Postal Vehicle - Russia

Russia Post issued a stamp on 26th April 2013 on Postal Vehicles of Russia.

The Russian Post is one of the oldest in Europe, it started in the 9th-10th centuries. The coachman driving was used to deliver written messages, then in the middle of the 18th century it was replaced by the Pochtovaya troika. At first it was a tandem team, later – three horses in a row. Initially three horses (“troika”) were quite a rare case but after some time it gained the popularity and was used for express messengers. Among their advantages there were high speed, endurance, large capacity and good passability.

The stamp depicts the process of winter mail delivery in the 18th century: three horses (“troika”), a postman and the mail bags.