So far the conclusion is just brake pad overheating.

The lever went to the bar only once – after the power loss and with a lot of force from my squeeze. As said it also did so after ‘feeling’ like it had overcome some resistance to do so.

Need to look at a parts diagram to understand if a plunger / lever can be overcome or moved aside (without damage) from excessive squeezing on the lever, as this is what it felt like.

The fact they worked again almost straight away once cool suggests nothing is broken so it’s quite intriguing.

If the pads are red and superstar brand then that’s the Kevlar ones I think.

They came with the brakes new from Winstanleys, so I presumed Hope organic.

Nothing to add on the brakes but Little Stretton wow , I lived there for about 3 years when I was little(if it’s the Leicestershire one) . My dad worked on a dairy farm there in the 70’s , I’m pretty sure the farmer owned half the village for his workers .I remember flying down the hill at the side of our house on my tricycle straight across the road into a field.

Hi Carlos.

It’s not quite Leicester 😉

Mmmm, the hill appears to have grown since I was 4 , that’ll be the Shropshire one then 😉

If lost fluid the lever will not recover because you’ve lost fluid

Yes it will, if the lost fluid is replaced by the contents of the reservoir.