"Simon Cee" wrote in message
...

Incidentally, check out 'photonics' for some amazing old
electronics... eg:

Mercury Arc Rectifier [100 yrs old]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QY6V2syGnZA

Prior to the renovation of the Royal Opera House just before the Millennium,
they used mercury arc rectifiers to power the First World War submarine
motors they used for the stage machinery.

--
Max Demian