Josephine! - Restoring a Joe Waugh ladies tourer

Bad idea. I've done similar before and what will happen is that the 'chopsticks' will just snap off and you'll be in the situation you're in now, but with the post flush with the seat tube, making your life all the more miserable.

Fair enough, sounds like a bad plan.

I think the plan now is to drill it so the walls are thinner, then try the hacksaw and pliers trick, which I hope will work (It's Sheldon's advice, after all)... if not, then maybe try mercury paste (it sounds fun), then clean out whatever's left in there at the LBS with the correct diameter sea tube reamer.

So, I'm off to find someone with a pillar drill...

And (just in case), which SE London bike shops have seat tube reamers? Roberts?

(where's Witcomb when you need him, etc)