Photograph details

© Transport for London
Collection of London Transport Museum
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Platform at Post Office (now St Paul's) Underground station with the Parcels Express service on the Central London Railway (CLR, now Central line). 1903-Central London multiple unit tube stock is seen at the platform, where men stand with wicker hampers used to convey parcels between surface and platform levels.

Photographed by , 1903 - 1914

Image no: Ukn

Inventory no: 1998/87708

20th Century London caption: These men are using the Central London Railway (C.L.R, now the Central line) to deliver parcels around London from the nearby General Post Office (G.P.O.) in King Edward's street. The wicker hampers are used to convey parcels between surface and platform levels. This service lived up to its name, the Lightning Service Express: many parcels were delivered to the West End from addresses in the City in under 40 minutes. From 1911, the C.L.R. also carried parcels that were sorted by a parcels' porter in special compartments aboard the trains. At stations, teenagers on tricycles were used to collect and deliver the packages. This service made a small profit, but was discontinued because of labour shortages in the First World War and never resumed.

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