Denford VMC1300 - Rescued

[m_c]

I wouldn't swing on anything if it were my mill!

if you remove the casing/cover around the spindle you will probably see a spindle motor connected to the atc spindle via a belt - that's how denford normally do it.

above the atc spindle is a powered drawbar, you need to remove the powered drawbar and then hit the end of the atc spindle with a hammer to release a tool.

all the powered draw bar down is push down on the sprung tip of the spindle atc

The manual toolchange VMCs have no pneumatics, instead you get a big lever on the side of the head for releasing the tool. I'm assuming underneath the cover, it's the same spindle/drawbar/spring stack as an ATC version, it's just using a lever instead of a pneumatic actuator.
Provided the lever is compressing the spring stack correctly, then all it's likely needing is somebody to pull the lever, while somebody taps the toolholder to give it a bit helping hand to pop it out.
I'd certainly be trying that before going to the extent of stripping of the spring stack and drawbar.