I'd be grateful for any thoughts, comments, suggestions on this, please.

Car has done 169k miles. Last service/MoT (by my trusted indy) about 6 weeks ago - no problems. Had new steering pump about 2 years/16k miles ago (same indy). No problems since then. Normal mileage is about 8k pa, lot of local rural with some long (2k foreign) and some UK 300 or so trips.

Over last 4 weeks have done 4 return trips to daughter to udertake grandfatherly duties while she's in hospital. Return trip is 600 miles plus some local running about.

Last Monday morning on trip up I pulled into services parking after about 200 miles of running at 60-70 ish. Fairly hard left lock into parking space. Heard (but may have imagined) a bit of a clunk and steering was tremendously heavy. Managed to park. Tried steering, it took both hands same side of steering wheel and much effort to turm wheel, big vibrations through steering wheel. (Car is on 225/45x17 running at cold 31psi).

After wee, coffee and fag, checked fluid (ok, about half way mark) started car, reversed back a bit and steering was easier. Did several lock-to-locks thyinking may be airlock. Some vibration at full lock, more on right than left, but after a few repeats all seemed ok. Resumed journey and all seemed ok.

At end of journey, about 100 miles later, found steering was heavy again. A couple of lock-to-locks and it was fine. No problems over the next few days (local town running about with plenty of steering). Fluid level unchanged.

Drove home tonight (300, mixed motorway, A and B roads at various speeds) without a problem. But ... as I went to park, heavy steering again. Cured by a few lock-to-locks (with vibration at full locks),

I have noticed that at idle revs (about 750) I have a slight vibration on steering wheel which goes at abot 1000-1100. Hadn't noticed this before. My untutored eye can't see anything untoward re drive belt, etc when engine is running.

I will take car into my indy but Tuesday will be first opportunity and I may be called back to daughter's before then.

I have wondered if this is some sort of sod's law conspiracy as I eagerly await details of the possible scrappage scheme.

Any thoughts welcome - thanks in advance.