Royal Mail Post Bus

A weekday in March 1999 (approx. 1100) – Post Office Corporation (Royal Mail Post Bus) 7 seat Leyland DAF mini-bus M23 LYV seen in the Post Office yard in Buntingford. The mail bus services of the Corporation carried passengers in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking and they were not intended to compete, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary. The Buntingford area Post Bus was based at Ware and its morning routine included a circular service departing Ware at 1030 travelling via a number of villages on a direct route to Buntingford (1100-1105) and then returning to Ware via a less direct route serving various villages including Aspenden, Westmill and a village with an odd name of Nasty. Arrival time at Ware was 1200. The afternoon run departed Ware at 1415 via Nasty, Westmill and Aspenden arriving in Buntingford at 1505. At 1525 it then went on a circular route serving Throcking, Cottered, Rushden, Redhill, Roe Green, Sandon, Buckland and Chipping arriving back at Buntingford at 1609. At 1615 it departed Buntingford on another circular service via Wyddial, Hare Street village, Dassels, Hay Street village, Westmill and Aspenden arriving back at Buntingford at 1652. That was the end of its advertised work for the day and at about 1730 it left Buntingford for Ware as an unadvertised mail van.

A weekday in March 1999 (approx. 1100) – Post Office Corporation (Royal Mail Post Bus) 7 seat Leyland DAF mini-bus M23 LYV seen in the Post Office yard in Buntingford. The mail bus services of the Corporation carried passengers in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking and they were not intended to compete, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary. The Buntingford area Post Bus was based at Ware and its morning routine included a circular service departing Ware at 1030 travelling via a number of villages on a direct route to Buntingford (1100-1105) and then returning to Ware via a less direct route serving various villages including Aspenden, Westmill and a village with an odd name of Nasty. Arrival time at Ware was 1200. The afternoon run departed Ware at 1415 via Nasty, Westmill and Aspenden arriving in Buntingford at 1505. At 1525 it then went on a circular route serving Throcking, Cottered, Rushden, Redhill, Roe Green, Sandon, Buckland and Chipping arriving back at Buntingford at 1609. At 1615 it departed Buntingford on another circular service via Wyddial, Hare Street village, Dassels, Hay Street village, Westmill and Aspenden arriving back at Buntingford at 1652. That was the end of its advertised work for the day and at about 1730 it left Buntingford for Ware as an unadvertised mail van.

Sunday 26 September 1993 – The Post Office Corporation exhibited three Leyland-DAF Sherpa Royal Mail Post Bus vehicles at Showbus in 1993. Left to right are L413 DJW, K401 MSJ and K346 XDV. The mail bus services of the Corporation carried passengers in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking and they were intended to compete, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary.

Sunday 26 September 1993 – The Post Office Corporation exhibited three Leyland-DAF Sherpa Royal Mail Post Bus vehicles at Showbus in 1993. In this photograph K346 XDV and K401 MSJ ae seen with L413 DJW on the edge of the photo. The mail bus services of the Corporation carried passengers in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking and they were intended to compete, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary.

Friday 30 June 1995 (approx. 1345) - Post Office Corporation (Royal Mail Post Bus) Leyland DAF mini-bus J361 NKM seen in the centre of Canterbury. In the 1991-1992 timetable there were two Post Bus services shown, one to Grove Village via Fordwich and Stodmarsh at 1340 and another to Sole Street, Crondale and Godmersham at 1400. Presumably it was working one of those.

Friday 30 June 1995 (approx. 1345) - Post Office Corporation (Royal Mail Post Bus) Peugeot 405 Estate Car K404 MGJ pretending to be a bus seen in the centre of Canterbury. In the 1991-1992 timetable there were two Post Bus services shown, one to Grove Village via Fordwich and Stodmarsh at 1340 and another to Sole Street, Crondale and Godmersham at 1400. Presumably it was working one of those.

Friday 30 June 1995 (approx. 1345) – Two Post Office Corporation (Royal Mail Post Bus) vehicles seen in the centre of Canterbury. Leyland DAF mini-bus J361 NKM stands ahead of Peugeot 405 Estate Car K404 MGJ. In the 1991-1992 timetable there were two Post Bus services shown, one to Grove Village via Fordwich and Stodmarsh at 1340 and another to Sole Street, Crondale and Godmersham at 1400. Presumably they were working those.

The Post Office Corporation once operated quite a number of Post Bus services mainly in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking. They were not intended to compete with the regular bus services, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary. The largest number was in Scotland and the timetable booklet for 1991-1992 contained 72 pages of timetables whereas the booklet covering England and Wales together only contained 38 pages. This frame shows the covers of the two publications. In the next two frames are the maps from each showing the locations of the services.

A map showing the locations of the Royal Mail Post Bus services operated in Scotland taken from the 1991-1992 timetable book. The Post Office Corporation once operated quite a number of Post Bus services mainly in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking. They were not intended to compete with the regular bus services, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary. Scotland had the largest number of services and the timetable booklet for 1991-1992 contained 72 pages of timetables whereas the booklet covering England and Wales together only contained 38 pages.

A map showing the locations of the Royal Mail Post Bus services operated in England and Wales taken from the 1991-1992 timetable book. The Post Office Corporation once operated quite a number of Post Bus services mainly in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking. They were not intended to compete with the regular bus services, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary. Scotland had the largest number of services and the timetable booklet for 1991-1992 contained 72 pages of timetables whereas the booklet covering England and Wales together only contained 38 pages.

Pages 2 and 3 of the England and Wales issue of the Royal Mail Post Bus services 1991-1992 timetable book shows the services operated in the South East of England. The Post Office Corporation once operated quite a number of Post Bus services mainly in rural areas where traditional bus services were lacking. They were not intended to compete with the regular bus services, their primary objective was the carriage of mail – passengers were somewhat secondary. Scotland had the largest number of services and the timetable booklet for 1991-1992 contained 72 pages of timetables whereas the booklet covering England and Wales together only contained 38 pages.