strange axle

I agree with Sam, diff drain kinda gives it away.

Also the crown wheel looks to be on the short shaft side so you would have 4 reverse gears and 1 forward.

Once saw a feature on light weight land rovers that were converted to special low hight tug's to work in a mine with a low ceiling They were driven facing the other way[driver was lying almost flat][steering wheel and controls moved around] with what was the front axle providing rear steering and axle's flipped to give 4 forward in what was reverse if you see what I mean. Or it's something left over from scrapheap challenge.

Does that diff look like a later short nose?

cheap 4 pin from a P38?