When the construction of the Great Western Railway was in contemplation, the prospect of the Londoner being able to pay a morning visit to Bristol, in even four or five hours, was hailed with satisfaction, as will be gathered from the following article from The Sun newspaper of March 26th, 1832:—

"Railway from London to Bristol.—We understand that two civil engineers of eminence, Henry H. Price and Wm. Brunton, Esqrs., are busily occupied (under the auspices of some leading interests) in making the necessary surveys for the above important work. We hail with satisfaction the prospect of seeing the metropolis, ere long, thus closely approximated to the Bristol Channel and Western Seas, when four or five hours will enable us to pay a morning visit to Bristol. Nothing can tend more to increase and consolidate the power of the empire than to give the greatest possible facility of intercourse between its distant points. When the London and Bristol railway shall be completed, it will be very possible, in connexion with the Irish steam-boats from the latter port, for cattle and other Irish produce to be conveyed to the London market within 32 hours from the time of shipment at Cork, Waterford, &c., and thus, at a cheap rate, will the London market be thrown immediately open to the Irish agriculturist; at the same time the London consumers will be benefited in proportion to the greater extent of country thrown open whence they may derive their supplies. Liverpool, we understand, imports above 7,000 head of live stock per week; much of which is conveyed to Manchester by the railway, and we may surely hope for a similar result to the metropolis, when the direct communication is opened with Ireland by similar means. In a political point of view, the importance of the great work in question is too obvious to require a moment's comment. We need only state, that in case of emergency, four to five hours will be sufficient to convey any quantity of men or stores from our depÔts or arsenals near London to Bristol, whence they will be ready to embark for any point where they may be required, and we at once prove that railways, judiciously constructed across the country, may be made, not only the means of economy to the Government (smaller establishments being necessary), but that they tend more than anything else to concentrate and consolidate the strength of an empire, and are an additional guarantee against war and foreign aggression."

In these days of special trains, composed exclusively of Post Office carriages, such for instance as the night mail on the Great Western Railway, leaving Paddington at 9.5 p.m., consisting of eight coaches with engine (usually the "Alexandra" or "Duke of York"), and measuring 400 feet in length, which runs the whole journey from London to Penzance in the space of 9 hours 40 minutes, stopping at Bristol and a few other first-class stations en route, it may be interesting to recall the earliest period of the conveyance of mails by railway. Light is thrown thereon in the following correspondence relating to the then conveyance of the mails to Manchester and Liverpool, partly by the recently-constructed railway, and partly by road:—"Liverpool, 4th July, 1837. Dear Sir, We reached this place precisely at half-past twelve—exactly an hour behind our time—the loss arose out of various little contretemps, which a little practice will set right. This is the first time in Europe so long a journey was performed in so short a time, and if, some very few years ago, it had been said a letter could be answered by return of post from London, the idea would have been treated as chimerical, and yet at eight last evening was I in London, and this letter will reach there to-morrow morning, the proceeding of these operations occupying a period of 34½ hours only, out of which a rest of three hours is to be taken, thus performing a distance of 412 miles in 31½ hours.

"Our mail coach was before its time full 15 minutes, notwithstanding at one place we could not find horses, except posters; and at another when posters were found there was no coachman; luckily there was one on the mail, looking out for a place, with which we suited him. To-night, doubtless, all will go right (some dispute among the amiable contractors, I believe to be the cause). I need hardly observe that I have adopted proper measures. I have the honour to be, Dear Sir, Yours very faithfully, (Signed) Geo. Louis. To Lt.-Col. Maberley, &c., &c., &c."

"Manchester, 4th July, 1837. Sir, I have much pleasure in stating that the London Bag arrived here this day by railway at half-past twelve p.m. The Bag to London was despatched as usual this morning by the mail coach, but concluding that a return by the railway is intended both this day and to-morrow (although the arrangements generally do not commence until the 6th) I make a despatch with such letters as are in the office at half-past two p.m., and propose doing the same to-morrow. I am, Sir, Your most obedient, humble Servant, (Sig.) G.F. Karstadt. To Lt.-Col. Maberley."

"4th July, 1837. Manchester. G. Karstadt, Esq. For the Postmaster-General. I enclose a letter from Mr. Louis with this report from Mr. Karstadt as to the first working of the railroad. I am sorry to say that it appears from the time bills an hour was lost upon the railroad coming up. (Signed) J.V.L.M. (Lt.-Col. Maberly). 5th July, 1837. Read, Lichfield (Lord Lichfield)." The coaches running all the way through at this period were timed to leave London at 8 p.m., and arrive at Liverpool and Manchester at 2.30 p.m. On the up journey the coaches left Manchester and Liverpool at 11.30 a.m., and reached London at 6.30 a.m.

The conveyance of the mail partly by road and partly by rail came into operation on the Western road from 1838 to 1841 as section by section of the Great Western Railway became completed. Thus, in 1840, mails which had come by road between Maidenhead and Bath were brought into Bristol by trains composed of very primitive engines, tenders and coaches, as depicted in the illustrations taken from engravings of the period.

Mr. J.W. Arrowsmith, the world-wide known Bristol Publisher, recently reprinted Arrowsmith's Railway Guide of 1854, the year of its first issue. It is interesting to note from the re-publication that the shortest time in which Mails and passengers were conveyed between London and Plymouth was 7 hours, 25 minutes, and between Plymouth and London 7 hours, 35 minutes. What a change a half-century has brought about! The pace of the trains has been vastly increased, and even goods trains accomplish the journey from London to Bristol in three hours. There is no such thing as finality in speed, as the Great Western Railway Company has been trying a French engine, with a view to beat all previous records. One of these engines was tried in France with the equivalent of fifteen loaded coaches behind it. It was brought to a dead stop on a steep incline, and when started again it gathered speed, so that before the summit was reached it was travelling at its normal speed—74.6 miles an hour.

This new engine, "La France," recently accomplished a brilliant feat. She was started from Exeter with a load of twelve of the largest corridor-bogies, one being a "diner," the whole weight behind her tender, including passengers, staff, luggage, and stores, being nearly 330 tons. "La France" ran the 75½ miles to Temple Meads Station, Bristol, in 72½ minutes, start to stop, thus averaging 62.5 miles an hour, although she had to face a 20-mile climb at the start, the last 27 miles of this stretch being at 1 in 115. She went on from Bristol to London, 118½ miles, with the same heavy load, in exactly 118 minutes. Her time from Bath to Paddington, 107 miles, was 104 minutes; from Swindon, 77¼ miles, 72 minutes; from Reading, 36 miles, 33 minutes.

A good performance in long distance railway running was established by the Great Western Railway Company in connection with the visit in 1903 of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Cornwall. Their Royal Highnesses left Paddington in a special division of the Cornishman at 10.40 a.m., the train being timed to do the non-stop run to North Road, Plymouth, a distance of 245 miles, in four hours and a half. This time was, however, reduced to the extent of 36¼ min., the train steaming into North Road at 33¾ minutes past 2 o'clock. The train covered during the first hour's run 67¾ miles, the average speed for the whole journey to Plymouth being 1.049 miles per minute. The journey was performed in about half the time occupied in 1854.

The up train, which runs from Bristol to London in exactly two hours, via Badminton, is matched by a down train in the same time by the easier but slightly longer main line (via Bath), giving a start-to-stop speed of 59-1/8 miles an hour, with a dead slow through Bath Station. But to Bath, where a coach is slipped, the inclusive speed is 60 miles an hour, as the distance is 107 miles (all but 10 chains), and the time from Paddington, 1 hr. 47 min. This is by the 10.50 a.m. "Cornishman," and is said to be the first Great Western train ever booked at a mile a minute, and the first train on any London Railway even "scheduled" at that speed.

In connection with the Mail Services between the Metropolis and Bristol, the "Gate of the West," it may be appropriate here to mention the recent arbitration case between the Great Western Railway Company and H.M. Postmaster-General in regard to remuneration for conveyance of Mails.

The Company, dissatisfied with the payment of £115,000 a year under their contract of 1885, subsequently raised by small additions, from time to time, to £126,000 a year, brought their case before the Railway Commissioners, who awarded £135,855 a year from the 1st July, 1902. This amount covered the provision of a new postal train in each direction between London and Penzance. It was Sir Frederick Peel who delivered the judgment of the Court.