Standard, non-clutched drive on the ME10 Note, in comparison with the standard type, the much smaller diameter of the 2-step driven pulley on the countershaft

In order to achieve the reduction in back-to-front depth compared with the original rear-drive models, the ME10 used a different design of countershaft. It was available in a standard form without a clutch or, at a considerable extra cost, with. The assembly consisted of two brackets bolted to the back of the headstock with each carrying an "ear" holding an  inwards-facing stud from which pivoted a casting that formed, at its rear, two bearing housings. The whole assembly was hinged to allow the V-belt to be moved from pulley to pulley to change speeds.

The lower part of the countershaft consisted of a block of cast iron secured by a single clamp bolt to the bed V-way at the back of headstock; the block was bored through to take a bar, from which hung the slotted motor-support plate - this being secured at the bottom by a single shaft that incorporated a long compression spring - presumably to allow some "give" in the system. The "swing head" that carried the 4-step "A-section" V-belt pulley was tightened and relaxed by usual adjustable, over-centre mechanism with a right-and-left-hand threaded hexagon block fitted with a rather short and so awkward-to-manipulate ball-ended handle (the same fitting can be found on the original 1933 South Bend).

The splined fitting of the clutch operating handle allowed it to be detached before the top cover was opened and also easily adjusted to suit the operator