Hi Graham,
fortunately, neither the outboard nor the lights were needed - weather was quite good on both legs of the journey. However, the down journey nearly eneded in disaster at the Pear Tree interchange at Oxford - I was pulling out to overtake a van coming up the on slip and my front wheel threw up a foreign object which slashed the rear nearside tyre - speed at the time was approaching 70mph - the most frightening aspect was changing the tyre with the traffic thundering past so close - the journey back had it's moment too, when an MX5 pulled out of a lay-by and stopped a short way in front of me just as I had re-entered the inside lane after overtaking one of Jordan's mates - the radiator grill of the lorry more than filling my rear view mirror!
All back home safe and sound now and looking forward to get back into the workshop.
cheers
Mike