Close Phil, I took time out to look at again today, and noticed the gear at the handle and shaft spins however the gear that transfers motion to another gear driving the leadscrew does not move, oops have to move it out from the wall to get at it, it has been like that since I bought it and was told then the lathe had not been used for 40 year, ha ha So am pretty confident that is the answer, Just have to mount the motor now and could have the basis of my gear hobber
It has only taken me 3 years to make a start on the machine, it kind of got buried as I have a Colchester for my main turning.