Late Night Postal Service

[Guest Falls]

Hi,

I apologise if this topic has been discussed before but I only joinded the group a couple of months ago.

In my early childhood, all the buses and trams were pre-war (I was 8/9 when the 500 series trams first appeared).

Most of the trams had "Z' shaped brackets just inside the platform to the right of the entrance. The buses had the same type of bracket but on the back of the bus, close to the rear load platform.

I understand that last buses or trams on certain routes had small post boxes attached to these brackets. If you needed to post a letter late at night for delivery next day (I think this only applied to mail for delivery within the city). you could drop it off at these boxes as the tram or bus went by. The services was stopped at the beginning of the war and never resumed.

Regards

[dunsbyowl1867]

Hi,

I apologise if this topic has been discussed before but I only joinded the group a couple of months ago.

In my early childhood, all the buses and trams were pre-war (I was 8/9 when the 500 series trams first appeared).

Most of the trams had "Z' shaped brackets just inside the platform to the right of the entrance. The buses had the same type of bracket but on the back of the bus, close to the rear load platform.

I understand that last buses or trams on certain routes had small post boxes attached to these brackets. If you needed to post a letter late at night for delivery next day (I think this only applied to mail for delivery within the city). you could drop it off at these boxes as the tram or bus went by. The services was stopped at the beginning of the war and never resumed.

Regards

Hi falls there was this mini-discussion but it is still an interesting topic cheers.

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/i...p;hl=post+boxes

[Waterside Echo]

Hi,

I apologise if this topic has been discussed before but I only joinded the group a couple of months ago.

In my early childhood, all the buses and trams were pre-war (I was 8/9 when the 500 series trams first appeared).

Most of the trams had "Z' shaped brackets just inside the platform to the right of the entrance. The buses had the same type of bracket but on the back of the bus, close to the rear load platform.

I understand that last buses or trams on certain routes had small post boxes attached to these brackets. If you needed to post a letter late at night for delivery next day (I think this only applied to mail for delivery within the city). you could drop it off at these boxes as the tram or bus went by. The services was stopped at the beginning of the war and never resumed.

Regards

Hi Falls. As well as providing a first class public transport service in Sheffield, up untill the mid 70s we also offered a reliable goods delivery service. Sheffield Newspapers would put the Morning Telegraph, and in the afternoon the Star on buses bound for newsagents on the outskirts of Sheffield, InterFlora would do the same for urgent or late orders to name but two, and all this for the price of a single adult fare. We even provided a social service, on the outer circle [service 2/3] in the summer months young children would be put on the bus with instructions that they would be met at the same stop 2 hours later. The same thing also used to happen with ageing grandparents. Happy caring days, never to return. W/A.

[dunsbyowl1867]

I came across reference to this in Keeble Hawson's 'Growth of a City' (culled from Council minutes 1893 - 1926)

He states that the service was introduced in 1910 and the Tramways department agreed to carry post boxes for a nominal payment of £25 per annum. Cars equipped with they boxes were specially marked and left each surburban terminus at 9pm each night.

Hi,

I apologise if this topic has been discussed before but I only joinded the group a couple of months ago.

In my early childhood, all the buses and trams were pre-war (I was 8/9 when the 500 series trams first appeared).

Most of the trams had "Z' shaped brackets just inside the platform to the right of the entrance. The buses had the same type of bracket but on the back of the bus, close to the rear load platform.

I understand that last buses or trams on certain routes had small post boxes attached to these brackets. If you needed to post a letter late at night for delivery next day (I think this only applied to mail for delivery within the city). you could drop it off at these boxes as the tram or bus went by. The services was stopped at the beginning of the war and never resumed.

Regards