Maplin Electronics

Maplin are the biggest of the electronics companies that started out servicing the amature market. They are still typically cheaper than the trade suppliers such as Farnell or RS, but the days of their free postage and easy to use catalogue are long gone. The catalogue is now swollen with the kinds of things you can buy at Dixons or PC World, and the repeated entries for the same item RS style.

There are lots of Maplin shops (see website) you can go to if you don't want to order online or by mail. Staff behind the components counter do actually know what they are about and can be very helpful. Anticipate waiting for their help, and going back a week later to pick up the bits they didn't have - or you can have these mailed to you for a small fee.