Cheers for that. Yes, the diameter of the spindle is wider than the fork end it is supposed to fit in.
I'll take the ends of the forks out a bit with my burring tool. They are vintage forks so there is a fair chance any wheel I get these days will be wrong too.
It's a late 60's Coventry Eagle frame and a generic hub.
To join in with the pedantry:
Spindle:
• noun a rod or pin serving as an axis that revolves or on which something revolves.
Axle: noun • a rod or spindle passing through the centre of a wheel or group of wheels.
So every axle is a spindle but every spindle is not necessarily an axle.
Fork:
noun • each of a pair of supports in which a bicycle or motorcycle wheel revolves.
So the correct term for the whole part is the pleural "forks". The singular "fork" would only referr to one side.
Source: Compact Oxford English Dictionary.
http://www.askoxford.com
EDIT:
Conclusion: Everyone is correct. Hurrah!