So your "code" now allows wiring either way to a light socket? That's interesting, as both the British IEE Regs and the American NEC require the outer shell to be neutral.
Unlike the U.S. and Europe though, Edison Screw bulbs aren't so common here. The majority of bulbs are a twin-contact bayonet type and thus reversible, so it makes no difference which way the holder is wired.
If you consider the Schuko plug to be big and bulky, I'm not sure what you'd think of the British 13A plug. That's really bulky!
I've seen the old 2-pin non-grounding plugs you describe elsewhere in Europe. The plugs are similar to one of our older types, except our pins ar slightly shorter, thicker, and spaced a little more closely together. They were conservatively rated at just 5A though. The grounding version had an extra pin (longer and thicker) in triangle formation.
The much larger 15A version had huge pins.
[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 01-03-2002).]
