The Royal Mail Fleet

The Royal Mail Fleet
A detailed history

Postal vehicles are predominantly those used for Royal Mail collections and deliveries, but also include Postal Engineering. A study of the Royal Mail Fleet from early times to present day...

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The Royal Mail Fleet

The Fleet changes year by year as new vehicles are tested for suitability of delivering the mail.

Mail by Road

Dodge
	Dodge Royal Mail van. Photo: Dodge Royal Mail van © Martin Maltas
Ford Escort
	Ford Escort. Photo: Ford Escort Royal Mail van at Amberley © LSA April 2008
Ford Transit
	Ford Transit. Photo: Ford Transit van at SEAMAC (South East Anglia) Mail Centre © LSA May 2005
LDV
	LDV Photo: LDV Royal Mail Maxus Postbus at Hockley DO © LSA November 2007
Leyland DAF
	Leyland DAF Photo: Leyland DAF at SEAMAC (South East Anglia) Mail Centre © LSA May 2005
Morris (35 cu ft)
	Early Morris Minor 5 cwt. vans were specified with custom built bodies to Post Office design. As the Morris Eight became available the Minor chassis was combined with the Eight's engine to form a Post Office Telephones' hybrid. Photo: Royal Mail van at Amberley © LSA April 2008
Morris Minor (50 cu ft)
	WLC 910G - 1968 Morris Minor 1000 50 cu ft Royal Mail delivery van. This Minor served in Hereford for 10 years. Photo: Morris Minor WLC 910G at Amberley © LSA April 2008
Motorbikes
	Motorbikes through the ages - Post Office Vehicle Club Rally at Amberley, April 2010. Photo: GPO motorbikes at Amberley © LSA April 2010
Peugeot Bipper
	The Peugeot Bipper was introduced in 2009 to selected Royal Mail sites. Photo: Peugeot Bipper KU10 YZB at Amberley © LSA April 2010
Vauxhall Combo
	The Royal Mail Vauxhall Combo is a popular small van for collection duties, typically for pick-ups at letter boxes. Photo: Vauxhall Combo van at SEAMAC (South East Anglia) Mail Centre © LSA May 2005
Vauxhall Vivaro
	From late 2009, Royal Mail specified Vauxhall Vivaros as the natural choice for medium sized postal vans... Photo: Vauxhall Vivaro van at Southend DO © LSA February 2010
Postal Engineering
	Postal engineering included maintenance of mail sorting machines, stamp vending machines and letter scales in Post Offices. EML 137J - 1971 Morris Minor 1000 Postal Engineers' van. Photo: Postal Engineers' van at Amberley © LSA April 2008
	Postal Engineering: Commer Vans. Photo: © Martin Maltas

Gallery

Gallery: A selection of Royal Mail Fleet vehicle photos.

Photo: Vehicles in a local Delivery Office © Light Straw Archive.

Resources

Published in December 2005, 'The Mailvan Handbook' illustrates the principle types of vehicle used on mail duties by the Post Office and its successors over the past twenty-five years.

Design, images and text compiled by © Light-Straw. Page last updated 15th January 2011.

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