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RTPO DATESTAMPING

The interesting practise of datestamping mail whenever it was re-sorted during handling was discountinued by the New Zealand Post Office in 1910.

With the connection of the Wellington – Wairarapa line with the Napier - Palmerston North line at Woodville the Napier express was now run over the eastern route from 12 December 1897. The passenger express ran south to Woodville where it reversed and run on the Wairarapa line as a mixed train , running as such through to Wellington. The Napier mail agents (two in 1902) now accompanied the R.T.P.O. van through to Pahiatua where they joined the northbound train and returned to Napier. The 1897 timetable provided for a departure at 8.05am at Napier, a change-over above 1.30 and arrival back at Napier at 7.23pm.

The former Palmerston North based postal car was discontinued as was the distinctive postal datestamp, however the distinctive Napier R.P.O. datestamp continued in use over the new route until replaced with a similar one. When Railway Travelling Post Office services throughout New Zealand were given district names from 1 February 1980 the Napier R.P.O. became the Hawkes Bay R.P.O. though the postal datestamp was not changed until October 1914.

The purchase of the Wellington-Manawatu line in late 1980 and the opening of the through Wellington-Auckland North Island Main Trunk service in February 1909 removed the need for the complicated routing of the Napier express or mail train was run to Wellington through Palmerston North.

With this change the Napier mail agents ran through to Palmerston North with their R.P.O. van leaving Napier at 7.30am and arriving at 2.20pm. They then moved over to the northbound mail train which departed Palmerston North at 2.27pm and arrived back at Napier at 9.20pm. It appears that though the mail van was run between Wellington and Palmerston North actual sorting, throwing off and collection of mails was carried out only between Palmerston North and Napier.