A thermal transfer printer comprising: a printhead for transferring ink from an ink-carrying tape to a substrate on which printing is to be effected; a tape drive comprising two motors (14, 15), at least one of which is a stepper motor, two tape spool supports (8, 12) on which spools (7, 11) of tape may be mounted, each spool (7, 11) being drivable by a respective one of the said motors and a controller for controlling energisation of the motors such that tape may be transported in at least one direction between spools (7, 11) mounted on the spool supports (8, 12) and past said printhead; wherein: the controller is operative to energise both motors (14, 15) to drive the spools of tape in the direction of tape transport, and the controller is operative to energise the motors (14, 15) to drive the spools of tape to position a first predetermined area of tape adjacent to the printhead such that ink is removed from the first area of the tape onto the substrate to effect first printing, and is subsequently operative to energise the motors (14, 15) to drive the spools (7, 11) of tape to position a second predetermined area of tape adjacent to the printhead such that ink is removed from the second predetermined area of the tape onto the substrate to effect second printing, so as to enable efficient use of the tape. a printhead for transferring ink from an ink-carrying tape to a substrate on which printing is to be effected; a tape drive comprising two motors (14, 15), at least one of which is a stepper motor, two tape spool supports (8, 12) on which spools (7, 11) of tape may be mounted, each spool (7, 11) being drivable by a respective one of the said motors and a controller for controlling energisation of the motors such that tape may be transported in at least one direction between spools (7, 11) mounted on the spool supports (8, 12) and past said printhead; wherein: the controller is operative to energise both motors (14, 15) to drive the spools of tape in the direction of tape transport, and the controller is operative to energise the motors (14, 15) to drive the spools of tape to position a first predetermined area of tape adjacent to the printhead such that ink is removed from the first area of the tape onto the substrate to effect first printing, and is subsequently operative to energise the motors (14, 15) to drive the spools (7, 11) of tape to position a second predetermined area of tape adjacent to the printhead such that ink is removed from the second predetermined area of the tape onto the substrate to effect second printing, so as to enable efficient use of the tape. the controller is operative to energise both motors (14, 15) to drive the spools of tape in the direction of tape transport, and the controller is operative to energise the motors (14, 15) to drive the spools of tape to position a first predetermined area of tape adjacent to the printhead such that ink is removed from the first area of the tape onto the substrate to effect first printing, and is subsequently operative to energise the motors (14, 15) to drive the spools (7, 11) of tape to position a second predetermined area of tape adjacent to the printhead such that ink is removed from the second predetermined area of the tape onto the substrate to effect second printing, so as to enable efficient use of the tape.