Following on from 2022’s Tractors Working in Jersey and 2023’s Emergency Vehicles in Jersey, artist Martin Mörck returns for the third stamp issue within the series Construction Vehicles in Jersey issued on Tuesday 3^rd September 2024. Construction vehicles play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of infrastructure in Jersey. Given the island’s limited land area and unique geographical challenges, these vehicles are essential for efficiently executing construction projects and are indispensable for the sustainable growth and development of the Island.

The stamp issue includes a set of eight stamps and a souvenir sheetlet, all of which have been illustrated using Martin’s engraving style. Born into an artist family, within an artist community Martin Mörck was encouraged by his parents to follow his heart from a young age. His mother would quote “You don’t have any reason to get bored if you have a pencil in hand.” Martin’s father, as well as being an artist, was also a keen philatelist and from him Martin developed a love of stamps. With over 40 years as an artist, this will be the third vehicles issue Martin has worked with Jersey Post on.

First within the set is an illustration of an Excavator, which is a pivotal for digging foundations and trenches. They feature a backfill blade, with an independent boom swing, which makes it easy for workers to use them for small demolitions, material handling, and landscaping.

A Telehandler has been illustrated for the first 98p, the name is short for “telescopic handler” and is equipped with a telescoping boom, this vehicle can extend forwards and upwards, allowing it to lift, move, and place heavy materials at significant heights and distances. The second 98p illustration is of a Wheeled Bulldozer, an essential piece of equipment for building and road development, bulldozers are efficient at levelling and clearing the land thus ensuring a stable base for construction. They are also used for shallow digging and ditching making them ideal for use on landscaping projects and small quarry work.

A Mobile Crane has been depicted for the £1.65 stamp. This machine is capable of lifting and positioning heavy materials. The type of crane on the stamp is most commonly used in larger building projects, such as Jersey’s waterfront development project, making large scale building projects possible.

Used for various concrete projects, such as refilling the pier at Grev De Lecq, the Truck Mounted Concrete Pump is a specialised vehicle, which combines the functions of a concrete mixer and a powerful pump, mounted on a truck chassis, providing unparalleled efficiency in concrete delivery.

Utilised for large scale projects, the Articulated Dump Truck is an essential part of handling large-scale earthmoving and material transport tasks in construction projects. Their unique design, featuring a pivot joint between the cab and the dump box, allows for exceptional manoeuvrability and flexibility, which makes them ideal for navigating the island’s varied and often challenging terrain.

For the £3.75 stamp, Martin illustrated a Tarmac Roller, using an image of Gorey village for the backdrop. Tarmac rollers are instrumental in ensuring that road surfaces are optimised by ensuring that the concrete is evenly distributed, proving the road with optimum manoeuvrability and travel stability.

The final stamp of the issue features an illustration of a Concrete Mixer Truck. These vehicles are used throughout the Island on construction, building and road projects. The trucks are equipped with rotating drums to keep concrete mixtures in optimal condition while in transit, preventing setting and maintaining workability.