A century in stamps
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A century of public transport in Guernsey was celebrated by the issue of four colourful stamps on August 7. Their values are 6p, 8p, llp and 13p.
The smallest denomination shows a quaint Merryweather steam tram of 1879 hauling a four-wheeled single-deck enclosed trailer for first-class passengers. The 8p stamp depicts a splendid square-rigged windjammer — an electric open-top 80-seater built in 1896 by Milnes of Birkenhead.
First motorbuses on the islard were three 1906 Eugene Brille Schneider double-deckers
ofa type running in Paris but with bodies of typical London pattern. They were too big for the traffic and later they were joined by a compact French Clement Bayard 11-seater, which is the subject of the lip stamp.
The quartet is completed by a Bedford SB5 39-seater with Wadham Stringer body — one of 10 with public-address equipment and popular for tours and private hire.
The stamps are beautifully printed in Switzerland on white paper with brown and green silk threads.