Wednesday 25 March 2015

Wincor-Nixdorf RIP

As expected all of the Wincor-Nixdorf Post and Go machines have been removed from Post Office branches.  Postagelabelsuk has reported that the plug was pulled at the WH Smith Swiss Cottage PO just after 4pm on Monday 23rd March 2015.

The following day the last operational kiosk – from Swiss Cottage - was removed to the BPMA store for preservation for decades to come.

I haven't received any details about any replacement machines.  From personal experience I would say that Perth (WH Smith) doesn't have room for an NCR machine, and Kidderminster does but only for one, so I don't expect either office to have them.   The final list provided by Post Office Ltd in November was:

Branch Code
Branch Name
No*
Address 2
Address 3
Post Code
003313
Chester Le Street
1
137 Front Street
Chester Le Street
DH3 3AA
004202
Boston
1 WHS
27 Strait Bargate
Boston
PE21 6EG
014613
Carmarthen
1 WHS
7/8 Guildhall Square
Carmarthen
SA31 1PN
005206
Crewe Town
1 WHS
13 Victoria Centre
Crewe
CW1 2PU
100003
Farringdon Road
4
39-41 Farringdon Road
London
EC1M 3JB
032004
Holloway
1
116-120 Seven Sisters Road
Holloway, London
N7 6AE
011306
Keighley
1 WHS
27 Cooke Lane, Airedale Centre
Keighley
BD21 3PF
008208
Kidderminster
1 WHS
19/20 Vicar Street
Kidderminster,
DY10 1DD
699010
Model office  
1
148 Old Street
London
EC1V PHQ
016820
Perth
1 WHS
91-97 High St
Perth
PH1 5TJ
015427
Southport
1 WHS
22 Chapel Street
Southport
PR8 1AF
042005
Swiss Cottage
1 WHS
9/10 Harben Parade, Finchley Rd
South Hampstead, London
NW3 6JS

Technically this is the end of Post and Go in branches as the new NCR machines are designed to cover so many more transactions that simply selling stamps and are designated Post Office Self Service Kiosks.  Nonetheless Royal Mail's RM2 machines are still designated Post and Go and that is how we expect them to refer to new stamp issues for the forseeable future.

UPDATE  25 March
An update from Roy S - Phoned Carmarthen, Perth and Keighley yesterday and they are not having replacement NCR kiosks fitted.

So presume that all the WHS offices that had a Wincor kiosk will not have NCR kiosks fitted.

Chester-Le-Street, now that it is not relocating, is going to get NCR kiosks.

UPDATE 26 March

My thanks go to a mystery benefactor (who is probably wondering why I haven't mentioned this earlier in the week) who sent this Last Day Cover from Swiss Cottage on Monday (it arrived this morning, obviously treated as 2nd class!)



Nicely cancelled by Swiss Cottage PO staff (thanks also to them!) this has one of the now obsolete 2nd class labels, as well as a 1st class stamp with the datastrings showing machine number 1.  The last machine number 1 in operation, all the replacement NCR machines being numbered 67 upwards.  



If you're thinking that you really ought to have had an example of the Label in your collection, we have a few left on our shop, still at the bargain price of £1.  These are from Kidderminster.

UPDATE 24 June:
The Crown Office at Dunfermline is to relocate to a branch of WHSmith, but will remain a Crown Office, according to Dunfermline Press

General manager of their Crown branch network, Roger Gale, said: “If the move goes ahead the branch would continue to be run by Post Office Ltd with the current post office team, but from within the WH Smith store. 

“This move is part of our ongoing modernisation of the network and will allow us to maintain a Crown post office in Dunfermline while providing a new, modern branch for our customers from a bright, new environment.” 

He added: “The new branch will operate from a newly-built dedicated open plan post office area located on the lower ground floor of the WH Smith store, which can be accessed by a customer lift, or stairs.”


1 comment:

  1. I was in the Boston WH Smith a few days ago and there is no longer a machine there at all. In fact the space that used to house the Wincor now has a shop floor display there. I don't know when it departed exactly.

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