Post Office Trials

During 2001 and 2002, I produced a number of covers variously addressed and franked to test the vigilance of the Post Office. The trials consisted of three sections:

A - The Address
B - Using Valid Stamps, and
C - Using Invalid Stamps

The reader is invited to draw his own conclusions

Cover properly addressed bearing current first class stamp

Cover properly franked with house name and road removed from the address

Cover properly franked addressed with name and Post Code only

Cover properly franked with address reduced to name and NG16 only. 61 Monument Lane has been added by the Post Office in manuscript and delivered as normal.

Cover properly franked with full address but incorrect Post Code (NG14 instead of NG16)

This cover was sent just before Christmas but despite the Christmas rush, the Post Office was able to decipher the address which had been variously doctored with only the Post Code being correct.

This cover is correctly franked but the address has been expressed in a Greek font with only the Post Code readable

Cover correctly franked addressed to Phoenix International, the remainder of the address including the Post Code is shown in a Greek font.

SECTION B
In this part of the trial, valid stamps have been used, albeit with subtle alterations

Cover bearing bisected first class stamp being the equivalent to 13.5p - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing bisected second class stamp being the equivalent to 9.5p - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing bisected first & second class stamps being the equivalent to 23p - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing second class stamp quartered with each segment placed in appropriate corners - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing shredded first class stamp - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing mosaics of a first class stamp - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing frame of first class stamp with the centre of a second class stamp - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing frame of second class stamp with the centre of a first class stamp - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing frame of first class stamp with the centre removed - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing centre of first class stamp with frame removed - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing 19 x 1p stamps (the then second class rate) each overlapped - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing 19 x 1p stamps (the then second class rate) each arranged on top of the last - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing outer portion of first class stamp (approximately 50%) - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing centre portion of first class stamp (approximately 50%) - delivered the next day without endorsement

A series of covers were produced each with a first class stamp reduced in size down to 23% (illustrated here) and were accepted and delivered the next day without endorsements

On this cover the stamp had been reduced to 18% of its original size - it passed through the mail system as the red sort code marks verify, however, it was not cancelled but delivered without endorsements.

Cover bearing portions of 19p and 8p stamps - delivered without endorsement.

Tri-franked cover bearing portions of 8p, 9p and 10p stamps - delivered without endorsement.

Cover bearing value portions of 4 stamps (totalling 27p, the then first class rate) - delivered without endorsement.

Cover bearing portions of 7 different values arranged in a composite pattern but endorsed Void and attracting a surcharge label.

SECTION C
In this part of the trial invalid stamps have been used with surprising results

Cover bearing obsolete 4d stamp (old second class rate demonetised in 1971 when the Country went decimal) - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing obsolete 5d stamp (old first class rate demonetised in 1971 when the Country went decimal) - delivered the next day without endorsement

Cover bearing label from obsolete £sd booklet pane which carries a central phosphor band - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing piece of selvedge with two phosphor bands - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing reduced-size coloured illustration of 27p stamp - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing coloured illustration of 2nd class Christmas stamp (note diagonal line) - passed through the postal system twice, cancelled on reverse once only and delivered each time without endorsement or surcharge

Cover bearing two coloured illustrations of 1974 Fire Engine stamps (from exhibition sheet) - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing coloured illustration of imperforate block of 4 Machins (taken from an auction catalogue) - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing 45p Staffa Local, unfranked but bearing the red Post Office sort code marks - delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing De La Rue self adhesive test label (produced as a publicity label for Post masters) - cancelled and endorsed 69p to pay.

Cover bearing obsolete Postage Dues to the value of 27p, unfranked but bearing the red Post Office sort code marks and delivered without endorsement or surcharge

Cover bearing illustration of 1929 PUC £1 (note black edging) cancelled and delivered without endorsement

Cover bearing illustration of album cover of Bob Dylan (my hero) which was not franked. The reverse shows the red Post Office sort code marks and cancellation but the cover was delivered without endorsement or surcharge.

Cover bearing bar code from self adhesive booklet cover, cancelled but endorsed with 69p to pay label.

Cover marked FREEPOST - delivered without endorsement or surcharge (cancelled on reverse)

Cover marked POSTAGE TO BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE - cancelled and endorsed 69p to pay.