Scott,

Yes, the "A-base" as you know it is still the standard meter connection here, and this is the typical 2-wire single-phase mechanical meter, as used almost everywhere before digital types started to replace them.

Terminals are L-N-N-L, line to the left, load on the right:
[Linked Image]

Both the terminal and main covers have screws which can be secured with a wire and lead seal. A couple more shots with the main cover removed:
[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Trumpy,

No, there was no connection onto the cable armor. The 'van end was just hacked off to connect to the meter. Whether it was earthed at the supply end, I couldn't tell you.

As is typical in caravan installations, the unit was wired for TT earthing with its own earth rod. In the first photo you can just about make out the main earth lead to the left of the supply cable going into the distribution panel. The use of TT necessitates RCD protection anyway, and there's a 30mA device in the panel.

That panel isn't the original, by the way, as it's much too new for the age of the 'van. There was proper bonding to chassis and pipework in place, but the clamp which was on the old earth rod was very badly corroded. About 6 inches back from it, I also found a tell-tale bulge under multiple layers of black PVC tape. Sure enough, the earth lead had just a twist-&-tape splice there, which itself had already corroded badly as well (the site this was on overlooks the beach and sea).

Some sites here operate fixed electricity tariffs, others meter it separately. As these holiday-homes use gas almost exclusively for space/water heating and cooking, a 16A hook-up is quite normal.

By the way, this unit now has a 30A feed to it with the new cable terminated directly into the panel with a proper gland. [Linked Image]