Shipping From Australia

[Banagher]

Hi,
My name is Jim and I am new to the forum. I have observed from afar for some time and have used advice from the various threads on a number of occasions. I am from the west of Ireland and I have a Power Major and a recently refurbished County Super 4.
I am currently working in Australia and have a question for the forum.
I have acquired a number of parts for Fordson Majors and I am looking to ship them home. Is there anybody out there who is doing the same and would like to share some advice on shippingto Dublin /Western Eroupe.
Cheers
Jim

[Dandy Dave]

Welcome Aboard Jim. Can't help you much with shipping advice from your area. I do know that from over here some have filled a container and had it shipped to various locations around the World. Maybe you can get togther with others to share the expense if you do not have enough to fill a container yourself. Dandy Dave!

[Daves rusty bits]

Hello Jim, I see you didn`t get much response to your request. I have tried to get a price for a container to ship tractors back from New Zealand. None of the companies I contacted actually gave me a price, some stated there were too many variables to put a price on a one off shipment of one container, others didn`t reply. I presume business is too good to bother with the little bloke, I wonder if they treat Mr Honda the same?
My son has just emailed me details of 2 Nuffields less than 4km from where he lives. They were on an auction site at a starting price of 200 NZ$ and didn`t get a bid, thats roughly £100, I feel its got to be possible to get tractors like that home at a viable cost or am I dreaming? Good luck if you can do it Dave

[Dandy Dave]

I have never done it myself. I have a friend that at one time shipped many old one lung engines from here in the States to the UK, and would have a few UK engines shipped back here for other collectors that wanted one. This was about 20 years ago. I had a chap a few years back that wanted to buy three Allis Chalmers K-35 bulldozers that I have here and ship them to the UK. He wanted me to take a beating on the price so he could justify the shipping. I stuck to my more than fair price and ended up not selling. Just as well. Dandy Dave!

[Pavel]

Jim, try looking in the adds of State newspapers, the Yellow Pages and Quokka magazine. There is at least one company that advertises and invites people to share container space with others for shipments to Europe and the US.

Pavel

[R W]

Try,
Freight on Board
03 96893311

[Banagher]

Gents,
Thanks for the replies and advice.
Just a little bit about myself
I came to Australia for a year’s contract in the Coal Seam Gas Industry. Along the way I picked up some parts for my fordson’s. I had some dealings here in Australia with a bloke called Ron Clancy in Toowoomba Queensland. This man had a Tractor wreaking yard and was kind enough to give me a tour of the yard with all its secrets and prize items. I met him just before he sold the business to a company called Neil’s parts http://www.neils.com.au/ . Ron proved very helpful with advice and parts. I got 2 Raised PTO’s from him. He held a large auction in March where he got out of his collection of tractors, mainly Internationals, along with some other brands. The rest of the stock appears to have moved over to Neil’s. He had a number of Majors in various states and some complete ones. Also he had a couple of County’s, a cab less 754 and a 1454.
Another Company that proved helpful was Stoneyford Tractor wreakers based in Victoria. Jason is the man there. He proved extremely helpful and willing to deal for the right part. I paid for what I got but when these parts are proving rare and I was happy with the equipment. From those guys I got a DAR, another Raised PTO and an Aux remote for a Power Major and an Aux remote for a Super Major. This last part will top of a refurb that is ongoing on a County Super 4 purchased last year in Northern Ireland. http://www.stonyfordtractors.com.au/cms/ .
I did see a County Super 4 for sale in Tasmania for $3000 AUD. At that money it looked to be very good value. I priced getting it shipped to Brisbane and from Brisbane to Ireland. But it would prove to be cost negative. There are some really good tractors to be picked up here but the costs involved, along with the distances here end up making it nearly the same price as purchasing the tractor in Ireland/UK.I also contemplated purchasing a couple of David Brown 50D’s to offset the purchase of a lovely Roadless major. These David Browns are proving popular at the Auctions in the UK but again by the time you purchase, get clearance , ship, and deliver then get to the auctions in the UK with the auctioneers costs again there was not very much meat left on the bone. I was not brave enough to take on the risk of purchase & shipping 3 tractors and then be left at the mercy of auctions to try recovering the transport.
I did go to the National Historical Machinery Association in Mudgee in New South Wales. A great event and well organised. http://nhma2013rally.com/ . I met many fine people who were willing to talk with a random Irish Tourist about the finer points of Fordson hydraulics. I was the dumb tourist asking advice. I met the people who run the Fordson Club of Australia and I duly joined. This is a great group of people who have been suffering the Blue Disease for some time. They proved very welcoming and interesting to talk to. These guys travel great distances to partake in these events. I met one guy who travelled from Mackay to Mudgee, a distance of some 1300 odd Km’s.
Anyways, those are some of my thoughts and memories of a year in Australia. I have multiple pictures from various points in Australia. I will sort when I get home at the end of the month. I have a month off before the next job so I will try to upload some of them.
Regards and thanks
Jim

[Brian]

Two "Guys" travel from England to go to Fordson Tractor Club of Australia meetings Jim!

[whirly]

I know that my experience with shipping is not directly comparable to your needs but maybe it will help. I had never shipped via container before and it was a maze to get through. However, once you get the knack of it, the process is not that hard. The flip side is the drugs you have to take when the quote is received

Overseas shipping here in the US is based on volume and weight and I assume it is the same elsewhere. Generally the weight makes little difference if the volume is not too small - i.e. when you ship lead it costs much more than feathers in the same box. Volume is the limiting factor in container shipping and that plus distance are the main ingredients in the shipping cost. However, the rates seem to go down with higher volume. I shipped my Power Major with an FEL weighing 6500# and 489 Cu Ft 2,700 Miles from Seattle, WA (NW corner of US) to Hilo, HI (rock in the middle of the Pacific) for $6/Cu Ft. Shipping a 930# flail mower which was only 53 Cu Ft cost $9/Cu Ft. Yes the Flail weighed more per Cu Ft but not by 50% more.

If you just want a price quote, figure out what size crate you need for all your stuff and call with the dimensions of the crate and the weight. Just remember you pay for the air you ship so keep it to a minimum. If you go to them with the information they need to calculate the cost you will probably get a quote. Port to port is the best pricing but you have to deliver to the departure port and pick up at the destination port. The ports here in the US have forklifts and can load/unload your truck or trailer at either end.

Bullet points:

1) Know your weight and dimensions before you ask for a quote
2) Ship once - it will cost you less than a bunch of small shipments
3) You pay for dead space - fill it as much as you can
4) Go to a freight forwarder/consolidater or whatever they call them down under to get your quote.