Egotripper

Having worked in a battery store for a year and a half, I find a brand new, good 1.5v alkaline battery to be 1.58v - 1.6v out of the package. At 1.4v, they might power a small load like the light, but not have the juice to get the motor going. Replacing those would be an easy and cheap place to start in eliminating what could be going wrong.

Nifty use of gears to fit in drive rods! You buy any motors yet?