Equipped with the same design of double-height, detachable-gap bed as the better known 5-inch model (with the tailstock carried on the upper level and the carriage on the lower), this massively built, 8" x 40" Drummond is one of a number of machines from the maker that appear to have been unique to the Australian market.
Driven originally by a flat belt from overhead line shafting running at 145 r.p.m., the headstock had seven very slow speeds from 10 to 65 r.p.m. through what was listed as "Backgear" with 90 r.p.m. available in what was termed "direct drive". With a 255 r.p.m. countershaft, geared speeds ran from 18 to 115 r.p.m. and in direct drive 190 r.p.m. 
Topped by the usually large and well T-slotted boring table, the carriage was equipped with power sliding and surfacing feeds - the drive coming from a powershaft connected to a screwcutting gearbox of the Norton sliding-tumbler, quick-change type. As no leadscrew was fitted, engagement of threads and feeds was by a lever pivoting from and so moving with the apron. The lever was connected to a long rod running the length of the bed that engaged a mechanism within the gearbox--though if this incorporated some form of clutch is not known.
Just one example of the lathe is know - should any reader have further information the writer would be interested to know.