Hi Sean,
The good news is that it is a single phase motor. These are normally very reliable and not too expensive to buy. I would not like to comment on the condition of the motor just from the pictures. If any of the electricaly competent members live near to you they will be able to help you test it. By the way the item in your last photo is an over current trip,

Les,

Edited By Les Jones 1 on 05/11/2016 18:14:20

removed double posting.

Edited By Emgee on 05/11/2016 21:00:21

Beest to keep with min 400vAC rating for motor starting/running use.

Emgee

Little start/run caps are cheap enough on ebay, 400V 8uF from £2.50.

Sean.

The motor starter is probably ok but if you want to replace it Toolstation do one. Starter is part number 95364 £20.20 and you will need an overload relay as well, part number 89114 £9.90.

However as I said before the problem is more likely to be the capacitor or the reversing switch. I would try the capacitor first as its the cheapest, as others have said get down to Maplins with the details of your one just make sure the rated voltage on the new one is the same (or higher) than the old one. If that doesn't cure the problem then its down to either the reversing switch or the start winding. The reversing switch must be suspect as you said it was showing signs of burning. This is a more complcated item to try to source and to wire in. Do you use the reverse feature? because it may be possible to remove the switch and do a little bit of re – wiring

Martin

Going off the electrical track, you say that the lathe is bolted down solidly. This may be a mistake, as unless the floor is ABSOLUTELY level, the bed may now be twisted. Now to climb onto one of my hobby horses!

Better to insert rubber pads under the feet and not tighten too much (The idea is only to stop the lathe walking around the shop!)

Once that is done, ideally you need to check that the lathe bed is free of twist.. A lathe with twist in the bed is unlikely to turn parallel, only a taper.

Various ways of doing this:

Use a sensitive level, either across the bed, at Headstock and Tailstock end, or on the Crossslide, and check at each end of its travel along the bed.

OR Follow the method suggested by Myford (Series 7 Manual, pp41 and 42) or The Amateurs Workshop by Ian Bradley (pp 27 and 28). This involves turning a short section at each end of a sturdy bar (with a relieved section between to look like a cotton reel) without changing the Cross Slide setting. Any difference in diameter indicates that the bed is twisted. The instructions then tell you where to put shims to correct the twist.

You keep on checking and shimming until the last turned diameters are the same.

But this will be after you have sorted out the motor and its switchgear.

Then the world will be your oyster

Howard

If it's any consolation Sean, and I suppose it isn't, you are not alone. I'm more used to 3 phase electrics but my lathe is now 1 ph and I find wiring up a forward/reverse switch to be a nightmare and only possible because a kind soul on this site has been very helpful and incredibly patient.