Yep, great advice, thanks
Had Vaillant round today. He switched on the boiler (I had it switched off at the isolator over night) and no lights or display on the lcd, he swapped in a new board and nothing, checked the mains test point on the boiler and he said no power was coming into the boiler, I need to get an electrician in as they don't do wiring outside the boiler... Managed to convince him to stay as I explained that the separate programmer is working which takes its power from the boiler and he got the 3 way valve to move by changing the room thermostat!
Long storey short, power is going to the boiler but poss. loose connection from incoming power / electrical cartridge (wiring junction box) to the board which may have shorted the boards. He's ordered both boards and a new electrical cartridge.
Glad I left well alone last night...
Oh well definitely no hot water now (british gas fitted the tank with no emersion...)