Norvic Philatelics - GB New Stamps and Special Postmarks
Pictorial Faststamps: Birds 3 - 19 May 2011
The third set of Faststamps depicting birds will be issued on 19 May,
one of three sets to be issued this year. As before, these will be
sold from Post & Go machines at selected Post Offices
across the UK and from the Philatelic Bureau at Tallents House. The
third set depicts the birds that can be found on or close to
Britain’s lakes, rivers and streams.
Post & Go terminals allow customers to weigh their letters and packets,
pay for and print postage labels and stamps without the need to visit the
counter. The first Post & Go machine was trialled in The Galleries Post
Office® in Bristol in 2007.
The labels can be obtained with 5 different service indicators: 1st class
& 1st class Large up to 100gr, Europe up to 20gr, Worldwide up to 10gr
and 20gr, singly or in strips of up to 5 of the same value or various
values. Thus there are 30 different value/design combinations in total.
New counter-based machines trialled at Stampex which dispensed strips
of either 5 or 6 labels: if any of these are installed in POs by the time
these are issued, it may be possible to get more than one version (see
details of the trials
on the blog.)
The latest information we have is that the Post & Go machines will not
be adapted to dispense 6 labels. However, all Post & Go machines
nationwide have now been adapted to the new font and will dispense Birds
Faststamps instead of Machin Head versions, while stocks last.
The
first
issue can be seen here
and further information is provided on
our
blog.
Publicity image (above), and
actual labels in bureau carrier (below)
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Mallard
– Anas platyrhnchos
The male has a dark green head, a yellow bill, is mainly
purple-brown on the breast and grey on the body. The female is
mainly brown with an orange bill. It breeds in all parts of the UK
in summer and winter, wherever there are suitable wetland
habitats.
Mute Swan – Cygnus
obor
The mute has a long S-shaped neck, and an orange bill with a black
base. It flies with its neck extended and regular slow wingbeats.
The UK population has increased recently, perhaps due to better
protection of this species.
Kingfisher – Alcedo
atthis
Kingfishers are small unmistakable bright blue and orange birds of
slow moving or still water. They fly rapidly, low over water, and
hunt fish from riverside perches, occasionally hovering above the
water's surface.
Moorhen – Gallinula
chloropus
The moorhen is a medium-sized, ground-dwelling bird, usually found
near water. From a distance it looks black with a ragged white
line along its body. Up close it is olive-brown on the back and
the head and underneath are blue-grey. It has a red bill with a
yellow tip.
Greylag Goose – Anser
anser
The ancestor of most domestic geese, the greylag is the largest
and bulkiest of the wild geese native to the UK and Europe.
Great Crested Grebe – Podiceps
cristatus
An elegant bird with ornate head plumes. They dive to feed and
also to escape, preferring this to flying. On land they are clumsy
because their feet are placed so far back on their bodies. They
have an elaborate courtship display in which they rise out of the
water and shake their heads. Very young grebes often ride on their
parents' backs.
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Technical details:
Designed by Kate Stephens and illustrated by Robert Gilmor the six 56mm x
25mm stamps are printed in gravure by Walsall Security Printers, with two
phosphor bars. The stamps in the pack will have the service indicator
and other detail printed in gravure. All images are by kind
permission of Royal Mail, Copyright 2011. This website is copyright Norvic
Philatelics 2011.
Products issued
The labels will be used in Post & Go machines at Post Offices around
the country.
A mint set will also be available from Royal Mail's Tallents House Bureau
in a pack on an attractive card with details about each of the birds
featured together with an illustration of their eggs. All values in the
pack are 1st Class with a philatelic branch code of 002011. Design is by
The Chase with illustration by Peter Horridge.
Although Post & Go machines are a Post Office Ltd product, Royal Mail
will again produce a First Day Cover and official First Day Postmarks for
these.
Special Postmarks
Postmarks available for the day of issue will be shown here, others may be
added later. These are not to scale. These postmarks cannot
be obtained after the date of issue.
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Ref FD1123
Philatelic Bureau Official Postmark illustrated with a map of the
British Isles |
Ref FD1124
Bristol official postmark illustrated with a bird's egg |
Ref FD1124NP
Bristol official non-pictorial postmark. |
Ref L 12152 Hyde Park, London SW1 |
Ref M12156 Slimbridge, Gloucestershire |
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| Ref M12155 Kingfisher View, Birmingham |
Ref L12159 The Military Canal, Hythe, Kent. |
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This page updated 13 May 2011
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