Royal Mail have announced to the philatelic trade that they will be partnering with Post Office Ltd to provide an innovative way of purchasing this years Christmas stamps, Royal Mail Post and Go Instant Smilers  as well as providing some unique Post and Go stamps.

Commencing this week in Newcastle (20th November) and then moving to Glasgow, Liverpool, Birmingham, crossing  the Welsh border into Cardiff before proceeding to the metropolis via Croydon onwards to London’s’  Covent Garden and finally  Shepherds Bush (Final Day 19th December) this year pop up ‘Christmas Stamp Shops’ will operate from the “back of a lorry trailer.” (see opposite for dates)

The trailer will comprise of a unique environment to compose and purchase this year various Christmas Smilers (in newly upgraded ‘sheets of 20 format)  – a ‘Winter Wonderland’ effect which will be partnered with the now familiar ‘Royal Mail Series One ‘ (Otherwise known as ‘Hytech’) machines A3 and A4, vending  ‘Christmas Robins’ and (by popular demand) 2nd Class Post and Go Stamps.

The Xmas Robins are likely to be MA13 versions and there is a possibility that the 2nd Class Post and Go stamps are of a new MA13 printing too , as it is understood that the original printing has been ‘ring-fenced’ for the new Post Office machines (due next year). Also as previously announced, Post Office outlets will not include any overprint. The only difference between the different sites is likely to be the receipts  (Possibility  of a bilingual version in Cardiff/Wales?).

It is worth noting that these ‘outlets’ do not appear to be ‘Post Offices’ in the true sense -so no Horizon,no  Datestamps and no mouthwatering ‘items from the stock centre’  as appeared in Camden Town last  year,- it is more likely that there will be signposts ‘to the nearest Post Office’ for customer wanting the more traditional Post Office service.

So this years Pop-Ups look like they are building on the successes of last year (unique offerings) and  responding to the feedback around ‘difficult to find’ by placing them in central shopping locations in England ,Scotland and Wales- ‘Post and Go for the masses !- something we applaud..

At least one Post and Go machine will be in attendance along with “Instant Smilers” facilities with a custom sheet with a ‘first’ image related to the venue.

‘Overprints’ are only offered at shows with a National or International significance.

The confirmed tour dates for the Post and Go tour 2013 are:-

[event-list initial_date=2013  show_nav=false]

Today, 15th March and tomorrow  Saturday 16th March, the Salisbury Stamp show will be taking place at the Five Rivers Leisure Centre, Hulse Rd, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 3NR.

As part of  Royal Mail’s Post and Go Tour 2013 two Post and Go machines  vending Post and Go ‘Machin’ and ‘Union Flag’ stamps along with   ‘Post and Go Instant Smilers’ .

The Post and Go stamp offer- the same from machines A3 and A4  – is Machin and Union Flag and aligning with Royal Mails recently published policy, no special overprint is being provided for these smaller provincial stamp fairs.

As with this years Spring Stampex the smiler sheet available includes a ‘venue specific’ image in ‘position 1’  and a choice of either an image taken on an ipad in the venue (A gold postbox is supplied for this purpose)  or some pre-prepared generic images.

It has been reported to me that there two versions of the ‘Diamond Jubilee’ Overprint exist. The first a ‘Standard Version’ where the two lines of the overprint are both left aligned – Shown in the top image and a second,  much rarer ‘inset’ version, shown in the bottom image where the 2nd ‘Date’ line ‘1952-2002’  is inset to the right by one character space.

This Inset version has so far been reported from both “Back Office” machines – B1 and B2. It is believed this variation was introduced where the overprint is added and removed between prints of Cattle and Flags.  Reports of ‘Inset’ session numbers welcome. All those so far reported from B1 have had receipt dated on the afternoon of the 28th September 2012- so check yours!

http://www.stampshows.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=5

The BPMA have announced the successful go-live of the installation  of Machine A1 (Previoulsy seen at Spring Stampex this year ) in the foyer of Freeling House , Phoenix Place, London, WC1.

http://postalheritage.wordpress.com/2012/12/03/we-have-a-post-go-machine/

The machine was initially  loaded with ‘Xmas Robins’ and Machins. It is expected that the robins will be replaced by the Union Flag in January and then 2nd Class in February.

The overprint in use in both cases is ‘The B.P.M.A.’.

In a new venture for Post Office and Royal Mail, a totally new type of Post Office (Similar to ‘Pop- Up Shops’ previously seen in shopping malls up and down the country at the lead up to Christmas)  opened last week in the very busy Camden Market,  London NW1. This new branch is called ‘Camden Christmas Post Shop’.

This new outlet is offering selected items from the Royal Mail ‘Collectibles’ range ,  personalised  Christmas 2012  Instant ‘Smilers’ and, more importantly from a Post and Go collectors point of view, it has given rise to the first outing of the brand new Royal Mail ‘Hytech’ Next-Generation  machines No. ‘A3’ and ‘A4’.

This new branch offers full Post Office ‘Postal’ facilities where purchasers can post their gift  items  purchased from the shop or elsewhere worldwide.

The Post Office is open seven days a week from 10am to 8 pm every day apart from Sundays when it opens at 11am. Machines A3 and A4 are visually identical to those previously seen at Stampex – and appear to function the same, although, as they are in a full functioning Post Office branch rather than in an Exhibition setting , they do not have any overprints.

It is worth noting that this is the first time Hytech units have been  primarily positioned for Post Office customers-  posting mail specifically  Christmas cards and gifts– and not for stamp collectors purposes.

Each of the twin-reel Hytech machines are loaded with Christmas (MA12) Robin stamps as well as Machin Stamps – which for the specialist gives rise to two totally new and exclusive products to this Branch – Hytech Machin ‘Worldwide 40g’ which have not been previously issued, as when un-overprinted Hytech Machins previously appeared at Stampex , the WW40g had yet to be issued.

Additionally, this is the only outlet where ‘Hytech Christmas Robins’ (MA12) , printed in strips of six,will be available, (As these are not expected to appear at  Spring Stampex 2013).

For Postmark Collectors the Datestamps in use at the Post Office are ‘Equipment Team Temporary’ No. ’32’ and  No. ’42’.

Items are available from our Ebay shop here http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170953368569

Royal Mails ‘Next Generation’ Post & Go kiosks Numbers A1 and A2, which previously made their debut at Stampex in October, today commenced their tour and were in operation at  the first day of the Association of Scottish Philatelic Societies’ National Exhibition in 2012 in Perth, Scotland.

Both machines (A1 and A2) were configured to dispense both ‘Union flag’ and ‘Machin Head’ post and go stamps with a unique overprint:-

PERTH 2012

19-22 OCTOBER

No back office facilities ere available for pre or bulk order- the stamps are not available from Royal Mail via Mail Order – the only way of obtaining these stamps was to attend the show.

The data string has been updated to ‘AOGB A1-000001-01’  – The ‘O’ representing October .

Royal Mail have confirmed that they have completed their trials of Hytech Self-Service equipment and will now introduce a updated and improved set of Hytech equipment.

The new machines will include for the first time a ‘fixed’ machine identifier which will link to a ‘series type’ for example  the ‘A’ Series will be self-service. This ‘fixed’ identifier will appear on all stamps produced by that machine and will additionally include ‘Location’ as well as the usual Month and Year information.

For Autumn Stampex 2012 , there will be Four Hytech machines in use – two ‘Self Service’ and two ‘Back Office’ versions.

As usual, the current Post and Go issues will be available on the opening of Stampex – Pigs and Union flag . On the Friday of Stampex, The new issue ‘Cattle’ will be introduced.

In addition the ‘Stampex Special’ overprint will be a unique version (only available at this Stampex) of the “Diamond Jubilee” overprint applied to the Union Flag Post and Go stamp.

In summary, the products available have been confirmed as:-

1. British Farm Animals 2 ~‘Pigs’ Post & Go Stamps.

2. ‘Union Flag’ Post & Go Stamps with ‘Diamond Jubilee 1952-2012’ overprint.

3. ‘Union Flag ‘Post & Go.

4. British Farm Animal 3~’Cattle’ Post & Go Stamps. (Available from 28^th September).

These will be available in six values: –

• 1^st Class                              £0.60
• 1^st Class Large                    £0.90
• Europe up to 20g                 £0.87
• Worldwide up to 10g             £0.87
• Worldwide up to 20g             £1.28
• Worldwide up to 40g             £1.90

Which can be vended in singles or multiples as required.

They will also be able to dispensed in

‘Collectors’ Strips:- 1 of each value                       £6.42

On 21st May 2012, Royal Mail are due to issue an updated Post and Go stamp version of the Union Flag stamp originally issued in 2001  in honour of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

This will be available from Royal Mail in the usual ‘Pack’ format (at a bargain face value of 60p) as well as from the numerous Post and Go branches throughout the UK.

The Pack version and those applied to Royal Mail serviced First Day Covers have once again have had the text printed by Hytech in Holland.

Note:- Royal Mail have changed the background for this issue – to a much darker blue colour to improve the appearance of the printed stamps.