So, I was ready to get the sodding iron and pliers out, went to the froiler room to get the thermal fuses and thought €œIll just check the packet the machine screws came in in case the nuts are also in there.......

Yup! All screwed up, tested and working!

About 10 minutes after reading your replies earlier, I thought, I remember dad* telling me about holding stuff with pliers to keep the heat away from the components. Just the other day when I was about 8.

*His soldering iron was a six inch piece of 1/2 inch copper pipe hammered flat at the end. With an old file shoved in the other end for a handle. He used to heat it on a gas ring.