Porters arose in the Traffic Department of early railway companies, as junior staff grades in most of the independent railway companies. "Station porters" handled passengers' luggage, assisted passengers to and from trains, carried out general cleaning duties in the station and on its platforms, and often assisted on ticket barriers and in booking offices as they advanced towards higher grades. "Goods porters" (also known as "parcels porters") worked in the handling of parcels and packaged goods, especially in left luggage offices and in relation to parcels vans on trains.