After several weeks of extensive investigative surgery, and a final bypass operation yesterday, I am overjoyed to announce that my daily task of draining the washing machine manually via that little door (bottom left), are well and truly over.
The beast is still dragged out from under the work-surface, and operating on bypass, but we are confident that his circulation will be back to normal when we put him and his hoses back where he belongs.
I love mod cons!
C r a f t y P e o p l e ---- confessions of a lapsed reader 
Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 20:42
Bet it was your brushes! Ours always go on Christmas Eve.
Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 22:06
I saw the picture and thought you had got a new washing machine.
Monday, October 20, 2008 at 7:48
I have no idea what brushes are or what they do. He was suffering from hardened arteries due to an unhealthy hard water diet.