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.”

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