I played without space-age enabled the whole time, However I suspect maybe as I updated many times and research was re-vamped significantly and I didn't start a new play through, something bricked :D
I enabled space age and shall continue anyway.
Enabling space age, transport belts are only craftable by character and the foundry (not yet unlocked). Not sure if this is from migration hell (enable SA mid way through the run) or if its a bug :D
Tested on 3.2.13