There is no end to some peoples ingenuity in ‘Manufacturing’ covers that should not actually exist. Here is a cover that appeared on Ebay , with the vendor suggesting someone actually producing it on the first day in Camden Town – but only Special Delivery items were processed on the first day ,suggesting the item has been backdated.

Post and Go at London 2010 International Stamp Exhibition.

The 8-day London 2010 International Stamp Exhibition featured the finest competitive exhibits from collectors around the world, plus stamp dealers, auctioneers and postal administrations, including a major presence from Royal Mail and the Post Office. This show takes place in London just once every ten years, and the 2010 show was a great success.

7^th May 2010-Friday

The Post and Go Kiosk was commissioned by Wincor engineers and went in operation early afternoon and was accessible to dealers and volunteers.

First label printed was numbered 0025 – the postage labels it produced used a trial roll which is on a shiny paper the label is rectangular with rounded corners.

The inscription “ROYAL MAIL” which runs top to bottom on the left of the label is set 4 mm away (Shown on Right) and is in different format compared to the currently used on machines in UK (Shown on Left).

The receipt consists of WINCOR NIXDORF logo and company address of Wokingham where this prototype machine is based.

The office ID number of 002010 (which denotes London 2010 Festival of Stamps exhibition) and machine number of “0” was printed on the label.
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8^th May 2010 – Saturday

Machine went live to public as from 10am still producing labels from trial roll and receipt as per 004 till midday when the machine developed a problem. This was resolved by a member of Post Office staff. The machine was reset and printed receipt now had Post Office logo with Wincor Nixdorf address of Wokingham.

Around 2.30pm the trial roll ran out and a new roll was installed. This had standard rectangle labels with serrated top and bottom

1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890
1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890

11^th May 2010 – Tuesday

Between 10.30 – 11.15 a member of Post Office staff decided to change the address of Wincor Nixdorf, Wokingham to read Festival of Stamps, Islington on the system.

The last label printed with Wincor address was at 10:23am and the first one with Festival of Stamps was 11.15am.

As part of the London 2010 exibition the Post Office has provided counter facilities – using the Gold Machin Labels!

This item and similar can be purchased here:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170483626262

As part of the festival of stamps taking place from tomorrow, Royal Mail have provided Post Office facilities which include a Post Office counter facility.

As well as the counter there is a Post and Go machine with labels specially configured with a ‘2010’ codes:-

An Office in Oxfordshire has been mis-supplied with ‘Welsh gold’ labels..

Further to earlier reports, I now have examples of Gold Horizon Machin Labels, issued in Kent in the BR5 postcode area, in error.

Additionally, these are of the ‘Horizon Online’ type with narrorower lettering (see below)- of which there are only about 750 Post Offices currently upgraded.

It has been reported today that a distribution of the Gold Machin Horizon Labels has taken place outside of Wales!-to some Branches in Kent – Further details to follow- in the meanwhile-check with your local PO to get some before they are withdrawn..

It has now been confirmed that the First Day of use of the Gold Horizon Labels in Wales was yesterday, April 20th 2010.

 Some branches having received their stock yesterday and all others in Wales receiving it  today.

Shown below is a FDC produced yesterday ‘machined’ (sic) into an inch of its life by the Cardiff FCT.

Please contact me if you would like to purchase a similar cover.

As suggested  in this months Stamp Magazine, It is now understood that the De La Rue printed ‘Gold Machin’ postage labels, previously trialed at ‘Camden Town High Street Crown Office’ will shortly return to use at Post Office Counters ~ This time, initially at least, the distribution of the labels will be restricted to Post Offices in Wales.
This means the overprint that will appear on the labels will be bilingual, giving rise to new varients – as there is currently two styles of overprint in use – one from the original Horizon-enabled Post Offices and the other thinner printing style of Branches that have been upgraded to ‘Horizon Online’. A further complication is that some Branches in Wales produce a ‘English’ overprint.
Additionally, unlike the Camden trial, their use will not be restricted to ‘Special Delivery’ mail and all classes of mail that currently receives a Postage Label will be eligible for a new ‘gold’ label.
UPDATED ~The distribution of the labels will commence from April 19th 2010 , giving a potential First Day of Issue of around the 20th-21st April – but no official First Day facilities will be offered by Royal Mail or the Post Office – but please contact me if you would like to buy any covers.  The labels are from a different print run than that used as Camden Town, but it remains to be see if there are any visual differences!

The distribution will be phased, meaning that branches will receive labels on different dates – there is no instruction to use them over the existing white labels so they will appear randomly.  Watch this space!

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Thanks Brian