Hi Bob
great news....it's working. I attached a lamp to the red/black outputs in the top box and the bulb is burning brightly! Thank you for all the help with this, I really do appreciate it. OK, my next project is to strip it down and rewire everything....it is filthy and some of the wires have been nibbled by mice so it is long overdue. What do you think? I can't see how to open it up for a start and, secondly, don't know which wire is should be looking to buy....
thanks
Alex