Hi Steve.

Washing machine motors:

2 wires for the armature
2 wires for the field
2 wires for the tacho
- thats the normal setup of these.

You can run them either off a switched mode controller (not worth it)
or run it on reduced voltage with windings in series. Just keep an eye
on the motor temp, as these things arent rated to run full whack for
long. Reduced V comes from either a transformer or series bulbs.

Dont expect any great power output running like this, but it can be
used to bodge up old equipment that otherwise wouldnt be worth doing.

Reversing: just swap the wires over on one of the winds (not both!).

Regards, NT