In August 2003 the UK Post Office upgraded their Horizon system to include the ‘Smart post’ application which produced distinctly different Postage Labels. �

The label above left is a Horizon ‘smart post’ label and on the right is a Horizon ‘scales’ label, both printed on a Ithaca dot Matrix Printer.

The latest, current ‘Smart Post’ labels are now printed on Epson ink jet printers.

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Early in 2002 after successfully installing computer terminals in all post office branches, Royal Mail followed the lead set by postal authorities in the USA, South Africa, Spain, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere, by producing at the post office counters labels to be used instead of stamps. These are known, after the computer network, Horizon labels. Unlike some other countries the British labels indicate the postal service for which payment is made. But also unlike some other countries, the British labels are plain white labels, printed in black using initially a simple (ithaca) dot matrix counter printer ,using the functionality originally designed for cheques. (known as a ‘slip printer’). The clerk had to manually feed each ‘sheetlet’  through the slip-printer , one label at a time. The sheetlets consist of two labels, the first of which is  fed through the printer and then revered to print the second label.

The First series of Labels are correctly known as ‘Scales’ labels , named after the application the Horizon system that generated them. (Nothing to do with the physical scales that you place the letter on!).

Scales labels can be identified as follows:

 Frama labels were the inital experiment by the Post Office to find a way of providing valid postage labels without using multiple existing stamps. The machine could then dispense a single label to the required value alowing for an increased flexability in stamp vending. Cost savings could be made as only one (blank) roll of blank labels was required to be distributed. 

A computer controlled machine would print and dispense the label according to the coins inserted -once the correct amount was reached, the customer simply press a button to print the value reached. The machines were installed inside Head Post Offices in Cambridge, London, Southampton and Windsor.

The labels themselves were printed in red onto imperforate phosphorised paper which had a grey green wavy background. They were dispensed in 1/2p increments up to and including 16p and went on sale between May and August 1984. At the end of August 1984 a additional two values of 16 1/2p and 17p were made available to correspond to an increased postal tariff at that time.

The stamps were available via the machines and additionally in collectors packs at the philatelic counters across the country. At the end of August 1984, the machines were adjusted to remove all the 1/2p values and the machines were finally taken out of service on 30th April 1985… Awaiting the next development…. some 23 years later..

Today was the subpostmasters conference – Wincor Nixdorf had a stand dispensing example UK postage printed on ‘Royal Mail’ self adhesive paper. Here is one of the examples I obtained:

 

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This blog is all about Postage Labels in the UK- from the first steps in 1984 to the plans in 2008/9 to roll out 700 Nixdorf machines that will include the facility to post letters and packets and dispense the first real ‘Postage Labels’ the UK Post Office has issued since 1984.

I am also including the steps taken to reach this point, including the different types of ‘Horizon’ Labels, the ‘Weigh and Vend’ experiment of 2004 and the close cousins ‘Smartstamps’ .. with which, as  you will discover in the not too distant future, a significant amount of convergence will take place..