{"product_id":"hornby-r40568-railroad-royal-mail-tpo-coach-80331-oo-scale","title":"Hornby - R40568 - RailRoad: Royal Mail - TPO Coach - 80331 - OO Scale","description":"\u003cp style=\"margin-top: 0cm;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; color: #2c2c2c;\"\u003eThe Traveling Post Office (TPO) has been a fixture on Britain’s railways since mail was first carried on trains in the 1830s.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-top: 0cm; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(44, 44, 44); font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; color: #2c2c2c;\"\u003eThe sorting of mail in transit gradually reduced in the 21st century as mechanised sorting at depots became commonplace and concerns about the safety of workers carrying out letter-sorting at increased main line speeds. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-top: 0cm; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(44, 44, 44); font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; color: #2c2c2c;\"\u003eThe last TPO using carriages in the UK took place during the night of 9th January 2004. After that, a fleet of Royal Mail-branded Class 325 EMUs continued to carry parcels by rail, but these too ceased in 2024. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-top: 0cm; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(44, 44, 44); font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; color: #2c2c2c;\"\u003eTPOs could collect and deposit mail on the move by means of lineside apparatus. Several of these vehicles have survived in preservation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"margin-top: 0cm; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(44, 44, 44); font-variant-caps: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; widows: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.5pt; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; color: #2c2c2c;\"\u003eThis Hornby RailRoad model coach features a fully working mailbag transfer mechanism with trackside mailbag hook and collection point.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Simon's Trains","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57522002690421,"sku":"R40568","price":53.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0529\/0708\/1885\/files\/Screenshot2026-08-25at13.20.37.png?v=1787660485","url":"https:\/\/simonstrains.co.uk\/products\/hornby-r40568-railroad-royal-mail-tpo-coach-80331-oo-scale","provider":"Simon's Trains","version":"1.0","type":"link"}