That note is a typo. It is definitely VDC. Also, I'm guessing probably better left coming from the output of the 555? I will delete it and fix the schematic. It's working now. Once you get all the jumpers in the right place it works.
I found a drawing that I think was the original that started it all. I don't think I was ever able to get it to work and ended up with the posted one instead. Here is a link to it
Two more questions for GRJ,
1.) It seems like on first power up both the Red and Yellow LEDs on the N/S lights come on. Turning the power supply down to 0 (not cycling power) and then back up to 12 VDC fixes the problem.
2.) On my working schematic of this I have a 100k resistor drawn in between the feed to the 1M pot and pin 14 on the 8017. This doesn't seem to make any difference in the operation of anything?
Any ideas on these? I don't remember this from fiddling with this before?
Here's a revised drawing with parts list.
