Managed to remove the grips from the bars without trashing them. One slid off pretty easily, while the other needed a bit of easing with the help of a flat screwdriver. They are still eminently serviceable, so will eventually go back on while I decide whether to swing for Ergon grips or simply go for bar ends. The plastic end plugs are rather chewed, so those will be replaced.
Shifters and brake levers slid off the bars without dramas after loosening some allen bolts. I've left everything attached to the cables for now, and those that go on the left have been tied with a red zip tie and those that go on the right with a green one.
The bars are a bit battered, with a few gouges that go well into the metal where things were perhaps over-tightened. I've cleaned all the dirt and goo off them and sanded the rough bits down. Again, they'll go back on for now while I decide how to tweak the cockpit, but are a good candidate for being replaced, if only because they'll look manky on a nice clean bike.
The bolt for the stem is a tad stuck. I don't think it's seized - just like a lot of the things on this bike, it's likely not been touched for a couple of decades, so it will probably just want plenty of WD40 and a bit of time. The rust on the stem is superficial, so once I've managed to remove it, a good clean and maybe a coat of that anti-rust stuff that turns black when it's dry should sort that out.
What sort of stem should I be expecting
@raleighnut @SkipdiverJohn - a quill stem of some kind?
Seatpost came out with no dramas either. I knew it was OK as I had it out the other day to get the original saddle and clamp off. It has a spacer collar thingy (what's the correct term for that?) around 2 inches in height that fits between the post and the frame. Like the bars, the post is rather tatty, so it will go at some point, but again, I will put it back for now when I reassemble the bike. It's an inline post, but when I rode it previous week, I had the saddle as far back as it would go and it wasn't quite right, so a new post with a layback clamp will likely be what's needed.
As I couldn't do the stem and headset, the time set aside for that was spent peeling off the eye watering decals instead. They weren't in that great a shape anyway, torn and scuffed etc and actually disintegrated into small pieces as I was pulling them off. I've only left the ones on the seat tube as they're pretty discreet and the sticker from the bike shop that's on the down tube. I may change my mind about that last one, as it's rather knackered as well.
To be honest, even with the glue residue still in situ, the frame looks SO much nicer with all the decals gone, much less childish and more like a proper bike. That shade of light cadmium red is actually really rather fetching.
And with all the bits nearly off it, the frame is surprisingly light, for all that it is steel. And yes, the seat tube is also coated with that primer stuff that was also inside the BB shell.
Did you know that when you break sandwich composites, it sounds like a gun going off? I used to frighten the bejeesus out of my research colleagues by not telling them. 
No wonder no one liked to book lab time at the same time as me... 
