The pin-block completely revealed, with the central strut removed, as well. The pin-block and shelf can now be removed. As I mentioned before, the shelf is sitting in a tapered groove, there is about an inch and a half of material in front of this groove, that is keeping the block in. I know that it is possible to disassemble the front of the case to gain access to the groove, but this seems to me, more likely to result in damage, than the method I am using below.
In the above photo I have removed the veneer, first from the front of the arm, and then, the thicker piece, from the inside. Although I think this is the better way, I would just like to say, that it really hurt me to remove this small block of wood. Below;
I thought that as the groove, or dado (groove is actually correct) was tapered in my favor, that removing the shelf would be relatively easy, once I got it going. I was wrong. The shelf was very badly warped in the groove, and I had to work hard, the whole way out. So the piano had a little bit of revenge.
The result was this.

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