Wednesday 27 March 2013

Look out for local postmarks for Doctor Who

In addition to the Dr Who stamps, Royal Mail is also creating unique postmarks in each of the Doctor’s hometowns, meaning that post mailed in Northampton, for example – where Matt Smith is from – will feature a postmark with the actor’s name and the length of time he’s played the role.

This is where the postmarks are in use (two in Liverpool, a clash of the Time Lords?)

William Hartnell London St Pancras NW1
Patrick Troughton London Mill Hill NW7
Jon Pertwee London Chelsea SW3
Tom Baker Liverpool L
Peter Davison Knaphill Surrey GU21
Colin Baker Rochdale OL11
Sylvester McCoy Paisley PA23
Paul McGann Liverpool L
Christopher Eccleston Salford M
David Tennant Dunoon PA1
Matt Smith Northampton NN5

We'll be looking our for these on our post, but can't recall any customers being in these areas!  We'll be pleased to post images here if anybody sends them to us.

Update 5 April
Thanks to Mike B we can show two examples of the Dr Who postmarks for Christopher Eccleston.  Mike writes:


The first one is one posted in Manchester with a Sylvester McCoy stamp (Dr Who No. 7)
The second one is one sent from Lancashire & South Lakes again with the Christopher Eccleston postmark.
This one I cannot understand since Manchester is 100 miles south of the Lake District (although this letter was posted in Lytham St Annes, which is 55 miles from Manchester)




6 comments:

  1. In the "old days" Royal Mail used to announce post marks like this in the Post Mark Bulletin. Now we have to find out through Blogs and press releases! How are collectors supposed to take advantage of this if Royal Mail are being so secretive about what's available, where and when?

    Incidentally, am I the only one receiving my Post Mark Bulletin days (and sometimes a week or more) after the issue date? Useless if you're trying to prepare covers for a new issue and want to use a handstamp announced at the last minute.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now that ink-jet postmarks can be programmed to produce anything, I think these short-term last-minute things will be appearing more often. Slogans aren't listed in the Bulletin if the Bulletin editor isn't told about them, and of course there are no reposting facilities any more so you have to be in the area, which is still no guarantee unless you actually go to the Sorting Office.

      As for late arrival of PB, have you complained to RM? Remember you always have time after the announcements and should include an explanatory note to the SHCs with any late request for a postmark when the Bulletin is late. SHCs are generally very accommodating.

      Delete
  2. True. None of which helps the collector. Which begs the question, why do Royal Mail do such marks? To advertise their stamps? It's certainly not for collectors!

    As for the PB, yes I complained to RM. They are extremely busy, and sometimes delays happen, apparently! They have occasionally sent me a delayed PB as a PDF document on the email. I wonder whether an electronic distribution option has been considered? I would actually prefer that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ian

    If they are m/c pmks how will they restrict it to mail posted in their are e.g. the Manchester Mail Centre covers a far wider area than Salford (possibly including Oldham although my geography of the North West is not tooo good)
    Similarly Dunoon & Paisley both go through the Glasgow Mail Centre although they don't jave the very modern IMP machinery north of the border.

    John Embrey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. See postmarks from Manchester area now added.

      Delete
  4. Ian

    You thoughy you wouldn't get any because none of your clients were in those areas. It does work like that. The IMP m/cs in any area would see if the postcode on the letter corresponds with the postcode of a Dr Who. If so they would print the Dr Who slogan. if not they would print the normal prostrate cancer slogan.

    So for you to receive any, you had to have the same postcode as 1 of the Docotrs. If you did you could get the slogan from an IMP m/c anywhere in the UK

    John Embrey

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading the blog and commenting: please use an identity (name or pseudonym) rather than being Anonymous; it helps us to know which 'anonymous' comments are from the same person to avoid confusion. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, but will be published as soon as possible.