Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks

Machin Faststamp: 2nd Class - 20 February 2013

NEW 2ND CLASS SERVICE IN RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER DEMAND

In response to customer demand at Pos Office branches, Royal Mail will issue a 2nd class Machin Faststamp on 20 February 2013 at Spring Stampex.  Because the 2nd class stamp will only be sold with two values, it can only be dispensed from Hytech v2 machines, and not from the Wincor-Nixdorf Post and Go machines currently in 146 branches. 

The Hytech machines have two rolls of Faststamps and no Post and Go labels (for instant use) and new machines will be installed in branches from March.  No programme has yet been announced.  As this is a response to customer demand, it seems likely that the first machines will be issued in branches with several existing machines such as Birmingham (10) and Nottingham (8).  Being different to existing machines we can expect some teething problems, so if you do see the new machines in a PO branch, try it out and let us know what you find!

As before, these will also be sold from the Philatelic Bureau at Tallents House in a special pack.  The pack will contain two values as shown.  There will also be an official Royal Mail first day cover with both values, unlike the pictorial Faststamps for which the FDC has 6 designs but all 1st class.

Post and Go Faststamp 2nd class depicting Machin head. Post and Go Faststamp 2nd class Large Machin.

The publicity pictures shown above have a year code MA12 in the background to the left of the Queen's eye.  The coding at the foot of the stamps show that they were printed in Great Britain February 2013 (2GB13), but those in the pack are expected to be printed in The Netherlands and so have code NL13.  At Stampex we expect that machines A1 - A4 will be operating, two for the public and two back-office machines.

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Post & Go terminals allow customers to weigh their letters and packets, pay for and print postage labels and stamps without the need to visit the counter. The first Post & Go machine was trialled in The Galleries Post Office® in Bristol in 2008.  Wincor-Nixdorf machines in Post Office branches dispense a maximum of 5 stamps per strip; those from Hytech machines dispense a maximum of 6 labels per strip.


Technical details:

The 56mm x 25mm stamps are printed in gravure by Walsall Security Printers, with two phosphor bars.
All images are by kind permission of Royal Mail, Copyright 2013. This website is copyright Norvic Philatelics 2013.


Products issued

The labels will be used in Post & Go machines at Post Offices around the country, and will be rolled out across the network from March 2013.
The mint stamp is be available from Royal Mail's Tallents House Bureau and philatelic outlets in a pack


Special Postmarks - 
Royal Mail will again produce a First Day Cover and official First Day Postmarks for these.
Postmarks available for the day of issue are shown here.   These may not all be at the same scale.
Postmark showing map of the British Isles.
Postmark showing figure 2.

 Non-pictorial London first day postmark.
Stampex Postmark for 2nd class Faststamps.
Ref FD1304TH - Official Edinburgh first day of issue postmark
Ref FD1304PL Official London N1 First Day of Issue Postmark.
Ref FD1304NP Non-pictorial London FDI postmark
Ref L12794  Stampex official first day postmark.
The non-pictorial Stampex postmark will also be available (L12793)



This page updated 12 February 2013



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