By W. Young, Publicity officer, Mail Exchange Branch,
Brisbane. 1963. Mr. Young was on the staff of the T.P.O during their operation.
Copy retrieved from the Australian National Archives by Dave Elsmore
Travelling Post Office vans travelled between the following
centres –
1. Central Railway Station, Brisbane, and Wallangarra, and
was known as T.P.O., South Queensland.
2. Central Railway Station, Brisbane, and Rockhampton, and
was known as T.P.O., North Coast, Queensland.
3. Toowoomba and Charleville and was known as T.P.O., West
Queensland.
4. Rockhampton and Longreach and was known as T.P.O, Central
Queensland.
5. Townsville and Clonourry and was known as T.P.O,
Townsville, Queensland.
All Travelling Post Office services in Queensland were
withdrawn by the end of September 1932
1. T.P.O South
The T.P.O. South vans were attached to the Brisbane to
Wallangarra mail train which departed from No. 1 platform, Central Station, at
8. 05 a.m. daily, and arrived at Wallangarra at 5.55 p.m. the same day. The
vans returned next day, departing Wallangarra at 9.30 a.m. and arriving at
Central Station, Brisbane, on No. platform at 6.40 p.m. This T.P.O. service was
running before the year 1900. In 1914, the service was extended to six days a
week service. Before 1914 a special staff of mail sorters travelled up to
Wallangarra in a special T.P.O. van to sort the English mail for all ports of
Queensland, with the exception of Brisbane, as direct mails were made up for
Brisbane from the main countries of England, Scotland and Ireland. This trip
was made up to Wallangarra on each Monday and back on each Tuesday. The English
mail in those days came overland to Brisbane from Adelaide by train. Mails were
off-loaded at Outer Harbour, Adelaide, and in later years from Fremantle. The
regular T.P.O. vans were worked by two sorters who commenced work at 6 a.m. and
finished at 6.30 p.m. on the up trip. On the down trip to Brisbane, starting
time was 8 a.m. and finishing time was 7.30 p.m. On the up trip to Wallangarra,
all direct mails from Brisbane and mails received from the T.P.O. North Coast,
were conveyed in the T.P.O. van. Mails from Brisbane were as follows- T.P.O. No.
2., North N.S.W. - Tenterfield, Armidale, Glen Innes, Inverell, Maitland,
Newcastle, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Launceston, Kalgoorlie, Perth,
Fremantle, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, South Africa,
Colombo, India, Italy, France, Germany, Egypt. Mail matter for other foreign
countries was despatched to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth for shipping
in accordance with the routing plan of the ship section in the mail room.
Queensland mails were Ipswich, Boonah, Harrisville, Kalbar branch, Toowoomba,
and all branches west of Toowoomba, Pittsworth, Allora branch, Warwick and the
Killarney branch, also mails on the Dirranbandi branch. Roadside mail matter
between Ipswich and Wallangarra was included in the bags made up for the T.P.O.
South. Only two places between Brisbane and Ipswich were included - Wacol and
Riverview. The T.P.O. received and despatched mails for all places from Milton
to Wallangarra. In later years, from Ipswich to Wallangarra, similar despatches
were made on the return trip from Wallangarra. On the trip to Wallangarra, mails
were despatched by the T.P.O. to all branch lines from Toowoomba, Wyreema,
Hendon and Warwick, such as the West - Pittsworth, Allora, Killarney and
Dirranbandi branches. The checking of all mails at Central Station was done by
the T.P.O sorters. Loading was performed by Railway staff. The Travelling Post
Office made up all mails for Interstate towns as follows T.P.O. No. 2 - North
N.S.W. Tenterfield, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Launceston,
Kalgoorlie, Perth. In later years, mail despatches for Hobart, Launceston,
Kalgoorlie and Perth wore discontinued and all mails for these places were sent
to Melbourne. Mails were also despatched to New Zealand, United Kingdom, United
States of America. Mail for United Kingdom was despatched every Monday and for
other places on the same day as the Brisbane despatch. Once a week service to
the United Kingdom was in operation at this time. Mails were made up also on
London-London Fwd., San Francisco-Honolulu and New Zealand. All mail matter received
for these places from the T.P.O. North Coast ware included. Mails connected at
Wallangarra, daily, on the 6.20 p.m. and 6.40 p.m. Mail trains to Sydney.
LATE FEE SERVICE:
Late boxes at Toowoomba, Warwick and Stanthorpe, were
cleared on the up and down trip by the T.P.O. sorters. Late fee boxes at
Central Station and Roma Street were cleared on the up trip.
PICK UP OF MAiL:
Mails were picked up from roadside stations by an iron arm
attached to the T.P.O. van above the door. These mails were placed on small
platform on a post the height of the arm on the T.P.O. van. The mail bag was
attached to a strong circular ring twelve inches in diameter by a strong steel
clip, and the ring and mail bag hold in position by a steel clip. The rear of
the platform was much heavier than the front and when the mail bag was taken by
the arm it would go back to an upright position. It would then be clear of all
passing trains.
On the return trip from Wallangarra, mails were received
from all parts of the World and Interstate places that despatched mails to
Brisbane. About a hundred mails were received daily for Queensland towns from
Sydney and Melbourne. When the English mails and mails for the Islands and
Easter parts of the world such as Darwin, Papua, New Guinea, Rabaul, Malaya,
China, Japan, Dutch East Indies, Philippine Islands and Solomon Islands were
received up to eight hundred bags would be transhipped to the Queensland train
at Wallangarra. All the Islands and Eastern parts of the world mail boats
departed from Brisbane. The checking and supervision of stowing mails in the
T.P.O. van and wagon was done by the T.P.O. sorters. The T.P.O received mails
for T.P.O South Queensland to be sorted for T.P.O No.2 North -up NSW,
Tenterfield, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Launceston, Kalgoorlie,
Forth, Fremantle, Canberra, Now Zealand places, Auckland and Wellington,
England places, London Foreign section, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Dover,
Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin.
One very important service performed by the T.P.O. van and
staff was the connecting link from Sydney and Melbourne for all mails to
Darwin, Philippine Islands, Papua, Rabaul, Solomon Islands, Dutch East Indies,
Malaya, China and Japan. Mails for these places were carried in the T.P.O van
and not the mail wagon attached to the mail train. The reason for this was the weight
of the mail train. The mail wagon was often taken off at Warwick and attached
to a sleeping train known as a Sleeper. This train arrived at Central Station,
Brisbane, 7.40 p.m., one hour later than the express train to which the T.P.O.
van was attached. On occasions when those mails ware late, mail boats had to
sail for their ports of call after mails were loaded on board ship. The late
arrival of mail would cause the shipping company who carried the mails much loss
of time, as the departure times of ship were planned to catch the high tides.
The boats left city wharfs and the Pinkenba wharf, Brisbane. When their departure
was from Pinkenba, all mails would be conveyed to the wharf by the local
passenger train in the guard’s van. The station-master would be advised by the
Superintendent of Mails as to the number of bags and accommodation that would
be provided for them. The waybills for all mails despatched from Pinkenba were
made out by the T.P.O staff and given to the railway guard who handed them over
to the ship’s officer at the wharf. For Boats leaving city wharfs by mail
trucks mail would be taken direct to the wharfs. Waybills for these mails would
be made out by the overseer of the despatch in the G.P.O Mail Room. The number
of bags from Sydney and Melbourne to their intended destination would be
telephoned to the overseer from a special room held by the postal department
where the T.P.O staff had lockers to contain the necessary equipment for their
work in the T.P.O vans. The room was situated on number six platform at Central
Railway Station, Brisbane. Up to a hundred or more late fee letters for those
boats, posted in Sydney, would be received loose from the T.P.O sorter of New
South Wales at Wallangarra. Tho T.P.O. sorters made a direct despatch to the
Commander of the mail boats and were held responsible for correct destination
of letters for each boat for which they were intended. On some occasions there
would be three or four boats leaving the same night and the T.P.O staff would
have to know the Islands and eastern parts of the world to ensure sorting was
exact. The weights of all these mails would be given to the overseer despatch
by the T.P.O staff and the gratuity for mails would be made out by him and
supplied to the Shipping Company who carried these mails.
2. T.P.O. North Coast
The T.P.O. North Coast vans were attached to the Rockhampton
Mail train leaving Central Station at 9.20 p.m., four days a week- Tuesday,
Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and returning to Brisbane at 6.20 a.m. on Thursday,
Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday. There were two T.P.O staff on this service
except on Friday. On Friday night, a special train called the "boat
mail" left Central Railway Station and conveyed all the mails from
Brisbane and Southern States such as Sydney and Melbourne that were not at hand
when the mail boat "Bingora" departed from Gladstone on Saturday
night. Mails for all places north of Rockhampton were taken by boat as the
railway line had not been built to Mackay, Townsville, Cairns. Only a small
portion of line was built between these places. The service between Gladstone
and Cairns arrived at Cairns on Monday and arrived back at Gladstone on
Wednesday morning to connect with the mail train leaving Rockhampton at 12 noon
on Wednesday. Mails would be conveyed from the Wharf at the Harbour to the
Railway Station, Gladstone, and all mails from the far north would arrive at
Brisbane at 6.20 a.m., on Thursday. In 1923, the T.P.O. service was extended to
six days a week- Sunday to Friday out and Tuesday to Sunday back. The T.P.O.
finished at Bundaberg. Before 1923, the T.P.O staff from Brisbane finished at
Bundaberg and were relieved by one man who travelled as far as Mount Larcom and
was relieved by a T.P.O. officer from Rockhampton, where the up and down mail
trains passed. On the Brisbane to Bundaberg and Bundaberg to Brisbane Section
they had two T.P.O staff. The early T.P.O service was working from 1900. On the
up trip to Bundaberg the T.P.O staff commenced work at 6 p.m. and finished at 8
a.m. On the return trip they started at 7 p.m. and finished at 7 a.m. During
the years, the T.P.O. operated as far as Rockhampton. The T.P.O sorter would
commence work at 7.30 am. At Bundaberg he would change over at Mount Larcom and
finish at 7.30 p.m. on the same day. The T.P.O. sorter from Rockhampton would
commence work at 10 a.m. and change over at Mount Larcom and return to Rockhampton
on the same day and finish at 4 p.m. On the up trip to Bundaberg, mails were
picked up and despatched from Petrie to Bundaberg to places from which mails
were despatched to the T.P.O. and all places the T.P.O. despatched to. Mails
were made up for places on the Kingaroy line and off loaded at Gympie with the
mails despatched from Brisbane. This was the case also on the Eidsvold-Monto
Line. Mails off loaded at Mungar-Childers line, Mount Perry and Gin Gin off
loaded at Bundaberg, off-loaded at Isis. After the T.P.O. finished at Bundaberg
all mails between Bundaberg and Rockhampton were despatched also. Mails were handled
for Rockhampton and places on the Central line such as Westwood- Duaringa,
Emerald, Springsure, Clermont, Alpha, Jericho, Barcaldine, Aramac, Longreach, Muttaburra
and Winton. Prior to the T.P.O. service terminating at Bundaberg, these mails
were despatched by the Bundaberg, Rockhampton T.P.O. staff. The T.P.O. North
Coast received direct despatches from Sydney and Melbourne and all Gympie,
Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton and Mount Morgan direct
despatches from Sydney and Melbourne were checked and stowed in wagons under
the supervision of the T.P.O. sorter. On the return trip to Brisbane, after the
T.P.O. service finished at Bundaberg, mails from T.P.O., Central Rockhampton,
and roadside to Bundaberg were dealt with and up to forty bags would be
received at one time. Prior to this, these mails would be dealt with by the Rockhampton
to Bundaberg T.P.O staff. Mails to be sorted were received from the Childers
Branch at Isis, Monto Branch at Mungar, Kingaroy branch at Theebine, up to
thirty-five and forty bags would be received altogether from these branch
lines. Mails from Bundaberg roadside to Petrie would be received and mails made
up for them. T.P.O. North Coast made direct despatches: Sydney-Melbourne, South
Brisbane, Fortitude Valley, Woolloongabba, Red Hill, Paddington, Sandgate,
Nundah, Albion. Mail was dropped at Northgat Nundah and Albion railway
stations. The rest were received at Central Railway Stations and delivered by
motor trucks to their respective destinations. They despatched also to T.P.O.
South, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Warwick. The T.P.O. South mail contained all mail
for places between Chelmer and Wallangarra, west of Toowoomba, Pittsworth,
Killarney and Dirranbandi lines and all mail for the United Kingdom and foreign
places. Their Brisbane despatch would contain locality bundles for the South
Coast line and the City section. Here is one very humorous incident that could
have had a serious ending. On one return trip from Bundaberg, Walter the Goanna
King, and his mate Happy Harry, were working the T.P.O. to Brisbane and as the
bar on the T.P.O. door had not been put up when Happy Harry threw the bag out
at Goodwood, he fell out of the van. He was very fortunate as the train was
going very slowly and the T.P.O. van was traveling on the train for some unknown
reason. Walter did not miss him for a few sounds and was about to ask him where
the bag was, and he found to his amazement he was not in the van. He
immediately applied the Westinghouse Emergency Brakes and brought the mail
train to a stand-still, just before it had reached the distant signal. Whilst
the guard and engine driver were having a discussion over the incident along came
Harry on a railway trolly, alive and well, and not hurt. He was sent to the
Commonwealth Medical Officer at 9 am next day for a check. On reporting back to
the Superintendent of Mails some of the sorters asked him how he was. His reply
was the doctor told him he was 0.K. from the shoulders down.
3. The T.P.O. West travelled between Toowoomba and
Charleville.
This service was in operation in 1900. The T.P.O. van was
attached to the Brisbane to Cunnamulla mail train. The T.P.O. van was loaded
and stowed at Contral Station under the supervision of a mail custodian. The
van was locked as far as Toowoomba. The T.P.O's sorter took charge on its
arrival at 6.25 pm after having departed at 2.25 p.m. This was a one-man T.P.O.
The service was twice a week. Out from Toowoomba on Tuesday and Friday and back
to Toowoomba from Charleville on Monday and Thursday and arriving at Toowoomba
at 7.40 a.m. Tuesday and Friday. Mails were picked up and despatched to places
between Dalby and Charleville. Mails were also made up for the Cunnamulla and
Quilpie branches. Many private mail bags were also despatched. On the return
trip from Charleville, similar mails were received from those two branch lines.
Similar mails were received and despatched between Charleville and Dalby. Mails
were also despatched to Toowoomba, Ipswich and Brisbane. Nick names given to
the sorters wore - "Spriso", "Wall-eyed Bob", "Charlie
Chan", "Wall-eyed Bob" owned a piece of land at a place called
Brigalow. If he saw a truck with logs on it at the railway, he would say
"I bet they took them off my place".
4. The T.P.O Central travelled between Rockhampton and
Longreach.
This was a one-man T.P.O. and only a once a week service.
The van was attached to the Longreach mail train and departed from Rockhampton
at 6.40 p.m. on Friday and reached Longreach at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday. This
service despatched and received mails from Westwood and to Longreach, also
mails from the Clermont-Aramac- Springsure-Yaraka-Blackall branches. Mails were
despatched to Muttaburra and places on the branch to Winton on the return trip
departing Longreach at noon on Monday and arriving at Rockhampton on Tuesday at
7 a.m. Mails from the Winton branch were received, also despatched and received
mails similar to those on the outward trip to Longreach. This T.P.O. despatched
mails to Rockhampton- Gladstone-Bundaberg and T.P.O. North Coast to Brisbane.
One T.P.O sorter's name was "Gee Gee" and the other "Fred the
Otter". This service was in operation after 1900.
5. The T.P.O Townsville travelled between Townsville and
Cloncurry
and in later years was taken off at Hughenden, then at Torrens
Creek. It was known as T.P.O. to Townsville. This was a one-man T.P.O. and was
a bi-weekly service and despatched and received mails from Cloncurry and branch
lines from Dajarra, Dobbyn, Selwyn and Winton and also mails for places between
Townsville and Cloncurry. The service was in operation after 1900. One T.P.O.
sorter's name was "Charlie the Chaser".
