The smartest, fastest, and most conspicuous vehicles passing through Garstang were the specially-built coaches of the Royal Mail. These were smaller than stage coaches, and painted black on the top section with the lower section and the wheels picked out in bright 'Post Office Red'. The nation's letters were carried in a secure box on the back, with a uniformed guard armed with a blunderbuss and two pistols. Four passengers were allowed inside, and three on the outside, but comfort was definitely given second place to speed.
With four horses going at full speed, and the coachman constantly blowing his horn to ensure the roads were cleared and the toll gates thrown open, the mail could get between towns very quickly. The first pilot service between Bristol and London in 1784 managed to complete a journey that normally took 38 hours in just 16, impressing the government so much that they set up a large-scale network of mail coach routes the next year.
When coaching inns like the Royal Oak received a Mail Coach, there was no hanging around. The approaching sound of the horn gave everyone just enough time to run to their appointed places before the coach rattled into the courtyard.
The guard handed (or more often threw) the package of inbound letters for the district to the local post master, and received the outbound letters to be put in the box.
The ostlers unharnessed the tired horses and replaced them with fresh ones, under the coachman's watchful eye - a well trained team could make the switchover in about three minutes.
The barkeeper provided the passengers with such refreshments as could be ordered, produced, consumed and paid for in under five minutes.
At the command of the coachman, once all was in place, the passengers scrambled back onto the coach, the horn blew, and they were off on the next stage of their route.
