Naturally, with this being a very different setup in comparison to the destination blinds acquired earlier, I was keen to bring this unit back into use as quickly as possible. The first challenge was finding a suitable connector for the multi-pin socket on the side of the enclosure. Thankfully, this is quite a common type of connector in industry, and is known as "MIL-Spec". After speaking to representatives from Amphenol and Glenair (two companies that produce such products), a Glenair MIL-DTL-5015 (RS Components’ part code 513-3341) was purchased, followed by a seven-core heavy-duty cable intended for use in caravan installations. The corresponding internal wires were traced back to the inside of the connector; helpfully, the individual pins are identified by letters from the alphabet. I drew out the following table as a way of reminding me of the purpose of each pin, along with its labelling colours, and the eventual core colour from the supply cable - please note that I have ignored the recommended purpose for each core colour on a DC circuit.

Owing to there being no operating voltage stated anywhere on the motor circuit, working out the voltage was difficult, particularly given the lack of any working 1983 Stock units. Initial enquiries suggested that the voltage would be 24 Volts (DC), but following discussions with individuals who are more familiar with the internal voltages of Underground stock, including with London Transport Museum staff, the operating voltage was believed to be around 50 V. The only way that I would know for sure would be to connect the motor and run it at a very low voltage initially, and then increasing it gradually until it worked satisfactorily. A bench power supply was sourced for this test, with the voltage being set to 12 V initially. When this yielded no movement, the voltage was increased to 24 V, but still, the motor did not rotate. Increasing the voltage to 35 V, however, did start it moving; albeit, very slowly. I guessed then that the voltage must be 50 V, and so increased it to the maximum - this worked far more reliably! The video below demonstrates the system being operated on test - notice that the normal speed is still rather slow, but becomes more acceptable when the Fast button is pressed.

An enclosure that was capable of accommodating a transformer for the motor circuit, along with a suitable ballast for the lamp was purchased, and the components installed inside. A 48 V DC transformer (the black object located top-left) was the closest alternative to the required 50 V, while a high frequency electronic ballast for 2 ft (600 mm) lamps was fitted below.

The blind enclosure interior was given as best a cleaning possible without disturbing any of the wiring. A new T8-sized 9 W LED lamp was fitted, complete with narrower Terry support clips.

The blind enclosure was attached to a length of wood that was (conveniently) the right length to allow it to be positioned above the stairs. Although pictured with cable ties holding it in place, the enclosure will be secured with brackets in time. As can be seen, the lamp circuit was operational here.

The lamp provided sufficient illumination for the number identifier on the rear window to be visible too (though giving the glass a good clean beforehand helped!).

The full complement of destinations is displayed below; click the thumbnail image to download individual destinations (note - the full-sized images are 5152 × 3864 pixels in size). Notice that the shadow of the motor is cast on the longer destinations.

Canons Park	Neasden	Stanmore	Wembley Park	Charing Cross
Willesden Green	West Hampstead	Finchley Road	Special	Not In Service