Machin and Regional Invalidation: SwapOut delays update

It is many months since I wrote anything substantive about the SwapOut scheme to replace invalidated stamps with new barcoded definitives.  The system worked substantially well, and apart from the occasional glitch (soon corrected), most people seemed satisfied if annoyed at the amount of effort involved and that the change had happened at all.

Since Christmas, however, readers and other dealers have been commenting that the turnaround has moved from the original 7 days to much longer.  Indeed I'm told the Terms and Conditions have been changed to '30 days' - but the allegations are that it is closer to 7 weeks!

UPDATE -  I received a batch today dated 27 February but posted 4 March, for the stamps I sent on 30 January - so not quite 7 weeks.

Use up your non-barcoded stamps slogan August 2022.

I decided to try to find out whether this was the occasional glitch or an on-going problem.

Mechanics

I phoned and established what the mechanics are for the process.  The support line is at Doxford (Sunderland) but that it only the very important call centre.  We send stamps in to Edinburgh, and we get stamps back from Edinburgh.  

Each of our packages is logged onto a database in Edinburgh when it is opened for processing, not before.  So of my 8 packages in the last four weeks only that posted on 30 January has so far been logged into the system.  

The target turn-around is still 30 days, so if we experience a longer delay and phone Duxford, they check the database and they might arrange to send replacements.  I imagine they wait a couple of weeks after the 30 days to ensure that when we ask, the replacements are not in transit which might mean we end up with two sets of replacements!

Manpower

It is evident that the manpower devoted to this task has was reduced after the original surge in submissions.  I'm told that additional staff were added when there was a further surge late last year, but that the numbers have probably been reduced again.  Obviously the call centre can't answer for management but it does seem likely that if more people are sending in larger batches additional staffing must be applied.

Freepost address and certificates of posting

A reminder that you cannot get a certificate of posting if you use the Freepost SwapOut address. If you require one for anything not sent by Special Delivery or Signed For (and you should) then you must use the address shown above, with the EH12 9GT postcode or to this address for batches over £200:

Royal Mail
Swap Out
Tallents House
21 South Gyle Crescent
EDINBURGH
EH12 9PB

 

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Welcome news from Royal Mail

It would seem that someone at Royal Mail has been listening to reaction from collectors to the ever-increasing cost of their products.  Either that or rapidly declining numbers of traditional collectors has suddenly awoken them.

News release

Important Change to Special Stamp Issuing Policy
We are making a change to our Special Stamp Programme that we’d like to share with you.

From March 2025, all Special Stamps will feature 1st and/or 2nd Class values only. This means we will no longer include stamps with International values or alternative monetary values such as £1.00 or £2.00. 

One important exception to this rule will be the annual Christmas issue which will continue to feature International rate stamps along with the Large Letter stamps.

This change is part of our efforts to provide an accessible and affordable stamp programme, designed to better meet the needs of our customers. 

We will continue to listen to Customer feedback and explore further improvements. Feedback from our customers helps us shape the future of our Stamp Programme, and we encourage you to share your ideas with us. Thank you for your continued support.

Unfortunately the tariff change in April will probably see 1st class letters rise to £1.75 and 2nd to 90p - dropping the £1 values and replacing them with 1st class offers no benefit to collectors so it is good to see that there will be more 2nd class.

(My thanks to the readers who alerted me to the email sent from Customer Services which confirms what the trade was told under embargo last week.)

UPDATE  28 February - new tariff.  Although not yet officially announced it would seem that from 31 March the new rates for 1st and 2nd class mail will be in the range £1.75 to £1.85 and £0.87 - 0.90.   These are the basic new rates for business users before discounts (which can see those rates drop as low as £1.37 and 63.5p for high volumes).  (See Business Rates 2025.)

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In other news Royal Mail will be at EuroPhilEx 7-11 May 2025

EuroPhilEx Birmingham 2025 will be the United Kingdom’s mid-decade international stamp exhibition and for the first time ever the organising committee has decided to move its international exhibition out of London. Birmingham is the country’s second city, located in the centre of England and surrounded by a massive population and several other large cities.

Royal Mail is pleased to have a stand at the exhibition and will also be issuing two EuroPhilEx products on the VE Day theme to complement the latest new issue and in recognition of the national commemorations that will take place on the 8th May 2025, day 2 of the stamp exhibition.

Special EuroPhilEx Postmarks will be available for each day of the show. 

A team from Tallents House, and the call centre in Doxford, plus some of the London leadership team will be on our stand offering current stamp issues and products including the range of Barcoded Definitive Stamps. 

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LondonRobert - the comment about the SwapOut does not belong here, please recomment on a relevant post.

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Joint Royal Mail / Evri parcel locker box at Swindon

Last month I wrote about the new Royal Mail lockers provided from Ukraine.   BM has supplied some photographs of the similar Evri/Royal Mail lockers at Kingshill in Swindon. 

Joint Royal Mail/Evri Parcel locker

 

This is his description of the box:

It allows Evri customers to drop off and collect parcels – printing labels if necessary.  Royal Mail customers only have the option to drop off but need to have the label affixed already.

The process is:

Choose drop off on opening screen

 

Scan barcode (or enter manually).   This then establishes it is Royal Mail and reminds you not to post prohibited items.

You are then invited to enter your email address to enable a proof of posting to be sent

You then choose the size of locker you require.  (Sometimes one or more option is greyed out if all of the ones of that size are full)

Door opens.

After placing item in locker and closing door, screen asks you to confirm all is well and the process is complete.

Sadly a further nail in the coffin of stamp use, though.

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February 2025 slogan and other postmarks and postal markings

As mentioned last month Royal Mail have announced that the British Heart Foundation variant for RevivR (used last February) will be used again this year.    

We haven't seen any yet and I suspect some people will not notice the difference from the default wording, so if you have a copy, however bad!, please send it.

British Heart
Foundation
Learn lifesaving CPR with RevivR
Find out more at
bhf.org.uk/revivr

UPDATE 26 February. This 'default for the month' slogan was continued after Apprenticeship week and Valentine's Day.

Here's one version from Chester & N Wales on 20/02/2025 from JW.  There's also a slightly better one from Sheffield on the same date and the other format from Peterborough Mail Centre courtesy of JH.

British Heart Foundation RevivR slogan Chester & N Wales 20/02/25

British Heart Foundation RevivR slogan Sheffield Mail Centre 20/02/25

British Heart Foundation RevivR Peterborough Mail Centre 20-02-25

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The first report for the month comes from JM who sends this example from Sheffield Mail Centre of the National Apprenticeship Week slogan which has been a regular feature in recent years, but now in new wording.  Perhaps someone can supply a better one?

Royal Mail supports
National
Apprenticeship Week
10-16 February
nationalapprenticeshipweek.co.uk

National Apprenticeship Week slogan Sheffield Mail Centre,  --/02/2025

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UPDATE ♥︎ 14 February 2025 ♥︎

Royal Mail used this image today to advertise their slogan on social media.  Two examples arrived yesterday, the Warrington Mail Centre one from RW, and the Birmingham Mail Centre one from JM.  It's the same slogan as last year.

Send a little love
this ♥︎
Valentine's Day
♥︎ ♥︎ February 14

 

Valentine's Day Slogan Birmingham Mail Centre 11/02/2025

Valentine's Day Slogan Warrington Mail Centre 10-02-2025

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Other postmarks and postal markings

 

 

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

 

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Announcement

Because of other commitments I shall be limiting blog posts for the foreseeable future.

I shall post the usual 'new issue' news as it becomes free of embargo; I shall report on the 'monthly postmarks post' and new definitives when there is news; and I shall try to add other information once a week.

So apologies to JW who has sent a stack of news, some of which will be on the postal history blog, and BM who has news on Parcel Lockers, and anybody else I have forgotten.

UPDATE 19 FEBRUARY: And now the big iMac has failed and although I can handle emails and blog comments on the iPad, anything else will have to wait until I have it repaired and sort out the backup.

Oh, and a 'thank you' - more comments are now coming with aliases or names, rather than anonymous.

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Music Giants XI: AC/DC stamps, MS & PSB - 18 February 2025

Fancy a Music Giant issue being ousted from first place in the year by the Vicar of Dibley!  A seemingly unending supply of music greats continues with number 11, AC/DC which, as Wikipedia tells us is, "an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formative influence on the new wave of British heavy metal bands."  

So how do Royal Mail justify including this band from a land down-under?

Royal Mail is celebrating the legendary rock band AC/DC with a set of special stamps and collectibles marking the 50th anniversary of their groundbreaking debut album High Voltage. Formed in Australia by Scottish brothers Angus and Malcolm Young , their music has forged an enduring connection with British fans. From their iconic performances to the critical acclaim of albums like Highway to Hell and Back in Black, AC/DC’s electrifying sound has become part of the fabric of British rock history.

Eight new stamps capture the band in full force, with dynamic images of AC/DC performing live, while an additional miniature sheet of four stamps features the record covers from some of their most successful and influential albums. Alongside the stamps are a number of officially licensed and limited-edition souvenirs to appeal to music fans and collectors alike.

With over 200 million albums sold worldwide and a legacy of high-energy rock that spans decades, AC/DC remains a defining force in music, as proven by their Power Up album of 2020 and its namesake tour of 2024.

The stamps

Set of 8 special stamps honouring the band AC/DC issued 18 February 2025.

Images and acknowledgements:

1st class Bon Scott and Angus Young of AC/DC performing in London, UK, 1976, photo © Chris Walter/WireImage/Getty Images; Brian Johnson and Angus Young of AC/DC performing in Melbourne, Australia, 2015, photo © Daniel Pockett/WireImage/Getty Images; Angus Young of AC/DC performing in Chicago, USA, 1979, photo © Paul Natkin/WireImage/Getty Images; AC/DC performing during the Power Trip music festival, Indio, California, USA, 2023, photo © Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Power Trip; 

£2.00 AC/DC filming the ‘Thunderstruck’ music video, Brixton Academy, London, UK, 1990, photo © Steve Rapport/Getty Images; AC/DC performing during the Fly on the Wall Tour, London, UK, 1986, photo © George Bodnar Archive/IconicPix; AC/DC performing during the Black Ice Tour, London, UK, 2009, photo © Awais Butt/IconicPix; AC/DC performing in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 1978, photo © Ron Pownall/Getty Images. © 2025 Leidseplein Presse B.V. Under License to Perryscope Productions LLC.

Miniature Sheet

The Miniature Sheet features an additional four 1st class stamps which immortalises the legacy of four iconic AC/DC studio albums:
• High Voltage – AC/DC’s explosive debut, packed with raw riffs and rock anthems
• Highway to Hell – The ultimate hard rock masterpiece that put AC/DC on the global map
• Back in Black – A tribute to resilience and rock perfection. The biggest-selling rock album of all
time, this record redefined the genre and introduced Brian Johnson’s iconic voice.
• Power Up – AC/DC’s triumphant return in 2020. A modern classic filled with the high-voltage
energy fans love, proving that AC/DC remains the ultimate powerhouse in rock.

AC/DC album covers, albums and background artwork © 2025 Leidseplein Presse B.V. Under License to Perryscope Productions LLC. Photography of vinyls and Back in Black album cover by John Ross
© Royal Mail Group Ltd 2025.

Miniature sheet of four special stamps honouring the band AC/DC issued 18 February 2025.

Technical details

The 50 x 30 mm stamps are printed in litho on gummed paper by Cartor Security Printers in sheets of 60 (30 se-tenant pairs), perforated 14 x 14.  The 192 x 74 mm miniature sheet has four stamps 38 x 31 mm printed in litho on self-adhesive paper. 

Special Stamp Book - Back in Black (ie, not a retail booklet)

"A special stamp book celebrating the legacy of one of the greatest albums in rock history.  Released in 1980 as a heartfelt tribute to the late Bon Scott, Back in Black has sold over 50 million copies worldwide and stands as the best-selling rock album of all time.  This booklet includes four 1st Class Back in Black stamps which appear in the AC/DC miniature sheet within a specially designed booklet inspired by the iconic record sleeve artwork.  These stamps are printed in gravure, whereas the stamps in the miniature sheet are litho."  Unlike the similar booklet for The Who, C1 cylinder numbers have been found on these booklets.

This is an unbelievably poor booklet, and one can see why it is not on retail sale. Even the Royal Mail logo and the crown is in black.  Obviously not intended for postal use as postmarks would be impossible to detect increasing the likelihood that any so used on a letter would be subsequently cancelled with a pen!

Prestige Stamp Book

In this booklet, priced a £26, the stamps are printed in the same way as the sheet and miniature sheet stamps. The definitive pane is also printed on self-adhesive paper and includes 5p, 50p, £1 and 1st class stamps. They are coded MPIL M24L - so we still don't have any 2025 printings.  There is also a limited edition (3,000) book which is priced at £49.99.

AC/DC prestige stamp book issued 18 February 2025

Fan sheets and Collectors Sheet

Two Fan Sheets (3,000 5,000 each) and a Collectors Sheet (print-run not revealed) are also available.  The A4 Collectors sheet of 8 stamps is printed on self-adhesive paper with labels showing different versions of the AC/DC logo.  (Price £15.80)

One Fan Sheet celebrates the Back in Black album (with four Back in Black stamps) and the other features a collage of iconic albums, with all four album cover stamps from the miniature sheet. These too are self-adhesive have ordinary gum with the stamps perforated as usual and are priced at £7.50 each.  (Thanks to anonymous for the corrections to the original which was based on incorrect information from Royal Mail.)

Full range of products

Stamp set, miniature sheet, presentation, first day covers (3 including PSB pane), stamp cards, press sheet of 8 miniature sheets, Special (non-retail) Book, Prestige Stamp Book, Collectors Sheet, Fan Sheets, Medal Covers, Souvenir Carriers (2 - stamps and MS), Limited Edition (1975) Platinum MS, framed products.

These should be on Royal Mail's website by the time this is published.

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