Hi Mandrake,
Many thanks for your answers. I did look at getting a GW1002 from Amazon in the US as it was $30USD cheaper but then I had reservations about the sensor transmission frequency and then complications at a later date if I wanted to add a console or additional sensors.
Unfortunately I have not recorded any wind measurements for storm Caira or storm Dennis as this is the part that failed on my Maplin weather station. I have had it in bits, freed up the bearings, recrimped all the connections, as I have to add an extension cable, but unfortuanetly despite all my efforts and many hours taking it down and back up again and trying to repair it, its finally died.
I read about the heating plate on the WS80 and if you have a lot of rain / snow and temperatures > -3C that it can adversly affect the readings. Not sure how applicable this would be for us in the UK. Maybe need to try and work something out with a Pi that switches it on automatically if temperature hits -3.C
I will speak with Ecowitt and see what can be done.
Andy