PERFIN THEMES

Great Eastern Railway		Great Western Railway

Railway componaies were amongst the earliest users of perfins. The letters of the above two dies are arranged to try and avoid the Queens profile which is characteristic of Sloper's early dies.

Bristol		Paddington		Cardiff		Swindon
		Reading		Hereford

By far the most common railway perfins are those of the Great Western Railway. The railway was amongst the earliest users of perfins and went on to use well over a dozen different dies. The railway also operated a large network of lines and hence their stamps can be found with a wide variety of postmarks.

London, Brighton and South Coast		London and North East		London and South West Railway		London, Tilbury and Southend Railway

Many of the railways served London, which is not only the capital but was at the time a major port. Their perfins are fairly common.

However there are many small railways who used perfins which today are quite scarce.

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