The Travelling Post Office offers quality self catering holiday accommodation with lots of character, sleeping up to 6. It is located on a railway siding adjoining the station platform at St Germans, in South East Cornwall, UK. There are fine views of passing trains on the adjacent GWR Plymouth to Penzance main railway line and over the Lynher
valley.
TPO No. 841 went into service in 1889 having been built for the Great Western Railway. Originally built with broad gauge bogies with a narrow body, it was converted to standard gauge in June 1891. It was withdrawn in 1934 and for many years formed part of a house near Brecon in Wales. It is now mounted on a reconstruction of the original chassis and has been restored externally to the original colour scheme. The inside has been sympathetically converted into high standard holiday accommodation for the rail enthusiast.
The railway station at St Germans was built in 1858 to a design by Brunel. Although the main railway station building is now lived in by your hosts, the platform is still in use - served by over 20 stopping trains per day. The railway siding on which the Travelling Post Office sits was used for loading agricultural produce. Guests have a key to aprivate gate onto the platform and access to ten acres of our own woodland.
The TPO measures 48 feet by 8 feet and offers the
following facilities :
flushing toilet with washbasin, shaver socket and shower
galley style kitchen with fridge, hob and microwave/conventional oven etc
double bed room
bunk room with 2 bunks c/w safety bars (top bunk suitable for child or agile adult only)
dining/lounge area with colour TV/DVD and hi-fi with seating converting into 2 singles or a double bed
enclosed garden area with seating and BBQ facilities
free on-site car parking space
ample electric heating included in prices
mains electricity, water and drainage
use of childrens play area, games room with air hockey table, washing m/c and dryer, freezer, swing ball, etc
unrestricted free broadband access
In addition guests to the Travelling Post Office can look forward to enjoying fresh flowers and our special Cornish welcome pack. For the full carriage inventory please see the Inventory Page.
Pets are welcome by prior arrangement and a cot and high chair are available at no extra cost. Our prices are totally inclusive of all services, bedding, towels etc. If you're looking for somewhere to stay in St Germans close to Port Eliot, the elegant and spacious Travelling Post Office is the perfect place - only two minutes walk from the estate, with your own garden to relax in and ten acres of woodland to enjoy in the mornings.
Visit the TPO Gallery for full internal and external pictures of the carriage.
St Germans is a small village with a population of 600. Only 400 metres, or five minutes walk away, from the Old Luggage Van is a great village pub The Eliot Arms
(01503 232733 - Open 11am-last orders) serving Cornish ales and excellent food all day.
Beside the Eliot Arms is the St Germans Community Shop and Post Office a general
store with an excellent range of stock including food, household supplies, newspapers and magazines, local products, alcohol and tobacco amongst other things. It is open 7 days a week: Mon to Fri 8am to 1pm and 3pm to 6pm; Sat 8am to 4pm; Sun 8am to midday. The Post Office is open from Monday to Saturday between 8am and midday. The shop's telephone number is 01503 232887.
There is also a childrens playpark only 100m from the coaches, which
had a complete makeover
in 2009 with brand new equipment, including swings, slides and climbing frames.
Railholiday and the TPO were featured on the BBC series "Great British Railway Journeys" in early 2010.
1. A look at life in the Travelling Post Office, by Eric Goldsworthy. 2. St. Germans Play Area.
For maps and aerial photos try the St Germans Area page or for holiday planning ideas go to the Things To Dopage
Please Note - The special deals etc that we sometimes offer on the website are not always shown on the online booking system. However card payments
are processed by us manually and so
if the system is not giving you the price you are entitled to, or the exact dates advertised, make the booking as best you can and make a note in the "special requirements" text box on the booking form.
We will then adjust the price/dates and notify you before taking any money. Alternatively make the booking over the phone on 01503 230783.
Forwarding Mail by Rail - history of mail by rail in Latvia and the Soviet Union Friends of M302272M TPO Group - part of the Nene Valley Railway that is dedicated to the restoration and operation of Travelling Post Office coach M30272M, the only surviving coach from the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and more of TPO interest Mail by Rail - photos and history of the Mail by Rail story Mikes' Railway History - The Western Postal - details about the postal service in the 1930s Mikes' Railway History - Driverless Subway Trains carrying the mails under London's streets - about the Post Office Tube between Paddington and Whitechapel, which was built with the object of speeding up the distribution of letters and parcels between the railway termini and the principal district post offices Royal Mail Grimsby Office - includes heritage photos and articles Trainspotting TV - article on the making of a television programme filming a TPO at work The TPO and Seapost society - caters for all who are interested in Travelling Post Office and Maritime (seapost/ paquebot/ naval) philatelic material, whether as a main collection or as part of some other collecting field The Travelling Post office - a brief guide to TPOs that have run in the UK
South East Cornwall Tourism Association inspected member
SECTA Green Acorn Award in recognition of our contribution to sustainable tourism and our commitment to the environment
The Travelling Post Office offers quality self catering holiday accommodation with lots of character, sleeping up to 6. It is located on a railway siding adjoining the station platform at St Germans, in South East Cornwall, UK. There are fine views of passing trains on the adjacent GWR Plymouth to Penzance main railway line and over the Lynher
valley.
The TPO measures 48 feet by 8 feet and offers the
following facilities :
St Germans is a small village with a population of 600. Only 400 metres, or five minutes walk away, from the Old Luggage Van is a great village pub 
