Save The Underground Mail Rail Train!

Frequently described as the 'unseen railway' or even 'secret railway', the miniature underground Royal Mail train that ran from Paddington to Whitechapel was however, well known to railway enthusiasts. It was arguably the most successful line in the world and ran for 75 years. It finally closed in 2003.

The Royal Mail underground train line has an uncertain future which seems rather sad as it would make a wonderful tourist attraction with some investment. Unfortunately there is no way the public can gain access to the line now due to security and safety issues. By raising it's profile on Hellmail, we hope to generate some interest in the line in the hope that a private investor might come forward and see the potential in reviving it once more.

Now, a little about it's history. We can't cover it all here (additional links are provided for anyone wishing to learn more about the Mail Rail system) but briefly:

The original idea for an underground mail train was first put forward in 1855 by Rowland Hill. The original proposal was that it should run from the Post Office at St.Martins-le-Grand to Little Queen Street in Holborn. Thomas Rammell came up with a scheme by which a stationery steam engine would drive a large fan which could suck air out of an air tight tube and draw the vehicle towards it or blow air to push them away - rather like a huge vacuum cleaner.

For full story, please visit http://www.hellmail.co.uk/GH_ShowArticl ... D=447&KW=e