Slogan postmarks for July 2026 - and other interesting postal markings.

We are a third of the way through July but so far I have had no reports of new slogans.  Royal Mail has featured in many news articles about dog attacks on postal workers, and by now we would have expected to see a Dog Awareness slogan, but no.

So once again we have the British Heart Foundation, and I can show both examples received here. Bristol Mail Centre 04/07/2026 and Norwich Mail Centre 08-07-2026.

BHF Norwich Mail Centre 08-07-2026

BHF Bristol (BA,BS,GL,TA) Mail Centre 04/07/2026

 

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OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

Our reader in Canada (SS) has sent a picture of a cover with a new counter datestamp.  This is another case of not identifying the town or area because the inscription on the SID is simply VICTORIA ROAD.  This could be in north London, in Romford, Leeds, Swindon and Kirkby in Ashfield. Fortunately, being tracked, we can see that it was posted in the Swindon area.

Victoria Road, Swindon, self-inking datestamp 01 07 2026

International Tracked and Signed letter from Swindon to Vancouver, Canada.

Victoria Road, Swindon, from Google maps.

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Update 13 July  I've just posted details of summer post office closures, but here is news from Northern Ireland of a new opening.  Thanks to GF for this:

"Killycomain Road" in Portadown, Northern Ireland is inside a completely new shop - EuroSpar at 117 Killycomain Road, Portadown, Craigavon, BT63 5JH, complete with petrol forecourt and parking.

There is an older "Killycomain" post office in Russells Food & Drink, 23-25 Gilford Road, Portadown, Craigavon, BT63 5EF (16 minutes walk away)

Another PO nearby is "Seagoe, Craigavon" in Spar, 52 Lurgan Road, Portadown. (Also about 16 minutes away)

Craigavon was to be a new town (like Milton Keynes) begun in 1965 and was meant to link Portadown & Lurgan - but it didn't work.  Wikipedia has an article about Craigavon.  If you live in Portadown or Lurgan you are supposed to put "Craigavon" in your address - but a lot of us don't.

Illustrations of the three self-inking datestamps.  The new one is another one without a town name.

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Update 24 July.  Another contribution from our correspondent SS in Canada of part of a Moths first day cover sent by special delivery.  This is often done because the place has an association with the subject of the stamps: I can't find any such link here, and it's not a first day of issue either. The self-inking datestamp shows only the name of the village.

Benenden self-inking datestamp, 13 July 2026

Benenden is near Cranbrook in Kent and the Community Shop incorporates the post office.

Benenden Community Shop, Post Office and Cafe, Google streetview 2016

Benenden is probably best known for Benenden School, a private girls boarding school located to the north of the village.

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Update 25 July.  It may not be a busy month for slogans but readers have made many contributions with other postmarks - thank you.  MikeM has sent a picture of a 1990 postcard to Australia which I have covered in more detail on the Modern British Postal History blog, but it is notable for this ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL LETTERS postmark which, I suppose, must have been applied in Mount Pleasant, London.

Royal Mail International Letters 25 May 1990 packet-size stamp used on postcard to Australia.

I don't remember seeing one of these before, but then I don't remember much these days!  If you have any other examples, please do send them.

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Update 29 July.  The last addition for this month has been sent by JohnH and is this self-inking datestamp from Billericay in Essex. I often used to pass through there en route from Kent to the northern parts of Essex back in the 1960s. I expect it has change a lot since then.  This was the post office until 2012, but I expect the town mourned the loss of the blacksmith's shop which was previously on the site.

Billericay Post Office (1938-2012): Billericay Community Archive

Billericay self-inking datestamp 25 July 2026

Unfortunately there isn't a current 'street view' on Google Maps - given how quickly our High Streets change you would think they could get their car down there more often than every two years!
 

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

A reminder of what these monthly listings are for.  

For each month I record the different slogans in use, plus the default slogan that is used when there is nothing else.

For each of these I try to record only one of each of the basic two types, plus any that are reversed on square envelopes, which normally only gives three or four.  

Occasionally a slogan appears with different line spacing in the same format. 

I do not record multiple versions of the same as any of these unless I later get a much better example of one that I showed purely for the record, but which is otherwise not very clear.

The only exception to this, which doesn't seem to happen much these days, is when a slogan is used well out of time.  

I mention this only to avoid readers unnecessarily duplicating what has already been provided.

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Post & Go and Self-Service Kiosk News for 2026

This post and its comments will hold all news on Post and Go stamps, machines, and PO Self Service Kiosks (SSKs).   

For details of new Post and Go stamps issued by the postal authorities in Guernsey and Jersey I recommend WhiteKnight's Commonwealth Stamp Opinion. All issues from the islands, and Gibraltar and the SOAR stamps from Isle of Man and Ireland will normally be pictured there as announced.

Any late news for PO SSKs will continue to be added on the 2025 blog post. Please continue to make comments there until it is closed for comments or send me news/images by email.

Crown Office Franchising

In June in 2025 Post Office Ltd announced that the remaining Crown Offices would be franchised before the end of the year.  Locally this only meant a change of operator and personnel as Dereham has never had a Self-Service Kiosk, but around the country there were many mixed messages - and outcomes - as to whether existing machines would continue to be used by the new operator, which often operated out of different premises.  

Our correspondents have kept us updated with all that news and other news of just where SSKs are still on-site, which of these (if any) are working, and what they are dispensing.

There has been a gradual move to card-only, or shut-down, especially where staffing does not permit the previous 'floor-walker' assistance.  In these cases it's difficult to know if the machines were serviceable or not.  

There is no major news yet, but I know Malcolm and Trevor (and others) will be keen to add details from their travels in this new year, so I'll start with just this image as typical of what they will find!  Any specific, especially illustrated, news will be added just as soon as we get it.

8 January 

From Trevor's report in the comments

Shrewsbury 7th Jan SSK68 Machin R21YAL & CL19S (missing print in middle of stamp on 2nd Class)

Chester 7th Jan SSK67 Machin R20YAL (2nd on 1st stock) 

10 January Another picture from Trevor showing perfectly centred printing on the 2nd class kiosk 68 at Exmouth.

UPDATE 13 February - Trevor's photos from Edinburgh (see comments).

Edinburgh Self-service kiosks - RIP!

Edinburgh's 'collectibles' - which appear to include the new 1st class Large business sheet (row 2)

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UPDATE 13 July Morrisons move means 52 Post Office branches closing this summer

See full article here - if any of these contain SSKs, active or not, please let me know and I'll add them here.

UPDATE 24 August.  Here is Malcolm's photo from Leeds Market branch, probably of K67 now that the others have been removed. (see comments)

Leeds Market branch PO reduced to one SSK.

Over to you, readers! 

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I have compiled an alphabetical list by location of the comments on closures, and those kiosks still working.  This does not repeat the contents of the machines at any given time.  The table is based on reports in 2026 and will be updated with new content as reports are made, but probably not immediately: I'll do batches as I remember (or am asked!).

There may be errors of transcription from the blog comments to this table - those are mine, hopefully not many. 

Progress to removal of all NCR Self-Service Kiosks

Location	Report date	Comment - Kiosk Numbers shown. OOS=Out of Service	Rep-orter
Aylesbury	15 July	To close 18 August	M
Barnstaple	2 March	Both OOS	T
Basildon		To close 21 September	M
Bath	18 April	67 active 68-71 OOS	T
	24 July	To close 1 September	M
Birmingham Pinfold Street	7 January	all OOS	T
	20 January	Branch closed	T
Bognor Regis	13 June	67 OOS 68 active	T
Bristol	25 March	71 active 67-70, 72-3 OOS	T
Bury St Edmunds		To close 30 September	M
Cambridge City	20 January	67-69 active 70/1 OOS	JG
	16 June	All 5 OOS, three different printed messages	JG
	6 August	All removed 2 weeks ago	JG
Cardiff	25 March	67,69 OOS, 68,70,71 active	T
Chester	7 January	active	T
Chesterfield	30 July	removed a few weeks ago	PW/I
Chichester	13 June	67 OOS, 68,69 OOS fault notice	T
Coventry	17 June	All OOS	M
Darlington	24 August	Removed in last 3 weeks	M
Durham	24 August	67-69 all active	M
Eastleigh	13 June	67,68 OOS fault notice	T
Edinburgh	13 February	All switched off	T
Emsworth	13 June	67 active	T
Exeter	24 April	All OOS, 69 switched off	T
	16 May	All OOS	T
Exmouth	9 January	67 OOS 68 active	T
		To close 28 September	M
Fareham	13 June	67-69 active	T
Gt Portland St	10 February	69,73 active other 5 OOS	JG
	2 March	70, 73 active others OOS	M
	20 April	69, 70 active others OOS	M
Glasgow Penny Black Gt Western Road	4 August	Turned off	M
Halifax	22 January	67,68 OOS 69 active	M
	21 August	All removed	M
Harbourne	17 June	67, 68 active	M
Hayes	29 July	To close 12 September	M
Hereford	17 June	All OOS	M
Huddersfield	21 January	2 active 2 OOS	M
	11 August	To be removed soon	M
	25 August	Now removed	M
Kennington Park	2 March	67 active, 68 OOS	M
Kensingtom High St	10 February	All removed for closure on 14th	JG
Leeds Market		Last one should have gone but van was full!	M
Middlesborough	1 June	All OOS	M
	9 July	Both OOS	M
	24 August	Both on but OOS	M
Milton Keynes	10 June	Last day of use before relocation	M
Newcastle	1 June/9 July	All OOS / no future use	M
Norwich	17 June	4 machines status n/k	IB
	4 August	All 4 removed	M
Paignton	9 January	67,69 active 68 removed	T
	15 July	67,69 switched off	RW
Plymouth	9 January	67,69 68 OOS	T
Pontefract	22 January	67 active 68 OOS	T
Poplar	27 April	67,68 OOS	M
Reading	23 April	67,68,70 active, 69 OOS	M
	13 June	All OOS for some time	T
Rotherham	22 January	67 active 68 OOS off	T
St Fagans Rd	29 January	OOS since 8/25	M
St Helens	21 January	67,68 active	M
Sevenoaks	14 May	All OOS	M
Sheffield Charles St	30 July	2 m/c removed at least 6 months ago	PW/I
Shrewsbury	7 January	active	T
Solihull	16 June	All: OOS labels removed but can't be turned off as sockets inaccessible	M
Southampton		To close 22 September	M
Southend	15 July	To close 23 September	M
Strand	10 February	67,68 active 2 more active but payment not taken	JG
	20 April	67-69 active 70 OOS	M
Swindon	2 February	67-69 active	T
	17 April	67-69 active	T
	24 July	To close 14 September	M
	11 August	All switched off	T
Sydenham	10 February	67 OOS 68 active	M
	25 April	67,68 active	M
Trowbridge	21 April	67 OOS, 68,69 active	M
Truro		To close 6 October	T
Uxbridge	30 April	All OOS	M
Walsall	20 January	67,68 active	T
Wakefield	21/22 January	67,68 active	M / T
Warrington	21 January	2 active 2 OOS	M
Winchester	13 June	67,69 active 67 OOS	T
Windsor	9 June	All OOS	M
Wokingham	15 April	Both OOS	M
Worcester	15 June	All off permanently	M
Wrexham	7 January	active	T
	29 July	To close 12 September	M

If you wish to check the comments, then the date in the Report date column is usually the date the blog comment is made but occasionally comments are made days or even weeks after the sighting, and that is reflected if mentioned in the comment.

I hope this is useful, if only to show the sorry state of SSKs in modern post office branches.   As I showed on my report from Ireland, although not many people seem to buy the stamps from the An Post machines, they are used by people dropping off parcels.  

 

 

 

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Horizon Scandal Update

I know a number of readers outside the UK have been following my reports on this for some time.  Domestic readers may well have been following the updates from Nick Wallis, Computer Weekly or Private Eye.  But as the latest news landed three days before Christmas, you may have missed it.

Both Channel 4 News and the BBC  were among the outlets to produce news items this week about a 2006 contract between Fujitsu and the Post Office, which saw Fujitsu agreeing to fines if it couldn't properly reconcile financial information generated by the Horizon IT system.

The document was only published on the Inquiry website this month. It was spotted by Stuart Goodwillie, who alerted Paul Marshall and Ron Warmington. 

Front page of Fujitsu contract 31 August 2006

 

In short:

On 31 August 2006, Post Office and Fujitsu Services signed a 26-page contractual document that would prove devastating if disclosed to the hundreds of postmasters subsequently prosecuted based on Horizon data. The "Reconciliation Service: Service Description" wasn't a technical manual buried in an archive. It was a formal contract, reviewed by both parties' commercial and operations teams, signed by senior executives, and marked "CONTRACT CONTROLLED."

When postmasters reported discrepancies, they were prosecuted for theft and false accounting. When the same discrepancies appeared in this 2006 contract, they were called "Exceptions," "Errors," and "System Incidents" — with detailed provisions for how Fujitsu would pay Post Office to resolve them.

The postmasters weren't lying about system problems. They were experiencing exactly what the 2006 contract said would happen regularly.

You can read the full 26-page contract here and a good summary (from which the above quote is taken) by Brian Rogers here.  (It's on Linkedin but that shouldn't present any problems.)

Another quote:

The contract establishes detailed financial penalties for system failures — proving both parties knew these failures would occur regularly enough to require standard commercial terms:

"Where an Exception or an Error at a Branch affects the reconciliation within the POL FS System, Fujitsu Services may be liable to pay liquidated damages to Post Office in lieu of any financial cost that Post Office may incur to resolve the Exception or Error either internally within the POL FS System or as part of a settlement adjustment with Clients."

The contractually established amounts:

• Transaction that cannot be delivered electronically - £100 per transaction
• Transaction that cannot be re-delivered after rejection - £150 per transaction
• Debit card exception requiring manual settlement - £353.47
• Processing costs per exception - £125.06

Why establish liquidated damages if you believe the system is reliable?

These aren't provisions for rare, catastrophic failures. These are standard commercial terms for managing expected regular failures at scale.

The "100+ errors per month" assumption

Buried in this section is perhaps the most remarkable admission:

"The Parties acknowledge that the fundamental commercial assumptions underlying the provisions of this section 2.3.4.11 are that (i) the total number of Debit Card Exceptions or Errors in any calendar month shall not exceed 100 and (ii) the total number of Debit Card Exception or Error Reimbursements in any calendar month shall not exceed 20."

Read that again carefully:

• Both parties contractually assumed at least 100 debit card exceptions per month
• This was just for one transaction type (debit cards)
• This was the baseline commercial assumption for normal operations
• The contract requires renegotiation if actual numbers exceed this baseline

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Remote data correction without branch knowledge

Perhaps the most disturbing provision authorises Fujitsu to modify transaction data without branch knowledge or involvement:

"Where there is a need to correct Exceptions or Errors, the Reconciliation Service may make corrective assumptions, based upon the format and content of previous valid records of the same type, if no other detail is available."

The contract explicitly authorises:

• Identification of errors in centrally held transaction data
• Making "corrective assumptions" about what data should contain
• Basing corrections on "previous valid records" rather than actual events
• Modifying transaction records without branch involvement

The contract specifies:

"In such cases, the Reconciliation Service will promptly inform Post Office of the assumption within the Working Day that the assumption has been made."

Post Office would be informed. Postmasters would not.

Once this was published another LinkedIn member pointed out that another evidence document on the Inquiry website shows that this 31 August 2006 document was a renamed version of an earlier document dated December 2001!

If you are remotely interested I suggest you read Brian Rogers' summary in its entirety.

 

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September postmark slogans and other interesting postal markings.

September starts (as August ended) with the default British Heart Foundation slogan.  Las year we had Air Ambulances week and 'Thinking of You' week one of the regular exhortations from the greetings card industry to 'send a card'.

Here's an early example of the BHF slogan that we received at home. This is from Peterborough Mail Centre dated 02-09-2025

British Heart Foundation slogan from Peterborough Centre 02-09-2025

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As expected the slogan for Air Ambulance Week has now appeared.  Thanks to PC for this one from South East Anglia Mail Centre 06/09/2025.

Support your
Air Ambulance

Air Ambulance Week
September 9th - 15th

Support Your Air Ambulance slogan South East Anglia Mail Centre 06/09/2025

Update 18 September.   DW sent this copy of the other layout for the Air Ambulance from Inverness Mail Centre on the same date.

Support Your Air Ambulance slogan Inverness Mail Centre 06-09-2025

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Update 18 September.   As predicted the annual Send A Card campaign supporting the Greetings Card Industry has its slogan this week.  Here's an example from Peterborough on 16 September thanks to KH.

The slogan repeats the format from previous years.

Send A Card
Deliver A Smile for
Thinking of You Week
15th-22st September 2025

 

Thinking of You Week slogan used at Peterborough Mail Centre 16-09-2025

From SS in Canada, the other layout - not the best example - from Birmingham Mail Centre 16/09/2025. (?)

Thinking of You Week slogan used at Birmingham Mail Centre 16/09/2025

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Update 6 October.  Well done to the Red Roses for winning the Women's Rugby World Cup by beating Canada a week or so ago.  Royal Mail marked the win with a special slogan postmark, but I have no idea when it started or finished as their website is silent and the 29 September announcement on X provided no details.

The Women's Rugby World Cup.

Template for Women's Rugby World Cup slogan 28-09-2025.

I was surprised to find an example on my doormat when I got back from holiday - but no emails from any readers.  Surely someone must have one?  Here's a five line example from Tyneside NE/SR Mail Centre 29/09/2025.

Women's Rugby World Cup slogan Tyneside NE/SR 29/09/2025.

So aside from any other examples, that's it for September (and it may have rolled into October.)

UPDATE 27 October:  the World Cup slogan did continue into October, and at last we have an image of the other - four line - layout (thanks RW) from Mount Pleasant Mail Centre 29-09-2025.

Women's Rugby World Cup slogan Mount Pleasant Mail Centre 29/09/2025.

 

 

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Other postmarks and postal markings, etc

I haven't seen any news reports about this postbox repainted recently in Dartford, reported by Lars Tåders.  Let us know if you see any more - although as they are almost certainly unofficial I probably won't give them too much publicity.

I suppose commercial sponsorship of postboxes would be another way to make money but I don't think this will happen!

Other postmarks.

Thanks to JB for these two examples of postmarks from Lincoln.   The first is from the Delivery Office, and the second from Sincil Street post office.

Lincoln Delivery Office handstamp on a receipt 18 July 2025.

Sincil Street Lincoln B post office counter self-inking datestamp 22 July 2025.

 

This branch is interesting because it is not in Sincil Street!   Following consultation the branch was relocated to Unit 7, The Stonebow Centre, Silver Street, Lincoln, LN2 1DY in 2021.   It seems it has retained the same handstamp.   This may be because the shop relocated under the same ownership and the postmaster decided they didn't want to pay for a new datestamp with the new location's wording.

Sincil Street, Lincoln, Post Office in the Stonebow Centre Silver Sreet, not in Sincil St.
Image from Google Streetview

 

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

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Post Office link with Evri for collections from retail premises

This van was spotted collecting from a Dereham OneStop shop.  The shop does not include a Post Office but is an Evri Parcelshop.

We can also post our parcels at some Post Office branches - Dereham's [Crown] Office offers DPD and Evri as well as ParcelForce and Royal Mail.

Post Office Evri electric parcel van

Has anyone else see vans with this livery?

Post Office Ltd have been asked for more details - watch this space. 

UPDATE:

By coincidence Boscombe East PO posted this on X yesterday.

Tweet on X from Boscombe East Post Office 24 June 2025

 

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Will there be new stamps from Post Office's new self-service kiosks?

Post Office Limited (POL) has awarded a contract for the supply of new SSKs to imageHolders - that may mean new stamps, time will tell.  

This was first reported in January on the annual Post and Go News post; more information is now available.  

From the Postage labels of the uk blog:

With the old NCR units on their way out, the Post Office is preparing to introduce new self-service machines. These new machines will continue to offer a wide range of services, but with improved technology, they will likely focus on contactless and card payments. This transition could mean more convenient and secure transactions for customers, but for collectors, the big question remains: will the new devices continue to offer the same collectible “Post and Go” labels?

The new machines will be equipped with the latest technology, and while it’s unclear whether they will provide the same unique stamps, many collectors are hopeful that new, limited edition stamps and postmarks will be introduced with the new systems.

The Final Year for NCR Kiosks

For now, collectors still have a chance to visit the NCR kiosks before they are replaced. These final months will offer a last opportunity to obtain stamps from these machines, which have produced some iconic labels over the years. Whether you’re looking to add to your collection of “Open Value” stamps or seek out a machine-specific code, this is the time to make those visits to your local post office before the NCR units are retired.

This is the new machine:

With thanks to Brian Sinnott and Elliot J.

Brian also writes:

Design Highlights

Sleek, Space-Saving Build: The new kiosk fits seamlessly into tighter branch layouts without sacrificing functionality.

Integrated Parcel Sizing: Automated sizing and weighing hardware is built into the core unit, eliminating bulky add-ons and streamlining the user experience.

Dual-Mode Control Panel: A high-resolution touchscreen paired with tactile buttons ensures compliance with DDA accessibility standards.

Stamps on Demand
These kiosks aren’t just parcels and labels—we’re expecting a new series of ‘Post and Go’ style stamps - watch this space for information as soon as know

For the first time, collectors can capture not only photos of the kiosk’s streamlined chassis but also potentially secure trial-only stamp prints directly from the machine. Stay tuned for branch locations hosting the live pilot—and prepare your albums for a fresh wave of new collectables.

Royal Mail have been asked to comment on 'new stamps'.

 

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January 2025 slogan postmarks and other interesting postal markings - and boxes.

After Christmas the default slogan for British Heart Foundation (BHF) returned, and this continued into January.  There ought to be one for Burns Night towards the end of the month, so look out for that.

RW has sent this example of the BHF slogan dated 09/01/2025 from Tyneside NE/SR Mail Centre. 

Default British Heart Foundation slogan used Tyneside NE/SR Mail Centre 09/01/2025

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Update 28 January  I'm a little behind on these but there has only been one new slogan so far.  As far as I know Royal Mail did not commemorate Burns Night (25th January) this year.  I think the last one was in 2021.

However a recurring one is for Holocaust Memorial Day, and here is the Royal Mail publicity image.

Holocaust Memorial Day publicity picture.

Holocaust
Memorial Day
For a Better Future
27 January 2025

Examples of both layouts have been supplied by readers.  RW sent one from South East Anglia, and MD sent one from Glasgow: both are dated 23 January.

Holocaust Memorial Day used at Glasgow 23-01-2025

Holocaust Memorial Day used at South East Anglia 23/01/2025

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Update 3 February 2025

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

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

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Other postmarks and postal markings

MD also sent this not too clear example of a self-inking datestamp from the Post Office branch at Summerton Glasgow.

Summerston Glasgow self-inking datestamp 21 JA 25

Summerston is in the Asda Superstore in the north Glasgow suburb of Maryhill.  There was a time when Post Office signs were always large, and often mounted at right-angles to the building so that they could be identified from a distance.  This one is mounted flat on the building, so at least you can see it when you have parked, though if you don't know that it is within the store, maybe you wouldn't know where to park.

Asda Superstore, Summerston, Maryhill, Glasgow.

Jan W sent another example of a dotted counter stamp, this one from Broomhall Drive, Corstophine, Edinburgh.  The branch has been located within the Day-Today Express at 37 Broomhall Drive since October 2023.  Google's car last went past in 2020 so there is no signage, but the postbox was there then, suggesting that this might have been the location of the post office branch before that.

 

Broomhall Drive PO self-inking datestamp - new type with Morse Code border 9 December 2024.

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Postboxes  

Not long after our return from Ireland, I showed some pictures of Irish postboxes, and PD sent this rare example of a British Edward VII pillar box which is in Stephen St, Sligo, (Photo taken in Sept 2023).

Rare Edward VII British Pillar Box in Sligo, Rep of Ireland.

RS has sent some more pictures of Irish boxes, Victorian in Killarney, Edward VII in Tipperary (similar to the one above), and George V in Dublin.  BW points out that the George V boxes are not as common as Edward VII because independence came part way through the reign in 1922.

Old Postboxes UK Facebook page

 

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

 

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