Hello Paul and all,  I am still contemplating if the cutoff valve block
is missing or was just plain omitted.  In fact, in my long history of
dealing with this stuff, I suddenly vaguely remember reading somewhere
that there was a specification or agreement drafted by companies then,
that only 80 notes would be used in 88-note pianos from a certain date.
In that case, this piano may never have had a cutout for the expression
holes although it was made in 1923.  Maybe it was just a cheaper
version for Australia?

I am also unsure if the transposing bar was fitted in Australia or was
a special order for pianos delivered to Australia, as it is clearly an
afterthought -- a section had to be chopped out of the round part of
the hammer rail to accommodate it, and I also found the original screws
holes of the tracker pouch cutout underneath the lever fitting for the
transposer bar.

The tracker pouch cutout sits to the very far left on the stack deck,
right in front of the tubing connector block.  I have also found two
other screw holes on the deck between the Themodist valves and spool
box.  If Aeolian also made a single 8-note pouch cutout, that can fit
flat onto the deck, then that is where it may have been.

The cutouts I have seen to date all screw into the rear of the deck and
sit in midair.  They usually switch four notes each.  I can always make
new ones or a new one but if it didn't have them, then why bother...
Surely someone knows more?

Kind regards,
Bernt Damm
Sydney