The countershaft, mounted integrally with the lathe and pivoted on an extension to the rear of the headstock-end bed foot, was fitted (like many other lathes) with a neat and highly effective "over-centre" adjustable belt-tensioning arm. This example is an early model, with six speeds, but on later machines this was increased to 12 by usual expedient of using a double-size pulley on the motor shaft together with matching larger pulleys on the countershaft; each model had its own speed range, arranged (on later models) as follows: 39 to 1300 rpm for the Alpha, 39 to 2000 rpm for the Beta and a very useful 39 to 2520 rpm for the Gamma.

Catalogue illustration of the countershaft - but omitting the over-centre tensioning lever. Note the backgear engagement lever: instead of a spring-loaded plunger to locate the engaged and disengaged positions a cheaper swing-over type, held by a friction screw, was used on the example.