Ok for anyone interested I managed to get a single phase motor off a compressor for nothing, and I've managed to get it to turn in both directions using the barrel switch, all I had to do is go back over my electrical principles coursework from my btec and it turns out I had the answers all along, so it was happily milling away when there was a bang and a tinkle followed by loss of rotation, pulled the mill apart and the input shaft that has the three gears operated by the selector lever had sheared, from what I can tell it's had a hard life and is possibly a replacement part, so next job is to machine a new one, unless anyone has a spare, anywho if anyone needs info on how to have a single phase motor turn in both directions send me a pm or if I get a chance I'll write a post here