London Post Office Railway
Encyclopedia
The Post Office Railway, also known as Mail Rail, was a narrow-gauge driverless private underground railway
in London
built by the Post Office
with assistance from the Underground Electric Railways Company of London to move mail between sorting office
s. Inspired by the Chicago Tunnel Company
, it was in operation from 3 December 1927 until 31 May 2003.
Head District Sorting Office
in the west to the Eastern Head District Sorting Office
at Whitechapel
in the east, a distance of 6.5 miles (10.5 km). It had eight stations, the largest of which was located underneath Mount Pleasant
, but by 2003 only three stations remained in use because the sorting offices above the other stations had been relocated.
. Construction of the tunnels started in February 1915 from a series of shafts dug along the route. Most of the line was constructed using the Greathead shield system
, with limited amounts of hand-mining for connecting tunnels at stations.
The main line has a single tube of 9 ft diameter with two tracks. Just before stations, tunnels diverge into two single-track 7 ft diameter tunnels. These then connect to two parallel station tunnels of 25 ft diameter. The main tube is underground at a depth of around 70 ft. Stations are at a much shallower depth, with a 1-in-20 gradient into the stations. The gradients assist in slowing the trains when approaching stations, and accelerating them away. There is also less distance to lift mail from the stations to the surface. At Oxford Circus the tunnel runs close to the Bakerloo line
tunnel of the London Underground
.
During 1917, work was suspended due to the shortage of labour and materials. By June 1924 track laying had started. In February 1927 the first section, between Paddington and the West Central District Office, was made available for training. The line became available for the Christmas parcel post in 1927 and letters were carried from February 1928.
In 1954 plans developed for a new Western District Office at Rathbone Place which required a diversion to the line. The diversion came into operation in 1958. It was not until 3 August 1965 that the new station and office was opened by the Postmaster General of the United Kingdom, Anthony Wedgwood-Benn
. The disused section was used as a store tunnel; some parts of it still have the track in place.
had earlier stated that using the Post Office Railway was five times more expensive than using road transport for the same task. The Communication Workers Union
claimed the actual figure was closer to three times more expensive but argued that this was the result of a deliberate policy of running the system down and using it at only one-third of its capacity. Despite a report by the Greater London Authority
in support of the continued use of Mail Rail, the system was taken out of use in the early hours of 31 May 2003.
Some of the former Mail Rail trains have been preserved at the Launceston Steam Railway
. In April 2011 an urban exploration group called the "Consolidation Crew" published accounts of having gained illicit access to the Mail Rail tunnels. Detailed photography and textual description revealed that the system, despite some 'natural decay', is still in largely good condition.
during its history. The first stock was delivered in 1926 with the opening of the system. All stock used was electrically powered.
.
In 1910 a tunnel railway merely 450m long, opened in Munich
, Germany
as a connection between the Munich Main Station
and the nearby Post office. The tunnels were damaged in World War II
, restored in 1948 and partially rebuilt in 1966 to allow for the first Munich S-Bahn
tunnel. Operations ceased in 1988.
Other underground post railways existed in Lucerne
, from 1927, and in Zurich
, from 1937 until 1981, both in Switzerland
.
The Chicago Tunnel Company
delivered freight, parcels, and coal; and disposed of ash and excavation debris. It operated a 2-foot gauge track through an elaborate network of 7.5 feet (2.3m) × 6 feet (1.8m) tunnels running under the streets throughout Chicago
's central business district
including and surrounding the "Loop".
Underground railway
Underground railway may refer to:*The Underground Railroad, a network of clandestine routes by which African slaves in the 19th century United States attempted to escape*Rapid transit, urban railways that sometimes use tunnels...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
built by the Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
with assistance from the Underground Electric Railways Company of London to move mail between sorting office
Sorting office
Sorting office or Processing and Distribution Center is any location where postal operators bring mail after collection for sorting into batches for delivery to the addressee, which may be a direct delivery or sent onwards to another regional or local sorting office, or to another postal...
s. Inspired by the Chicago Tunnel Company
Chicago Tunnel Company
The Chicago Tunnel Company built a narrow gauge railway freight tunnel network under the downtown of the city of Chicago. This was regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an interurban despite the fact that it operated entirely under central Chicago, did not carry passengers, and was...
, it was in operation from 3 December 1927 until 31 May 2003.
Geography
It ran east–west from PaddingtonPaddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
Head District Sorting Office
London postal district
The London postal district is the area in England, currently of , to which mail addressed to the LONDON post town is delivered. The area was initially devised in 1856 and throughout its history has been subject to periodic reorganisation, contraction and division into increasingly smaller postal...
in the west to the Eastern Head District Sorting Office
London postal district
The London postal district is the area in England, currently of , to which mail addressed to the LONDON post town is delivered. The area was initially devised in 1856 and throughout its history has been subject to periodic reorganisation, contraction and division into increasingly smaller postal...
at Whitechapel
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
in the east, a distance of 6.5 miles (10.5 km). It had eight stations, the largest of which was located underneath Mount Pleasant
Royal Mail Mount Pleasant Sorting Office
The Royal Mail Mount Pleasant Sorting Office is the largest sorting office operated by Royal Mail in London, England....
, but by 2003 only three stations remained in use because the sorting offices above the other stations had been relocated.
History
In 1911 a plan evolved to build an underground railway 6½ miles long from Whitechapel to Paddington serving the main sorting offices along the route; even then, traffic congestion was causing unacceptable delays. The contract to build the tunnels was won by John Mowlem and CompanyMowlem
Mowlem was one of the largest construction and civil engineering companies in the United Kingdom. Carillion bought the firm in 2006.-History:Founded by John Mowlem in 1822, the company was awarded a Royal Warrant in 1902 and went public on the London Stock Exchange in 1924. It acquired SGB Group in...
. Construction of the tunnels started in February 1915 from a series of shafts dug along the route. Most of the line was constructed using the Greathead shield system
Tunnelling shield
A tunnelling shield is a protective structure used in the excavation of tunnels through soil that is too soft or fluid to remain stable during the time it takes to line the tunnel with a support structure of concrete, cast iron or steel...
, with limited amounts of hand-mining for connecting tunnels at stations.
The main line has a single tube of 9 ft diameter with two tracks. Just before stations, tunnels diverge into two single-track 7 ft diameter tunnels. These then connect to two parallel station tunnels of 25 ft diameter. The main tube is underground at a depth of around 70 ft. Stations are at a much shallower depth, with a 1-in-20 gradient into the stations. The gradients assist in slowing the trains when approaching stations, and accelerating them away. There is also less distance to lift mail from the stations to the surface. At Oxford Circus the tunnel runs close to the Bakerloo line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
tunnel of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
.
During 1917, work was suspended due to the shortage of labour and materials. By June 1924 track laying had started. In February 1927 the first section, between Paddington and the West Central District Office, was made available for training. The line became available for the Christmas parcel post in 1927 and letters were carried from February 1928.
In 1954 plans developed for a new Western District Office at Rathbone Place which required a diversion to the line. The diversion came into operation in 1958. It was not until 3 August 1965 that the new station and office was opened by the Postmaster General of the United Kingdom, Anthony Wedgwood-Benn
Tony Benn
Anthony Neil Wedgwood "Tony" Benn, PC is a British Labour Party politician and a former MP and Cabinet Minister.His successful campaign to renounce his hereditary peerage was instrumental in the creation of the Peerage Act 1963...
. The disused section was used as a store tunnel; some parts of it still have the track in place.
Closure
A Royal Mail press release in April 2003 revealed that the system would be closed and "mothballed" (i.e. removed from active service) at the end of May that year. Royal MailRoyal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
had earlier stated that using the Post Office Railway was five times more expensive than using road transport for the same task. The Communication Workers Union
Communication Workers Union (UK)
The Communication Workers Union is the main trade union in the United Kingdom for people working for telephone, cable, DSL and postal delivery companies, with 215,000 members....
claimed the actual figure was closer to three times more expensive but argued that this was the result of a deliberate policy of running the system down and using it at only one-third of its capacity. Despite a report by the Greater London Authority
Greater London Authority
The Greater London Authority is the top-tier administrative body for Greater London, England. It consists of a directly elected executive Mayor of London, currently Boris Johnson, and an elected 25-member London Assembly with scrutiny powers...
in support of the continued use of Mail Rail, the system was taken out of use in the early hours of 31 May 2003.
Some of the former Mail Rail trains have been preserved at the Launceston Steam Railway
Launceston Steam Railway
The Launceston Steam Railway is narrow gauge railway operating from the town of Launceston in Cornwall. The railway is built on the trackbed of the North Cornwall Railway to the gauge of and runs for 2½ miles to Newmills, where there is a farm park....
. In April 2011 an urban exploration group called the "Consolidation Crew" published accounts of having gained illicit access to the Mail Rail tunnels. Detailed photography and textual description revealed that the system, despite some 'natural decay', is still in largely good condition.
Rolling stock
The London Post Office Railway used various types of rolling stockRolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
during its history. The first stock was delivered in 1926 with the opening of the system. All stock used was electrically powered.
Electric locomotives
- 1926 Electric Locomotives — Original locomotives
Electric units
- 1927 StockLondon Post Office Railway 1927 StockThe London Post Office Railway 1927 Stock was built by English Electric in 1927. Ninety of these four-wheeled units were built as the first stock used on the system....
— Original stock - 1930 & 1936 StockLondon Post Office Railway 1930 StockThe London Post Office Railway 1930 Stock and 1936 Stock was built by English Electric. These units comprised the bulk of the fleet from the 1930s until the introduction of the 1980 Stock. The articulated units were designed to replace the earlier unsuccessful 1927 Stock, which were prone to...
— Replacement stock for 1927 Stock - 1962 StockLondon Post Office Railway 1962 StockThe London Post Office Railway 1962 Stock was built by English Electric in 1962. Two of these units were built at prototypes for a possible new design of stock. Several of the design features were later incorporated into the 1980 Stock....
— Prototype stock - 1980 StockLondon Post Office Railway 1980 StockThe London Post Office Railway 1980 Stock was built by Hunslet in Leeds between 1980 and 1982. The units were originally ordered from Greenbat, but this company went into administration after building just three sets...
— Replacement stock
In fiction
- The Post Office Railway features in the novel The Horn of Mortal DangerThe Horn of Mortal DangerThe Horn of Mortal Danger is a 1980 novel by British musician Lawrence Leonard. It relates the adventures of a brother and sister as they discover a secret civilisation buried beneath the streets of London...
(1980). In the novel, there is a connecting tunnel between the Railway and the secret railway of the North London System. The only other known connection is in the disused tunnel between HighgateHighgate tube stationHighgate tube station is a London Underground station on Archway Road, Highgate, not far from Highgate Village in north London. It is on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line, between Archway and East Finchley, in Travelcard Zone 3....
and the disused Cranley GardensCranley Gardens railway stationCranley Gardens railway station was a station in the Muswell Hill area of north London. It was located between Highgate station and Muswell Hill station at the junction of Muswell Hill Road and Cranley Gardens...
.
- The railway appears in the film Hudson HawkHudson HawkHudson Hawk is a 1991 American action comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann. Bruce Willis stars in the title role and also co-wrote the story. Danny Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, David Caruso, Lorraine Toussaint, Frank Stallone, Sandra Bernhard, and Richard E...
, but rebadged as the 'Poste Vaticane' of Vatican CityVatican CityVatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
. Bruce WillisBruce WillisWalter Bruce Willis , better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles...
(as Hawk) stows away in one of the mail containers.
- A mail train system closely based on the Mail Rail is used in Charlie HigsonCharlie HigsonCharles Murray Higson , more commonly known as Charlie Higson - also Switch - is an English actor, comedian, author and former singer...
's third Young BondYoung BondYoung Bond is a series of five young adult spy novels by Charlie Higson featuring Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond as a young teenage boy attending school at Eton College in the 1930s...
book, Double or Die.
Similar railways
An earlier underground railway system was used by the Post Office in London between 1863 and 1874. This was a pneumatic system using individual wheeled capsules, operated by the London Pneumatic Despatch CompanyLondon Pneumatic Despatch Company
The London Pneumatic Despatch Company was formed on 30 June 1859, to design, build and operate an underground railway system for the carrying of mail, parcels and light freight between locations in London...
.
In 1910 a tunnel railway merely 450m long, opened in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as a connection between the Munich Main Station
München Hauptbahnhof
Munich Central Station is the main railway station of the city of Munich in Germany. It is one of the three long distance train stations in Munich, the others being München-Pasing and München Ost. The station sees about 350,000 passengers a day, which puts it on par with other large stations in...
and the nearby Post office. The tunnels were damaged in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, restored in 1948 and partially rebuilt in 1966 to allow for the first Munich S-Bahn
Munich S-Bahn
The Munich S-Bahn is an electric rail transit system in Munich, Germany. "S-Bahn" is the German abbreviation for stadtschnellbahn , and the Munich S-Bahn exhibits characteristics of both rapid transit and commuter rail systems.The Munich S-Bahn network is operated by S-Bahn München, a subsidiary...
tunnel. Operations ceased in 1988.
Other underground post railways existed in Lucerne
Lucerne
Lucerne is a city in north-central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of that country. Lucerne is the capital of the Canton of Lucerne and the capital of the district of the same name. With a population of about 76,200 people, Lucerne is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, and...
, from 1927, and in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, from 1937 until 1981, both in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
The Chicago Tunnel Company
Chicago Tunnel Company
The Chicago Tunnel Company built a narrow gauge railway freight tunnel network under the downtown of the city of Chicago. This was regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an interurban despite the fact that it operated entirely under central Chicago, did not carry passengers, and was...
delivered freight, parcels, and coal; and disposed of ash and excavation debris. It operated a 2-foot gauge track through an elaborate network of 7.5 feet (2.3m) × 6 feet (1.8m) tunnels running under the streets throughout Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
including and surrounding the "Loop".
See also
- Subterranean LondonSubterranean LondonThe metropolis of London has been occupied for millennia, and has over that time acquired a large number of subterranean structures.These have served a number of purposes:-Water and waste:Since its foundation, the Thames has been at the heart of London...
- London Pneumatic Despatch CompanyLondon Pneumatic Despatch CompanyThe London Pneumatic Despatch Company was formed on 30 June 1859, to design, build and operate an underground railway system for the carrying of mail, parcels and light freight between locations in London...
- List of British heritage and private railways
- Chicago Tunnel CompanyChicago Tunnel CompanyThe Chicago Tunnel Company built a narrow gauge railway freight tunnel network under the downtown of the city of Chicago. This was regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission as an interurban despite the fact that it operated entirely under central Chicago, did not carry passengers, and was...
External links
- Enthusiast Website Unofficial MailRail Web Page
- Alternative link London Post Office Railway
- Detailed information on construction and operation.
- The British Postal Museum & Archive
- Silent UK Comprehensive detail, based upon complete exploration. (Web-Archived here)
- Place Hacking A collective report of the trespass into the network by urban explorers in 2011.
- Guardian article on proposed mothballing.
- GLA report on the closure in PDFPortable Document FormatPortable Document Format is an open standard for document exchange. This file format, created by Adobe Systems in 1993, is used for representing documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems....
format. - Google map of the route and stations.