While they could not offer the same service as a Same Day Courier London service like https://allaboutfreight.co.uk/courier-service/same-day-courier-service/same-day-courier-london/ the old Pony Express still had an impressive service. If you wanted a letter, parcel or newspaper delivered to you or someone else then the Pony Express was there for you. The system was exactly as it states. A series of riders would ride a relay of Pony’s around the country from certain way stations. It could take an impressive 10 days to get something from the East Atlantic coast to the Pacfic West coast.
For a time this service was the only way of communicating with the far reaches of the country. However, whilst it did a very good job it was not profitable and once the Railroad and Telegraph system was set up the Pony express went bankrupt.
It was an expensive system to maintain. Each way station was 10 miles away from the other and built in some remote areas. They did try and use existing structures such as disused Forts. It had a full time staff member keeping the next set of pony’s fed and watered ready for the rider to change to.