Thanks for the information Michael. Mine is at the stage of having removed the rubber around the nicads. I have peeled the tabs off the end of the nicads, to use later, hopefully to solder to the tags of new ones, and the nicads are out. I have a blown capacitor, around which I have cleared the rubber too. This disintegrated the cap, leaving me with only the legs in the board, so if I knew what to put there, I could at least try. Doubt that was the only thing that was damaged when the smoke was released, but it was the only area with burn damage, so who knows. I'm trying to find out what it should be. The removed nicads are useless, and none is chargeable by my high tech, multi-chemistry charger.

Still waiting for an eBay shop to confirm he has a serviceable unit, because I don't hold out much hope for my original. Like you though, I shall keep it in my box of bits.