356 THE COACHING AGE. 



stage-waggon was generally brought into requisition, 

 there being in those days none of the furniture-remov- 

 ing vans of 'which there is now an ample supply 

 almost everywhere, and which from their internal 

 arrangements obviate so much of the packing that 

 was absolutely necessary for goods ■ carried in the 

 stage-waggon. Added to these increased advantages 

 in packing, is the comfort derived from the speedy 

 transmission of furniture, the vans, whenever the 

 goods have to be carried a long distance, such as 

 seventy or eighty miles, or more, being put on a 

 railway truck, and moved the whole distance in the 

 course of the night ; whereas by the stage-waggon, 

 travelling about four miles an hour or less, with 

 stoppages of a day and a night, and proportionately 

 longer times according to the distance, a journey of 

 equal length would occupy in many cases more than 

 a week. 



For heavy goods, but not of the most bulky 

 description, a species of intermediate conveyance 

 existed in the shape of Pickford's vans, which 

 travelled at a trotting pace with four horses, but 

 did not carry any passengers. They were much the 

 same shape as an omnibus, but considerably larger, 

 and in addition to being filled inside with packages, 

 carried some on the top. Vehicles of this description 

 ran upon a good many roads. 



