A ‘must’ for design-related firms planning a New Year mailout: a new set of Royal Mail stamps, British Design Classics (PDF link, 3Mb).

On sale 13th January 09, and two have Midlands connections — featuring the Spitfire (designed by Mitchell, born in Stoke-on-Trent / fitted with a Derby-made Merlin engine / produced at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham), and the Mini car (first put into production at Longbridge, Birmingham, in 1959).