In the early years of the 20th century, many of the then existing railway companies realised the benefits of road steam vehicles to supplement their business requirements. OG387 and 388 provided an indication of those in which steam buses played a part in bringing passengers to their railways - and taking them back home again later. Equally important was the development of railway parcels services for the collection and delivery of all manner of products to and from farms and industrial businesses and their premises up and down the country.
When the major shake-up of the railway companies happened in Britain in January 1923, four major organisations were formed - the Great Western Railway (GWR), the Southern Railway (SR), both in the south - and the London Midland Scottish Railway (LMSR) and the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER), respectively on the west and east sides of the country generally to the north of London. In general, by then the use of steam for this
