Editor: Alastair Nixon, 7 Bramblegate, Edgcumbe Park, Crowthorne, Berks, RG45 6JA
Email: alastair@nixon48.freeserve.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1344 775378
Editorial
Lots of news this month, including some news from abroad, some information obtained
from Pitney Bowes on the DM 300 / PB30 series and a new discovery from Francotyp-
Postalia.
The ‘Meter of the Month’ illustration comes from David Aspinwall. The ‘9NE5’ series
has always had 5 digits following the 9NE – until now, that is!
This example clearly shows an extra
digit and is almost certainly a one-off
engraving error – presumably it should
have been 9NE50461. Well spotted,
David!
Some of you may recall back in 1998
that Jack Peach reported a similar thing
with a T1000 machine with the serial
number T7898650. It is understood that
in this case the ‘0’ at the end had been
engraved in error.
Thanks to those of you who have contributed to the Directory Listings idea. The
following series have now been compiled:
Pitney Bowes (Issue 3): PB30, PB37, PB799, PB999
Neopost (Issue 2): N11, N12
Hasler (Issue 1): Suffices I, P and R
Please keep the reports coming. Requests for particular series are welcome.
The main news items this month include:
Pitney Bowes: News of bases and meters for DM models
Hasler: German ‘Postlink’ machine with BLUE INK
Hasler: ‘Postlink’ machine coming soon to UK market
Francotyp-Postalia: The JetMail machine
Meter News Page 5-1 March 2001
Latest Numbers
Below is a list of my ‘Latest Numbers’ as at 22nd March 2001. I was beginning to have
some concerns over whether ASI, Frama and Hasler were actually still in the business of
selling new machines but advances have been reported from all of the manufacturers
this month:
Addressing Systems International
Alpha ASA 90400 09.03.01 *
Minipost ASM 81765 03.10.00 Static for 3 months
Frama
Sensonic 21-2600 FSC 217690 06.03.01 *
Sensonic 2000 FSC 259146 22.01.01
Francotyp-Postalia
EFS 3000 EFS 399333 13.02.01
EFS 3000 EFS 697034 07.03.01 *
T1000 T 399442 13.03.01
JetMail FJ0399733 08.03.01 See News Report
Hasler
Smile HS 34028R 07.02.01
300 Series HT 18927R 20.02.01
Neopost
SM 22,26 4NE 17774 26.02.01
5450, 5460 5NE 15914 03.10.00 Static for 4 months
SM 75,85,95 9NE 50772 15.03.01
IJ25 N1102275 21.02.01 *
IJ65 N1201019 15.02.01
Pitney Bowes
Paragon PBP 04039 12.03.01
“ “ PBP 09941 02.01.01 +
Personal Post PB238569 26.02.01
DM 200, 250 PB301058 22.02.01 See News Report
DM 225, 300 PB373095 30.01.01 See News Report
Post Perfect PB751967 02.02.01 *
B921 PB927283 05.02.01
* These reports were kindly supplied by David Aspinwall.
+ This report was from Ole Constantine. (Descending series assumed).
Please could I have updates for the next issue by 14th April. Thanks.
Meter News Page 5-2 March 2001
News Report – Pitney Bowes
Jack Peach has kindly made some enquiries regarding the DM300 which have cleared
up the confusion over the appearance of the ‘PB30’ series. It appears that there are two
different meters and two different types of bases, either meter being available with either
base, giving four model combinations altogether as follows:
CAPACITY PREFIX
MODEL BASE METER Letters / min. Strips / min. & Number
DM200 F8MM F821 40 N/A PB30****
DM225 F8MM F921 40 N/A PB37****
DM250 F9MM F821 65 50 PB30****
DM300 F9MM F921 65 50 PB37****
Unless anyone has other views, I shall refer to the PB30 series as Models DM200/250
and the PB37 series as Models DM225/300 from now on.
Overseas News - Hasler
In the first issue of Meter News I indicated that, as a general rule, I would not include
news from overseas unless there have been new developments of a significant nature.
Well, we have such a situation with this news from Germany.
Jack Peach reports that he has received a letter from Peter Huss, a German meter
enthusiast who has sent the following the mark of a new machine produced by Ascom
Hasler which they are calling the Postlink machine. It was approved for use in
Germany in October 2000 with BLUE INK and the mark is Ink Jet Printed.
It is understood that all German meter franks will be printed in blue by the end of 2001,
but the reason is unknown.
News Report – Hasler (UK)
Jack Peach reports that we should start to keep an eye open for the ‘Postlink’ appearing
in the UK. It is currently awaiting Post Office approval but will hopefully be on the
market sometime within the next three months. Will it come with blue ink, I wonder?
Meter News Page 5-3 March 2001
News Report – Francotyp-Postalia
Hot off the press comes news of a new Francotyp-Postalia machine mark, FJ0399733.
The mark has been applied by Ink Jet Printing:
Jack Peach has again made some enquiries using his contacts. The machine is called
the JetMail and has been in use in Germany for two years.
The manufacturers were uncertain but believed that the machine was launched in the
UK during December 2000. It is confirmed that the number running vertically is an item
count. Jack was fortunate to acquire a demonstration example from the manufacturer,
shown here:
Ole Constantine reports another commercial example, FJ0399717 item number
00002663 dated 12.3.01 from a firm ‘AB gene’ in EPSOM. Ole reports that the Licence
Holder received this machine on 19th December 2000.
Acknowledgements
Thanks this month for news and correspondence from the following:
David Aspinwall, Jack Peach and Ole Constantine.
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Meter News Page 5-4 March 2001