Mark,
Like Phil, I’ve not seen one of these before and research in light of your post has not produced anything new either.
I believe you have both a “normal” Big 6 and a hydraulic version and both are post 1950. Which of the two has this tube fitted?
The spares book for post-1949 vehicles only shows the one (standard) type of front mounting tube. That, and the fact you say it interferes with the gear change levers suggests to me it might not be original. Perhaps, with typical Ozzy ingenuity, somebody in the past has had to replace a damaged tube and this is the result of not being able to find an original part and making something to do the job.
I appreciate none of the above will help you in your quest to dismantle the unit, sorry.
Were I in your shoes, struggling to overhaul this item and unable to find anything suggesting it to be an original fitting, I think I would be sorely tempted to consider replacing it with the standard item.
B…..