Hi All
And thanks for your contributions
Am waiting for response from vendor before I decide how to proceed.
Ideally I think I would like to see the machine working on its own panel and if a replacement board gets me there I will press for that.
Then I will look to providing computer inputs from Mach 3 initially before I take the plunge with linux .

So that is current plan . I recognise though that things do not always go to plan, ( well certainly not for me !)