Post Office Act 1953

38 Conveyance of mail bags by railway otherwise than as part of regular mail train services

(1) Railway undertakers shall, whether or not any notice requiring the provision of regular mail trains has been given to them by the Postmaster-General under this Act, convey by any train all mail bags tendered to them for conveyance by that train, whether or not those mail bags are accompanied by an officer of the Post Office, and shall afford all reasonable facilities for the receipt and delivery of mail bags at any of their stations without requiring them to be booked or interposing any other delay, and where the mail bags are accompanied by an officer of the Post Office shall permit that officer to receive and deliver them at any station and render him such assistance as he may require.

(2) Railway undertakers shall be entitled to be paid by the Postmaster-General such reasonable remuneration for any services performed by them under the foregoing subsection as may be agreed between the Postmaster-General and the undertakers or, in default of agreement, as may be determined by the Transport Tribunal.

(3) The Postmaster-General may send any officer of the Post Office with mail bags not exceeding the weight of luggage allowed to any other passenger (or subject to the general rules of the railway undertakers for any excess of that weight) by any passenger train upon the same conditions as any other passenger ; and in that case the undertakers shall not be responsible for the safe custody or delivery of the mail bags.