Conjunctive Railway Letter Mail with Express Delivery

[Richard Frajola]

I recently wrote up a draft page of a cover that shows the double 2d railway letter fee that only occurs, in this period at least, when express delivery is requested. Note the 1911 Postal Guide notice of this double fee that I cite above the cover.

Does anyone have additional examples of such a double railway fee use? In my limited experience of collecting railway letter mail (1891 to 1934) this is the first example I have seen. I would like to see additional examples so I can write a decent article on the subject. Thanks in advance for any comments or assistance.

PS - I have a one frame exhibit, "Railway Letter Mail, 1891 to 1899" on my website here: https://www.rfrajola.com/RFRails/RFRails.html

[admin]

As someone with an interest in GB express mail (albeit a somewhat piecemeal collection), I can state confidently that I can't recall any other examples of this use of special messengers, or even that I've ever noted that the possibility existed! Many of these non-standard express services are rare.

I have seen an occasional "ordinary" railway letter (without express service) with transfer marks where it was handed off from one company to another, but those are also rare.

The collectors most likely to have something like this are Julian Tweed, Michael Lockton, and Austin Davis -- I'll point them in the direction of this thread. Can I take it that it's OK to pass on your email address?

[Richard Frajola]

Yes, please do - I have about 20 Railway Letters with Express Delivery in the period before 1934 but this is the first conjunctive use with Express Delivery and I thought it might be worth an article.

my email address is: covers@rfrajola.com

[alexiosp]

Richard, I've never seen a similar example. This is such an exciting item! Well found!
Alexios