TPO -> TPOs of French West Africa and the Indian Ocean Colonies
TPOs of French West Africa and the Indian Ocean Colonies
By Tony Goodbody
Introduction
As the French influence spread throughout much of West Africa, with the consequent building of railways, the postal authorities began to introduce Courrier Convoyeur routes on the French model.
Madagascar and Réunion, islands in the Indian Ocean, are included here for convenience.
Most routes used postmarks with the familiar wavy line circle but there were enough exceptions to make life interesting. Almost all the postmarks are scarce if not rare and the collector must not despise relatively poor quality strikes or partial strikes on loose stamps. Unfortunately some of the more interesting postmarks are not presently available for illustration purposes.
Sénégal
The line from Dakar to St Louis was opened in 1885. The convoyeur service was started two years later (figure 1).
Other interesting marks, not illustrated here, are also to be found.
The line from Dakar to Kayes in French Sudan (Mali) was not opened until 1923. Various convoyeur marks are known for this line. During the 1950s the service used the rare undated straight line mark 'CONVOYEUR DAKAR A KAYES,' reminiscent of the French "Cachet de Service" (Figure 2).
French Sudan (Mali)
The extension of the Dakar - Kayes line to Bamako on the Niger was opened in 1924. The whole line through Sénégal and Mali was then known as the Dakar-Niger Railway. Figure 3 shows a cover cancelled by the standard but somewhat under inked convoyeur postmark KAYES-A-BAMAKO. Circular marks with an inner dotted circle and wavy line circle marks with an inner dotted circle are also known for this route or parts thereof.
French Guinea
The railway from Conakry on the coast to Kouroussa on the Niger (the Conakry-Niger Railway) was opened in 1914. Later the line was extended to reach Kankan. Convoyeur services were established between Kankan and Mamou and between Mamou and Conakry. A relatively small number of postmarks are known, all of them of the standard type. Figure 4 shows a cover with a strike of the convoyeur mark KANKAN A MAMOU.
Ivory Coast
The Abidjan-Niger Railway was opened as far as Bobo-Dioulasso (Upper Volta) in 1934. In 1954 an extension was opened as far as Ouagadougou, Capital of Upper Volta, but the railway has never reached the River Niger. A convoyeur service was established between Abidjan and Bouake in about 1929 (figures 5 & 6).
Togo
The metre gauge line from Lomé on the coast to Blita (or Blitta) was opened in 1934. Convoyeur marks from that route, sometimes without the 'A' between the two names, are known from about 1946 (figures 7 & 8).
Dahomey (Benin)
In Dahomey the Cotonou-Niger Railway runs northwards roughly parallel with the line from Lomé in Togo.
The line reached Parakou in 1936 and was planned to extend to Gaya on the Niger. As far as I know the
Niger has not yet been reached. Perhaps the least scarce convoyeur mark is the Paouignan to Cotonou (figure 9).
Cameroun
There are two railway lines in Cameroun: Douala - Yaounde and Bonaberi - N'kongsamba. Between them their convoyeur services have used a variety of different postmarks. The Douala - Yaounde convoyeur used an interesting mark with an outer scalloped circle and an inner circle (figure 10).
The Bonaberi - N'kongscamba convoyeur used a postmark enclosed by a large scalloped circle (figure 11).
Congo (Brazzaville)
Convoyeur routes operated in French Congo between Brazzaville and Pointe Noire. They used large single or double circle cancellations. Unfortunately none is available for illustration.
Madagascar
Madagascar, a large island in the Indian Ocean, has two unconnected railways, both penetrating from the east coast inland. A number of different postmarks are known including double circle and large single circle marks. Figure 12 shows a cover posted on the line from Tamatave on the coast to Tananarive.
Réunion
The railway on the island of Réunion had a convoyeur service which used double circle marks for the most part. At the present no examples are available for illustration.
Bibliography:
Waugh, W.M. "Railway Mail in the French African and Indian Ocean Colonies," published by the France and Colonies Philatelic Society, Bloomfield, N.J.
Goodbody A.M. and Hart C.A. "Railways on Stamps" Volume 3: Africa (VII)
Lartilleux, H. "Géogreaphie des Chemins de Fer Français, Tome I Volume IV France Lointaine," published by Librarie Chaix, Paris.
