Global Scale Modeller

I've been waiting for a small order to arrive from Poland, six metal gun barrels in 1/72. I ordered them from RB Models on the 8th April. The tracking information has shown that they have been stuck at the sorting centre at Heathrow since 12th April. After consulting RB, today I phoned Royal Mail. They have told me that the package was deemed to contain items that the Border Force did not want coming into the country and so it has been returned to Poland! I've emailed RB to let them know and it will be interesting to hear from them if this has happened to them before.

Anyone else had a similar experience?

I've done my fair share of ordering from Japan, and though kits are no worries, paints and fillers are "flammable" and thus can't be airmailed and are not always properly sent through customs in a uniform manner.

In a funny twist, if you were to examine my orders, I seem to buy a lot of "skin cream"

Good grief, no doubt some jobsworth taking his job to seriously.

I've ordered lots of modelling bits from Poland (mostly off eBay) and never had an issue with delivery to the UK. My last order was some 1/35 ammo that could look like (to an idiot) bullets

The customs declaration probably said "gun barrels" and someone hit the big red button that sent off the strobe lights and klaxon siren.

ForbesHutton wrote:The customs declaration probably said "gun barrels" and someone hit the big red button that sent off the strobe lights and klaxon siren.

There would have been no customs declaration as both Poland and the UK are EU members. They would have had to x-ray or open the package to find what was inside.

Border Force sounds like a cheesy 80s action drama. Is that really what they're called there?

Lysus wrote:Border Force sounds like a cheesy 80s action drama. Is that really what they're called there?

Yep. It used to be 'UK Border Agency', but they came under a lot of criticism for inefficiency and after a damning report they were split up into three separate agencies, Border Force, Immigartion Enforcement and UK Visas and Immigration.

Chris, what barrels where you after. I think most Aber, PM-Profi sets are available via Historex agents in the UK, if not Hannants would probably have them. I also have a couple of got to shops in Poland and I never experienced any problems, as goods are in free circulation with in the EU. I know it's not the "British Thing" to do but I would put in a claim with the Incompetent government agency for material loss due to there f-up...

Vleugelmoer wrote:Chris, what barrels where you after. I think most Aber, PM-Profi sets are available via Historex agents in the UK, if not Hannants would probably have them. I also have a couple of got to shops in Poland and I never experienced any problems, as goods are in free circulation with in the EU. I know it's not the "British Thing" to do but I would put in a claim with the Incompetent government agency for material loss due to there f-up...

Thanks for the ideas, good of you to make them. I've had an email from Beata at RB who is as dumbfounded as the rest of us. This has never happened to them before. She is going to resend the order.

Once the package is back with RB, and we have any additional information as to why it was rejected, I am going to make a complaint. Their web site is a marvel of design; it really is impenetrable or circular in many places, so much so I can't believe it is incompetent design but deliberate. However, I have now found a route to complain along.

They stop everyone who should be here or let in but allow all those who might give them a bit of a problem a free pass, it's all about ticking boxes and quoter's, another case of agencies (private contractors really i.e. not civil servants) now running what was once government/civil service because it cheap bit like PCSO's half a policeman coz it's cheap we're not supposed to know that

perhaps they thought it was the components for a mini RC terminator vehicle intended to be assembled then sneaked up the the sewers of London to scare the crap out of the PM.

POSTSCRIPT: RB received the package back fairly quickly. There was no indication on it to indicate why it had been refused entry. They sent it out to me again and it arrived in three days, with no fuss.