View Full Version : Useless Parcel Service in UK
Mrs Beks has just finished an oil painting for our son in the Army in Germany, he was due to pick it up on next visit, but due to various reasons was unable to..
So we thought, no problem, we'd post it over, with all the wrapping it's 147 cm x 102 cm by 15 cm thick and weighs 7.5 kg. Big but not huge.
Quick passing visit to Post Office (Royal Mail).. no don't do parcels like that, but try The BFPO Worldwide Parcel service "offers cost effective, reliable delivery to all BFPO Numbers". Nope too big.
Ok lets try the grand sounding "Parcelforce: International";, European and UK express parcel delivery and collection plus UK courier services.. oh dear still to big for this mighty company.
Try TNT, nope it's business to business with them and don't deliver to BFPO.
So DHL, they wanted over £200, but wait, that next day delivery, but try the truck route, hmm, that's going to be £100 with insurance..AND they don't deliver to BFPO..
Might have to do DHL, but will keep looking - anyone else know of any reasonable way to get it over - looks like to me our wonderful UK parcel services are on their bum! [evil]
alanatkie
04-May-10, 10:54
this site might be able to help - http://www.myparceldelivery.com/
Mrs Beks has just finished an oil painting for our son in the Army in Germany, he was due to pick it up on next visit, but due to various reasons was unable to..
So we thought, no problem, we'd post it over, with all the wrapping it's 147 cm x 102 cm by 15 cm thick and weighs 7.5 kg. Big but not huge.
Quick passing visit to Post Office (Royal Mail).. no don't do parcels like that, but try The BFPO Worldwide Parcel service "offers cost effective, reliable delivery to all BFPO Numbers". Nope too big.
Ok lets try the grand sounding "Parcelforce: International";, European and UK express parcel delivery and collection plus UK courier services.. oh dear still to big for this mighty company.
Try TNT, nope it's business to business with them and don't deliver to BFPO.
So DHL, they wanted over £200, but wait, that next day delivery, but try the truck route, hmm, that's going to be £100 with insurance..AND they don't deliver to BFPO..
Might have to do DHL, but will keep looking - anyone else know of any reasonable way to get it over - looks like to me our wonderful UK parcel services are on their bum! [evil]
very strange we just got a pram from Germany delivered and it was in 2 huge boxes was charged 35 quid came via DPD not much good for you though
You might want to explore the BFPO London website here (http://www.bfpo.mod.uk/index.html) where there are details regarding maximum wieghts and sizes and, I believe, companies with which the BFPO has courier contracts.
There was a time, many years ago, when you could phone up the duty Controlling Postal Officer and get advice but now I think you can only get a junior civil servant or a call centre.
Well whatever you do do not use parcelforce-they took payment for my parcel then didnt pick it up,then when they did pick it up they lost it and then finally 9 days later managed to deliver it-and yet they refuse to refund my payment!Would rather walk to destination myself than pay for their service again x
I have no idea what the prices are like for shipping things to Germany, but for shipping things from America, I've never had any problems with UPS. Closest depot to Wick though, that I know of, is Inverness.
Did you try this one ??
>> http://www.bfpo.mod.uk/
Not sure how it works but they mention packages ???
It may be worth asking.
John Little
04-May-10, 11:49
I've often thought that this is one of the ways we have gone backwards. Beeching took a wrong turn in the 1960s closing so many railways. Time was when you could send anything via rail to a goods yard and it would be delivered to your door by electric lorry.
Instead we went down the motorway route exclusively and now it's all congested. We need to bring back the freight capacity of our railways.
Anyone else remember these?
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad118/johnlittle21/scarab2.jpg
northener
04-May-10, 11:49
Might be worth asking your son if he knows a tame German (maybe working in the NAAFI or summat) who would be willing to accept the parcel at their home adress.
No hassle with BFPO delivery then.
You may want to try Shiply (http://www.shiply.com/) its like Fleabay for parcels. I've used them a few times.
Its basically companies selling dead space on shipping routes.
EDIT: I've had horrible experiences with most companies except UPS and DHL. Parcelforce were particularly bad, they didn't even try to deliver stuff just dropped it at the local post office.
I've often thought that this is one of the ways we have gone backwards. Beeching took a wrong turn in the 1960s closing so many railways. Time was when you could send anything via rail to a goods yard and it would be delivered to your door by electric lorry.
Instead we went down the motorway route exclusively and now it's all congested. We need to bring back the freight capacity of our railways.
Anyone else remember these?
http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad118/johnlittle21/scarab2.jpg
They used to have those at the railway station in Bolton when I was a youngster.
If I remember rightly Im sure Salvage Squad restored one that was used by Cadbury's for their site work
carrepairman
04-May-10, 12:46
If the painting is on canvas can you roll it up to put it in a large tube and disassemble the frame? Ovbiously if on hardboard this won`t work!
Also try these people http://www.interparcel.com/services/
Boozeburglar
04-May-10, 13:55
If the painting is on canvas can you roll it up to put it in a large tube and disassemble the frame? Ovbiously if on hardboard this won`t work!
Also try these people http://www.interparcel.com/services/
Arghhhhh!!!!!!
Please don't treat yer originals like that!
:)
linedancer1
04-May-10, 14:10
Try 4 P4Delivery, not sure if they do overseas but worth a try, got a parcel delivered from Essex for £18 DHL wanted £98, in the end it was DHL that collected it and then delivered by AJG, who by the way said they didn't deliver furniture, wonder why they delivered a chair for me then the week before???????mmmmmmmm
Have you tried FEDEX UK, dont know if they do BFPO, but when myself and a lot of workmates have sent stuff home from Bahrain using them and the rates were very reasonable. Does he know off anyone travelling out to his base from the UK soon that could take it too him, I've had to do and use this method a few times too!
Having done a wee bit digging around I've not been able to find any mail service that will accept your parcel for despatch. According to your measurements the item is 3.81 metres (length and girth combined).
It looks as if you're going to have to find a courier company and use your son's German civilian address with all the additional costs.
You could try and find someone travelling to near your son's location by posting a request for help on the AARSE website here (http://www.arrse.co.uk/)
Try sending Mrs Beks to Germany with her paints and easle, then, she can paint the picture again, hand it over and get a little holiday in the bargain.
Simple huh? :D
Mrs Beks has just finished an oil painting for our son in the Army in Germany, he was due to pick it up on next visit, but due to various reasons was unable to..
So we thought, no problem, we'd post it over, with all the wrapping it's 147 cm x 102 cm by 15 cm thick and weighs 7.5 kg. Big but not huge.
Quick passing visit to Post Office (Royal Mail).. no don't do parcels like that, but try The BFPO Worldwide Parcel service "offers cost effective, reliable delivery to all BFPO Numbers". Nope too big.
Ok lets try the grand sounding "Parcelforce: International";, European and UK express parcel delivery and collection plus UK courier services.. oh dear still to big for this mighty company.
Try TNT, nope it's business to business with them and don't deliver to BFPO.
So DHL, they wanted over £200, but wait, that next day delivery, but try the truck route, hmm, that's going to be £100 with insurance..AND they don't deliver to BFPO..
Might have to do DHL, but will keep looking - anyone else know of any reasonable way to get it over - looks like to me our wonderful UK parcel services are on their bum! [evil]
One to steer clear of is G&M Couriers with offices in Airdrie and in Inverness,
we have been awaiting an item since we ordered it on the 26th March!
This week, we spoke with them and were informed; yes, they have it, and we "might" get it this week,
Why do they have to be so awkward when delivering anything north of Inverness?
I think that people in the north are being held to ransom in every which way.
Is that the same as G&M distribution, who hit my fence with their lorry and narowly avoided my car and never said a word about the fence despite being at my door asking me to move the car, phoned to report it to Inverness depot and was promised a call back regarding it but glad I did not hold my breath or I would be dead [evil]
Is that the same as G&M distribution, who hit my fence with their lorry and narowly avoided my car and never said a word about the fence despite being at my door asking me to move the car, phoned to report it to Inverness depot and was promised a call back regarding it but glad I did not hold my breath or I would be dead [evil]
Most probably,
they are not very reliable at all.
Here are a couple more that Mrs. Beks might like to try, haven't used them myself but anything is worth trying.
www.interlinkdirect,co.uk (http://www.interlinkdirect,co.uk)
www.parcel-to-germany.co.uk (http://www.parcel-to-germany.co.uk)
Hope you are successful in getting your parcel to Germany and your son.:)
Just a quick update and to say many thanks - so far - for the great help, folks are giving, it's a blinking maze out there.. much of the advice has been fruitful, we're still investigating.. thanks again:)
Just to say a great many thanks for all the advice - shows that this forum really works..
Finally settled for a German-owned company DHL, very efficient - with others such as Parcelforce, telephone was multiple six choices, then six choices, but DHL? more or less straight through to a very helpful operator all they wanted was name then gave price.. others, had to register first, or a long telephone conversation taking name. address, tel number etc etc before they would give price..
DHL will pick up Monday and be with Son in two to three days (they also take his tel number to advise of exact time)
Funnily enough just looked at BBC news and listened to correspondent Laura Kuenssberg standing outside Westminster, when a great big huge yellow lorry went by: DHL of course!
Thanks again
Alanatkie : Company just starting up "Thank you for pre-registering with myParcelDelivery.com. You will receive notification of our launch on the 4th May 2010 along with your discount code for use on the site". Nothing heard..
adi1: Package was too big
Gronnuck: BFPO too big (max size: 1.05 Length. 2.0m Length and girth combined) AARSE could have been an idea..
SandraB: Much appreciated, ref PM offer.
Thumper: Parcelforce - too big (and they have a very bad press)
Alan16: expensive
bothyman: Package was too big
John Little: No electric trucks
Northener: Son lives in Civi house (which helps a lot!)
RecQuery: DHL quicker to send than Shipley - You're right about DHL (German efficiency!)
carrepairman: They recommend FedEx - they say too big
Boozeburglar - you're right, this is a palette knife job
linedancer1: they said "we don't have any service available"
DrEvil: they put us onto freight, take longer they said
Ducatti: Thought about that but take too long for oils to dry before varnishing, good idea though!
Commore: took your advice
Unicorn; ditto
Marwill: very handy + your PM's
Brilliant summary of (sometimes insane) advice [lol]
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