The
Grand Junction, which linked Birmingham
with the Liverpool & Manchester Railway,
was opened on 4th July 1837. Sixteen days later the London
to Birmingham line was opened. This meant that the four major
cities in England, London, Birmingham,
Manchester and Liverpool
were now all linked together by rail.
The average speed of the first locomotives used on the Grand
Junction was 22 mph. This was twice the speed of mail coaches
on the road. The Post Office therefore decided to transfer the mails
to the railway. In 1838 John Ramsey, a Post Office official, designed
a Travelling Post Office carriage. Using a traductor arm and a net,
the post office workers were able to collect the mail at stations
without the train having to stop.
