Visiting London England, any suggestions?

[Lightages]

I am heading for London the first two weeks of September and want to ask anyone if they have suggestions what electronics/technology shops to visit.

Believe it or not, I am going to go to a Kate Bush concert by her invitation and meet her and will be in London from probably the 6th to the 13th, more or less.

Not only am I interested in local shops to maybe buy some things, but I would also maybe like to meet up with any Londoners here on the forum if someone is game. it would be great to take this opportunity meet some of you.

I  am also interested in any other places to see or visit that people might have to suggest. I was in England and London in 1977 and visited the Abbey and other usual places.

[_Sin]

I've lived and worked in London for 20 years and if anyone knows and decent electronics/technology shops in a 100 mile radius I'd like to know about them too. 

[deephaven]

I am heading for London the first two weeks of September and want to ask anyone if they have suggestions what electronics/technology shops to visit.

Believe it or not, I am going to go to a Kate Bush concert by her invitation and meet her and will be in London from probably the 6th to the 13th, more or less.

Not only am I interested in local shops to maybe buy some things, but I would also maybe like to meet up with any Londoners here on the forum if someone is game. it would be great to take this opportunity meet some of you.

I  am also interested in any other places to see or visit that people might have to suggest. I was in England and London in 1977 and visited the Abbey and other usual places.

I'm not jealous at all - I tried to buy a couple of (expensive) tickets for one of her shows but they had all gone 
London used to have some excellent electronics shops but, alas, they have all gone. The nearest I can think of are the shops down Tottenham Court Road although they tend to be just full of consumer electronics these days.

The Science Museum is always worth a visit, with the Natural History Museum and V&A Museum nearby.

[AndyC_772]

There are RS trade counters at Gatwick and Heathrow. which I think is about as close as you're going to get. (If it's still there, H.Gee on Mill road in Cambridge is worth popping into, though I wouldn't necessarily make a special trip. It's where I bought my '830' multimeter IIRC).

The general area to head for if you really want to spend your time in London looking at technology is Tottenham Court Road... lots of places selling hi-fi, cameras, that sort of thing. It used to be quite a good place to head if you wanted to research a major purchase and compare / contrast different models, but now we have the internet that's not really such a big deal any more. You're unlikely to pick up any bargains that are worth the effort of lugging home.

[Towger]

You would have no problems spending a full day (or two) in the Science Museum http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/ and Natural History Museum, which is beside it. Both are free entry.  Tottenham Court Road was where the electronics/computer shops are. I was last there in the around 1990, but from what I hear now it may not be worth a visit.

[alanb]

If you have time for a visit out side of London Bletchley Park + Museum of computing is well worth a visit. http://www.bletchleypark.org.uk/.

[Flump]

This place would be worth a visit
and if you have any old things you could donate
it would be well received here
https://london.hackspace.org.uk/

things to donate
https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/view/Wishlist#Sub-.C2.A310

[Monkeh]

Well, I don't know about electronics stuff, but if you happen to like large, armoured vehicles, I strongly recommend a visit to the Tank Museum: http://www.tankmuseum.org/

Bit of a trip, but worth it if you're interested in tanks.

[madires]

The Science Museum is always worth a visit, with the Natural History Museum and V&A Museum nearby.

I'd also recommend the Science Museum (takes a whole day).

[KJDS]

My favourite London pub, though it is cleaned a little more often than of old.

http://www.dirtydicks.co.uk/

[G7PSK]

There are RS trade counters at Gatwick and Heathrow. which I think is about as close as you're going to get. (If it's still there, H.Gee on Mill road in Cambridge is worth popping into, though I wouldn't necessarily make a special trip. It's where I bought my '830' multimeter IIRC).

H Gee are still there, I have been going there since 1962. The have not changed much in all that time either.

http://www.localsecrets.com/cambridgeshire/cambridge/romsey-town/showreview.cfm?id=13959~reviews-h-gee

There is also a very good electronics shop near Lincoln cathedral or there was last time I went there called Birketts as far as I can remember.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Amberley museum is worth a day trip
http://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk/
Particularly the electricity & telecoms hall. plenty of other stuff there for disinterested family.....

[Robreeves]

I'd suggest the Tower Bridge.  Not electrical, but lots of big steam and big iron.

[IanB]

I'd suggest the Tower Bridge.  Not electrical, but lots of big steam and big iron.

Actually, for big steam and big iron you should go here: http://www.kemptonsteam.org/

It's on my to-do list for the next time I'm in the area.

[mikeselectricstuff]

I'd suggest the Tower Bridge.  Not electrical, but lots of big steam and big iron.

Actually, for big steam and big iron you should go here: http://www.kemptonsteam.org/

It's on my to-do list for the next time I'm in the area.

For some steam stuff much closer to London :  http://www.waterandsteam.org.uk/

[IanB]

Actually, for big steam and big iron you should go here: http://www.kemptonsteam.org/

It's on my to-do list for the next time I'm in the area.

Ooh, looky-here: http://www.kemptonsteam.org/history/arc-rectifiers/

Now I definitely have to visit!

[electronics man]

go and see alexandra palace the place where tv was first broadcast, you can see the studios, but it is a great building to visit and it has a lot of history

[G0HZU]

When I was a student in the 1980s I often walked up the Edgware Road when looking for electronics shops in London.
These were mostly hobby electronics shops and amateur radio type places.

It was a fair old walk if I wanted to visit all the shops because they were quite spread out along the Edgware Road. But back then, this was the classic 'walk' of many a keen hobbyist

Not sure how many shops are still left, but I think Henry's Electronics is still there? (also, Arrow Electronics is directly opposite Henry's)

[G0HZU]

if you google

edgware road electronics

You can find several shops that are still there today. Back in the 1980s there were quite a few radio/electronics shops there.

It's a road that is next to Marble Arch right in the centre of London just above Hyde Park.

For a bit of nostalgia, I streetviewed up the Edgware Road on google and it brought back a few memories. The last time I was there, there was an amateur radio shop a few doors down from Henry's called Lee Electronics. I bought a 'Standard C58' 2metre multimode radio there not long after I was first licenced in the 1980s. Sadly, Lee Electronics is now gone... replaced by a very dodgy looking minimart/grocer shop 

[mikeselectricstuff]

if you google

edgware road electronics

You can find several shops that are still there today. Back in the 1980s there were quite a few radio/electronics shops there.

It's a road that is next to Marble Arch right in the centre of London just above Hyde Park.

For a bit of nostalgia, I streetviewed up the Edgware Road on google and it brought back a few memories. The last time I was there, there was an amateur radio shop a few doors down from Henry's called Lee Electronics. I bought a 'Standard C58' 2metre multimode radio there not long after I was first licenced in the 1980s. Sadly, Lee Electronics is now gone... replaced by a very dodgy looking minimart/grocer shop 

Don't bother with Edgware road - the only remnant of its former glory is Henry's, which is now wall-to-wall disco and CCTV type stuff. I went there a couple of years ago and the only trace of its former surplus past was a one tiny shelf of utter junk in a dark corner.
Tottehham Court Road is all hifi/video/computers and a Maplins.

[G0HZU]

Don't bother with Edgware road - the only remnant of its former glory is Henry's, which is now wall-to-wall disco and CCTV type stuff.

That's a shame... in its heyday it was well worth the long trudge up from Marble Arch/Oxford Street to get to these old radio/electronics shops just to see what surplus stuff they had for sale.

I think I'd be a bit annoyed if I walked all that way (today) just to end up seeing a few disco lights and home security products 

[david77]

Go and visit HMS Belfast (Big warship floating on the Thames). I spent an abolutely brilliant afternoon in its bowels, oddly it was much more enjoyable than the science museum.

On a sunny day it's also quite nice to just walk along the south bank of the river from the Houses of Parliament to London Bridge.
I'd also recommend the London Transport Museum at Covent Garden.
Although I'm not a big fan of the touristy stuff: Take a guided tour in one of the Routemaster buses - these are actually quite interesting.
Go and get lost in Hyde Park  . Enjoy the Tube - yes really it's brilliant for a tech geek.

Kew Steam museum should be worth a visit, hadn't had time to visit last time I was in London.

Do not go anywhere near the City of London - really awful place  .

[makerimages]

Stay for the 15th, go listen to Bastille

[IanB]

Do not go anywhere near the City of London - really awful place

That's not quite true, there are lots of old, historic and interesting curiosities hidden around the Square Mile if you know where to look. It's not all banks and office buildings. The Museum of London on London Wall is a good starting place to get a sense of the area.

[IanB]

Believe it or not, I am going to go to a Kate Bush concert

Yeah, I hate you 

The concert I missed: http://youtu.be/-z2HtmBzIAQ