Ignition on permanently?

[greensimonc]

Hi - I have a problem with my 1966 series 1 2+2. I returned from a week away to find my trickle charger dead. Car battery also flat.
Bought a new charger and the battery is back to being fully charged - but when reconnected I noticed the handbrake warning light was on (before I switched on). Put the key in, no noise from the fuel pump (maybe already fully primed?), pushed the starter and the engine fired - turned the key to off and removed it, engine still running! Thankfully it stalled itself.

So to my largely electrically uneducated self, does this all point to a failed ignition switch or has anyone thoughts of any other things I should check before buying a new one and gingerly mucking about with 59 year old wiring?

Thanks all, Simon.

[JimMann]

Hi Simon, whilst it is "highly likely" that your ignition switch has failed, another potential issue could simply be shorted wires behind the switch and therefore worth pulling the switch, gently, from the dash and checking the condition of wires in the immediate vicinity. Did you know that dead spiders conduct electrical energy?

Jim Mann