. Mail Passenger train between Derby and Birmingham.  The cause was a tyre breaking on a Composite carriage within the train.  One person was injured. Most interestingly, Minute 9848 of January the 1st 1860 refers to the Board of Trade report into the accident, which refers to the running of wagons in the train.  This sheds a new light on Post Office complaints as to the late running of the Mails, and conjured up a vision of a great caravan of TPOs, ordinary passenger carriages and goods wagons clattering through the night......

	A service, which seems to have been a bag tender if not a full TPO, was running by Summer 1863 on the Rowsley to Buxton line.  Minute 12048, of the 4th of August 1863, makes reference to a temporary arrangement to be superseded by a permanent one, for Mail service between Rowsley and Buxton.

	A major re-negotiation of the overall Post Office contract took place in 1864.  Minute 12578, of the 17th of May, records that the re-negotiation of the overall Mail contract by the Midland General manager, which was approved by the Traffic Committee.  The acceptance of the new contract by the Post Office was recorded by Minute 12678 of August 2nd 1864.

	At the meeting held on the 14th of March 1865, the General Manager submitted the new contract for the conveyance of Mails - no details were given.  It was ordered to be sealed.

	It is generally accepted by railway historians that the Lancashire & Yorkshire Rly. was the only British company to carry Mails by goods train on behalf of the Post Office.

	Midland Traffic Committee Minute 13101 tells a different story.  It records a request from the Post Office for a Postal and Goods Train to run between Leicester and Nuneaton.  The Midland GM suggested that a through train between Leicester and Birmingham via Nuneaton be run, leaving Leicester at 10:10 p.m. and returning from Birmingham at 1:05 a.m.

	It was resolved that the General Manager be instructed to put on a train as suggested, and that the Post Office's suggestion to pay 1/- a mile for the distance they use the train; i.e., between Leicester and Nuneaton, be accepted.
	Acceptance by the Post Office of this proposal was recorded by Minute 13282 of the 6th of June 1865.  The mailbags themselves would have been presumably been carried in goods-rated Tarriff Vans, a batch of which was ordered from Metropolitan in that year.

	Minute 13362, of 11th July 1865, records a proposal to extend the Down Night Mail to Bradford made by the Post Office.  It was resolved to accept the proposal, the Midland General Manager being authorised to make the necessary detailed arrangements.

	The beginning of 1866 brought more complaints from the Post Office.  Minute 13636, of January 2nd 1866, records a letter of complaint about continued delays at Normanton.  It was resolved that a special meeting of the Normanton Joint Committee be called for 1:30 p.m. the following Monday.  Minute 13650, of the 16th of January 1866, notes a letter of complaint about continued detention of the Mail Trains, together with Mr. Kirtley's report thereon.  Unfortunately, there are no further details.

	Minute 13673, of February the 6th 1866, records a Notice from the Post Office regarding an earlier departure of the Normanton Rugby Day Mail.  It was resolved that the General Manager be instructed to prepare a new timetable to take account of this requirement.

	At the meeting held on March the 6th 1866, mention was made of the new Leicester & Nuneaton Mail Train.  There are no details in the Minutes, but the particulars were in a letter from the MR Midland General Manager to the Post Office.

	Minute 14145, of January the 7th 1867, records that the Post Office would like to make the 2:50 p.m. train from Derby to London a Mail Train, the Post Office to pay an extra œ100 per annum.  This seems to imply the replacement of a bag tender (or carriage in the Guards' Van) with a proper TPO.

	It was also noted at the same meeting that the 7:45 p.m. train to Peterborough to Leicester should not wait for the GER trains from Lynn, and that the trains' time should not be changed without a months' notice to the Post Office.  If the time was changed, the Post Office would cease to pay the œ250 per annum for the train.  This seems to imply that this 7:445 p.m. train provided a through Mail service from the GER into Leicester, there connecting with the other Midland services.

	The Post Office seems to have been prepared to go to considerable lengths to avoid paying for specialised vehicles.  Minute 14264, of March the 3rd 1867, records the MR General Manager reporting a proposed arrangement for the use by the Post Office of two compartments of a large Composite carriage on the 2:30 p.m. train between Derby and Kings Cross.  It was resolved that the proposed arrangement be approved, and that the Locomotive Committee be requested to make two carriages available for this purpose.  This implies that modifications were made, presumably involving removing interior fittings, window protection and re-lettering.

	Minute 14459, of August the 6th 1867, records that the General Manager submitted a Notice from the Postmaster General of a proposed alteration to the running of the Down Day Mail from Rugby to come into effect on the 1st of September of that year.

	He explained that this would involve the running of an extra train from Rugby to Leeds and back, but that the mileage, as between Leicester and Derby, would be saved by the discontinuance of an existing train between these places.

	Minute 14570, of October the 15th 1867, records a letter from the Post Office intimating that, in the event of the West Indian Mails reaching Plymouth at certain times, it would be necessary for them to be sent by the Midland route to Birmingham, and requesting that a special train should be provided for they conveyance from Bristol in order, if practicable, to overtake the ordinary North Mail before its arrival in Birmingham.

	It was resolved that the General Manager be instructed to make the necessary arrangements.  This would mean a train of P.O. and Break vans being permanently held ready at Bristol, and coupled to a locomotive in steam, ready to go, whenever notification was received from the Post Office.

	Minute 16428, of the 31st of May 1870, records correspondence with the Post Office relative to the proposal to discontinue the running of the 11:10 a.m. Mail Train from Rugby to Leeds, and to utilise the 11:30 train for Mail purposes; and the explanation of the Post Office that if the 11:30 a.m. train could not be made to arrive at Normanton as early as the 11:10 a.m. the change could not be entertained.  The matter seems to have rested there.

	The final event noted in the Minutes of the Midland Traffic Committee before August 1873 was the further re-negotiation of the Mails contract.  Minute 16956, of February the 28th 1871, resolved that arrangements be made to give the Postmaster General 12 months notice, starting that September (1871) to terminate the agreement relating to the carriage of Mails over the Midland Railway.

	What happened in the eighteen months after September 1971 is not clear, but Minute 18459, of May the 6th 1873, records that the Midland General Manager reported that he had been in communication with the Post Office as to the renewal of the Mail contract, and that after some difficulty, the Post Office authorities had expressed their willingness to renew the contract for a term of five years upon an annual payment of œ48,500, with a considerable reduction in mileage of trains under notice.

	The Post Office was to have, during the period of the Agreement, use of the ordinary trains upon the Settle & Carlisle line. but in that event the annual payment for the whole service would be œ50,000 per annum.

	It was resolved that the terms named be approved, and that the necessary agreement be entered into.

	Minute 19044, of March the 31st 1874, records the final acceptance and Sealing of the agreement.

	Having recorded the additional information unearthed regarding the services themselves, attention will now be given to the vehicles built to operate them.

	The first balances of the number of Post Office vehicles are given in the stock balances of August and December 1848, when a total of nine vehicles is given.  In view of the fully-developed network) described at the beginning of this article) evident under the stewardship of the Committee of Management, it is very possible that this is the number after the delivery of the two vehicles ordered to London & Birmingham design in 1844.  Working on this assumption, the three major constituent companies must have operated TPOs and/or bag tenders before the merger, but such an investigation is outside the remit of this article.

	The next explicit order for additions to stock is dated the 23rd of January 1849, under Committee of Management Minute 6261.  The order specifies two additional Tenders to be built for the use of the Post Office.  No specific service is mentioned, but with four major return services operating at that time, and only nine existing vehicles, the obvious implication is that two spare vehicles were required to allow for unservicability and repairs.  The two vehicles, about which nothing is yet known, were completed at Derby during March and April 1849.  This gives the figure of eleven specified in the stock balances of December 1849 and June 1850.

	The next order for vehicles was dated the 28th of August 1850, when two additional vehicles were ordered for the Tamworth-Gloucester service, to be ready for when the service started on the 31st of October that year.

	No orders are recorded for 1851, but at the Locomotive Committee meeting held on November 17th 1852, it was noted that the Postmaster general had given notice of a requirement for a TPO between Rugby and Leeds.

	This resulted in quite a complicated manoeuvre.  It was resolved that the Midland Secretary write to the York and North Midland, York Newcastle & Berwick and North British companies offering to take the TPOs then in use between Rugby and Edinburgh, as they were considered too small.

	The implication is that these vehicles were to be transferred to the new Rugby-Leeds service, and new TPOs, the same size as those on the main LNWR services be built for the Rugby-Edinburgh service, the Midland joining in paying for the new vehicles on a mileage basis.  What happened next, and the other Companies' reaction to the proposal, are unfortunately not known, but Lacy & Dow (Vol. 1 p44) note that two new vehicles were built for the Rugby-Leeds service.

	The next reference to Post Office carriages comes at the Board meeting held on June the 4th 1856.  It was ordered that two Post Office vans be built in response to a Post Office requirement.  No specific service is mentioned, but with a steadily expanding network the possibility of spare vehicles must be considered.

	The six vehicles built between 1850 and 1856 would bring the TPO/ tender stock to 17.  It is likely that these vehicles were four-wheelers 15' 4" long, 6' 1" wide and 6' high inside, as Nos 13 and 17 were so recorded by the Post Office in 1866.

	The first explicit reference to renewing Post Office carriages occurs at the  Traffic Committee meeting held on the 4th of November 1856.  The terms suggested by the NER were read with respect to the Midland's proposal to purchase the NER's share of the then-present three Post Office carriages and to build new ones at the Midland's sole cost.  They were approved subject to 5% being the rate of interest to be paid on their share by the NER, the NER also to pay their share of renewals as well as repair costs.

	The matter was further discussed at the 18th of November 1856 Committee meeting.  A further latter was read from the NER General Manager agreeing to participate in the renewals as well as repairs of Post Office carriages, but still objecting to a rate of interest greater than 4 1/2%.  It was resolved that as the NER agrees to the renewals the Midland agrees to the rate of interest being 4 1/2%.  This evidently gave the green light to the renewal of three existing Post Office carriages jointly owned with the NER with wholly-owned vehicles, the renewals being completed by October 1857.

	Next in the renewal sequence come the two six-wheeled Post Office carriages built to replace two pre-1849 vehicles, as mentioned in Lacy & Dow.  The originals were themselves renewed as First Class carriages.

	Three more existing Post Office vans, recorded as no longer in regular use, were ordered to be converted to Firs Class carriages as recommended by Matthew Kirtley.  These appear to be the three old MR/NER vehicles, still languishing at Derby.  This order was issued at the 6th of September 1858 Traffic Committee meeting.

	At the August 2nd 1859 Traffic Committee meeting, an application from the Inspector General of Mails was read, for an additional six-wheeled Travelling Post Office to be built, so that one of the same construction as those in use may be in readiness to take the place of one of the existing one requiring repairs.  It was resolved to recommend to the Chairman's Committee that an additional Post Office be built.  A spare six-wheeled TPO was recorded as being under construction when the next order was placed in June 1860.

	This order was for two six-wheeled TPOs, and was recorded at the Traffic Committee meeting held on the 6th of June 1860.  The Postmaster General agreed to pay half of the cost of the new vehicles, and it was resolved to request the Locomotive Committee to complete these, as well as the spare already under construction, without delay.  Now things start to get confusing.  At the meeting of the Locomotive Committee held on the 19th of June 1860, a request for three Post Office carriages at a cost of £1500 was made.  Whether they were to be charged to revenue or capital was referred to the Chairman's Committee.  The order was confirmed on the 17th of July, and three Post Office carriages were recorded as being completed in December.  Why all six were not recorded in the monthly statements is not clear, and seems to indicate the latter are not completely reliable.

	A replacement Post Office tender, which was not a TPO but a bag tender, was renewed at Derby in October 1861.  The design was not specified.

	A further four Post Office tenders were renewed at Derby between April and August 1864.  Later references to TPOs make it clear that these vehicles were bag tenders only.

	The final order for additional Post Office vehicles of Kirtley design is recorded at the meeting of the Locomotive Committee held on the 6th of November 1866.  It was resolved that two additional Post Office vans be constructed at Derby for the Mail service.  Examination of the monthly statements shows that Travelling Post Offices (mentioned as such) were completed at Derby in Feburary and July 1867.  It appears that R.E. Lacy drawing 80, reproduced on page 43 of Volume 1, applies to these two vehicles only, the other six Post Office vehicles built in the 1864-70 period being bag tenders without net apparatus and presumably central doors as a consequence.

	Setting down the Post Office carriage changes as a table (see Appendix 1), and assuming that internal gangways were fitted as documented by the Post Office, by the mid-1860s Midland TPOs were running as pairs of vehicles, the TPO itself and a bag tender, connected by a gangway.  There is also at least one spare TPO.

	There is a total of twenty-five vehicles, which would give eleven of these twin-sets, plus three spare vehicles.  Of the more modern stock, we have seven twin-sets.  Tow of these have a 1867 four-wheeled TPO and a bag tender.  Five have a six-wheeled TPO of the 1860 period and a bag tender.  Twin-sets were ordered as such in August 1850, November 1852, June 1856 and May 1858.  This leaves three spare vehicles, probably two TPOs and a bag tender.

	It is possible to match vehicles to services in some cases.  For example, the Derby-Newcastle service gets the two 1867 TPOs, two of the 'modern' six-wheelers are running between Bristol & Newcastle, and the Lincoln-Tamworth service is struggling along with two old, short vehicles; No. 13 (of 1850?) and No. 17 (of 1856).

	The author has attempted to obtain drawings and phototgraphs of Midland TPOs during the Kirtley era but has found, during investigations within the NRM Library, that all Kirtley material was destroyed at Derby in 1909 on Paget's instructions.  Further purges took place at Derby in 1941 and 1967.  Any material which might have survived must therefore be in private collections to which the author does not have access.

		Appendix 1:  Post Office Carriage Stock Changes 1844-73

Date		Increment		Total Stock		Notes

10/9/44                +2                             --		As per L&BR design (Wright)
4/8/48                   --                              9			Stock List
31/12/48               --                              9			Stock List
23/1/49                +2                              --                 Ordered to be built at Derby
3/1849	                 +1                            10		Additional vehicle built at
							Derby
4/1849                  +1		               11		Additional vehicle built at
							Derby
31/12/49                                               11		           Stock List
30/6/50                  --                             11 			Stock List
28/8/50                 +2                            13		Built at Derby for Tamworth-
								Gloucester service
17/11/52               +2                             15		Built at Derby for Rugby-
								Leeds service
6/56                      +2		                17		Ordered to be provided by the
							Board in accordance with Post
							Office requirement
10/57                      --                              17		Post Office carriages 1-3
									renewed
18/5/58                    --                             17		Six-wheeled vehicles built at
							Derby to replace two pre-1849
									vehicles
9/58                         -3                             --		Three existing Post Office
							carriages not in regular use
							converted to First Class
							carriages
8/59                          +1                          18		Additional six-wheeled Post
							Office carriage to be built in
							response to request from
							Inspector General of Mails
6/60                          +2                           20		Two new six-wheeled Travelling
							Post Offices to be built.
							Postmaster General to pay half
							the cost
19/6/60                      +3                           23		Additional Travelling Post
							Offices built at Derby.
							Completed December 1860
10/61                            --                          23		Replacement P.O. Tender built
							at Derby
/64                                --                          23	Four replacement P.O. tenders
							built at Derby between April
							and August
2/1867                          +1                         24	Additional Travelling Post
							Office built at Derby
4/1867                          +1                          25	Additional Travelling Post
							Office built at Derby
5/68                               --                           25	Post Office tender renewed
							at Derby
10/70                             --                           25	Post Office tender renewed
							at Derby