Gareth, I like your thinking and I think I might just make up a very strong rack, and have it serve also as my hitch mounting point, and I could also set it up to use my panniers as well for when the trailer is too much.

Some pics.....


The mark on the stick shows where the hitch on the trailer is now, this is rather tall, so I'm thinking to modify the trailer (yet again!) to lower a bit where the hitch level is. On the Cannondale I am taking off from the seat post, so of course the hitch is quite a bit higher, with the Mixer 8 I'll be taking off much lower on the back of the bike, just over the wheel, I hope.

Some kind of a rack might be what I want, need.....



Just a crude mock up with thin strips of wood, but I think this could work, with another bit coming down and a flat carrying area it might work just fine.

I'm also thinking of reversing the way the hitch hooks up, now the tie rod end joint is on the bike and that goes into the trailer, but if I leave the tie rod end on the trailer and have it go into the hitch, like on the back of the beefy rack I will build, then I have the rack to use, unobstructed when I want, but a spot to hitch the trailer too, if that makes sense

Cheers!