Wheel problem - advice sought

frame and forks look like it was built for 27" wheels which are even bigger than 700c and therefore even more overlap. if it was a really tight frame anything bigger than 25mm tires would rub the seat tube and down tube, which yours don't. all this makes me think that your forks and or your down tube maybe bent backwards a little.
other than the overlap how responsive does it feel in corners?
whenever i look at a second hand bike i check the paintwork on the down tube just behind the lower headset cup for cracked or rippled paint. you wont have this if it's been resprayed but if you look very closely you may notice some distortion in the tubing or the lug.

hope it's none of the things i've mentioned and it's just a little overlap that you'll get used to the more you ride.
i have overlap on my bike and run mudguards all the same. personally don't know why anyone bothers with straps and clips (partly for the overlap reason). i noticed at herne hill this summer that the guys running straps have a cleat system that dispenses with toe clips, if nothing else, it means they don't scratch their fancy shoes.

dr.

doesn't look that tight. i'll buy the frame off you for £20 coz it's broken ;)

I'm trying to imagine the bike with feet in the pedals, and to be honest, I don't think it looks that tight either. You know, when you're moving at speed, you can round most corners without turning the handlebars all that much. Maybe you've convinved yourself that cornering makes the front wheel move more that it actually does. A possibility or a lot of bollocks? :-P I'm sure you'll let me know.

I dunno. It's hard to tell without a photo, but I reckon you'll be fine - unless you're prone to turning at 90 degrees between cars that are bumper to bumper.

The frame is too small for me all over. My current (geared) ride is the same frame size, but with suspension in the seatpost. I neglected to take into consideration the fact that this adds a couple of inches to what would normally be considered the frame size, and so this one is too small for me. Throw clips and size 11 feet into the equasion and there we have it. I still haven't ruled out bent forks either - matching paint loss on the rear of both forks.

As for cornering, well there's always a nice bit of tight weaving to be had down rosebury/shaftesbury and then further down in knightsbridge. The wheel was hitting my foot at only about 5 degrees turn, and I definitely turn a heck of a lot sharper than that.

Hm, it sounds like the problem's not in your head, then. That's rough. What are you going to do with it?

By the way, I'd still like to see a photo - just out of interest - if you've got the time and inclination.

this is a very tight frame, with mega toe overlap, but there is a big difference to your bike. my old holdsworth track frame i commute on has as much overlap as yours in the pic, but you never notice. i don't think the size of the frame is the problem, sounds like you don't want it and are making any excuse to get rid of it. hence my £20 offer still stands ;)

thanks.
I'm assessing my options (!)