The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. 



IV. — The Dumfries Post Office — Later Developments. 



The advantages of penny postage, combined with the safer 

 and more expeditious mode of conveying the mails by rail, pre- 

 pared the way for a marked expansion in post office business, and 

 Dumfries, in common with other districts, can boast of a wonder- 

 ful record of progress and development, especially during the last 

 thirty or forty years. 



The town was first linked with the railway system in 1848, 

 when a line to Carlisle was opened. Two years later the system 

 was extended to Glasgow, and the line was established under its 

 present title of " The Glasgow and South- Western Railway." 

 A branch line between Dumfries and Castle-Douglas was opened 

 on 7th November, 1859, by The Castle-Douglas 'and Dum- 

 fries Railway Co. On 11th March, 1861, it was continued to 

 Stranraer and Port Patrick by a joint company, designated The 

 British and Irish Grand Junction Railway Co.,- and now known 

 by the name of " The Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Railway Co." 

 The Castle-Douglas and Dumfries Raihvay Co. ceased to exist on 

 5th July, 1865, when it became amalgamated with the Glasgow 

 and South-Western Railway Co. In 1863 a branch line was 

 opened by The Dumfries, Lochmaben, and Lockerbie Railway 

 Co.^^ between Dumfries and Lockerbie, and in the following year 

 another line was constructed by the Glasgow and South-Western 

 Railway Co. between Castle-Douglas and Kirkcudbright. Among 

 recent extensions we have the Cairn Valley Railway, a branch 

 of the Glasgow and South-Western Railway, opened in 1905. 

 Although this railway passes through a quiet rural district with 

 only two villages of any considerable size it has already been 

 taken advantage of for the conveyance of mails to and from 

 Moniaive almost since the day it was opened. 



We have already mentioned that a coach continued to run 

 between Dumfries and Portpatrick until 1861 for the conveyance 

 of the mails. The reason for this is not far to seek. We learn 

 from the foregoing references that it was not until that year that 

 railway communication was established on that road between 

 Castle-Douglas and Stranraer. The withdrawal of the mail 



39. Amalgamated with the Caledonian Railway Co. in 1865. 



