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Monday, 10 March 2014

New version of BPMA Postage Due inscription as Postal Heritage gets series 2 machine

Postal Heritage Press release 10 March 2014

"On 24 March a new A001 Post and Go machine will be installed at the British Postal Museum and Archive (BPMA).  Supplied by Intelligent AR Limited, the new model represents the next generation of Royal Mail Post and Go vending machines and incorporates a number of new design and software features. First introduced at Spring Stampex 2014, the A001 has been further developed to be easier to use, ensuring the BPMA can offer the best service to its customers.

"The installation will take place on the morning of Monday 24 March, meaning that no Post & Go facility will be available at this time. The new machine should be available to customers from 13:00. As previously advertised, the Post and Go underprint “The B.P.M.A./ Postage Due 1914” will continue until 25 April (updated by BPMA 21 March).

"The A1 Post and Go machine currently in Freeling House - home of the BPMA’s Archive collections - will be accessioned into the BPMA’s Museum Collections."

Yes, this means that the Postage Due version of the Machin and Flag faststamps will have a different variant.   The existing version has a data string with machine number shown as A1


The new version will have machine A001 so the data string will look like the one which was on the stamps sold at Stampex:



Obviously Royal Mail wanted the machines to be used at Stampex first, rather than the BPMA - although why is not clear.  But if the Postage Due caption had been delayed until the anniversary of the introduction of Postage Due stamps (20 April) the new machines and the caption could have been introduced at the same time.  It rather makes one think that Royal Mail wanted collectors and dealers to buy twice as many stamps as necessary.....

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6 comments:

  1. John Beresford10 March 2014 at 11:15

    "It rather makes one think that Royal Mail wanted collectors and dealers to buy twice as many stamps as necessary....." Careful, Ian, you're starting to sound like a punter :~))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian - Norvic10 March 2014 at 11:31

      :-D
      I criticise where I think the criticism is fair.
      I defend Royal Mail when I think criticism of them is unfair, but when I think they're wrong I tell them so, 1 to 1 if possible.

      Delete
  2. Brian M10 March 2014 at 15:33

    It does make one wonder were this is all going. Over the next few weeks we will have the following sets to collect should we wish to do so.

    1. From Monday the 24th March until Friday the 28th March we have the new A001 machine with current postal rates and current overprint.

    2. From Monday the 31st March until Friday the 4th April we have the new machine with NEW postal rates and current overprint.

    3. From Monday the 7th April we have new machine, new postal rates and I assume the overprint will revert back to the original BPMA one.

    A lot more sets.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11 March 2014 at 11:23

    And of course, the BPMA will come across some 'old stock' to put in the machines first!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous21 March 2014 at 09:42

    They've extended the time the overprint will be available from the new machine.

    http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/page/post-go-postage-due-underprint-extended

    ReplyDelete

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