The Railway Stamps of Great Britain, 1891 - 1934

(including a concise catalog of the stamps with prices)

by Joana Kleinsorge and Richard Frajola

(cropped image of an essay by De La Rue, page of essays here)

      This presentation examines the railway letter mail system first adopted in Great Britain jointly by the General Post Office and the railway companies in 1891. This unique partnership between privately owned railways and government was initiated in order to provide an expedited mail service that neither partner could offer independently. When initiated in 1891, the joint service required two stamps, one for the railway fee of 2d and one for the regular Post Office postage.

The Stamps

   The stamps produced by the various railway companies in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland quickly captured the attention of stamp collectors. In 1901, H. L’Estrange Ewen, the editor of Ewen’s Weekly Stamp News, published the first comprehensive catalog of British railway stamps. This book, linked below, provides valuable information directly from the stamp printers employed by the railways. While scholarly and intended to spark interest in stamps, the detailed listings may be overwhelming for casual collectors. Although still useful for students, it may deter most 21st-century collectors. Later attempts to catalog railway stamps, such as the Roger de Lacy-Spencer book (also linked below), face similar challenges, including listing an excessive number of different shade variations.

   This presentation offers a concise overview of the stamps. The catalog section 1 below includes a concise listing of all the stamps produced by the railway companies that can be distinguished without reference to shade, perforation, or minor transfer type variations. Retail estimates are provided for both used and unused examples in fine condition.

   Section 2 below includes blank album pages corresponding to the major catalog numbers. These pages can be downloaded and printed on paper stock (8.5 by 11”).

 1. Stamp catalog listings with prices
    
     Complete Great Britain in a single file here

     Key to above file:
     England and Wales companies: pale brown
     Scotland: pale blue
     Ireland: pale green

2. Blank album pages:here

3. Album pages with images (as available): here

4. Specialized stamp collection (select companies) here

The Postal History

    The railway service was regulated by an agreement between the Post Office and the participating railways. The service began operation on February 1, 1891. The important features of the arrangement were:

  1. Upon every railway letter a fee of 2d, in addition to postage at the ordinary rate 1d for letter not exceeding one ounce, will be charged. The railway servant will affix and obliterate both the railway company 2d adhesive labels as well as the postage stamp.

  2. Letters will be forwarded to the station of address by the next available train. Where necessary it is to be handed on from one company to another. At station of address the letter is to be handed to addressee, his agent, or put into the post.

Links to mounted material in the Frajola collection

Exhibit: "Railway Letter Mail of Great Britain, 1891-1899" (pdf file)

Collection: "Railway Express Mail (pdf file)

Conjunctive Uses: A sampler (pdf file)

Collection: Mounted covers by railway (88 pages): (pdf here)

Exhibit: "Great Western Railway Air Services (1933)" (pdf file)

Collection: covers addressed to H. L'Estrange Ewen (pdf file)

Article: "The Life and Philatelic Covers of Arnold Wilson" (pdf file)

Reference Books

H. L'Estrange Ewen book: "A history of railway letter stamps" (1901) (pdf file)

Roger de Lacy-Spencer book: Railway Letter Stamps, 1891-1947 (pdf file)

Richard Frajola (June 6, 2025)