Norvic Philatelics Blog

Slogan postmarks for August? Maybe - and other interesting postmarks and news

2026-08-18T12:09:24.339+01:00

We are a 18 days through August but so far I have had no reports of new slogans. Mind you, with the low amount of stamped mail anyone receives these days - apart from dealers and other collectors - it's hardly surprising that we have had no reports yet, not even for the default British Heart Foundation (BHF) slogan.

Mind you, the BHF slogan may not continue for much longer. John F reports seeing this on Royal Mail's website:

Royal Mail are working in partnership with the charity Missing People to raise awareness of their support services for anyone who may be thinking about disappearing, anyone already away from home, or friends and family with a missing loved one.

Update: John has advised that this partnership has been running for a number of years - although I've never seen any evidence of 'raising awareness' - so it is unlikely that it will replace the BHF slogan.

On which subject I received two today, sadly on the same envelope from Sheffield Mail Centre. Margaret also sent one from Home Counties North, date unclear.

British Heart Foundation slogan Sheffield Mail Centre 17 August 2026

British Heart Foundation slogan Home Counties North ?? August 2026

UPDATE 20 August. I am pleased to say that SS in Canada has now returned from holiday and has sent a couple of items for inclusion here. Out of 11 UK packages only three were postmarked and on one the stamps were pen-cancelled. The other 7 had nothing! Anyway, here is a much clearer BHF slogan from Birmingham Mail Centre on 11/08/2026.

British Heart Foundation slogan Birmingham Mail Centre 11 August 2026

Other postmarks and postal markings

At the time of writing I haven't found anything to show here, but in the absence of anything new I shall probably delve into history!

Another one from SS in Canada, who received this package from Wotton Under Edge in Gloucestershire. Nice use of the top three values of the datamatrix Machin stamps and 3 x 20p for the £8.60 up to 100 g rate International Tracked and Signed.

Wotton Under Edge self-inking datestamp 27 July 2026

The post office is in the Co-operative supermarket in Long Street (Google Streetview 2025)

A dull day in Wotton Under Edge, outside the post office, July 2025.

Remember, slogan postmarks appearing in August 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.

The nation's favourite.... Pets? 5 x 2nd, 5 x 1st issued 20 August 2026.

2026-08-13T00:01:00.000+01:00

Conscious that they have issued pet stamps before, Royal Mail have expanded the range from cats and dogs and cats & dogs in one set, to show a range of ten pets including fish, reptiles, rodents and of course a cat and dog (kitten and puppy).

Their write-up:

For centuries pets have held a cherished place in our homes and hearts. From the soothing purr of a cat to the joyful wag of a dog’s tail, animals enrich our lives with companionship, loyalty, and boundless affection. This special stamp issue celebrates the everyday animals that share our lives and shape our stories—whether curled at our feet, perched on a favourite branch, or bustling about in lively tanks and hutches.

Five x 2nd class and five x 1st class stamps feature some of the much loved domestic companions, capturing the unique personality, charm, and character that make pets such treasured members of our families. Beyond their adorable faces, these animals represent comfort, friendship, emotional support, and the simple joys that brighten even the busiest days.

The stamps

2nd class: Rabbit, goldfish, hamster, tortoise, budgerigars.
1st class: Fancy rat, dog, cat, cockatiel, guinea pig.

Technical Details

The 35 mm square stamps are printed in lithography on gummed paper by Cartor Security Printers Ltd in two sheets of 50, perforated 14½. Apparently no third-party design studio was involved, it was just a case of book the photographer for 'bring your pet to work day'.

Update: I find that the FDC insert provides some more details about the images used: The Cockatiel is © cynoclub/iStock/Getty Images Plus; goldfish is © Life on White/Alamy Stock Photo; all others © Warren Photographic Ltd.

Products available

Set of 10 stamps, first day cover, presentation pack, stamp cards, framed set (£40)

UPDATE:

It's been pointed out on Postcrossing and by Linn's Stamp News that the same goldfish previously appeared in the USPS Pets set in August 2016. It's available on the Shutterstock image website.

Four of the USPS Pets stamps issued in August 2016

Hoard of aerogrammes found - ideal for social writing or for putting on parcels.

2026-08-07T10:44:40.748+01:00

Aerogrammes have not been issued by Royal Mail for many years but they can still be used.

Originally they could be purchased singly, or in packs of 10, or promotional packs of 6, some of which contained a surprise pictorial edition behind the five plain ones. I wrote about the inception and early history here. They all had a face value until Christmas 1988; after that most had a non-value indicator although Christmas 1989 was 30p.

Many commemorative editions were issued, mostly by the Scottish Postal Board, and some packs of attractive thematic designs. Christmas editions were also issued, and these and a few others exist in Welsh editions.

Note: All the trains are sold except for a used set. Most of the birds are gone but I still have some odds, no full sets. Many non-illustrated ones still in stock, plus a selection of pictorial and Christmas.

Importantly if you still write real letters to friends abroad - or want to surprise them - these are still valid for normal use. In addition, like any other item of postal stationery they can be fixed to large packets and parcels (see below) and their postage value is currently £3.60.

I have over 150 of these which I can offer for £1.50 each, with further discounts for large quantities. Postage is free in the UK for payment by bank transfer or cheque and subsidised for collectors outside the UK.

Please leave a comment [you MUST use a name, not Anonymous] saying how many you want and if you have any preference for type AND send an email to my usual address with your details (it's ian@norphil.co.uk). Once your comment is published you will know that I have seen it, and I'll answer emails as soon as possible.

Example of 26p aerogramme fixed to a large letter sent to China.

New Royal Mail Stocklist: Reduced memorabilia and End of Sale dates

2026-08-03T11:28:16.391+01:00

My thanks to JohnH for alerting me to the availability of a new stock list which can be downloaded from Royal Mail's website here.

Not so long ago we were told that there would be variable 'off-sale' dates depending on an issue's popularity, with more popular issues staying on sale for longer, while less popular issues could be taken off sale in less than 12 months and others might just stay 'While Stocks Last'.

That doesn't seem to have happened after the initial flurry of announcements and now we're told that all these issues will be going off sale on 31 December 2026. Note that Stamp Souvenirs (= unaddressed FDCs) go off sale at different dates to the stamps, usually a year after the issue date.

Dogs, Dungeons & Dragons, Harry Potter, Peppa Pig, Porridge, Red Arrows, Spice Girls, The Tower of London, The Who, Winston Churchill.

The last Stocklist I kept a copy of was April 2025. This one is markedly different, and confusing - although some changes may be deliberate I suspect they are not all deliberate.

1. The issues in each section (mint Stamps, miniature sheets, presentation packs etc.) are listed alphabetically rather than chronologically.

2. The off-sale dates are shown in the British format, ie 31/12/2026 or 21/05/27 (yes, some have the year in two digits, some in four!) But the issue dates are shown in the US format, ie 11/27/2025 for Queen Victoria or - more confusingly - 5/1/2025 for the Valor and Victory set which was issued in May.

I would normally be able to write "Everything issued in 2023-24 will be off sale at the end of this year except...." but finding the exceptions is slightly more difficult because of these changes. So if you want any of these special issues it might be worth checking - and order well before Christmas to be certain.

3. The definitives are listed in alphabetical order - which means that they are in no sensible order at all because of the descriptions used.

King Charles Definitive full sheet £1.00 x 25

King Charles Definitive full sheet 10p x 25

King Charles Definitive full sheet 1p x 25

King Charles Definitive full sheet 20p x 25

... lead on to...

King Charles Low Value definitives - £1.00

King Charles Low Value definitives - 10p

King Charles Low Value definitives - 1p

Then the October Tariff 2025 trio come before the Tariff 2024 trio, and the Tariff 2025. The best thing would probably be to list them in product code order which would probably be more useful for collectors.

I know people at Royal Mail look here from time to time, so I hope they take this as constructive criticism - what works for them doesn't always work for the people it's intended for, and why change anyway?

Sale!

Some of the products issued for going off-sale at the end of the year are now being offered at reduced prices - not the stamps of course! So the Dogs postcards, listed in the Stocklist at £4.50 are reduced to £2.25 on the website. The other products are mainly gold replicas, framed products, souvenirs, medal & coin covers etc.

Flying in the post - Military Jets, set of 8, MS, etc, issued 30 July 2026

2026-07-23T00:01:00.000+01:00

You could argue, with some justification, that the Royal Air Force has had more than its fair share of stamp issues over the years, but Royal Mail is concentrating here in the evolution of jet aircraft with passenger jets being covered by a set of five in 2002.

Of course 'RAF Jets' means some more repeat visits, notably the Avro Vulcan which gets the full treatment this time. One subject that doesn't specifically get a revisit this time is the Red Arrows.

From Royal Mail

2026 marks a number of important anniversaries in the evolution of Jet Aircraft and Royal Mail is delighted to recognise these key events with a set of commemorative stamps in celebration of some of the British military’s most iconic jet aircraft alongside the story of Sir Frank Whittle and the development of the jet propulsion engine.

This year mark 50 years since the Hawker Siddeley Hawk entered service in 1976, 70 years since the Gloster Javelin and Avro Vulcan entered service in 1956, and 80 years since the de Havilland Vampire first entered service in 1946.

This year is also 30 years since the death of Sir Frank Whittle (1 June 1907 – 8 August 1996) an English engineer, inventor and Royal Air Force officer who is credited with co-creating the jet propulsion engine.

In 2002, Whittle was ranked number 42 in the BBC poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. The Medal Cover in this product range celebrates Sir Frank Whittle’s impressive career.

The Stamps

Set of 8 x 1st class stamps featuring Military Jets issues 30 July 2026

Sheet 1: Gloster Meteor F1, Gloster Javelin FAW9, Hawker Siddeley Hawk T1, Avro Vulcan B2

Sheet 2: De Havilland Vampire FB5, Panavia Tornado GR4, Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2B, Lockheed Martin D- 35B Lightning IIÏ

Miniature Sheet

2026 marks 30 years since the death of Sir Frank Whittle, the Pioneer of the Jet Aircraft, who is the focus of our Miniature Sheet. Whittle developed the jet propulsion engine and this Miniature sheet includes four 1st class stamps featuring photographs of him throughout his career.

Military Jet Aircraft: Frank Whittle miniature sheet of 4 x 1st class stamps issued 30 July 2026

Technical details and acknowledgements

The 41 x 30 mm stamps are from Webb & Webb Design Ltd printed in lithography with ordinary gum by Cartor Security Printers in two sheets of 48 perforated 14½x14. The 146 x 74 mm miniature sheet contains 41 x 30 mm stamps perforated 14½x14.

RAF logos are trade marks of the UK Secretary of State for Defence and used under licence. llustrations: Gloster Meteor F1, Gloster Javelin FAW9, Avro Vulcan B2 and Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2B © Chris French; Hawker Siddeley Hawk T1, De Havilland Vampire FB5 and Panavia Tornado GR4 © Paul Couper; Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II © Alex Hamilton.

Frank Whittle at RAF Cranwell, c.1925 © Estate of Frank Whittle; Frank Whittle at his desk, c.1945 © IWM TR 3737; Frank Whittle with his WU turbojet, c.1988 © SSPL/Getty Images; Frank Whittle with his research team, 1944 and background image of Frank Whittle using a slide rule, 1944 © James Jarche/Popperfoto via Getty Images

Collector Sheet and 'Fan Sheet'.

This ten stamp Collectors Sheet (£19.20) showcases the stunning illustrations of the set of 8 stamps, plus 2 each of the Gloster Meteor and De Havilland Vampire. The 10 stamps are paired with photographs of the aircraft in flight against a backdrop of a Gloster Javelin FAW7 in flight.

The Avro Vulcan B2 Fan Sheet (£8) celebrates aviation history with the iconic Avro Vulcan B2 —Britain’s revolutionary delta-wing strategic bomber and Cold War legend. The Vulcan B2 embodied power and innovation when it came into service in 1960. This striking sheet includes 4 of the Avro Vulcan B2 1st class stamps and captures the spirit of one of the RAF’s most advanced and unforgettable jet aircraft of its time.

Products available

Set of 8 stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers (2), stamp cards (13), presentation pack, press sheet of 15 miniature sheets, Collector sheet, Fan sheet, medal cover (featuring the ms 25g silver-plated copper proof medallion, limited to 5,000 and priced at £25), framed set (£40), framed and signed enlarged illustration of the Meteor (limited to 200, price £150).

(The Gloster Meteor was previously shown in the Aircraft Designers issue of 1997, the Hawker Siddley Hawk and the Avron Vulcan in the Red Arrows issue of 2024, the Vulcan (shown at the top of this post) in the RAF Centenary set of 2018,

Relaunch of the Postal History of the World blog.

2026-07-19T11:37:03.637+01:00

Five years after I set it up I have made the first substantive post to my World Postal History blog.

Read about the connection between a registered airmail cover from Soviet Russia to England and a famous Hollywood film star.

Exploring Russian language, political place-name changing and industrial development, this story took an unexpected turn.

Closure of more than 50 post offices operated by Morrisons this summer.

2026-07-13T14:09:46.028+01:00

(From the Daily Express 12 July2026)

At least 52 Post Office branches are expected to shut by early October, according to analysis of Post Office consultation documents by Better Retailing. Many of the affected branches are in southern England, although closures are also planned across the UK in locations including York and Glamorgan. The Post Office is understood to be looking for replacement locations so affected communities can still access services.

Morrisons said the affected convenience stores had been unprofitable for some time and were acquired through its McColls £190million rescue deal in 2022.

Avon Drive Post Office, 18 Avon Drive, Bedford, MK41 7AF

Bewdley Post Office, 7 Load Street, Bewdley, DY12 2AF

Blackwater Post Office, 24 London Road, Blackwater, Camberley, GU17 9AA

Brigg Post Office, 8 Wrawby Street, Brigg, DN20 8ER

Burpham Post Office, 214 London Road, Burpham, Guildford, GU4 7JS

Calne Post Office, 21 Phelps Parade, Calne, SN11 0HA

Chalfont St Peter Post Office, 51-55 St Peters Court, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross, SL9 9QQ

Church Road Post Office, 96 Church Road, Barnes, London, SW13 0DQ

Clerkhill Post Office, Clerkhill Road, Peterhead, AB42 2XE

Coley Park Post Office, 56 Wensley Road, Coley Park, Reading, RG1 6DJ

Crown Wood Post Office, Crown Wood, Bracknell, RG12 0TH

Darras Hall Post Office, 25 The Broadway, Ponteland, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE20 9PW

Defoe Parade Post Office, 3 Defoe Parade, Grays, RM16 4QR

Downend Post Office, 4 Downend Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5UJ

Edinburgh Road Post Office, 69-71 Edinburgh Road, Jarrow, NE32 4BB

Fairfax Avenue Post Office, 161 Fairfax Avenue, Hull, HU5 4QZ

Fleet Post Office, 229 Fleet Road, Fleet, GU51 3HH

Goldsworth Park Post Office, 5 Denton Way, Woking, GU21 3LG

Great Baddow Post Office, The Vineyards, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, CM2 7QS

Greystoke Avenue Post Office, 12 Arnside Road, Southmead, Bristol, BS10 6AT

Grove Hill Post Office, 3 Grove Hill Centre, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 6BJ

Hallgrove Post Office, 10 Hallgrove, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 4PH

Hassocks Post Office, 44 Keymer Road, Hassocks, BN6 8AR

Heatherside Post Office, 8 Heatherside Arcade, Heatherside, GU15 1AX

Horley Post Office, Unit 4 Consort Way, Horley, RH6 7AF

Hundredstone Post Office, 53 Glenthorne Avenue, Yeovil, BA21 4PN

Ifield Drive Post Office, Ifield Drive, Crawley, RH11 0DQ

Jansel Square Post Office, 35 Jansel Square, Aylesbury, HP21 7ET

Leominster Post Office, 1-3 South Street, Leominster, HR6 8JA

Locks Bottom Post Office, 336-338 Crofton Road, Orpington, BR6 8NW

Longfield Post Office, 69 Station Road, Longfield, DA3 7QA

Luton Post Office, 214 Luton Road, Chatham, ME4 5BS

Manston Drive Post Office, 3 Snowley Parade, Bishops Stortford, CM23 5EP

Marshalswick Post Office, 29 The Quadrant, Marshalswick, St Albans, AL4 9RE

Montague Avenue Post Office, 53 Montague Avenue, Southampton, SO19 0QB

Murch Post Office, The Parade, Dinas Powys, CF64 4NR

New Ash Green Post Office, 19-21 The Row, New Ash Green, Longfield, DA3 8JB

New Milton Post Office, 75-77 Station Road, New Milton, BH25 6JD

North Parade Post Office, 16-18 North Parade, Chessington, KT9 1QF

Radyr Post Office, 10 Station Road, Radyr, Cardiff, CF15 8AA

Riverview Park Post Office, 4-6 The Alma, Gravesend, DA12 4NG

Rochford Post Office, 14 West Street, Rochford, SS4 1AJ

Shortstown Post Office, North Drive, Shortstown, Bedford, MK42 0TL

Stephenson Square Post Office, 10 Stephenson Square, Walsall, WS2 7DY

Surbiton Post Office, 2-3 Victoria Road, Surbiton, KT6 4JU

Taunton Road Post Office, 135 Taunton Road, Bridgwater, TA6 6BD

Thatcham Post Office, 54-55 The Broadway, Thatcham, RG19 3HP

The Neighbourhood Centre Post Office, 9 The Neighbourhood Centre, Poole, BH17 9DW

The Oval Post Office, 17-19 The Oval, Stevenage, SG1 5RA

West Park Post Office, 444 Crownhill Road, West Park, Plymouth, PL5 2QT

Whipton Post Office, 352 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, EX4 8AJ

Woodthorpe Post Office, 51 Moorcroft Road, York, YO24 2RQ

I'll leave the experts to pick out which - if any- of these have Self-Service Kiosks (SSKs) and then I can make adjustments to the January Post & Go post.

This follows the announcement that Modella Capital's restructuring planes for its TG Jones (ex WH Smith) stores could see the closure of up to 60 stores. Some containing post offices - East Ham, Waltham Cross, Torquay, Hull, Ayr, Middleton and Solihul - are already earmarked for closure.

These are even more likely to have SSKs in as they often followed the closure of Crown or other major urban Post Offices.

Update from Lars Tåders 5 August:

I read with interest and dismay about all the closures of POs by Morrisons. I called in at the PO at Riverview Park on the south eastern corner of Gravesend yesterday and they will shut on Thursday [6th August]. All 3 of the POs near Gravesend that will close have recently been fitted with the new solar powered topped letterboxes, so the decision to close them was probably taken in a panic. I attach a picture of the Riverview Park PO and its letterbox.

Solar powered postbox outside Riverview Park branch at Gravesnd, Kent (picture supplied).

Thank you Lars.

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

2026-07-10T15:15:28.890+01:00

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Ireland's version of Post and Go - Stamps on a Roll.

2026-07-10T13:29:59.526+01:00

I was asked by a couple of collectors of Irish stamps to buy some of their Stamps on a Roll (SOAR) during my visit to Ireland last month.

I had bought one batch previously, but this gave me the opportunity to look more closely and learn about the stamps and the machines.

Aside from being a different format and type of machine to Royal Mail's Post and Go stamps, one important thing about these is that they are available at counters and from self-service kiosks - but the overprinting is different, of course, so there is plenty of scope for study.

The machines are also used for dropping off packages and bill-payment. This is one at Ennis the county town of County Clare.

The machines dispense three pre-set values - Domestic and Northern Ireland (€1.85), Europe (€3.50) and Worldwide (€3.95) for 100g.

At the counter you can theoretically buy stamps of any value, although your experience may vary. At the larger office in Castlebar (Co. Mayo) I was able to buy a set of 1c stamps. At Ballycroy (near Westport, Co. Mayo)) I was offered 10c stamps, and at Shannonbridge (Co. Offaly) they were reluctant to sell me anything less than 20c stamps.

The stamps shown are from the Art on a Stamp series. The 1c stamps are phase 3 which is a set of 4, the other two are phase 2, which is a set of 8. These were the stamps generally available from branch counters.

However, at Letterkeny, Co Donegal, the machine held the set of Irish Culture and Objects series 3 from 2019. For the purist a continuous strip of 16 to incorporate all the designs is desirable but due to the uncertainty of the operation of the machines, two strips of 8 are highly collectable.

Irish Culture and Objects series 3 from Letterkenny's self-service kiosk

I was always in a hurry, not wanting to delay a family holiday too much, so ordered 8 first (because that was all I needed if it had been the other set), and - not remembering all the detail (I don't collect them) - ordered another set and then 4 in case the set total was more than 16.

Sometimes An Post presents a particular challenge to collectors. The History of Ireland in 100 Objects series started in 2017 and many of the stamps are issued in the SOAR range.

However, others are issued in booklets, some NVIs with Domestic, Europe or World values I believe. Obviously the international ones will not be found as easily in Ireland, and the domestic ones not as easily outside Ireland.

A fascinating area of collecting. (But I'm not going to start now!)

I should have asked if any readers here wanted me to get any - I'll try to remember next time we visit.

A batch of King Charles Business Sheet stamps available

2026-07-10T12:33:50.235+01:00

Due to a cancelled order I can offer again some of the King Charles stamps which I offered back in the spring. There are two of each of these, in horizontal pairs which can be supplied as is, or split if nobody wants the pairs.

Business Sheets

M24L - 1st and 1st Large* - £19 (£38 for two)

M25L - 1st class - £2.50 (£5)

M26L - 2nd and 1st Large - £5 (£10)

Counter Sheets

M24L - 2nd Large, 1st Large £5.70 (£11.40)

M25L - 20p, 2nd, 1st - £3.40 (£6.80)

Booklets

M24L - 2nd and 1st MEIL - £3.25 (£6.50)

M25L - 2nd £1.50 (£3)

M26L - 1st, 1st Large - £6.25 (£12.50)

I would like these to be taken as a lot, or three lots as grouped above, but will consider other options.

Payment in UK by Bank Transfer or cheque.

Payment from international customer by UK or Euro Bank Transfer or PayPal.

Please email (addresses at top of right hand column).

Flying in the post - Moths set of 10, 9 July 2026

2026-07-03T15:48:24.142+01:00

According to Royal Mail

"There are over 2,500 moth species recorded in the United Kingdom, compared with around 80 butterflies, and they exhibit astonishing diversity, which is largely hidden to us humans because moths are mostly nocturnal.

Yet many moths do fly by day and are as beautiful as butterflies, including the emperor moth and the hedge beauty moth. Bizarrely, the female of the lesser bagworm moth does not have wings, legs or scales, the very things that define moths and butterflies as Lepidoptera, the scale-winged insects.

The number of species in the UK is rising as our warming climate encourages moths to move north from Europe, and as the warmth is allowing once rare southern species, such as the dark crimson underwing moth, to become much more widespread.

Moths have a four-stage life cycle: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (cocoon), and adult – which are typically, though not always, winged (like butterflies). During the caterpillar stage, they consume food, grow, and later undergo metamorphosis to emerge as adult moths.

Moths have a bad reputation as clothes-munchers, yet only two species in the UK eat wool and feathers. Caterpillars of others eat a remarkable range of food, including leaves, fruits, living and dead wood and even fungi.

The complete set of ten Moths stamps showcase beautiful illustrations by renowned wildlife artist Richard Lewington, bringing each moth species to life with exceptional detail and scientific accuracy.

This set is a vibrant celebration of British biodiversity, capturing moths in their natural settings and will appeal to nature enthusiasts and philatelists alike.

The stamps

Set of 5 x 2nd class and 5 x 1st class stamps showing moths, issued 9 July 2026

2nd class: Emperor Moth Saturnia pavonia, Puss Moth Cerura vinula, Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth Hemaris fuciformis, Dark Bordered Beauty Moth Epione vespertaria, December Moth Poecilocampa populi;
1st class: Dark Crimson Underwing Moth Catocala sponsa, Scarce Crimson and Gold Moth Pyrausta sanguinalis, Swallow-tailed Moth Ourapteryx sambucaria, Hedge Beauty Moth Alabonia geoffrella, Buff-tip Moth Phalera bucephala.

Technical details

The 37 x 35 mm stamps, designed by Frontmedia Studio using artwork by Richard Lewington, have been printed in litho on ordinary gummed paper by Cartor Security Printers in two sheets of 50 , se-tenant strips of 5.

Products available

Set of 10 stamps, first day cover, presentation pack, stamp cards - no collector sheet or framed products!

For more information on the United Kingdom's butterflies and moths visit Butterfly Conservation.

UK 2nd class post moves to alternate days

2026-06-30T16:18:28.374+01:00

The mail regulator OfCom announced this time last year that a major reform to the Universal Service Obligation (USO) would be take place which would allow Royal Mail (RM) to reduce the frequency of 2nd class letter delivery.

After small area trials, RM said that this process would be rolled out across the country and that they would deliver 2nd class letters on alternate days only, Monday to Friday, with no 2nd class letter delivery on Saturdays. First class mail will continue six days a week and parcels seven days a week.

Several people have sent me copies of the door-drop leaflet which explains this to households (thank you!). As these seem to be spreading across the country I didn't give it a high priority while I had other things to write about and it was very hot.

But here, especially for international readers, is the leaflet.

If you can't read the small print, click on the image for an enlargement.

That isn't specific, and you have to visit the website to see it explained. But the 3-day promise might mean delivery on Day 7.

The Royal Mail website has the to be expected "why we're doing this" and this will enable us to "deliver a more reliable and sustainable service for you in the future".

The 'deliver in three days' aim will produce this, which clearly shows that there are some days when it makes no sense to send 2nd class.

I'm not sure how this works. If a letter is posted to be on Monday then I might get it on Thursday. But if this is the week (Week A) when I get three 2nd class deliveries, I won't get it until Friday - unless by some error it is delivered on Wednesday. And if it's posted on Tuesday on a B Week, then I won't get it until the following Monday.

That is probably acceptable for most incoming mail, but the charts they show on their website are not accurate.

UPDATE 7 July.
A postman I spoke to said that the new system is not yet fully implemented at their Delivery Office but that so far there is no 2nd class delivery on Saturday. When implemented they will use Week A in the diagram above, ie everyone will get mail on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week. This may change as the system beds in.

More interestingly the delivery pyramid is now

Special Delivery & Parcels*
1st class stamped
Tracked24/48 & 1st class
2nd class per the plan

The prioritisation of 1st class stamped mail reflects that it will generally be social mail (with most business mail being 2nd class and/or postage paid impression/meter). So small (stamp dealer) businesses using stamps on their mail should be an improvement in delivery times to their customers.

* Most local delivery offices were built decades ago and laid out for mass letter volumes and fewer parcels so delivery of parcels on day 1 is essential to avoid congestion now that there is so much mail order business.

The bulk of letter post is 2nd class. By switching that to alternate days each delivery person will be expected to do the normal round and then half of another round.

Australia Post did it differently when they made the change, but I'm not sure their leaflet is any easier to understand, and they certainly should have corrected a few typos here.

Again, it's all for our own benefit.

Some 2nd class mail doesn't have a clear date on which it was posted, so we can never be sure how well the service is performing.

But I doubt it will persuade many of us to pay twice as much for 1st class.

Five New Machin Priority Service Stamps - 28 February 1995

2026-06-25T15:03:31.745+01:00

In February 2009 Royal Mail issued the first self-adhesive definitive NVIs and high values stamps with new security features. This was the birth of the Machin Security Stamps which indirectly lead to the bulk of posts on this blog over the next decade.

Then in November two surprise additions to the series were added, the Recorded Signed For 1st class and 1st class Large to “satisfy an operational demand at Post Office counters”.

As we know these were self-adhesive, die cut, with security features, with slits through the stamp and with iridescent printing across the design. The slits were said to be designed to inhibit the removal of these Stamps for fraudulent sale and re-use.

But although this was described as an innovation it wasn't actually new – the concept originated in 1994, as shown in an internal Royal Mail document found by one of our contributors MM.

This document shows that Royal Mail were considering special stamps for Priority Servics with what would seem to be the very same security features.

“The stamps will be self-adhesive and die-cut, 25 to a sheet, with additional security features because of he stamp's premium.”

Design: a centrally-placed embossed Machin head (29.5 mm), with the service indicator at the bottom of the stamp which would be of similar colour and branding to the specific services. Unfortunately there are no pictures (in any case it is a black and white potocopy) and we don't know what colours they were planning. I suspect predominently dark blue iwith different inscriptions, per this leaflet.

(More on the new labelling and system below.)

The costs of the service, and therefore of the stamps, is shown as follows.

Recorded Delivery - 55p

Special Delivery - £2.70

Registered - £3.00

Registered Plus to £1500 - £3.30

Registered Plus to £2200 - £3.60

Note that these are supplementary stamps – in addiition to 1st class postage (or a choice of 2nd or 1st for Recorded Delivery) for the weight concerned.

The issue date was to be 28 February 1995 with stamp cards (PHQ cards), presentation packs, and “philatelic souvenir covers”, which is an odd way of saying First Day Covers.

The alternative postmark was Windsor (with the primary one obviously being Philatelic Bureau Edinburgh).

No printer was identified at this stage.

Click on the image to see it enlarged

So what happened? Why did this apparently good idea, suggested with the new 1993 branding, fail to be implemented?

Was it problems with Post Office counters, with users, with separation of the different classes in the mail stream?

Maybe someone decided that using an extra stamp for the priority service would be a problem, although it could reduce the number of stamps required. (Stamp dealers of course would have plenty of other value postage to use!)

One thing I do know – if these had been introduced in 1994 as planned, I would not have been as involved in Machin Security Stamps as I came to be in 2009/10 etc. At that time I had not retired, and my interest in Machins was far reduced from its previous peak, and my focus switched to the stamps and postal history of the countries of the Former Soviet Union.

On the other hand, I would have been able to put more focus onto the aforementioned, and Great Britain modern postal history and usages, and I might not have as many boxes to go through now.

More on Priority Services.

When introduced in 1961 Recorded Delivery used yellow labels which over the years varied to several different shades of orange. Registered Mail, of course, had used numbered blue 'R” labels for over a century, and Special Delivery was identified by a white on green label for many decades.

The June 1993 leaflet 'Now Even Better” illustrated the labels for the new services (shown above), which used dark blue in all cases, which I thought could lead to confusion compared with the previous system. Although the labels stuck on envelopes and packets had different text, further confusion was possible for users as the Registered and Special Delivery (SD) forms were both headed Guaranteed Delivery. In fact it really made no difference to processing as both Guaranteed Delivery services provided the same service, the only difference being that SD paid up to £24 compensation, and Registered paid up to £500.

Recorded retained an orange aspect, Registered had a light blue background to the number labels, and SD had an orange background to the number labels. Soon afterwards pre-paid postal stationery envelopes were introduced.

From the top, Registered Plus, indicated by the pale blue + at the foot, Registered, and Special Delivery which is lighter blue.

Here's an example from March 1994.

It's impossible to know, apart from by the postage paid, which service is being used (and not necessarily then!). In this case postage is £3.08 which is 38p first class postage for a 40-100 g first class letter plus £2.70 Special Delivery fee.

For the delivery postman it is clear that this is a priority item, but for tracking at any stage from the post office counter to delivery the barcode on the reverse has to be scanned. Did posties carry any barcode readers then?

By 1995 a further rebranding introduced the Silver Service for inland Special Delivery and from from 12th October 1998 they were all combined into a single rebranded service under the Special Delivery banner. (GB Philatelic Society)

This is an interesting and relatively short-lived period in British Postal History affecting more expensive mail than just ordinary letters. Material is not easy to find, but stamp dealers were always big users of premium services and their covers are more likely to be kept.

I've got more like the one above, but not many. This will be the subject of a post on the Modern Postal History blog some time.

Waterfalls - 2nd & 1st class stamps issued 23 June 2026

2026-06-22T11:20:47.346+01:00

Tomorrow, June 23rd, Royal Mail will issue a set of 10 stamps depicting Waterfalls across the United Kingdom. The set consists of 5 each of 2nd class and 1st class stamps.

Normally, under the heading "Reason and Inspiration" in the information pack provided to dealers there are a couple of paragraphs explaining why this subject and why now, but in this case it is just one short sentence:

A celebration of some of the UK's most enchanting and spectacular waterfalls from across the four nations of the UK.

So that describes what we see, and indeed it is true that we are attracted to waterfalls, the sound and sight of water gushing over a precipice or rocks as sometimes thousands of gallons a minute hurtle past us on the way to the sea, even though they pale into insignificance when compared to some of the giants of the world. Alongside is one that we found near Crossconnell in the Republic of Ireland, that was well worth the short walk. (And I can recommend The Rusty Nail in the village for a good meal and a good pint!)

Attractive stamps and if they are used some people will recognise places that they have visited, while others my be inspired to visit locations that they have never been to, even though they may live not far away. The key there is, "if they are used" - please report any non-philatelic usage you see!

The stamps

5 x 1st class, 5 x 2nd class stamps depicting waterfalls issued 23 June 2026.

Details

2nd class: Rogie Falls: Near Contin, Ross-shire, Scottish Highlands, Scotland. On the River Blackwater, famous for salmon leaping the falls.
Pollnagollum Cave: Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. Pollnagollum Cave Waterfall is a small waterfall within the Belmore Forest. Polnagollum Cave was a filming location for Game of Thrones.
Aysgarth Falls: Lower Wensleydale, North Yorkshire, England. A series of broad stepped waterfalls on the River Ure within the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Pistyll Rhaeadr: Near Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Powys, Wales. Often cited as the tallest single-drop waterfall in Wales.
Becky Falls: Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England. A woodland waterfall trail with granite cascades.
1st class: Hardraw Force: Hardraw, near Hawes, North Yorkshire. England's highest single-drop waterfall on Hardraw Beck.
Rhaeadr y Graig Lwyd (Conwy Falls): Near Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, North Wales. A powerful waterfall on the River Conwy, just downstream of Fairy Glen.
Fairy Pools of Glen Brittle: Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides, Scotland. Crystal-clear pools and cascades on the Allt Coir' a' Mhadaidh below the Cullin mountains.
High Force: Upper Teesdale, County Durham. One of England's most dramatic waterfalls, on the River Tees.
Ess‐na‐Larach (Eas na Larach): ~~Scottish Highlands. A lesser-known Highland waterfall; the name is Gaelic and may appear with slight spelling variations depending on map/source.~~ My thanks to KW for pointing out an error here, which is confirmed by Royal Mail's own map: Ess-na-Larach is in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Technical details and acknowledgements

Studio Mean is responsible for the design of the 37 x 35 mm stamps which are printed in litho on gummed paper by Cartor Security Printers in sheets of 50, perforated 14½ x 14. The 2nd class have a single central phosphor band and the 1st class two bands.

Rogie Falls, photograph © Simon Hird, featured with kind permission of Forestry and Land Scotland; Pollnagollum Cave, photograph © Ken Stone, featured with kind permission of Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark. Aysgarth Falls, photograph © Robin Weaver/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority; Pistyll Rhaeadr, photograph © Alan Williams/naturepl.com, featured with kind permission of Phillip Facey and January Elwood; Becky Falls, photograph © John Coombes/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Becky Falls Ancient Woodland Park; Hardraw Force, photograph © Stuart Hodgson, The Hiking Photographer, featured with kind permission of Hardraw Force Heritage Centre; Conwy Falls, photograph © Simon Stapley/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Conwy Falls Forest Park; Fairy Pools of Glen Brittle, photograph © George Maciver/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of the MacLeod Estate; High Force, photograph © steven gillis hd9 imaging/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Raby Estates; Ess-na-Larach, photograph © Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Locations, from the FDC filler card:

Locations of waterfalls shown on the stamps.

Products available

Set of 10 stamps, first day cover, presentation pack, stamp cards, framed set of mint stamps.

Coming up

News about the next stamp issue, Moths, should appear here around 2 July.

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

2026-06-16T17:36:39.894+01:00

There should be some new slogans in June. but we can start off with the British Heart Foundation standard slogan from Edinburgh Mail Centre on 01-06-2026, thanks to JH.

British Heart Foundation Edinburgh Mail Centre 01-06-2026

This will be interrupted in the next few days as Royal Mail honour our Armed Forces.

Armed Forces Week should start on 19 June for deliveries on 20th - 23rd.

Armed Forces Day should start on 23rd June for deliveries on 24th - 26th June.

The British Heart Foundation should follow again after that.

So let's hope some of us receive stamped mail with some of these usages.

Armed Forces Week 22nd - 28th June 2026. LT has sent a good example from Sheffield 20/06/2026, and JM a similar one from North West Midlands 22/06/2026

Armed Forces Week North West Midlands 22/06/2026

Armed Forces Week Sheffield Mail Centre 20/06/2026

I actually received one of these from Nottingham dated 23rd but it isn't as good as these!

Armed Forces Day 27 June 2026

Again, thanks to LT for one from Sheffield dated 26/06/2026 - a very clean example! And JM has sent a one at the other extreme. so much so that I can't work out where it is from!

Armed Forces Day Sheffield Mail Centre 26/06/2026

Armed Forces Day, ? Mail Centre 24?-06-2026

British Heart Foundation standard slogan was then reused; here's an example from Manchester Mail Centre 29/06/2026.

British Heart Foundation Manchester Mail Centre 29/06/2026

OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

This year marks the 50th birthday of the Postal Mechanisation Study Circle. I'm not a member of this (but I am a member of several specialist societies), but I exchange information with their Jeremy Meal.

"The Circle's liaison contact at Royal Mail has been able to produce a further development of our 25th (and before that, as an ordinary slogan die cancel, a 15th) Anniversary slogan for our current 50th Anniversary celebrations; kindly produced towards the end of May at Bristol MC on an IMP.

50th Anniversary of Postal Mechanisation Study Circle

Jeremy writes:

Please find attached a scan of the slogan itself (above) plus the whole envelope with the commemorative text description in the style of the previous series of PMSC covers, but not numbered 301 as we stopped production at 300 in the series.

I now have permission, on a first come first served basis, to make spares available (while stocks last!) to slogan collectors more widely but only on a one per person basis on application to me at the address on the cover at a price of £4 (UK), £7 (International) to cover production costs and mailing out.

Please make your cheque payable to the Postal Mechanisation Study Circle (written in full NOT abbreviated PMSC) and NOT made out to Jeremy but please remember to tell him your address so it can be posted back out to you!! Just to repeat, Jeremy's address is on the illustration of the cover here on this blog entry, please don't write to us at Norphil!

Jeremy has also sent a copy of the 'proof' showing how the slogan was set up. This also shows us that there might be space at the left of the place and date portion for something else.

Thanks to JF for these three branch postmarks. Firstly one that simply reads MARK 09 JUN 2026. Now if you didn't know there was a village with the simple name of MARK you might think that there was something missing! I actually went through it last year, when we were in Somerset. The origin of the name is believed to mean A boundary of property from the Old English mærc.

Mark, Somerset, Morse-style counter datestamp.

Mark Post Office & Village Stores from Google Streetview.

Staying in Somerset, the name of Windwhistle is a historic, rural hamlet and high ridge in South Somerset near Cricket St Thomas, best known for the 17th-century Windwhistle Inn, said to be the only pub with that name in the country - and now even that seems to be closed.

But the post office is in the Bournville area of Weston-Super-Mare (who knew that there was another one, where they don't make chocolate?!), and is apparently named after another Windwhistle inn (Facebook link) which opened in 1954, was replaced in 1963, and later demolished for more modern housing. (We visited a Windwhistle west of Christchurch in New Zealand; that one is a gorge rather than a ridge, used for white water sports.)

Windwhistle self-inking datestamp 30 DE 24

Windwhistle post office from Google Streetview 2024

Fore Street post office in Taunton, Somerset, is located in T G Jones, ex W H Smith, so it may not be in this location for much longer. JF obtained s copy of the self-inking datestamp dated 12 MY 26.

Fore Street Post Office self-inking datestamp 12 MY 26

Fore Stret Taunton from Google Streetview

There are many semi-anonymous postmarks in this blog, and MANOR STORES joins them as another one. This seems to actually be LOCKING post office, Somerset, which is located in a Spar Shop and which is quite difficult to see on the limited Google Streetview images.

Self-inking datestamp for Locking post office inscribed Manor Stores.

This Google Streetview snap from 2024 shows the Post Office sign quite clearly but only if there are no cars parked in front of the sign! In 2017 the logo on the building was higher, but the introduction of the Spar put a stop to that!

Locking (Somerset) post office, aka Manor Stores.

It can't have escaped your notice that this year marks the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America. They have a number of different nationwide slogans. RW has sent this example from Wichita KS, of the 'Freedom 250' slogan.

USPS Freedom 250 slogan Wichita KS, June 2026.

Remember, slogan postmarks appearing in June 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.

Oops - sorry I forgot to tell you we were taking a break!

2026-06-15T11:02:13.626+01:00

I'm back now from nearly four weeks in Ireland (via Holyhead, Wales, this time) which accounts for the silence here - sorry I forgot to announce it.

If you emailed you would have got an 'out of office' reply and if you posted a comment on the blog it would have been moderated as soon as we had good enough mobile data or wifi.

As soon as I have dealt with household administration and sorted out our next holiday arrangements (I had a call to pay the balance while I was in Co. Donegal!) I'll be back here with news of the next stamp issues (moths and military aircraft), news of postmark slogans, and a few pictures of things from Ireland.

Blog view figures

I don't really look at the detail very often, I just notice, from time to time, the figure ticking over. But I did just look at some peaks and there was clearly something amiss on a couple of occasions, so we shouldn't read too much into the figures.

This is for the MONTH of January 2025

But this was for a single day - can't be genuine visitors!

More Castles, set and miniature sheet - 21 May 2026

2026-05-14T00:05:00.000+01:00

The latest Royal Mail celebration of the United Kingdom's Castles introduces some that we haven't seen before, except perhaps on the Castles series of Smilers Sheets.

Information supplied:

Across the extent of the British Isles, our landscape is studded with castles, great and small. Some survive as houses or visitor attractions, others as ruins, earthworks or just shadows traced in the lines and names of streets in 21st-century cities and towns. Today, castles are objects of curiosity, but for centuries these buildings were great monuments at the heart of political, social and economic life.

This stamp set features photography of eight castles, from all four nations of the UK, dating from the Norman period onwards. The Miniature Sheet of four stamps celebrates four ‘Royal’ castles. These designs feature newly commissioned artworks by the British artist, Rob Ball.

Castles Stamps details

The Castles. Scotland: Uruquhart and Stirling; England: Warwick and Bamburgh; Wales: Raglan and Pembroke; Northern Ireland: Dunluce and Dundrum.

Technical details

Designed by Stand Up the 50 x 30 mm gummed stamps have been printed by Cartor Security Printers by lithography in four sheets of 60 (30 se-tenant pairs), perforated 14.

Dunluce Castle, photograph© Adam Burton/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of the Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities, Northern Ireland and Randal McDonnell, Earl of Antrim;
Dundrum Castle, photograph© scenicireland.com/Christopher Hill Photographic/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of the Historic Environment Division, Department for Communities, Northern Ireland;
Raglan Castle, photograph© Maciej Olszewski/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Cadw;
Pembroke Castle, photograph© Sebastian Wasek/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Pembroke Castle/Pembroke Castle Trust;
Urquhart Castle, photograph by Karol Kozlowski© robertharding/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Historic Environment Scotland;
Stirling Castle, photograph © John Carroll Photography/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind pennission of Historic Environment Scotland;
Warwick Castle, photograph by John Lamb/Getty Images, featured with kind permission of Merlin Entertainments;
Bamburgh Castle, photograph© SuxxesPhoto/Alamy Stock Photo, featured with kind permission of Mr Francis Watson-Annstrong

Miniature Sheet

Miniature Sheet of four 1st class stamps showing Royal Castles - Caernarfon, WIndsor, Balmoreal and Dover.

Technical details

Designed by Stand Up the 192 x 74 mm sheet printed by Cartor Security Printers by lithography contains four 60 x 30 mm gummed stamps using newly commissioned artwork by Rob Bell.

Collectors Sheet

A collectors sheet contains all 8 stamps from the set with accompanying labels which could of themselves have been the stamp designs. In fact the views of Raglan and Stirling used for the stamps are probably not as attractive as the labels. The collectors sheet is self-adhesive.

Self-adhesive Castles Collectors Sheet of 8 stamps and relevant labels.

Products available

Set of 8 stamps, miniature sheet, presentation pack, first day covers (2), stamp cards, press sheet of 10 miniature sheets, and framed set, miniature sheet, and collectors sheet (£39.99 each).

First day cover filler card

Click on any image to see a larger version.

Celebrating Britain Collector Sheet: Morecambe and Wise 14 May 2026

2026-05-14T00:00:00.000+01:00

Royal Mail's second 'Celebrating Britain' Collector Sheet has been announced as celebrating the comedy double act Morecambe and Wise, and will be made available on 14 May 2026. The first, issued in November 2025, celebrated author Jane Austen.

Information provided

Morecambe & Wise—Eric Morecambe OBE (1926–1984) and Ernie Wise OBE (1925–1999)—were Britain’s most iconic comedy double act, celebrated for their work in variety, radio, film and especially television. They met in 1939 while working for impresario Jack Hylton and soon toured together in Youth Takes a Bow, forming a close friendship. Encouraged by Eric’s mother, they debuted as a double act in 1941, later adopting the name Morecambe & Wise.

After years perfecting their act on the variety circuit, they launched their first BBC series, Running Wild, in 1954. Their breakthrough came in the 1960s with ATV’s The Morecambe & Wise Show/Two of a Kind, followed by three feature films. In 1968 they moved to the BBC, where, alongside writer Eddie Braben, they created nine hugely popular series and legendary Christmas Specials, peaking at a record 28 million viewers in 1977. Stars such as The Beatles, Glenda Jackson and André Previn queued to appear.

Awarded OBEs and the Freedom of the City of London, they returned to ITV in 1977 for further series before Eric’s death in 1984. Ernie passed away in 1999. Their legacy endures through documentaries, rediscovered footage, stage tributes, statues, and centenary celebrations planned for 2025–2026, ensuring future generations continue to enjoy their timeless comedy.

Morecambe and Wise Collectors Sheet

The sheet contains 10 x 1st class Union Flag stamps and is priced at £19.20.

No technical details were provided but we expect that this will be self-adhesive and printed by Cartor Security Printers.

Last chance to buy - Royal Mail stamp issues going off sale soon.

2026-05-08T11:34:30.051+01:00

We have been advised by Royal Mail that the following will be removed from sale on the dates shown.

The very popular Warhammer stamps come off sale at the end of this month: 31st May 2026.

Following this a further four stamp issues will come off sale on the 31st July 2026.

• Weather Forecasting
• Viking Britain Standard
• The Age of the Dinosaurs
• 100 Years of Commemorative Stamps

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

2026-04-29T17:06:21.288+01:00

Wait, you say, it's still April! True, but the first May slogans will be in use very early, in fact the British Heart Foundation default slogan will have three phases by my calculation.

As it is currently in use the standard BHF slogan will start the month. But with local elections long-planned for Scotland and Wales we can expect slogans encouraging the early sending of Postal Votes for the Scottish Parliament and Senned. No slogans are planned for the on-off-on_again English local authority elections but that doesn't mean that residents of England will miss out.

IMP and iLSM explained.

IMP stands for Integrated Mail Processors and iLSM for Intelligent Letter Sorting Machines. (You can see a brief video - and discussion about - the iLSM here.)

Although the iLSMs are 'intelligent', it is the IMPs which have the facility to determine (more or less) whether a particular slogan is applied, based on the destination address. If a letter from Yorkshire is going to Wales it should get the Post Early slogan for the Senned elections. If the letter is going to Scotland it should get the slogan for the elections to the Scottish Parliament. Anywhere else and it should get the standard (in this case) BHF slogan.

However, all Scotland's mail centres are, ironically, equipped with iLSMs which means that if the Post Early slogan is invoked it is applied to ALL mail, including that to Wales, England, Northern Ireland, and internationally.

Wales' mail centres only have IMPs so they should apply the 'appropriate' slogans.

2024 General Election voting publicity images

UPDATE 7 May. JM has sent these black & white images from a third party showing the Manchester and S W Wales (Swansea) both dated 05/05/2026:

Post Early to Vote Early S W Wales and Manchester Mail Centres 05/05/2026

UPDATE 12 May. Thanks again to JM for a Manchester pair of slogans on IMP 134 (on last line of the block) showing the switching and the selection of the Post early to Vote Early slogan for the Welsh, Swansea SA2, address after using the default BHF slogan for the English, Stockport SK7, address in the same batch within 6 seconds of each other (20.44.10 and 20.44.16).

Two slogans from Manchester Mail Centre six seconds apart; one to a Welsh address and one sent locally so using the Post Early and BHF slogans 05/05/20026.

After the elections are over we will probably see a Mental Health Awareness Week slogan, but the BHF may fall in between, and afterwards. (But who knows what will happen in Sheffield?)

Last year's Mental Health slogan.

UPDATE 12 May: Thanks to LT for the first report of the Mental Health slogan this year, from North & West Yorkshire.

Mental Health Awareness Week slogan North & West Yorkshire mail centre 11/05/2026

I'll be out of the country from mid-May to mid-June so I shan't be able to add any images but do keep sending them.

While I was away this arrived from Cornwall Mail Centre, the British Heart Foundation default dated 18 May.

British Heart Foundation Cornwall 18/05/2026

OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

SS has sent us another copy of a branch datestamp, the Wokingham (Surrey) SID dates 28 AP 2026

Wokingham Y self-inking-datestamp 28 April 2026

UPDATE 12 May. JW has sent a couple of images this month. The first is of the counter datestamp of Boswell Drive, Edinburgh. This is unusual as it is about the same size as others but doesn't have the Morse code border. This was used on 15 April 2026.

Boswell Drive Post Office rubber datestamp 25 APR 2026

The second item is a fragment of a package sent with a 1st class stamp on. I don't know whether the endorsement '2nd class Large Letter' was added before it was sent, but it was referred to Revenue Protection - presumably because it was too large for a basic letter.

Just a reminder, a 2nd class Large Letter costs £1.55 but a basic (small) Letter costs £1.80. So there is no real loss in using an older 1st class stamp for the 2nd class Large service. (We forecast that this would happen and that Revenue Protection would probably be involved.) This receives the Birmingham datestamp and a boxed

Revenue Protected

Treat as 2nd Class

handstamp.

Revenue Protected Treat as 2nd Class applied at Birmingham Mail Centre May 2026(?).

Remember, slogan postmarks appearing in May will be added to this post (although some won't be added until mid-June), 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.

Centenary of the Birth of Queen Elizabeth II, set, MS, PSB etc - 21 April 2026

2026-04-14T11:53:00.041+01:00

Queen Elizabeth II was born on 21 April 1926 and so this year marks the centenary of her birth. Royal Mail is marking the anniversary with a set of 8 stamp and a miniature sheet, plus a lot more merchandise.

For a younger person's view on this and other stamps marking the centenary, see 13-year-old Xanthe's Stamp Magazine.

The stamps feature a selection of carefully curated photographs taken throughout her lifetime with the miniature sheet of four stamps reflecting her lifelong love of animals.

The eight 1st class stamps are produced as a set of four se-tenant vertical pairs featuring black and white, and colour photographs spanning the decades of her life. Each stamp has a portrait superimposed on a background image, some of which we may have seen before on stamps.

Details of the photographs were not provided in a form suitable for including here as text, but they can be seen on the FDC filler card here (click to enlarge).

UPDATE: My thanks to RB who has managed to process the data on the filler to reveal these details. We can't guarantee that it's 100% correct, but here goes:

Listed as portrait first then background. 

Black & white stamps:  Princess Elizabeth at the age of six, July 1932; Members of the Royal Family with their dogs at Royal Windsor Lodge, June 1936.
Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, May 1944; Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret giving their first Children's Hour radio broadcast from Windsor Castle during the Second World War, October 1940.
Queen Elizabeth II in November 1955; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip after the Coronation, June 1953.
Queen Elizabeth II during the Royal Tour of India, 1961; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles riding horses in the park of Windsor Castle.

Colour stamps: Queen Elizabeth II during Trooping the Colour 1976; Queen Elizabeth II during Trooping the Colour 1971.
Queen Elizabeth II in the White Drawing Room, Windsor Castle, November 1987; Queen Elizabeth II visiting Treherbert, Wales, April 1989.
Queen Elizabeth II in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, October 2001; Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in the Gold State Coach during Golden Jubilee celebrations, June 2002.
Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, 2022; Queen Elizabeth II and members of the Royal Family arriving at The Eden Project, Cornwall, during the G7 Summit, June 2021.

Miniature Sheet: Princess Elizabeth with her pet dog, London 1936; Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle with one of her corgis, September 1952; Queen Elizabeth II with a horse at Sandringham, 1964;
Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, May 1997.

Part of FDC filler card showing details of photos on the stamps, etc. Click to enlarge.

Miniature Sheet

Technical details

The 50 x 30 mm stamps, designed by Baxter & Bailey are printed in lithography in sheets of 60 by Cartor Security Printers, perf 14. The stamps in the 115 x 89 mm miniature sheet are 35 x 35 mm (corrected) and perf 14.5. All stamps have phosphor bands are on PVA-gummed paper.

Prestige stamp book

This 24 page publication, tells the story of the life of Queen Elizabeth II accompanied with beautiful photography throughout the decades. As Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II presided over a time of incredible change, acting as a constant source of comfort and stability to the nation. 100 years since the monarch was born, the Prestige Stamp Book pays tribute to Elizabeth II that reflects on her remarkable life and a record-breaking reign.

Prestige book cover and panes 1, 3, 4, 5.

Prestige stamp book pane 2 with two each 50p & £1 definitives coded M26L MPIL

Collector Sheet

The collectors Sheet contains all 8 stamps from the stamp set and accompanying labels featuring carefully curated photography matching the time period of the paired stamp. The stamps and labels sit on a background of the official “100” logo. The Collector Sheet is self-adhesive and lithography, making the stamps in the Collector Sheet different from those printed in the set.

Queen Elizabeth II Centenary Collector Sheet.

Products available

Set of stamps, miniature sheet, first day covers (2), presentation pack, prestige stamp book, fdc of PSB definitive pane, collector sheet, stamp cards (13), press sheet of 16 miniature sheets, £5 coin covers (3 - gold, silver, and cupronickel), framed products (set, MS, collector sheet).

All available from Royal Mail's website and some available from a Post Office branch quite near you if you are lucky.

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

2026-04-13T11:42:00.004+01:00

It's now 13th April and there is no news yet on new slogans, although it has been suggested that there might be one for the local elections, such as the 'Post Early' for postal voters from July 2024.

So please if you find anything new do get in touch. Meanwhile we will start off with the continuation of the British Heart Foundation standard slogan from Cornwall Mail Centre on 07/04/2026.

British Heart Foundation Cornwall Mail Centre 07/04/2026

UPDATE 17 April. Sheffield is having trouble again. Thanks to LT for this example of the (February) National Apprenticeship Week slogan used on 16 April. The BHF slogan was used there on 14th.

National Apprenticeship Week slogan used wrongly at Sheffield Mail Centre 16/04/2026

Update 29 April. No more slogans have appeared in April, but I'm told that there will be Local election slogans in some places use in early May.

I'm going to prepare a May slogan postmark post NOW, so that you can be prepared to get your own or be on the lookout.

OTHER POSTMARKS AND POSTAL MARKINGS

Just over two years ago we showed the self-inking datestamp (with wavy edges) from Holmbush in the outskirts of St Austell in Cornwall. Now JH has sent the newer 'Morse' type of SID that is in use now, used on 2 April 2026.

Holmbush Post Office 'Morse' type SID 02 APR 2026.

Update 30 April. RS has sent this Morse code handstamp from Richmond, Surrey used in February.

Richmond Post Office 'Morse' type SID 03 FEB 2026. (This is the Surrey Richmond.)

I also have this one from Drylaw (Shopping Centre), Edinburgh but I regret to say that I cannot find who sent it, so apologies to the reader who supplied it. It should be 29 March but the reversed 5 has been mis-read as a 2, and it reads 59 MAR 2026.

Drylaw Post Office 'Morse' type SID 59 MAR 2026.

Update 29 April. SS in Canada has sent another gem from one of his suppliers. I wonder even if the Post Office Customer Service could tell without a lot of effort, just where this was posted even with the postcode in the handstamp? STATION ROAD BR2 is actually 45 Station Approach, Hayes, Bromley, BR2 7EB. This is the Google Streetview image from 2021. The branch is now a Morrisons Daily but the Streetview car passed by at 9.35pm so the 2025 image is very grainy!

Post Office at 45 Station Approach, Hayes, Bromley, BR2 7EB now a Morrisons Daily

Fortunately it was sent by a tracked service and Royal Mail's Track and Trace webpage usually provides details of where barcoded letters were posted.

Station Road BR2 post office, SID 9 April 2026

SS also sent this image. In this case the branch staff did not cancel the stamps but fortunately the Exeter Mail Centre used their large rubber handstamp on it. The Tracking webpage shows it was posted at Barton Road PO, TQ2 8HN.

Remember, slogan postmarks appearing in April 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.

2026-04-09T11:38:00.001+01:00

Norfolk & Norwich Philatelic Society

STAMP FAIR

Saturday 11 April 2026
10 am to 3.30pm

Middle School Hall - Hewett Academy
Gate 1, Cecil Road (off Hall Road or Ipswich Road)
NORWICH NR1 2PL

I shall be there with a lot of bargains, especially foreign catalogues, postal history, postcards, and Norfolk material. If you're in the area do drop in and say hello.

After everything is put away again next week I shall get back to sending out orders, especially for the Visible Change business sheets and booklets.

King Charles III definitives - new printings 2026

2026-03-31T12:33:00.002+01:00

Printings of the King Charles definitives with 2023-2025 source codes are recorded in this post.

This post is for M26L stamps and non-PSB stamps issued in 2026 with M25L codes are also included.

As with Post and Go & SSKs, I have decided to have one post which will list all the news for the year, and then start another for next year.

Reprinted 2026 counter sheets

2nd class green -
1st class deep purple -

1p blue
2p deep green
5p dull violet-blue
10p turquoise-green
20p bright green
50p slate
£1 grey-brown
£2 new blue
£3.60 purple heather - printed 13 January 2026
£3.80 Aqua green - printed 14 January 2026
£4.60 Sapphire blue - printed 15 January 2026
£5 emerald

Reprinted booklets and business sheets with new Relay UK telephone number

2nd class MEIL from booklet of 8 - M25L philatelic release 20 March 2026
- M26L reported by JH as found soon after M25L released.
They have the same barcode date (120126)**
1st class MFIL from booklet of 4 - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026
1st class MEIL from booklet of 8
1st Large MFIL from booklet of 4 - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026

2nd class MBIL business sheet - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026
1st class MBIL business sheet - M25L philatelic release 20 March 2026
- M26L reported by JH 18 July 2026
2nd Large MBIL business sheet
1st Large MBIL business sheet - M26L philatelic release 20 March 2026

From Prestige Stamp Books - all self-adhesive, with source code MPIL

2nd class -
1st class -

1p -
2p -
5p -
10p -
20p -
50p - 21.4.2026 - Queen Elizabeth Centenary [M26L]
£1 - 21.4.2026 - Queen Elizabeth Centenary [M26L]

Other values

** 2nd MEIL M26L reported 21 April. As they have the same barcode date it suggests that only the iridescent ink cylinder was changed.

Possible problems with accessing all features of this blog.

2026-03-24T15:49:00.003+00:00

My default browser is Firefox, but recent changes in the way Firefox displays this blog - but not the others - have restricted my ability to use it here, and may restrict your ability to see everything.

Comments

Comments are moderated by email, that is, I am notified by email and may allow comments, delete them or mark them as spam.

On the desktop version of the blog I can see them, but I cannot respond. This is what I see - and what you may see if you use Firefox and want to comment.

I am able to respond if I use the web version on my iPad.

Search

On the desktop version, the strip above the title strip, which should be a light brown colour, is white and there is no content. Which means I cannot use the search box, and cannot sign-in if I need to.

New Posts

I normally click on the New Post link in the same strip at top right, but that doesn't appear. I am composing this explanation using the Safari browser. However, in Safari I cannot add new images. There's an icon in the editing page to add an image, but when I click on that a blank window pops-up with no option to drag-and-drop, to select and existing image, or link to another web source image.

UPDATE: As you can see above I have managed to add an image. Fortunately as the user control panel is the same for all the blogs associated with this email address, I can go to the Modern Postal History (MHP) blog as if I am editing that, and then select this blog to do the editing or composing.

Whilst readers should only be affected by the first two of these, the restrictions on composing a new post or editing an existing one are fundamental to what is a very visual blog. If ti were a narrative things would be different, but you want to see pictures.

Trying to find the solution to this will not be easy (the italicised explanation above is a workaround which I would prefer not to have to use). I don't think I've done anything in the design or text coding (the html mark-up language which lies behind all websites) to change anything. It is possible that the fault lies in the way we have framed the URL.

The MHP blog started out as https://machins-on-cover.blogspot.com

This one started out as https://norvic-philatelics.blogspot.com (I think - it might have been norphil.blogspot.com), but to bring everything apparently under one roof, so to speak, the internet routing has been changed so that our shop and blog are accessed through the norphil.co.uk domain. This does not need to be a secure site because no personal information is gathered.

The shop(.norphil.co.uk) is hosted by a commercial platform which is secure, and the blog(.norphil.co.uk) routes to blogger, a Google-owned commercial secure website.

Whether this is the cause of the problem I don't know. I can still access all features of the Modern Postal History (MPH) blog, which is registered to the same email address.

If I have not resolved this by the time I should be writing about the next stamp issue, I shall so so through the control panel of the MPH blog until the situation is restored.

If you are experiencing any difficulties in viewing or commenting on this blog, please let me know in the comments and let me know by email what browser and OS you are using.

Thank you and sorry for any inconvenience.

UPDATE 15 APRIL: The situation appears to have settled back into its old state as I can now comment and reply to comments. The 'Can't open this page' message at the top of this page no long appears.