Warning for those who model from America

[Newportnobby]

Do the BCC do an electronic version of their quarterly mag? If not, maybe make the suggestion to them on the basis of your concerns

[EtchedPixels]

I subscribe to several UK railway magazines including Railway Modeller, Model Rail, BRM, Steam World, etc.

Copies of these magazines all arrive in the U.S. in either a white envelope or plastic packaging but none of them has a customs declaration label.

There are special rules for magazines and books. Whether those will continue to apply for the US in the current nutjob state I don't know, but conventionally magazines/books providing they have nothing accompanying them (or very little) are normally exempted.

[LASteve]

Just to add to the already confusing confusion: Today I received my new Rapido CL44 via International Tracked Royal Mail. Customs Declaration clearly on the front of the package; no place to declare "Country of Origin".

It came straight through with no additional customs surcharge and it was shipped 8/7, so  nine days shipped from Whitby to received in Los Angeles.

Certainly can't grumble about that, but still leaves the whole tariff situation extremely cloudy.

Thanks to The Model Centre for great service, as always.

[njee20]

Isn't that expected though? That's what's changing next week.

[jpendle]

Isn't that expected though? That's what's changing next week.

Steve is self medicating after a hip replacement, so he's not thinking straight.

John P

[LASteve]

... so he's not thinking straight.

I confess to be confused AF with this tariff stuff, it changes every day and it's a crap-shoot anyway when you've got stuff on pre-order or working through the wonderful TMC post-sales weathering and fitting services. Just happy to have my CL44 and not handing over even more money to the Feds. 

[Maurice]

Personally, I am holding off importing anything until the "dust settles" so to speak. I have plenty of kits to build while I wait for things to adjust or change.
Cheers!
Maurice

[Platy767]

I understand a lot of this stuff has been covered in previous posts, but here is an ABC news story about Australia halting transit shipments to the US.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-21/australia-post-suspends-transit-shipping-parcels-us-trump-tariff/105680456

Mark

[Jeff_W]

I think Kernow just announced they're no longer shipping to the U.S. for the time being until this whole thing is over with.

[EtchedPixels]

I understand a lot of this stuff has been covered in previous posts, but here is an ABC news story about Australia halting transit shipments to the US.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-21/australia-post-suspends-transit-shipping-parcels-us-trump-tariff/105680456

Mark

Uk couriers are doing the same. Apparently they are required to collect tariffs but the US government hasn't yet told them how they are to be collected, accounted, paid for or what paperwork will be required or how returns work, so they've collectively said "screw it"

[jpendle]

So with Rails of Sheffield shipping to the US again, Kernow are not, and Royal Mail resuming shipments I thought I'd do an experiment.

Royal Mail offer a Duty Paid option for private individuals for shipments less than $800 or around 600 quid. The tariff rate is 30% for Chinese goods, as opposed to a flat rate, plus a nominal charge for the extra paperwork (50p if I remember right)

Rails use DHL and they again charge a 30% tariff for Chinese goods, BUT the DHL shipping rate was over £40, so on the £150 purchase that I modelled the shipping almost outweighed the tariff!

As Postal shipments are meant to attract a flat fee, I can only assume that Royal Mail Delivery Duty Paid is not treated in the same way.

If anyone has any shipments coming in soon I'd like to hear how that went!

Regards,

John P

[Ski]

Just an FYI, I made an order from Rails of Sheffield that arrived August 27...and DHL held the shipment demanding about 25% of the value of my order for "duties and fees" before they would release it to me. If I didn't pay it, they would return the shipment. I went ahead and paid it, confused as why this was charged as the de minimus exception was still in place. When I looked up the shipment paperwork on DHLs website, it showed no tariff was charged by US CBP. I haven't had time to call DHL to see why I was charged, but I never had to pay extra like that before and the shipment value was well under $800 US.

I have a few sets of Revolution's 1938 Underground stock preordered and paid for...this is gonna hurt...if I can even get them.