Round pin plugs - just curious

I have always had a love for the old round-pin set up, especially the large ceramic 15 amp sockets, and the associated bizarre system of sizes, adaptors, quirky wooden plugs, etc. In fact I have an old cottage annexe entirely equipped with these in working order.

I thought they were long obsolete, but recently I have noticed advertisements by mainstream suppliers selling modern 3-pin plugs and sockets in the 2 amp and 5 amp sizes, and even the 15 amp. screwfix for example sell modern white 5 amp plugs and sockets.
What are they for? Why is Britain apparently moving back to a standard we dropped 40 years ago?

I am also aware that round pin continue in use in some parts of the world. Malaya, India and South Africa for example use a mixture of types, including our old 15 amp.
A curiosity I recently found in a charity shop is a modern flat-pin 13 amp socket with two additional 2 amp round pin outlets attached. It is not square, but slightly rectangular, and needs I believe a European "503" pattress box.

Can anyone explain what is happening, and give some background ?

Many thanks

 

..

 

15amp round pins are common in theatre lighting rigs

 

Although increasingly being replaced by 16amp amp 'ceeform' plugs/sockets.

Obviously there is a requirment to have unfused (but otherwise protected) plugs and sockets in said application.


Daniel

 

If the 2/5/15A sockets are not shuttered they don't comply with the regulations for use in housholds.

 

When controlled by a light switch on the wall.

 

A friend of mine found these in a flat he bought in 2009. It hadn't been rewired since it was built in the 1950s/1960s.

They allow lamps with 5A leads to be plugged into the same point as a 'modern' 13A socket. They were MK I believe.

 

Thanks everyone. It's nice to see they are still around.

Next question will be the old large 2-pin 10 amp plugs, and a wooden 3-pin plug I found that had extra large pins with slightly wider spacing than the normal 15 amp version. I've never found a socket it would fit !

 

Newly manufactured 5A and 15A sockets have been shuttered for years, IIRC 2A sockets got shuttering later (presumablly because it was difficult to make shutters that small).

 

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