[UK] Electronics Shops in London ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: alin_im
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 08:53:39 pm
content: Hey guys,In about 2 weeks I will move to London and I was wondering if you guys can give me some shops names where I can find parts/equipment (old/new).I know about Maplin but I am looking for a shop that has affordable old equipment, at the moment I am interested in a spectrum analyzer + tracking generator that is about 550 - 600 pounds.Alin I.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 09:07:41 pm
content: Sorry but there's been nothing like that here for years. Ebay is your best bet.

author: alanb
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 09:11:54 pm
content: cricklewood electronics for parts very little or no equipment.

author: alin_im
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 09:12:20 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 29, 2016, 09:07:41 pmpfff...I was hopping that in London which one of the largest city in Europe it is impossible not to be something like that.do you know any other website besides ebay that is in UK ?

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 09:43:35 pm
content: Quote from: alin_im on August 29, 2016, 09:12:20 pmAlso one of the most expensive, so not viable to fill a building with cheap junk.QuoteThe only one that comes to mind ishttp://www.stewart-of-reading.co.uk/

author: _Andrew_
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 10:07:40 pm
content: The companies that I have seen in recent years based in the London aria have all been eBay sellers.Having commercial premises/retail outlets in the uk can be a crippling cost. You first faint with the cost of rent then have a heart attack when you see the bill for business rates. So it is not uncommon now for people trading in used kit to set up in a spare room and sell on line.I have usedwww.tics.co.ukbaced in Hounslow to source used kit in the past and alsowww.testequipmenthq.comYou could also give Martin Linch & Sons a callwww.hamradio.co.uk/accessories-general-test-equipment-pc-592.phpwho are based in Staines. They may also know of ham's selling off kit.The other one to look out for is disposal auctions were companies are clearing out surplus equipment or kit being sold off from companies that have closed down.

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 08:31:34 am
content: Stewart of Reading is a mugging and the service is shit. Took a month turnaround to get a quote for a sig gen and then the same units with a better warranty were available on eBay for half the cost.Cricklewood Electronics near Brent Cross and RS trade counter at Heathrow are the only places left. I occasionally buy stuff from the Chelmer Valve Company mail order (they stock surplus everything particularly old transistors). There is also outside London, Rapid Electronics in Colchester.Personally I just use CPC/RS which are both free delivery. Retail electronics is dead, unless you like being shafted by craplin.

author: vk3yedotcom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 10:15:08 am
content: Quote from: alin_im on August 29, 2016, 08:53:39 pmHamfests/Radio rallys often have old gear at low prices.The RSGB has a calendar of where and where they are on.http://rsgb.org/main/news/rallies/

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 10:22:41 am
content: Good point. There is:http://www.radiofairs.org.uk/

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 11:05:18 am
content: These days most of what shows up at rallies is big boatanchors that aren't worth ebaying

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 11:18:42 am
content: there is a place in kew - very near the underground station.http://tidmanmailorder.co.uk/

author: Tandy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 11:21:59 am
content: As much as we would all like to see shops you can go and buy from, the economics just don't add up. I think CPC and RS have a couple of 'trade counters' where you can go and collect your order if you need it the same day otherwise your only real option is on-line.

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 11:24:46 am
content: Quote from: stj on August 30, 2016, 11:18:42 amLive round the corner from there. Rather expensive! 10x 1n4148's are a quid.Even Tandy (hello above!) were never that bad

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 12:21:09 pm
content: Quote from: Tandy on August 30, 2016, 11:21:59 amAny of the RS sheds have trade counters, but much of their stock is held centrally. For those cases, the advantages of the trade counter reduce to overnight delivery and no P&P costs.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 02:47:51 pm
content: Quote from: tggzzz on August 30, 2016, 12:21:09 pmRS don't, at the moment, charge P&P for any order. CPC only charge for orders under a fiver.

author: setq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 02:52:25 pm
content: RS will shaft you for a fiver for phone orders and fuck ups on their part. This has happened to me a few times. They fix it every time super quick though.Their Heathrow trade counter is just handy as ParcelFarce throw my packages between my garden wall and shed religiously. Many a time have I nipped in and grabbed something on the way to grab some food.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 03:54:40 pm
content: Quote from: setq on August 30, 2016, 02:52:25 pmMy apologies, yes, online orders are free delivery, not phone orders, but their website is pretty good and my first point of contact anyway so why not stick it all in the basket.I have to say though, I've never had them charge me twice for their cockups, on the two occasions they've made a mistake one was in my favour and the other was sorted out quickly and efficiently with me ending up with both sets of parts for free so I guess YMMV.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 06:06:17 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on August 29, 2016, 09:07:41 pmI find that hard to believe! Even where I live there is an electronics shop.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 06:11:34 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on August 30, 2016, 06:06:17 pmSadly, as far as I have been able to discover, there are no electronics shops in London other than Maplin.I guess it depends what you define 'London' as though.

author: Tandy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 06:17:00 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on August 30, 2016, 06:06:17 pmHere in the UK the costs are so high running a shop that the majority are multi-national chains. The most common are Cafes, Take away food, and restaurants, followed by big clothing brands like Next and Gap. You will find that even things like hobby modelling shops that sell things like model railways, once a common thing in most towns are fast disappearing.The closest you will get to a local electronics store would be Maplin, but these days they mostly sell silly gadgets like weather stations and remote control toys as the component business is not viable for them.