Was the 46p Cylinder Number D1 Printed in Error?

Due to the increase in postal tariffs on 2nd April 2007, we see new additions to the Machin Stable, these new values are now printed without the printers logo and have the colour of the stamps printed in the margins of the sheet ( could these a new colour margins turn into a new collecting phenomena?)

What seems to interest collectors more than the new layout of the margins is the reprint of the 46p from cylinder D1 pD1. This was withdrawn from general sale the previous year, but the stamps and old type cylinder blocks were still on sale at Tallents House, as are all stamps withdrawn, for one year from the date of withdrawal.

The new stamp printing (according to Royal Mail policy) should have been printed with the number Cylinder D2. What collectors are asking , is this a genuine error as some collectors and specialists suggest? Or is it a new policy from Royal Mail which conforms this 46p printing without logo and new settings (lower value tablet) to the rest of the new values printed for the rate rise?.

All the new values have Cylinder D1 D1 and due to the reprint we now have two with D1 which are different blocks ( and singles) for the 46p value.

Another change was the the issue of the reprint of the 50p stamps in a Grey colour, a change from sand, supposing, to deflect the similarity of sand colour from that of the 1st class gold, which was according to R M confusing to postal staff.

This 50p value was the only sheet from all the new printings to retain the De La Rue logo in the margin, this appears to be from the same cylinder as the previous printing (D2 D1) and the stamps have same high value settings.

For now, the experts are classing this 46p an an error by THE PERSON(s) who made up the cylinder for the printing? Are they correct? I guess real the answer to this one is" only time will tell ".

This time will be months away, as it will not be until new cylinders are needed for the existing values. Will these be printed without the logo and a colour in the margin?

I guess YES.

Will they have new settings?

Again I guess YES.

And lastly will these reprints have a new cylinder number bumped up by one digit, or as with the 46p above revert back to the original cylinder used on the previous issues?. It will be interesting to see, but my answer for this one, as I am now with the same opinion as the experts.
I think (it is a possible human error) but time will tell.

Larry informs us "I understand that the reasons for these changes to the Machin margins will be revealed in the Philatelic Bulletin in the near future".

Do you have an opinion, If so please reply to this post