Thanks Steve,

Yes it is a Euro, what else I've noticed is it is running a little cool, it is pegged right at 80, while I seem to think it normally is about 85-90, I did find the rad cap cracked, and no pressure when I removed it, it is possible it has been like that for a while though, I can't think when I last cracked it myself, and it had a service about a month ago.

The econo meter seems to give the biggest clues, once you are at cruising speed on the highway it seams to function normally, however as you slow in trafic it returns to the mid point and only returns to 0 on the overrun. Is this a red herring?.

Could the fact the cooling system has run unpressurised and at the wrong tempreture fooled the cold start?.