Engine cooling problem.

Just thought I'd air this here 'cos I couldn't find any previous threads that really covered it. My engine cooling fan seems to have stopped functioning. Things came to a head the other day, on the North Circular, when the radiator boiled over after I got into a mother of a tailback. the irony was that I was heading for Desira in N. London to pick up a thermostatic switch. In the event, a new thermostatic switch made no difference. I also bought a secondhand fan from a scrap dealer (off a 750cc Panda, hope it's the same as on 999cc). Installed it today but, again, no difference. It's possible that it was a duff one, I guess. Have I missed anything? Would the engine thermostat have a bearing on this? The fuse is fine (also controls the interior light and horn) before anyone suggest that.

try wiring the fan straight off the battery and see if it works

Did better than that. Put the fan into my other Panda and it seems to work fine. So, so far, wasted my money on a fan and a thermostatic switch. I guess that only leaves the thermostat.

OK I'll answer my own questions. Changed the thermostat which was in a bit of a pitiable state - rubber seal disintegrated and half hanging down the throat of the thermostat housing, which suggests that it was permanently open. However, made no difference, fan still not functioning. Took the car down to my friendly mechanic who tested various things and discovered that the problem was dirty earth contacts on the cluster of terminals just behind the screenwash reservoir. Cleaned them all up as well as others and, bingo, fan is working again. If only I had discovered this before outlay of cash but thermostat needed changing in any case.