Touring Bikes

I've been idly toying with the idea of increasing the size of my bike stable up to a dizzying two recently with the addition of a tourer.

I'm going to try and do this as properly as my budget allows. This will probably be about £500 to spend gradually between now and next summer, I reckon. I keep veering between a second hand Dalesman/Galaxy off eBay on the one hand, and a self built modern affair on the other.

If I go for the latter what do people think of the Surly Cross Check frame as a base? It's solid, has lots of clearance and is reasonably cheap to pick up 2nd hand. I could, if needs be, swap the fork out for one with mounts half way up for a little front rack.

If I'm barking up the wrong tree then tell me. There might be some massive flaw in this plan that I'm overlooking.

I cycled to Istanbul in 2007 on a cross check. Was amazing. Best bike I've ever had! Sadly it was pinched on the return journey on a night train from Bucharest to Vienna. Have since replaced it with a soma double cross which has never seemed to fit as well. I rode with front ortliebs on a rear rack - 15 litres each I think and tent strapped to a nitto m18 front rack. Seemed to be well balanced and never had any speed wobble.