The boxes arrive with Griswolds, Wagners, Lodges and other vintage queens of cast-iron cooking, now worse for wear. Some are rusted over, or too encrusted for anyone to make out their branding.

The Scottish company has produced 50 of the classic cylindrical-type cast iron post boxes and 600 of the smaller rectangular lamp boxes in the past year. Its last order for lamp boxes came just ...

Machan Engineering were the only foundry in the UK to make the traditional cast-iron pillar boxes. The company had supplied Royal Mail since the 1980s and used to get 150 orders a year.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: "Our arrangements for the manufacturer of cast iron post boxes remain in place. We will continue to place further orders for cast iron post boxes as and when required." ...