Yes, MK and some other manufacturers still make the urea-based plugs, although the softer ABS types are becoming much more common than they used to be, thanks to molded-on plugs now being standard on new appliances.
Sockets used to take a lot more bashing with vacuum cleaners when it was common for them to be surface-mounted on the baseboard (or "skirting board" as it's called here).
This arrangement was very common in old Victorian houses, as wiring could be carried out by just drilling downward at an angle through the board and running the cables under the floorboards (or in many cases, just running the cable straight down from the socket on the surface of the baseboard).
British manufacturers stopped making most brown fittings years ago. The only place the darker plastic is used now is for the toggle and socket inserts on some fancy brass fittings.
P.S. Should have said rockers instead of toggles. You can't get plastic toggle switches anymore.
[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 09-29-2003).]
