Transport

The BPMA collection has in excess of 40 vehicles and 20 cycles. In addition to this we hold a large number of signs and other pieces of equipment related to both the Post Office (London) Railway (later called Mail Rail) and the Travelling Post Office (TPO). earliest objects relating to transport date from the mid-nineteenth century, however we do hold older material in the philatelic collection. Our transport collections as a whole reflect the changes in the transport of mail over the years. When the Royal Mail was first opened up to the public in 1635, mail was transported by horse. The BPMA's collections trace the way that the increased volume of mail has lead to demand for better efficiency in the way it was transported. This demand has led to developments from horses to mail coaches, then onto the railways, through pedal and motorcycles to motorised vehicles.