Yes, the inverter was my 'plan A'. I brought a 'pure sine' inverter with me from UK, but it is no longer functioning - the oscillator doesn't run. I've requested a schematic from the manufacturers, but they don't even do me the courtesy of replying. I could, perhaps, spend a few hours sketching out the schematic myself.
As for brownouts - there's no point in running the turntable if the amp isn't powered! In any case, I do have a generator.
Yes, I could look for a machine shop to turn me up a pulley, but getting a decent job done here, as opposed to a bodged job, is difficult. In any case, the original pulley is a two-piece nylon assembly, incorporating a friction clutch.
Again, a pic solution had occured to me, but my first task would be to obtain, or build, a programmer - a fun project for when I have lots of time. In the meanwhile, the simple XR-2206 solution may be the pragmatic option.