Posts

My journey to becoming a postman

I started with the Royal Mail back in July in 2024. I applied via one of the Agencies they use called Angard. This involved an online application and I had to pop into the Royal Mail delivery hub I applied to for a short interview. Basically, so they can see you aren't insane or anything. Nothing more to it than that.  The interview was in June and I was hired and started a month later (in July, as I said). For my first day I wore a pair of walking trousers and a t-shirt and trainers. This was OK, but I changed to shorts. You get quite warm when you are out delivering, although lightweight trousers seem to work just as well as shorts.  Initially, you sign in at whatever time you want. I usually got there around 7am and signed in then, I would work and then sign out at whatever time I finished. You sign in on a paper based system, although this has changed since I started. Now it's done electronically.  Anyways, I was with Angaard for a month or so before I was asked to jo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part: 34 - 38)

 Part 34 Back onto a route I know quite well today, so it wasn't a bad day. Once you learn a round you can get around it relatively quickly so you can finish on time. The problem is getting to learn the round!  Part 35 Long day, 30 mins overtime today in a place called Comberton Part 36  Same as above, but 60 mins overtime!  Part 37 Messed up a collection today, thought it was in one village, when it was in another. Made me a bit late as I had to go back and get it! Also, the person giving me the collection hadn't labelled it right so it was an added delay there as well.  Part 38 Had some colleagues come and help me out today, so got done well on time, got back to the depot and had to do some door to door work on the frame before I could go. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Parts 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)

Part 29 - Same route again but with someone else. The Royal Mail sure enjoy putting random people with other people. Every day is different for sure.  Part 30 - Back in a place called Cambourne today. Was with someone who knew the route well, so got it done on time. Then went to help out another postie to get their round finished.  Part 31 - Worked with an ex-footballer today. Interesting. Part 32 - Day Off. Part 33 - Out in another village today, with one of the usual guys and a slightly crazy guy. You certainly meet some characters in this job! 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Parts 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)

Part 24 - Back on a shift I shall dub as 'Gladiator Road' because that's the name of one of the roads you need to deliver to (a long one). Got finished on time, and even found a bit of time to help out a colleague with a bit of the area they were doing. Not a bad day overall.  Part 25 - Day Off. Yay. Part 26 - Was a long, long day today, with a lot of mail to go out. It was the Gladiator Road one again, and on top of it all, the traffic was terrible when driving back to the office. Ended up doing overtime in the end.  Part 27 - Another hard day today. Was put on a route I didn't really know, with another guy who also didn't know the route. It made delivering difficult as we were constantly working out what needed to come next. Very difficult indeed. Also ended up doing overtime again.  Some of the Royal Mail Official kit arrived today though, and I have to say that the kit is pretty good. Decent shoes, nice jacket and the shorts are decent as well. Can't com...
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 20, 21, 22, 23)

 On the same round as before, which wasn't too bad again. Same old over these 3 days! Then I had a day off, which was nice! Not much else to report. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 19)

 Day out on another new round today with a bit of a sardonic colleague. He was OK but I found it best to keep quiet when I didn't need to speak. Bit of a pain that I can't now just leave when I'm finished and need to hang around until 330pm when I need to sign out on one of the machines in the office.  That's about all, at least I didn't need to drive the van today. That was the good news. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 18)

 Today was my official Royal Mail induction, due to my probation period ending. Had to watch a live Teams chat thing to teach me more about how the Royal Mail works. I then did some leaflet sorting and then had to go and deliver a load of parcels in the afternoon. They needed someone to do a parcel run, and I was the spare man. In a twist of fate I had to drive a Mercedes electric van, the one I learned on, but hadn't driven since and so I had to remember how to start it etc.  It has an interesting handbrake operated by your foot, which can fly up and whack it, if you aren't careful. Anyways, got it all done, but was a bit late back as I wasn't sure exactly where I was going. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 17)

 A nice day off today due to it being a Bank Holiday! Yay. Was nice to get some domestic stuff done. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Some time off

 Have had the last 2 days off, due to a Sunday and it being a public holiday in the UK. Had to buy some shoes on the Sunday, as the ones I have at the moment aren't quite cutting it for the job. I wouldn't recomment buying Karrimor shoes if you work as a postman. They aren't hard wearing enough.  On Monday, I wrote a load of quiz books and tried to rest a bit as well. My probation period has now finished, so I start properly at the job tomorrow, which will be nice. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 16)

 Did same round again as yesterday. Finished a bit early, saw the other half and got a 5 guys on the way home. Very nice it was too, and I got a free milkshake as I have never ordered from there before. That was also very good. I would recommend buying from them. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 15)

 Same as yesterday, long day again. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 14)

 Had a day on another round I have done before, not enough staff for the round so I finished late. Had to have one of the other posties give me a lift back, saw folks in the evening. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Family visits

 From 18th to 21st August was off visiting family. Was good to have some time off work and to see various family members I haven't seen in a while. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 13)

 Back on the same duty as earlier in the week, one without my colleague. Got done relatively early. Was tired in the pm, needed to rest. Ordered a pizza, but it wasn't very nice and just made me really thirsty, did some washing then went to bed. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 12)

 Same routine today as yesterday. Found heat got to me a bit today, it was warm out there, but still got it all done on time. Tried to chill out a bit in the evening. 
Post a Comment
Read more

More Delivering

 Was working in the same village, but with a colleague today. It was yet another new round to learn, but wasn't too bad. Met a few dogs and residents. Got done on time for once. Saw folks for dinner, was OK, then went shopping and home to bed. 
Post a Comment
Read more

More Postie Stuff

On a route today that covered part of one of the local villages. To be fair, it wasn't too bad, Drive the van there, parked up and then did it in a series of loops, moving from one road to the next. In the evening I tried to do some exercise, but I didn't have the energy. It's still pretty darn hot here. Also, met someone in the office today who had been a postie for 43 years. Crazy!
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 11)

 Planning as Royal Mail can be a bit fickle. Shifts change at the last minute and I'm on a different shift I wasn't expecting, and to be honest it was a tough one today. Lots of driving and farms, with slightly different names, so you are never sure if you are delivering to the right place or not, and it's also hard to find the places sometimes as well. It can be challenging. Also, got a sodding parking fine for forgetting to move my car when I left for the round. Silly really. Not much else happened today. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Life as a Postman (Part 10)

 Back on a route I knew today, and it was finished in good time. Not much else happened!
Post a Comment
Read more

Day Off

 Productive day today, shopping, cleaned car, repaired some clothes, did washing, cycled a bit, cut my hair, had a bath, ate and went to bed. 
Post a Comment
Read more