Replacement of STAR guns in lockers

[fredtheegg]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

[sam63]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

I got trained in RLE in may 1986 after 4years as a very junior PHG doing mostly coding 1st generation desks, surcharges and other manual work, we also ran the ASM’s before they were regraded to postie work around 84 or 85 can’t remember exactly when, did also work in Datapost with ourTony Hancock who was quite a character.
Our TPO guys did a Sunday nightshift in MLO once a fortnight they worked 3 day weeks until it ceased in October 1988 which was sad as we all wanted onto the TPO. Last of the TPO PHG’s retired in September 2010 sadly only one still living now. Good friends all missed.

[fredtheegg]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

I got trained in RLE in may 1986 after 4years as a very junior PHG doing mostly coding 1st generation desks, surcharges and other manual work, we also ran the ASM’s before they were regraded to postie work around 84 or 85 can’t remember exactly when, did also work in Datapost with ourTony Hancock who was quite a character.
Our TPO guys did a Sunday nightshift in MLO once a fortnight they worked 3 day weeks until it ceased in October 1988 which was sad as we all wanted onto the TPO. Last of the TPO PHG’s retired in September 2010 sadly only one still living now. Good friends all missed.

Sounds like you had very similar path to myself. I went PHG March 83, straight onto the coding desks and in the cage. I remember running the old ASM’s as well. We used to service something like 20 trains a night. With about 4 TPO’s passing through. The station was just across the road, right next to the pub. The 80’s and 90’s were definitely the best times to be at RM. A time in my life I will always cherish

[SpacePhoenix]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

I got trained in RLE in may 1986 after 4years as a very junior PHG doing mostly coding 1st generation desks, surcharges and other manual work, we also ran the ASM’s before they were regraded to postie work around 84 or 85 can’t remember exactly when, did also work in Datapost with ourTony Hancock who was quite a character.
Our TPO guys did a Sunday nightshift in MLO once a fortnight they worked 3 day weeks until it ceased in October 1988 which was sad as we all wanted onto the TPO. Last of the TPO PHG’s retired in September 2010 sadly only one still living now. Good friends all missed.

Is a ASM a sorting machine that come before IMPs/LSMs/iLSMs?

[sam63]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

I got trained in RLE in may 1986 after 4years as a very junior PHG doing mostly coding 1st generation desks, surcharges and other manual work, we also ran the ASM’s before they were regraded to postie work around 84 or 85 can’t remember exactly when, did also work in Datapost with ourTony Hancock who was quite a character.
Our TPO guys did a Sunday nightshift in MLO once a fortnight they worked 3 day weeks until it ceased in October 1988 which was sad as we all wanted onto the TPO. Last of the TPO PHG’s retired in September 2010 sadly only one still living now. Good friends all missed.

Is a ASM a sorting machine that come before IMPs/LSMs/iLSMs?

Yes 8000 items an hour max you fed them from rear of machine open backed letters got jammed in Rollers.

[sam63]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

I got trained in RLE in may 1986 after 4years as a very junior PHG doing mostly coding 1st generation desks, surcharges and other manual work, we also ran the ASM’s before they were regraded to postie work around 84 or 85 can’t remember exactly when, did also work in Datapost with ourTony Hancock who was quite a character.
Our TPO guys did a Sunday nightshift in MLO once a fortnight they worked 3 day weeks until it ceased in October 1988 which was sad as we all wanted onto the TPO. Last of the TPO PHG’s retired in September 2010 sadly only one still living now. Good friends all missed.

Sounds like you had very similar path to myself. I went PHG March 83, straight onto the coding desks and in the cage. I remember running the old ASM’s as well. We used to service something like 20 trains a night. With about 4 TPO’s passing through. The station was just across the road, right next to the pub. The 80’s and 90’s were definitely the best times to be at RM. A time in my life I will always cherish

PHG January 1982 - only one member in Processing here who was working in RM before I was a PHG and she became a PHG 7 months after me after me and we are 1 and 2 on seniority list.

[SpacePhoenix]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

I got trained in RLE in may 1986 after 4years as a very junior PHG doing mostly coding 1st generation desks, surcharges and other manual work, we also ran the ASM’s before they were regraded to postie work around 84 or 85 can’t remember exactly when, did also work in Datapost with ourTony Hancock who was quite a character.
Our TPO guys did a Sunday nightshift in MLO once a fortnight they worked 3 day weeks until it ceased in October 1988 which was sad as we all wanted onto the TPO. Last of the TPO PHG’s retired in September 2010 sadly only one still living now. Good friends all missed.

Is a ASM a sorting machine that come before IMPs/LSMs/iLSMs?

Yes 8000 items an hour max you fed them from rear of machine open backed letters got jammed in Rollers.

Owch, that's a snails pace compared with an iLSM, you can squeeze 55.5-56k an hour out of an iLSM with really good mail

[fredtheegg]

I believe it is getting rolled out in early May, there will not be any Duns, you scan the items to the office barcode as normal and new labels will be used which have a barcode that is scanned on receipt at inward MC which will tell you you how many items should be in the bag. That is the just of what I know.
I assume there will be training which will clarify the processes to be followed.
I have seen the new labels as we have them in the addressograph room here.
Our Star guns are knackered and need replacing so it will be interesting to see how it works.
Better than the old way when I first got trained having to write out registered receipts using manual balances and sticking returned receipts back in the book daily.

I first worked in the lockers in the early 1980’s it was such a time confusing method back in the day. We used to write out transfers for Datapost (who remembers that) when we took of them one TPO and put them onto another.

I got trained in RLE in may 1986 after 4years as a very junior PHG doing mostly coding 1st generation desks, surcharges and other manual work, we also ran the ASM’s before they were regraded to postie work around 84 or 85 can’t remember exactly when, did also work in Datapost with ourTony Hancock who was quite a character.
Our TPO guys did a Sunday nightshift in MLO once a fortnight they worked 3 day weeks until it ceased in October 1988 which was sad as we all wanted onto the TPO. Last of the TPO PHG’s retired in September 2010 sadly only one still living now. Good friends all missed.

Sounds like you had very similar path to myself. I went PHG March 83, straight onto the coding desks and in the cage. I remember running the old ASM’s as well. We used to service something like 20 trains a night. With about 4 TPO’s passing through. The station was just across the road, right next to the pub. The 80’s and 90’s were definitely the best times to be at RM. A time in my life I will always cherish

PHG January 1982 - only one member in Processing here who was working in RM before I was a PHG and she became a PHG 7 months after me after me and we are 1 and 2 on seniority list.

I went PHG early 1983 after a couple of years on delivery..Although it means very little now I’m in the top 3 of seniority. Not many of us left from that era of RM. Our number 1 joined in 1976 and he is still going strong

[SpacePhoenix]

The can't be that many ex-PHGs left.

Back when the PHG grade existed, would all mech staff have been PHGs?

[sam63]

The can't be that many ex-PHGs left.

Back when the PHG grade existed, would all mech staff have been PHGs?

There are 13 ex PHG’s in our MC out of 100 with 7 out of the top 10 on the seniority list being exPHG’s the junior has 29 years.
All machine work was PHG work until and not sure exactly but somewhere around 1985 - 87 the ASM’s were regraded to postie work. Might of been 1987 RRP we lost a s**t load of PHG duties.
Remember getting 12 weeks PHG training from September to November 81 then PHG at Xmas 81 then over officially in jan 1982, 4 weeks was code desk training. Best memory of coding on 1st gen machines was Friday night nightshift coding with a pint of lager from pub across road at my code desk

[fredtheegg]

The can't be that many ex-PHGs left.

Back when the PHG grade existed, would all mech staff have been PHGs?

There are 13 ex PHG’s in our MC out of 100 with 7 out of the top 10 on the seniority list being exPHG’s the junior has 29 years.
All machine work was PHG work until and not sure exactly but somewhere around 1985 - 87 the ASM’s were regraded to postie work. Might of been 1987 RRP we lost a s**t load of PHG duties.
Remember getting 12 weeks PHG training from September to November 81 then PHG at Xmas 81 then over officially in jan 1982, 4 weeks was code desk training. Best memory of coding on 1st gen machines was Friday night nightshift coding with a pint of lager from pub across road at my code desk

Oddly enough we had a pub right across the road from the MC. It was certainly very popular with RM staff and nearby railway staff

[fredtheegg]

The only machine work PHG’s did on our office was on the coding desk. It was mainly manual work and specialised duties

[sam63]

The can't be that many ex-PHGs left.

Back when the PHG grade existed, would all mech staff have been PHGs?

There are 13 ex PHG’s in our MC out of 100 with 7 out of the top 10 on the seniority list being exPHG’s the junior has 29 years.
All machine work was PHG work until and not sure exactly but somewhere around 1985 - 87 the ASM’s were regraded to postie work. Might of been 1987 RRP we lost a s**t load of PHG duties.
Remember getting 12 weeks PHG training from September to November 81 then PHG at Xmas 81 then over officially in jan 1982, 4 weeks was code desk training. Best memory of coding on 1st gen machines was Friday night nightshift coding with a pint of lager from pub across road at my code desk

Oddly enough we had a pub right across the road from the MC. It was certainly very popular with RM staff and nearby railway staff

The Maltings pub in York was my favourite pub when in York for meetings right across from MC in York.
My favourite pub anywhere in uk tbh

[2chorizon]

If anybody has the new SD Locker PDA system up and running in their MC, could you provide a brief rundown of how it works please?

I.e Do you still need to scan in every item on arrival?

Are there york and bag labels which when scanned register the contents as having arrived at the MC (like cross docked yorks from the parcel hubs )?

Are there any DUN notes or do they not exist anymore?

Im assuming the whole process has been simplified and significantly sped up compared with the Stargun / Dun printing method?

[SpacePhoenix]

I.e Do you still need to scan in every item on arrival?

Are there york and bag labels which when scanned register the contents as having arrived at the MC (like cross docked yorks from the parcel hubs )?

Don't think it's gone live yet locally but when it does and I end up covering in our lockers, I'll still scan every item. We have to scan all the items in cross docked yorks from the North-West hub as the sorting isn't reliable enough. Just because the items listed as being in a bag/york/sleeve by scanning the container it doesn't prove that them items have arrived at the office.