From 2nd April 2007 : A first class letter stamp is 34p and a second class letter stamp is 24p

2007 Price Guide (PDF)

Royal Mail

The organisation...

Royal Mail Parcelforce Worldwide Post Office™ Post Office Ltd, operates one of the UK's largest retail networks via Post Office™ branches. The network is unique in that Post Office Ltd only owns around 500 Post Office branches. The remainder of the network is owned by the people who run it, including franchisees and subpostmasters and mistresses.

Royal Mail, the Royal Mail cruciform, Parcelforce Worldwide and the Post Office symbol are registered trade marks of Royal Mail Group plc in the United Kingdom and other countries. Click on the logos to visit the Royal Mail web sites

Letter boxes are the most ubiquitous icon of the Royal Mail service and also reflect the Monarchy throughout the ages....

Monarchs

The royal cyphers found on letter boxes have changed over the years to reflect the reigning monarch.

• 1837 to 1901 Queen Victoria
• 1901 to 1910 Edward VII
• 1910 to 1936 George V
• 1936 Edward VIII
• 1936 to 1952 George VI
• 1952 Elizabeth II

From 1 January, 2006, Royal Mail lost its 350 year monopoly. Any licensed operator can deliver mail to business and residential customers.

Campaigns

	Many innovations in the Post Office have relied upon educating the public, typically... Remember to use the Postcode, Post during the lunch-hour, Post early for Christmas, Clear and correct addressing speeds your mail, Post Office Preferred envelopes, and no doubt others long forgotten.

	Post during the Lunch-Hour and Can you spot what's wrong? were both campaigns to highlight how the public could help the GPO in its work.

Royal Mail Services

• Cleanmail
• Door to Door
• Flatsort
• Mailsort 120
• Mailsort 700
• Mailsort 1400
• Mailsort Light
• Packetpost
• Packetsort
• Presstream
• Response services
• Recorded Special
• Delivery Walksort

First Day Covers

WALKSORT

This is popular for the mailing of telephone bills and post delivered this way is marked...

This mail has been Walksorted

...because a discount is given for mail posted using this system.

"Walksort is designed for very large national mailings (letters or packets) or mailings destined for a high number of addresses within a specific area. It involves sorting your mailing down to the level of individual walks (approximately 80,000 in total). It is available as a First or Second Class services."

Walksort differs from Mailsort in that you are required to sort your address data (and mail) to match the individual postman's walk. You can then obtain discounts of up to 42%.

The End of Detailed Collection Times

During 2003, the 'next collection' numbers on pillar boxes was abandoned with a single notice stating words to the effect 'this box will be emptied during the day up to 6.30 pm'.

From 28th October, 2007 the Post Office ended mail collections on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Size Guide

	From the 21st August 2006 the pricing for letters and packets changed to include size, weight and thickness. Learn more...

At 30th April 2004 a first class stamp was 28p and a second class 20p.
From May   2004 a first class stamp was 28p and a second class stamp was 21p.
From April 2005 a first class stamp was 30p.
From April 2006 a first class stamp was 32p and a second class stamp 23p.
From 2nd April 2007 a first class letter stamp was 34p and a second class letter stamp was 24p.

Mail by Rail

	Mail by Rail looks at the TPOs (Travelling Post Offices) and Mail Rail, the Post Office Railway under the streets of London... [Photo: 'Penny Black' 90 019 at Darlington on 29th August 2003 © Nigel Burkin]

Mail by Road

	Mail by Road looks at just some of the trucks and vans which form part of the fleet of transportation and delivery vehicles.

Pillar Boxes

	This pillar box is a rarity, being a combination of a telephone kiosk type K4 with a stamp vending machine and letter box. They were intended to be a miniature Post Office, located where no such facilities existed or where expense prevented a sub-post office from being built. More details to follow in 2008. Photo: Philip Gates

Telegrams

	GPO telegrams were once the quickest way to send an important message. [This telegram was illustrated by Edward Ardizzone]

Links