Getting your package delivered by mail coach

We have a pretty good system of postal delivery in this country, better and safer than anywhere else in the world. However, if you want a package delivered in record quick time, then you should look to use Couriers Slough based company uk-tdl.com/ to be totally sure. It was not always this way, though. In the past, there was only one way to get a package and post sent around the country. For the discerning Gentleman or Lady, the Mailcoach was the quickest way to get there.

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Even then, the Mailcoach was subject to issues. First and foremost, the roadways at the time were little more than rutted farm tracks. They would soon turn into boggy quagmires that would prove impassable. Don’t forget, in those days there were no rubber tyres. The wheels were hardwood with iron shoes that would cut up the surface and make it even worse. There was also little or nothing to speak of in terms of suspension or brakes, short of shouting “Woah” at the horses and pulling the reins back.

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Coach drivers were also paid bonuses for how quickly they got to the next town or city. This meant that speed was at a premium, and they would race along in coaches pulled by teams of up to 4 or 6 horses. These were changed at each stop to maintain the journey time. Drivers were not overly concerned about arriving at a destination with all the packages on board.

One other reason they drove so fast was to avoid the unwanted attention of the Highwayman. We have something to a fanciful notion of The Highwayman. Tales of Dick Turpin and Swift Nick, coupled with Adam Ant’s “Stand and Deliver”, have given us a romantic view of these criminals, so much so they have become almost like “Robin Hood” type figures. A second rider would accompany the driver, armed with a powerful Shotgun. It’s where the term “riding Shotgun” comes from, to declare that you are going to sit next to the driver. Both drivers were in no mood for trouble and employed a “shoot first, ask questions later” approach for anyone foolish enough to try and stop them.

If you were lucky, you could count on your mail getting to the recipient in about a week or so. This was the average time for a Bristol to London Service!