Just an update. After my last visit to the Tooting shop they said it would be resolved in a couple of days. Some hopes. So a week later I phoned the help line again. Speak to a very nice Scots lass who sounds like she's phoning from some distant planet. Not a good start. But she soon finds out the history and says if I go back to the shop and buy a new SIMM card from them, they'll transfer my number to it and I'll be on my way. Which I did.
'Sorry Sir, we haven't got any blank SIMMs left. Expecting them in tomorrow. If you bought another phone from us now, we could transfer the number right away'
Indeed. 'Piss off' (Under my breath)
'But the computer shows Clapham Junction has them in stock'
So off I go to CJ. And, of course they're also waiting for them to come in.
There's an O2 shop nearby, so I pop in.
'Can you do me PAYG on my existing phone with my existing number now?'
'You need to contact Vodaphone to get an XXX code and then we can'.
'Can't you contact them now?'
'No you have to do it.' Presumably using my non working phone...