On Wednesday, in article
ws.net
"Doctor Drivel" wrote:

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
.. .
In article ws.net,
"Doctor Drivel" writes:

When was it universally adopted? I think the 1960s.

1946 supplement to the 11th Edition Wiring Regs was when it was
officially sanctioned, but people had started using ring circuits
beforehand. Installation was universal by 1950, except in towns
which didn't yet have a 200-250V AC mains supply (13A sockets

My mothers house was new in 1953, was 250V, 3 pin plugs and radials.
Radials are not outlawed and rings are not mandatory. Even today it is take
your choice. AFAICS, rings became common in the 1960s.

In 1953, my parents moved into a Officers' Married Quarter at RAF Little
Rissington; this was not brand new, but had only had one previous tenant
since being built, under MPBW[1] direction, in 1951. This house had 13A
"square pin" plugs throughout, which fascinated me as an eight-year-old,
since I'd only hitherto seen two- or three- ROUND pin sockets, in two
sizes (5A & 15A).

In 1956, we moved into a C16th cottage belonging to a family friend; this
had been recently renovated after the death of the aged relative that had
occupied it, and 13A sockets and ring mains were standard. So the old
systems were definitely dying out by the mid-50s, if not earlier.

[1] Ministry of Public Buildings and Works[2] (often known as the
Ministry of Public Blunders and Wonders).

[2] Or perhaps HMOW = His Majesty's Office of Works.
--
Brian {Hamilton Kelly}
"I don't think you're in the top class when it comes to thinking
- I suspect I could wade through the depths of your mind and not
wet my ankles." Peter Thomas, in news:uk.telecom 24-Jul-2005