Defunct UK Electrotechnical Surplus Dealers
 
The original version of this page in 2012 started as a result of a discussion on a theatre technical forum that I frequent, the Blue Room, remembering the wide range of surplus dealers that used to exist. In the 1950’s & 60’s, which are seen by many as the heyday of government surplus, there were well over 50 such dealers around the country, and whilst many lasted into the 1980s, only a small handful are left now.
 
I aim to collate as comprehensive a list as possible here of defunct electrotechnical surplus dealers. It will include any that I can trace that sold either government or industrial surplus, either electrical or mechanical. This will include, tools, fasteners, aircraft instrument, materials, hardware, electronic components & test equipment etc and include shops that carried surplus in addition to other ranges. I will include details on a few where they are still trading in some form, but are no longer actively dealing in surplus.
I won’t include dealers that only sold clothes or field equipment- tents, cooking eqpt- this would be another huge list!
 
What constitutes a dedicated surplus dealer and what is a radio or component supplier is sometimes hard to discern. I have included radio and component suppliers if they include clearly identifiable surplus items in their adverts, even if their main trade is not surplus and in a couple of cases have erred on the side of inclusion where I have doubts as I can always update if more information comes to light. Likewise it is sometimes difficult to determine if surplus is industrial or ex govt. in nature and it is likely that many shops carried a mix.
 
The heyday was in the post-war period when vast quantities of equipment produced for the war effort was no-longer found to be needed and started being sold off. The UK alone produced 130,000 aircraft during WW2, and 3 million people served in the UK Army over the same period, explaining the large volumes of material that became available. Consequently as the stocks depleted the numbers of dealers slowly reduced. The reduction in number also seems to follow the trends in the electronics world, where radios and TVs changed from valve to semiconductor operation with improved reliability, and there was an reduction in the need to service them or obtain spare parts.
 
Changes in 1994 in the way the government, and in particular the MOD, disposes of material altered the market significantly again. It meant that most surplus was no longer disposed of or scrapped by the individual bases or stores locations at local auctions, effectively sounding the death knell for real bargains. Central disposal was set up with a few main contractors, meaning the government gets the best price it can for its assets- There is still government surplus out there, in lower volumes and at higher prices. Disposal  is managed by the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) who will try and sell complete packages of assets- Aircraft with their spares for example as a primary disposal route, and only if these sales are not able to be made do they find their way into wider circulation.
The information here has been collated from a number of sources. Wherever possible I have used original adverts, but am indebted to a number of other sources linked at the bottom of the page- particularly on a number of forums where members have reminisced about visits to the dealers in question. Other sources include Companies House and the London Gazette.
 
Dates for companies that have lasted until relatively recently can be accurate as the companies house online system can give those details at no charge, although the first trading date may precede what is listed as some of these businesses may have been sole traders, at least through part of their existence, and therefore won’t show up in publicly available records. For older companies I am reliant on other sources, and whilst with sufficient copies of magazines and a lot of time it might be able to trace companies through their adverts, this would be an enormous amount of effort!
 
A similar story emerges in the history of Surplus dealers in other countries- the story of Bannerman’s in New York is particularly fascinating.
 
Note addresses are given are those that the company traded from- I have tried to list all known addresses.
 
This list is still a work in progress, so will get updated periodically as new information comes in.

Listed in alphabetical order, by surname or business name:
 
A.C. Electronic Services
General electrical Govt Surplus
17, Appleton Grove, Leeds, LS9 9EN
Mail order only
Source: Sales List 1993
 
Aero-Spares Co
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
70-71 high Holborn, London
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951
 

Alpha Radio Supply Co
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
5/6 Vinces Chambers, Victoria Square, Leeds
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Altham Radio Company
Government surplus, including American
Jersey House, Jersey Street, Manchester, 4           
Advert shows little detail, but may have been a wholesaler to other dealers/ shops
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Jack E Annakin
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
Mail order only
Ilkley Road, Otley, Yorkshire
Source: Vintage Radio Forum
 
Charles Britain (Radio) Ltd
General electrical govt surplus
11 Upper Saint Martin’s Lane, London, WC2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
B.Bamber Electronics
General electrical surplus
5 Station Road, Littleport, Cambridge, CB6 1QE
Source: Short Wave Magazine, Jan 1976
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1392121

Bates Surplus Store
General electrical surplus
49 Ivy Street, Birkenhead (By main tunnel entrance)
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
W A Benson/ Superadio (Whitechapel) Ltd
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
308 Rathbone Road, Liverpool 13
116 Whitechapel, Liverpool 1
Linked businesses
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Bits & Pieces
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
34, Luton Road, Chatham, Kent, ME4 5AA
Source: Personal memory

The Bull Group Ltd/ J&N Bull electrical/ J&N Factors
General electrical & mechanical Surplus
250 Portland Road, Hove, Sussex, BN3 50T
55A Worcester Street, Wolverhampton
Bull’s seem to have gone through a few incarnations, but finally ceased trading in 2010. The details below were their last registered on companies house. The Portland road address is probably what most would remember, this was supplemented in the 1990s with the Wolverhampton branch. Surprisingly at the time of writing their website is still live.
Final address:
The Bull Group Ltd, Unit D, Henfield Business Park, Henfield, Sussex ,BN5 9SL
24th Feb 2003-16th Nov 2010
http://www.bullybeef.co.uk/
"Bullybeef is the web site of Bull Group Ltd. We originally started trading back in 1945 under the name "Bull Electrical" when we specialized in surplus electronic items."
Source: Companies House, company website, Everyday with Practical Electronics August 1994
 
J. Burke
General mechanical surplus & tools
192 Baslow Road, Totley, Sheffield
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. Jan 1961
 
Clydesdale Supply Co Ltd
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
2 Bridge Street, Glasgow
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951

 
Clyne Radio Ltd
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
18, Tottenham Court Road, London W1
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Collectors Corner
British Rail Surplus
Circa 1970-1997
Coburg Street, Euston
 
C.T.S Electronics
General electrical & mechanical Surplus
18 Chatham St, Ramsgate, Kent
Source: Personal Memory
 
Cummings & Jennings
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
Tillingham, Southminster, Essex
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. Jan 1961
 
Display Electronics
General electrical & mechanical Surplus
Stanley Works, 29-35 Osborne Road, Thornton Heath
29^th Oct 1981- 13^th Dec 2016
Display Electronics ceased trading officially in 2016 and became part of Electroprops, which in turn became part of Film Medical Services. Much of their equipment lives on and is hired out for film and TV props.
Electroprops ltd
30^th Apr 2002- 17^th Apr 2018
Film Medical Services Ltd
11^th Apr 1990- Present
http://www.electroprops.co.uk/
Source: Companies House
 
Duke & Co
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
219 Ilford Lane, Ilford, Essex
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951
 
Electradix Radios
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
214 Queenstown Road, London
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951
 
Electronic Precision Equipment Ltd
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
249 Kilburn Hight Road, Kilburn, London
42-46 Windmill Hill, Ruislip, Middlesex
152-153 Fleet Street, London EC4
29 Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, London N4
123 Terminus Road, Eastbourne
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
H.W English
Optical Govt Surplus
469 Rayleigh Road, Hutton, Brentwood, Essex
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951/ Jan 1961
 
Franks of Glasgow (Charles Frank Ltd)
Optical Govt Surplus, New Instrument Makers
67-75 Saltmarket, Glasgow
Established 1907
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951/ Jan 1961
 

Galpin’s electrical Stores
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
408 High Street, Lewisham, London, SE13
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951, Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Gee Bros Radio Ltd
General electrical govt surplus
15 Little Newport Street, London, WC2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Greenweld Electronics Ltd
Electronic and Electrical surplus
27 Park Road, Southampton
443 Millbrook Road, Southampton, SO1 OHX
Greenweld started in 1965 by Peter Green, then working for the GPO who had bought various surplus GPO components and developed a sequencer. Greenweld Electronics Limited was formed as a Ltd company in 1979. They are quoted in 1994 of having 35,000 listed customers and a turnover of approaching £1million. It lasted under several owners at its Southampton site until 1999 when it went into administration. The assets were bought out by Permex Limited, forming the basis of the current Greenweld, but surplus sales no longer seem to form a significant part of the business.
In the late 1990s Greenweld had two sites- the main store was primarily a counter and a very small ‘showroom’ area as their main business was mail order- it wasn’t easy to browse stock. They had an additional ‘Greenweld Junk Shop’ up the road which was only open on a Friday and had a real mix of kit- mostly items that they had in quantities too small to list in the catalogue, or end of lines. Down one side of the shop were a number of shelves literally piled with components- these could be selected and bought by the carrier bag full for £5 (in about 1997). This was a favourite place of a few friends and I to visit occasionally, driving down from Guildford.
Source: Personal Memory, Companies House, The London Gazette, Everyday with Practical Electronics August 1994
https://www.greenweld.co.uk/acatalog/About_Us.html

 
G.W.Smith & Co Radio Ltd
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
3-34 Lisle Street, London WC2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
P Harris
General electrical Govt Surplus
Organford, Dorset
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Hatter & Davis (Relays) Ltd
General electrical Govt Surplus
126 Kensal Road, London, W10
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
A G Haynes (Radio)
General electrical govt surplus
9 Newport Place, Leicester Square, London WC2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Headquarter & General Supplies
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
196-200 Coldharbour Lane, Loughboro junction, London, SE5
Source: Hobbies weekly July 17^th 1957
 
Henry’s Radio Ltd
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
5 Harrow Road, Paddington, London W2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Highstone Utilities
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
58, New Wanstead, London
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951
 
H & M Sales / Hanningfield Metals/ (Barndoor Media)
Aircraft Scrapyard, Government Surplus , Film & TV hire
Hanningfield metals were primarily a scrapyard, but were the most prolific of UK dismantlers of scrap military aircraft. At their peak in the early 1990s, Wrecks and Relics lists 43 aircraft present in their yard in various states of de-commission. They also had extensive stocks of other military surplus parts. Unfortunately I never visited in the heyday, but did obtain some nice items from them near the end.
A second stream of income for them was supply/ hire of items for film and TV. I have Items in my collection from James Bond, Doctor Who and Star Wars Episode 1 that had been in their hire stock.
Temple Wood Estate, Stock Road, West Hanningfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 8LA
H & M Sales 26 Nov 1993- 26^th Mar 2013,First point of wind up of company 8^th Jun 2010
Details as Hanningfield Metals not available
One director currently still trading as Barndoor Media
Source: Personal Memory, Wrecks & Relics 14^th Edition, Companies house
 
Huggett’s Ltd
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
2/4 Pawson’s Road, West Croydon, Surrey
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. Jan 1961
 
Lasky’s (Harrow Rd) Ltd/ Lasky’s Radio
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
42 Tootenham Court Road, London W1
370 Harrow Road, Paddington, London W9
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Lawrences
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
61 Byrom Street, Liverpool
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951
 
C Marks & Co (Newport. Mon.) Ltd
General electrical govt surplus
2 Shops
90 Commercial Street, Newport, Monmouthshire
25 Wyndham Arcade, Cardiff
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Methodical Engineers Ltd/ Methco 
Aircraft surplus
4-6 Armstrong Road, Manor Trading Estate, Benfleet, Essex
Methodical Engineers traded in both surplus and airworthy aircraft parts up until 1998 when they went into liquidation. Some of their stock transferred to Airsaam/ Aircraft Spares and Materials which is part of the Aircraft Restoration Company and is still trading.
28^th October 1998 (liquidators appointed)
Airsaam/ Aircraft Spares and Materials
Aircraft Restoration Company Limited
Building 425, Duxford Airfield, Duxford, Cambridge
27th Feb 1998-Present
https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/aircraftsparesandmaterials#tab1
Source: London Gazette, Companies House, https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/121621-methodical-engineering-ltd
 
Midland Instrument Company
General electrical govt surplus
Moorpool Circle, Birmingham 17
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Milligans
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
2 Harford Street, Liverpool
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. Jan 1961
 
P.C.A Radio
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
Beavor Lane, Hammersmith, London W6
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Premier Radio Company (B.H. Morris & Co (Radio) Ltd)
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
207 Edgware Road, London, W2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Proops Brothers Ltd
Proops Brothers (stores) Ltd pre 1967
Victoria Works, 24 Saddington Road, Fleckney, Leicestershire (current)    
52 Tottenham Court Road, London (shop)
The Hyde Industrial Estate, Edgware Road, London, NW9 6JS (warehouse)
5^th July 1961- Present
Website states shop started in 1946
Proops were certainly one of the most well known of the surplus dealers. I suspect one reason for this was their ‘Pound Packs’. These were packaged up small quantities of useful parts which were sold through local model shops- I wonder if any still have the rack hidden away in a store-room? In some cases Proops sold parts with associated data that made re-using them that much easier for the purchaser.
Proops is still trading, but no longer a surplus dealer, instead providing craft, and especially jewellery supplies.
Source: Companies House, https://www.proopsbrothers.com/about-us-1-w.asp, Wireless World Dec 1955, Model Mechanics Feb 1979


Radio Clearance Ltd
General electrical surplus
27 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
The Radio & electrical Mart
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
253B Portabello Road, London
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951
 
Radio Supply Co (Leeds) Ltd
Radio shop carrying small selection of surplus
32 The Calls, Leeds 2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955

Reema Trading Co
General Govt Surplus
28 St Mary St, Southampton
Source: Kelly’s Directory of Southampton and Neighbourhood, 1954
 
D M Rogers
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
Southport, Merseyside
Source: Vintage Radio Forum
 
Samson’s Surplus Stores
General electrical govt surplus
2 Shops
169/171 Edgware Road, London W2
125 Tottenham Court Road, London W1
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Arthur Sallis
General electrical & mechanical govt surplus
93 North Road, Brighton, Sussex
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Scriggins
Lowestoft

Lenny's
Lowestoft
 
Sherman’s Supply Co
General electrical & mechanical govt surplus
3 shops:
479 Harrow Road, London W10
High Street Harlesdon, London NW10
359 Kilburn High Road, London NW6
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955

 
Somers Lamps Ltd
General electrical govt surplus
Crown Street, Acton, London, W3
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Southern Radio Supply Ltd
General electrical surplus
11 Little Newport Street, London, WC2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955

The Surplus Trading Co
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
19-25 & 57 St Mary Street, Southampton
Source: Kelly’s Directory of Southampton and Neighbourhood, 1970, SBN 610000985
https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/SOTON_Documents/Plimsoll/Directories/1970/1970_Classified_Fried_Fish_Shops_-_Public_Houses.pdf
Kelly’s Directory of Southampton and Neighbourhood, 1954
Thanks to Kelvin Richards for info & source links
 
A.H. Thacker & sons Ltd
General electrical & mechanical Surplus. Used test equipment
High Street, Cheslyn Hay, Walsall, Staffordshire
Closed Oct 1985
Source: Short Wave Magazine October 1985
 
UEI Corporation
General electrical govt surplus
Radio Corner, 138 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Universal Electronics
Test equipment shop carrying small selection of surplus
22/27 Lisle Street, Leicester Square, London WC2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Used Equipment Surplus & Storage Ltd (UES & S)
General electrical & mechanical Surplus. Used test equipment
26 Nov 2004- 27 Jul 2018
Units 6&7, Bayfield Brecks, Farm Walls Lane, Holt, Norfolk
Source: Companies House
 
Waltons’ Wireless Stores
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
203 Staveley Road, Wolverhampton
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. May 1951
 
Watson’s
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
Eastern Motors, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. Jan 1961
 
WCN Supplies
Millbrook, Portsmouth
Took over at least some of the stock from Greenweld on their demise.
 
K.R. Whiston
Bate Mill, New Mills, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK12 4PT
24^th April 1986-20^th April 2000
Source: Financial Conduct Authority Mutuals Public Register
 
L. Wilkinson (Croydon) Ltd
General electrical & mechanical Govt Surplus
19 Lansdowne Road, Croydon, Surrey
Source: Newnes Practical Mechanics. Jan 1961
 
Z & I Aero Services Ltd
General electrical surplus
19, Buckingham Street, London WC2
Source: Wireless World Dec 1955
 
Can you help?
I’d welcome any input from others to expand out what I have been able to pull together so-far, even if it is small snippets of information such as trading dates etc. I would be particularly interested in any photographs of the stores, catalogues, packaging, bags etc. that I can reproduce here. I would be happy with original items or photos or scans as appropriate and will happily cover expenses and credit all contributors.

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