As I suspected, it was all my fault! It turns out that the waste filter needs to slide in on runners, on tracks, and, you guessed it, I didn't do that so the seal wasn't right and I copped the flood. It's all working fine now and, bonus, I've managed to end up with a perfectly bargain Bendix, and a clean laundry floor, so it's not all bad!
Anna
August 2007