On Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:56:25 GMT, wrote:

On 18 Dec,
Harry Bloomfield wrote:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...ins_Cables#PBJ

Not suggesting you ( or Wiki) is wrong, but -

The plain rubber insulated - rubber covered 2c (or 2c plus earth), with
an over all cover of rubber was simply known as rubber insulated.

I always knew it as TRS (Tough Rubber Sheathed). A replacement for the VIR
and lead sheathed of the earlier generation.

There was also CTS (Cab Tyre Sheathed), which was (according to my
hard backed 1936 Sunco catalogue (which I must scan and put on the web
some time)) "H.C. tinned copper conductors, each core insulated with
pure and vulcanised india-rubber, then sheathed overall with cab tyre
to I.E.E. Specification.", and was available from 1·044 to 7·064 as
Single, Flat Twin and Flat Triple.

VIR (or VRI) was the single core cable with a cotton waxed outer which was
drawn into conduit or installed in the wood channelling etc..

I only met the wood channelling wit VIR once. It had to be re-wired pronto as
it was blowing fuses incessantly.

Wood channelling is still available in such as B&Q in the rack of wood
mouldings. I know the GPO used to still stock it in the '60s for
internal telephone wiring - the moulded (hardwood) cover was meant to
be attached to the casing using tiny brass countersunk woodscrews
(ISTR 1/2" x 2). Try getting an Openreach guy to do that nowadays :-)

--
Frank Erskine