Jumped in car to leave work this evening, turned key, ignition/oil light comes on,
but no starter!
Was parked on slope, so using reverse as facing up-hill at the time, and with ignition on, allowed it to roll backwards in an attempt to bump start it, but nothing fired.

So as I've now rolled down across car park, and with nowhere further to go, Begin wondering how long it might take, recovery truckto get there, if I ring straightaway,

so try the key one more time, and it fires up as normal.

Now, in Four years of ownership, this has occured, only three times, so i'm not complaining, merely curious to know if anyone else has experienced the same,
and where I might start looking.

 

Since you turned the key to the "on" position and turned over the engine using the transmission, I'm thinking the problem isn't in the starter circuits but rather in the ignition/fuse wiring. Push starting the car should have fired it up...if the coil was energized properly.

Just for your future info...the very thick wire from the battery directly to the starter is the load circuit-what actually spins the starter/engine after the starter bendix(a lever) pushes the gear out to engage the flywheel. The small wire from the battery to the ignition switch to the starter is the control circuit-this supplies just enough juice for the solinoid to pop the bendix to pop the gear out and make the load circuit contacts touch so the motor turns the engine over.

 

Check for loose/corroded wires at the coil, distributor, ig switch, and especially the grounding wires(battery-to-chassis and transmission-to-chassis straps).

 

I was bothered about the lack of enthusiasm regarding bump-start too.

any other car starts with a lurch, and a frantic search for the brake/clutch pedal,

Saturday tomorrow, so time to look for faults with electrics I think,
thanks for that chaps!