The Netaline has to be one of the slimmest (and lightest) fluorescent luminaires ever produced, and for saying that it is also one of the most simple in terms of its construction, is also one of the most iconic.

The fitting is designed to run 4 ft (1200 mm) 40W 'T12' (1½″ / 38 mm)-diameter lamps; as can be seen, for much of its length, the lamp is the widest part of the luminaire.

An ingenious method of providing a ballast for the lamp is employed - rather than there being a dedicated choke, a length of resistor wire exists in the channel linking both ends of the lamp. This massively reduces the weight of the fitting.

A Bakelite cover conceals the Netaline's ceiling fixing plate; this can be moved out of the way during installation.

A length of (possibly original) flexible cable was supplied with the fitting - notice that the core colours pre-date the modern colours of brown, blue and green/yellow. For flexible cables, the change to the new colours was introduced in 1969.

A slightly cranked tube links the ceiling fixing plate with the main body of the fitting.

The small pod at the rear houses the starter switch and very little else. A tactile thumbscrew secures the cover.

An OSRAM lamp was supplied; this was made in August 2007 at the Philips lamp factory in Hamilton, Scotland.

The starter area cover is spring-loaded, but given the fitting's age, the spring is now rather stiff; this is why the cover was removed completely for this photograph. The two lampholders are loose, and only the construction of the luminaire holds them in place during normal operation.

The lampholder at the other end tucks into the assembly, hiding it from view.