Some excellent advice, there, on maintenance...It looks like I shall continue doing as I am at the moment, and add an interim run. One reason for asking what folk do with their batteries, is that a battery should be charged every month if not being used, so I shall probably invest in a trickle charger of some sort. I suppose these can be used without disconnecting the car's electrics, as there are so many devices with a memory to reset!!.
I'll pop into the "battery man' next time i'm in the city, as I seem to remember they had a few battery- related items. I bought a new battery of him earlier this year...100A.H., and what a corker.....no lazy lights on the glowplug warning....it just fires the engine with a flick, and the light goes off....the windows go up and down like greased lightening....and every electrical component does what it should, including the aircon. working better. The old battery had been failing slowly, and almost imperceptably so there's a warning there....keep an eye on the battery!!...especially as I paid over 100.00 quid for it

Now....the other piece of junk needs a new battery (an Opel)....so that's two to look after
Cheers
Helen