Well I finally got to read chris's post by using gardenbanter. , my isp used to have very basic usenet but no longer.
google groups did not show it.
I got the tiller £99 vonhaus 1400w through ebay 12mths g'tee and am very happy with it.
I did not dig over first. The tiller tends to run fast and I prefer to pull it back towards me slowly.
Breaking up the lumps was very very time consuming by hand - this thing makes a fine tilth!
Yes, it tends to skim and you have to hold it to attain more depth .
The biggest point in it's favour is that it has got me back in the garden.
Digging the garden over myself simply wasn't going to happen.
I can only recommend it.