Austria -

“ HISTORIC POST VEHICLES ~ POSTAL WORKER WITH CYCLE.”

MNH ~ Miniature Sheet !

As part of the “Historical postal vehicles” series, on this occasion Austrian Post is presenting a cycle, which long ago became a popular means of transport for delivering and collecting post within towns and cities.

The stamp design shows a postal worker from around 1900 on a tricycle. He is wearing a postal uniform with red cuffs and service badges on the collar, as well as
a uniform cap. Between the rear wheels of the tricycle is a large box in the classic “postal yellow” colour for transporting the letters. Postal workers frequently used cycles as a means of transport when emptying postboxes and transporting the post they collected to the post offices where it was processed and distributed.

At the start of the 20th century motorised cycles had started to be used, often, because of the large box required for transportation, multi-track vehicles. There have been post- boxes in Austria since 1817, when the postage rate system was reorganised – at that time it was normal for the recipient to pay the postage fees.

However, there were often problems, as senders frequently deposited items in postboxes for which they should have paid the fees themselves. In Austria the first stamps were not issued until 1850, but from this time on franking a letter became an uncomplicated affair and postboxes experienced a major revival.

The background design for the mini sheet shows an old view of Rennweg in Vienna, looking back towards the city from the level of the former state print works building. Behind the cycle one can make out the Baroque Salesianerinnenkirche church with its distinctive dome.

There are a number of people under way on foot, and in the foreground a two-horse carriage, the typical means of transport for that era, can be seen.