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Loved your article! >> I wrote myself a letter, headed to the nearest postbox, and posted it. >> A couple of days later, I was very happy to find this in my po

Loved your article! >> I wrote myself a letter, headed to the nearest postbox, and posted it. >> A couple of days later, I was very happy to find this in my postbox! To make this more robust, i'd try this exercise 10-20 times. Different dates (to test for driver). Different sources (to test for source PO)

tfsh 4y ago
I wonder if the author posted the letter from a local post box. It could be that locality improves the chances of it reaching its desired address. E.g I wonder what happens if the letter was posted from a more remote location in the UK.
- Symbiote 4y ago
  Any post office anywhere in the UK would see the "SE" and know the letter should be sent to London, however that happens. Most people who live in Britain recognise the first part of postcodes for large cities and neighbouring areas. I'm sure post workers know all of them, they're mostly mnemonic. Kids in gangs use postcodes to define their territory, they're that easy to use. The small format is also seen on the back of many business letters as a return address.
londons_explore 4y ago
I'm pretty sure this will work 95% of the time or more. Most mail is sorted automatically in the UK, and I think the automatic sort machines would understand this (they look for a postcode, and can understand handwriting).
OJFord 4y ago
It's not necessary, in the almost 10y I was at my previous address I only used (other than the odd web form with mandatory 'address line 2' or whatever) flat number & postcode. It's not a weird niche blogging exercise, it's just how it works. It's usual to be a bit more redundant on the front of an envelope/parcel for whatever reason, but the normal form for a return address is '12/AB3 4CD'. There's nothing magic about returning post that makes a shorter address start working! (It would have a postmark additionally by then, but that's not extra information - the postcode is already more specific, being on just one of that office's many routes).

tfsh 4y ago

I wonder if the author posted the letter from a local post box. It could be that locality improves the chances of it reaching its desired address. E.g I wonder what happens if the letter was posted from a more remote location in the UK.

Symbiote 4y ago
Any post office anywhere in the UK would see the "SE" and know the letter should be sent to London, however that happens. Most people who live in Britain recognise the first part of postcodes for large cities and neighbouring areas. I'm sure post workers know all of them, they're mostly mnemonic. Kids in gangs use postcodes to define their territory, they're that easy to use. The small format is also seen on the back of many business letters as a return address.

londons_explore 4y ago

I'm pretty sure this will work 95% of the time or more. Most mail is sorted automatically in the UK, and I think the automatic sort machines would understand this (they look for a postcode, and can understand handwriting).

OJFord 4y ago

It's not necessary, in the almost 10y I was at my previous address I only used (other than the odd web form with mandatory 'address line 2' or whatever) flat number & postcode. It's not a weird niche blogging exercise, it's just how it works. It's usual to be a bit more redundant on the front of an envelope/parcel for whatever reason, but the normal form for a return address is '12/AB3 4CD'. There's nothing magic about returning post that makes a shorter address start working! (It would have a postmark additionally by then, but that's not extra information - the postcode is already more specific, being on just one of that office's many routes).