Hornby controller circa 1960s

[Alex-348695]

I have a couple of Hornby controllers 1960s era. One of them the cabe securing nuts have been lost so I can't connect the cables. I assume that they are a BA thread although the stud diameter is 4.9 mm which is not a BA size or an Imperial size. Could they be 5mm. These are early 1960s controllers. Just taken some photos and strictly speaking they are Meccano not Hornby. Any ideas what thread size they will be?

[P-Henny]

The knurled nuts on this webpage may fit.

https://handem.uk/collections/h-m-components-spares-and-accessories

[Peter Stiles]

We should add "please get that tested for electrical safety before using it"...

[Going Spare]

They are listed by www.dublo-spares.co.uk.

[threelink]

Whatever you do please have the controller checked by a competent electrician before plugging it into the mains. Age causes deterioration of insulation. The controller (strictly a transformer/controller) appears to have a metal case, so must be earthed but I cannot tell from the photo whether the cable is 2 core or 3 core. I bought something similar on ebay a while ago. It was in very good and clean external condition and had a three core cable attached. It looked fine but had been meddled with internally in a manner which was not immediately apparent. It was lethal in the extreme (insulating tab removed leaving the positive wire in contact with the case, earth not connected and the fuse replaced by heavy wire). If anyone had plugged it in, they would have received a shock causing, at the least, severe burns and at worst, death. It simply is not worth the risk.