No I'm not fixed, I cannot get the stems out, they unscrew all the way but there seems to be something at the end of the stem , inside the valve, stopping the stem coming out. I have new stems to fit but can't fit them obviously.
I have a 1960's Speakman-Kent Shower Valve as detailed in the following link http://notthisoldhouse.blogspot.com/2011/01/1960s-era-speakman-kent-shower-valves.html
I have tried to remove both the hot and cold shower stems but there is something stopping them being removed after I have unscrewed...