Absolutely amazing post as ever! Thank you.
So I'll try and answer as many questions as possible...
It's definitely oil; a dip with some kitchen roll confirms it and it's emulsifying. There's no air bubbling I have seen in the expansion tank either.
The transmission oil looks OK, I didn't smell it but it's probably 15 years old at a guess. One for the future like you say.
Great info about the transmission oil cooler...stupid question then, how would I go about checking for a leak? Strip it and visually inspect?
In terms of the charging issue, so when I start the car the only warning lights on are the seat belt, handbrake and oil pressure. When I start it then oil pressure (and seatbelt if buckled up) go off.
After a while (and I guess after I'm running on fast-draining battery power alone) several of the dash lights along the bottom start to become very dimly illuminated (can't remember which ones specifically but it's several in a row). I'll try the 5000rpm trick, I mean that's got to be the best car fix ever if it works :-)
Saying this it's only been revved up to about 3000 so far so it may actually blow a gasket when I try it!!!
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