It would be interesting to know if the brake was a wadkin factory option. I have a feeling that the machine was an ex tafe machine, I'm only guessing from the number "c108" sprayed on the back of the saw, it's handles when I got it were yellow-perhaps an attempt to make it safer. If it were an ex tafe machine, the brake could have been added as a safety feature........
Today I got to pick up the main spindle from the fitter/machinist. New bearings are on, I now have a shiny new dado nut and a trued flange on the spindle. The flange had a couple of humps where the rod is inserted to undo the nut. All going well I should have the spindle back into the saw over the weekend.