A couple of years ago I wrote about the alternative mail service for international postcards operated by Universal Mail UK. On a recent visit to Ireland I took the opportunity to drive from northern Donegal to Dublin through Northern Ireland and post some cards with special UMUK stamps.
Here are examples sent to Australia and India, almost certainly treated by Royal Mail as normal - that's the only explanation for their rapid transit.
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| Universal Mail UK Northern Ireland stamp postmarked at Belfast's Northern Ireland Mail Centre and on arrival in India. |
Neither date is legible but these were posted on 10 June, and the Indian one was acknowledged on 8 July.
The card to Australia has a clear arrival mark at the Northern Mail Centre of 23 June, so certainly didn't go to UMUK!
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| Universal Mail UK Northern Ireland stamp postmarked at Belfast's Northern Ireland Mail Centre and on arrival in Australia. |
There were others: they may not yet have arrived!
