Not Quite the Review of the Year 2024

For reasons which will be obvious if you read my post of 19th November, I have been rather busy of late.

Consequently my usual 'Review of the Year' has not proceeded beyond the layout/headings stage. I hope to remedy this very early in 2025, but probably not before some posts about the first issue of the year on 14 January, and the outline programme for the year.

 

Instead, I'll end the year with a heartfelt thank you to everyone who wrote or sent cards following the death of my mother.  Some were regular contributors, some I used to meet at Stampex and had not seen for more than ten years.  Some I had never met, but they had supported the business for many years and are counted as friends as well as customers - and in some cases also suppliers.  My thanks especially to Iain, Vince and Adam for your cards.

And a few people who must have been readers, but from whom we had never heard before, also sent the condolences.  Thank you for your thoughts and kind words at what was a difficult time.

 

I usually end with a winter picture or one of a church from our holidays.  Instead this year, as it has been dull and gloomy for much of December, I am jumping back to September and our very sunny holiday in Ireland which will, I hope, brighten the day for UK readers!

 

My message this year is a repeat of last year's as the conditions remain the same for many people, and so do our sentiments.

We hope all our readers have a happy Christmas holiday whatever religion you follow (if any).

We think especially of those in the care and health sectors who are working while we are relaxing;  those who are no longer with us, especially those who have passed this year; and we think about those who have died awaiting and fighting for justice.

We hope that you and your friends and loved ones stay safe and healthy. 

Remember those who are less fortunate than you and if you can help one person - try to make it two!  Don't forget the postal workers who we rely on, and who are working harder while so many of their colleagues are leaving for a less stressful life.

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Introduction

Postage Rates

Definitives

Commemorative or Special Stamps

Errors

Forgeries

Post and Go

Slogan Postmarks

Postboxes

Royal Mail operations

The Horizon Scandal

The blog, the business

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So Post Office's new N-BIT the dust!

I have written about The Post Office's new computer system which would replace the discredited Horizon several times, and the very limited trial at just a few branches.

As recently as October Computer Weekly suggested that with an already massive £1 billion overspend and over-run the plug might be pulled - leaving Horizon in place, and Fujitsu still supporting it.

Now that same journal reports that the system is being abandoned without sufficient care being taken over retention of important data.

According to a source close to the project, the Post Office is ending its Strategic Platform Modernisation Programme (SPMP), which the Horizon replacement project known as New Branch IT (NBIT) sits within, and is letting staff go.

and

Last week, a large group of staff on the SPMP were told they would not be needed beyond Friday 13 December, giving the Post Office about a week to secure the data they hold and ensure it can be accessed in the future. 

The data could be vital for future inquiries into the project, the Post Office and why SPMP spent hundreds of millions of pounds more than it budgeted for but still failed to deliver NBIT. It includes data in emails, messaging apps, working documents and technical information documents. 

The source told Computer Weekly: “Over the next couple of weeks, the SPMP is concluding its decision to let go of contractors and third parties, but without adequately completing a credible data safeguarding activity, the Post Office’s response to the risk is very weak. Something is not right about this.”

Read the full piece here.

And then

A source with inside knowledge of the project said it is now “nearly certain” that a fusion of Horizon, in-house NBIT and off-the-shelf software will replace the current system. This would involve the Post Office buying the Horizon system from Fujitsu rather than renting it as it does now.

This was a previous proposal that had been scrapped, according to the source. “There is nothing new about it and there were reasons why it was rejected in the first place,” they said.

Another source said teams at the Post Office have a “vested interest in Horizon staying around” and that some have been vocal about it. He added that “change is a difficult thing and a lot of people object to it”. 

Second story here. 

This must mean the end - soon or already - of the trial which produced labels such as those at the head of this piece.  Whilst we know that a number of these have been produced by collectors and possibly by dealers, there certainly can't be many.  And for anybody who has collected Horizon labels and wants to continue through to replacement systems, inclusion of these is essential.

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Another datamatrix error - 2nd Large Machin 2022 counter sheet.

Readers who have been following the exchanges in the comments about datamatrix-coded stamps having a glaring omission will be interested to see these pictures.

There is no doubt that this sheet of stamps exists, with no datamatrix code on the 2nd Large counter sheet.

Machin 2022 2nd class large counter sheet with no datamatrix code.

The story is that 

"A local post office had these issued and sold some before being recalled."

But then who alerted the administration that recalled them?   And were they legitimately acquired (after others had been sold) before others were returned?

Machin 2022 2nd class large counter sheet with no datamatrix code showing security details.

Machin 2022 2nd class large counter sheet with no datamatrix code showing printing date.

 

It was, for decades, established practice that faulty stamps were to be returned when discovered, and any posmaster or post office employee who retained any was at risk of dismissal (even though they were paid for).  

I'm sure the principle still holds.  These stamps will be listed in The Deegam Handbook of British Barcoded Stamps, and mentioned in the next Deegam Report.  

Were there any more of these?  Are any other errors on Machins lurking - waiting to be revealed?

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December Slogan Postmarks and other interesting Postal Markings

November actually ended with the Post Early slogan which I received on a (stamped business!) letter today.  

This may be the only general design until Royal Mail get date specific - last year they didn't do any post early slogans and in 2022 they were urging us to use up our old stamps until the middle of the month when they switched to date specific.  

Remember also, that the Universal machines are usually pressed into service at this time of year.

2022 Date-specific 'Post Early' slogan.

Dumb wavy line Universal machine in 2022.

Decades-old Snowman slogan in Universal machine in 2022.

Post Early

This slogan will be widely used, I should think, so please send me other layouts.

Remember to
post early
for Christmas
royalmail.com/greetings

This first example is from Peterborough Mail Centre 30-11-2024.

Post Early slogan, Peterborough Mail Centre 30-11-2024

UPDATE 4 December: We and MM both received reversed examples today on square envelopes.  Mine is from Gatwick 02/12/2024 and MM's is from Tyne & Wear 03/12/2024.

Reversed Post Early slogan, Gatwick Mail Centre 02/12/2024

Reversed Post Early slogan, Tyneside NE/SR Mail Centre 03/12/2024

And the last layout to complete the set (of mostly poor impressions!) comes from PC with this one from Romford Mail Centre, probably 02/12/2024.

Reversed Post Early slogan, Romford Mail Centre 02/12/2024

UPDATE 21 December 2024  Royal Mail's last day for posting 2nd class mail was 18th December, and although the last day for 1st class mail was 20th, the Post Early slogan was replaced on 19th by the default British Heart Foundation slogan.  I suppose anything posted on 19th was unlikely to be delivered on 20th, so no point in continuing to remind people of the last posting date.

Here's a the envelope from a card which reached us this week which has the Birmingham Mail Centre Post Early slogan on 17/12/2024, and also a Norwich Mail Centre British Heart Foundation slogan on 19-12-2024. After that there is a clear example of the BHF slogan from Norwich on 20-12-2024.

Post Early slogan from Birmingham Mail Centre slogan on 17/12/2024, and also a Norwich Mail Centre British Heart Foundation slogan on 19-12-2024.

Norwich Mail Centre British Heart Foundation slogan on 20-12-2024.

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UNIVERSALS

CP emailed to say that Stromness's Universal machine was used again, but could not send a copy.  I should think it is much like this one, without a year.  "Stromness stamped the reverse of my letter (on 2 December) suggesting the Universal is only used on island mail and the stamp on the front was cancelled with Glasgow Post early slogan of 3 December"

Stromness, Orkney Universal with no year slug, used in 2023, which was used again in 2024

UPDATE: the reported 2024 usage has now reached me and is of course the same slogan as last year, but they put the day slug into the time slot on 2 December.

Stromness, Orkney, Universal with no year slug, used 2 December 2024 with the day slug in the time slot.

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Other postmarks, postal markings etc.

Jersey post used a Santa Sleigh slogan postmark this year: the transposed position as used by Royal Mail in pre-inkjet days allows the slogan to be seen clearly. 

Jersey Post Merry Christmas slogan illustrated with Santa and reindeer 05.12.24

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Remember, all postmarks appearing in December will be added to this post, so check here before you spend time scanning and emailing.

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