Help on postal route / sorting offices

[WildRedHed]

Hi, a parcel that I posted has gone missing, and I`m going to try everything I can think of to locate it. I would be very grateful to anyone who could help.

Its a very large, handmade jumper in aran yarn, in a Union Jack design that I made myself and posted to a friend by 2nd class packet post on the 12th November. I used a large dark grey plastic bag with a very strong sticky strip - the sort that are sold for Ebay use. It had my friend`s address in full on the front of the parcel, and my abbreviated address (name, house number and post code) on the back for returns, both in permanent black marker. Nothing on the outside of the parcel indicated its contents.
It was posted at Garden Farm post office in Chester-le-Street DH2 3EH, destination CH7 5ED, which is close to Mold in North Wales.

I am VERY angry with myself for not sending it by special delivery, or recorded in any way. I`ve used the Royal Mail`s wonderful service for 12 years selling things on Ebay. I always post 2nd class, and nothing has gone missing before, so Thank You guys!

I`ve been told that without a tracing number it will be impossible to find it. My friend has asked his postie, and he hasn`t seen it. We`ve both tried phoning several sorting offices, but to no avail.

My question to you is this: which sorting office route would the parcel take between the 2 postcodes? I will write to each sorting office and check that they have not got it in their lost property.

If anyone has any other suggestions (apart from wind back the clock!) I would be so grateful.

[TeeferTiger]

I would assume it would go to Chester Mail Centre after being collected by Mold Delivery office (behind the PO on the main street)... but I don't know which area it was being posted to so can't help any more with that.

However, I'm afraid to say that writing to the DOs probably won't make a blind bit of difference. Every office is meant to be cleared on a daily basis. And I doubt you'll get a reply either way! If it was something in a tiny envelope I'd say it may be stuck at the bottom of a mail sack after the sack was emptied and will more than likely reappear at some point. But something that size shouldn't be missed.

The only thing I can suggest is that perhaps something happened to the postal address and for some reason it's been sent to RLB in Ireland to find the senders address (despite it being on the back- I always put house number and post code on the back but for some people, when they do the returns to sender, they don't grasp this concept and off it goes to Ireland for them to turn over, check the postcode and return it to me!). If that's the case, it'll reappear with you eventually (possibly up to 12 weeks depending on mail volumes- nobody seems to put return addresses on their xmas cards...).

Once it's been 15 working days, RM will consider it a lost item and a P58 claim form can be filled in. I appreciate this doesn't help you find the item, but the only people who would be able to tell if it was your package are someone dishonest-who will hopefully feel the wrath of IB, the police and all their colleagues very shortly, or someone from RLB who may have to open the packet to find an address if something has happened to the packaging. And it's not statistically likely that either of them will be members of this forum.

I hope it reappears for you soon :)

[TrueBlueTerrier]

North Wales has recently been suffering from Bad Weather and even floods in some areas - its possible that it may be delayed in any backlog even if neither the destination or originating address are in the affected areas.

[TeeferTiger]

North Wales has recently been suffering from Bad Weather and even floods in some areas - its possible that it may be delayed in any backlog even if neither the destination or originating address are in the affected areas.

We were OK around the 12th though so I don't think weather should've been an issue unless it's been delayed a fortnight somewhere?

[mandelsons_toenail]

North Wales has recently been suffering from Bad Weather and even floods in some areas - its possible that it may be delayed in any backlog even if neither the destination or originating address are in the affected areas.

We were OK around the 12th though so I don't think weather should've been an issue unless it's been delayed a fortnight somewhere?

It's not delayed

I have it and wear it on nights out

[WildRedHed]

Thanks everyone for your help. I guess we`ll just have to wait and hope it turns up sometime. I once had a rug sent back to me from New York (sold on Ebay) because it couldn`t be delivered!

I`m going to fill in the claim form, but is that strictly an office exercise? do the customer services attempt to find parcels or just decide whether compensation is appropriate?

Just out of interest, where do all the parcels go which are still in the system, but undeliverable for some reason? is there a giant lost property office somewhere?
My friend`s usual postie was on hol the week it should have arrived. Can`t help feeling there`s a connection there somewhere.....but the temp has been asked and said he hasn`t seen it. It was TOO big to just vapourize - 60 inch chest!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

The Main Lost post office (RLB in RM terms) is based in Belfast.

When you fill the form in its entered into a database which RLB have access to.

If its as big as it sounds and the destination office has not yet been modernised it may be too large for the "regular" postie, or their cover, and should have gone out by Van. If the office has been modernised they will already be operating from a van.

[Lounge Lizard]

"I used a large dark grey plastic bag ...... had my friend`s address in full on the front of the parcel, and my abbreviated address on the back for returns, both in permanent black marker" Is there any address on the inside, as I've seen so called 'permanent black marker' all but disappeared from 'grey plastic bag' parcels once they've shuffled about with other parcels a bit. If it's still not arrived after a few more days best contact Royal Mail's returned mail centre at 20 Donegall Quay Belfast BT1 1AA 0845 774 0740 . Good luck.

[NewPostieUK]

I would assume it would go to Chester Mail Centre after being collected by Mold Delivery office (behind the PO on the main street)... but I don't know which area it was being posted to so

It was being posted TO Mold I think. I think it would have gone to Tyneside Mail Centre at Team Valley first?

[FairyFoot]

On a penpal forum, we are having a discussion on where letters go!

A letter from Japan to Norway was missent via Thailand.
From USA - to France via India.
From England to Netherlands via Australia
From ??? via Switzerland and Swaziland before arriving safely in Sweden.

Oh, and as for postcards sent often from the US to Austria, some go via Australia. http://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/AT-121609" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[TeeferTiger]

I would assume it would go to Chester Mail Centre after being collected by Mold Delivery office (behind the PO on the main street)... but I don't know which area it was being posted to so

It was being posted TO Mold I think. I think it would have gone to Tyneside Mail Centre at Team Valley first?

Ah... well the last MC would be Chester then before getting to Mold DO (behind the main PO) and we still didn't have any weather issues around the 13th/14th either

[WildRedHed]

Thanks so much for all your help guys.

I phoned the number you gave me today (customer services), and after I explained that I`d been using this site and that your suggestions had been to contact the Belfast office, the person I spoke to was really helpful. He took a lot of details about the parcel and contents, plus sender and recipient details, and has sent them through to Belfast for me. If they do have the parcel, they will send it back to me, but it might take over 3 weeks. I also have a reference number for my call today. He also advised me to submit a claim form just in case its not there.
I can`t do any more than that, so all digits crossed we might get it back

And if not, I hope whoever has got it enjoys wearing it because it took me months to make it!

All the very best to you this jolly season

[TeeferTiger]

Here's hoping!

[avenger]

Hi, a parcel that I posted has gone missing, and I`m going to try everything I can think of to locate it. I would be very grateful to anyone who could help.

Its a very large, handmade jumper in aran yarn, in a Union Jack design that I made myself and posted to a friend by 2nd class packet post on the 12th November. I used a large dark grey plastic bag with a very strong sticky strip - the sort that are sold for Ebay use. It had my friend`s address in full on the front of the parcel, and my abbreviated address (name, house number and post code) on the back for returns, both in permanent black marker. Nothing on the outside of the parcel indicated its contents.
It was posted at Garden Farm post office in Chester-le-Street DH2 3EH, destination CH7 5ED, which is close to Mold in North Wales.

I am VERY angry with myself for not sending it by special delivery, or recorded in any way. I`ve used the Royal Mail`s wonderful service for 12 years selling things on Ebay. I always post 2nd class, and nothing has gone missing before, so Thank You guys!

I`ve been told that without a tracing number it will be impossible to find it. My friend has asked his postie, and he hasn`t seen it. We`ve both tried phoning several sorting offices, but to no avail.

My question to you is this: which sorting office route would the parcel take between the 2 postcodes? I will write to each sorting office and check that they have not got it in their lost property.

If anyone has any other suggestions (apart from wind back the clock!) I would be so grateful.

I knew it would be this as soon as i saw bag mentioned

Thanks so much for all your help guys.

I phoned the number you gave me today (customer services), and after I explained that I`d been using this site and that your suggestions had been to contact the Belfast office, the person I spoke to was really helpful. He took a lot of details about the parcel and contents, plus sender and recipient details, and has sent them through to Belfast for me. If they do have the parcel, they will send it back to me, but it might take over 3 weeks. I also have a reference number for my call today. He also advised me to submit a claim form just in case its not there.
I can`t do any more than that, so all digits crossed we might get it back

And if not, I hope whoever has got it enjoys wearing it because it took me months to make it!

All the very best to you this jolly season

This site is blocked by RM. they are no fans of us
very easily rubbed off in transit
so you are left with a plastic bag and no addresses