Charles, I'm really grateful that you are taking the time and trouble to help.
Your description fits my machine perfectly (a broad flat belt drives something - other than that, rubber idler wheels seem to be the main drivers.
Will take a closer look later; we are into the Willie Clancy Summer School here at present - up to our uxters in splendid music, and will be for a week.
I'm flushed with success at having just managed to repair another Sony and resume my digitising. Our top room is full of dead tape recorders which have fallen foul of 3 years of digitisation - Revox, Akai, Uher, Ferrograph - you name it, we've got it!
Ross, many thanks.
Yes you did give me the Blackpool contact; unfortunately, at the time I flinched from asing my little sisters to haul a Ferrograph from Liverpool to Blackpool so I didn't follow it up - will do on our forthcoming trip - many thanks to all who've come up with help.
Have come to expect no less from this forum
Best,
Jim Carroll